User support system

• US 20020059214A1
• Filed: 10/25/2001
• Published: 05/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Makiyama, Hideki, Funamizu, Toru, Suzuki, Junji, Shibusawa, Yasuo
• Application Number:
  US09/983,738
• Publication Number:
  US 20020059214A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A user'"'"'s computer 1 is a computer that a user purchases from a manufacturer. The computer 1, a host computer 3 for the manufacturer that sold the computer 1 to provides a support service, and a terminal unit 4 operated by a person in charge of support are connected to a network 2. A storage unit 5 in the host computer 3 stores a database for user support. This database includes the specifications 11 of computer at the time it is purchased, installed software 12, information 13 on the condition of a trouble that occurred, information 14 on a troubleshooting measure, information 15 on the content of a repair request, and information on the progress of repair processing. All of information which is usable for computer support can be viewed by a user and a service person, and a prompt and appropriate support can be performed. Also, the condition of repair can be checked in real time.

Claims

1. A user support system comprising:

a database in which information representing the specifications of a computer of a user at the time the computer is purchased, software which is added or changed after the purchase, and the condition of a trouble occurring after the purchase are recorded; and

a terminal unit for searching and referring to said database.

4. A user support system database characterized in that in a user support system as set forth in any of claim 1 to claim 3, said database includes information representing a troubleshooting method answered in response to a trouble posted from said user.

5. A user support system as set forth in any of claim 1 to claim 3,

wherein said database includes web data which is stored in a storage unit of a host computer linked to a user terminal unit by a network and which can be referred to in retrieval by said user terminal unit.

6. A user support system as set forth in any of claim 1 to claim 3,

wherein said database contains a set of web pages which are accessed based on the serial number of a user apparatus.

7. A user support system as set forth in any of claim 1 to claim 3,

wherein said database includes information representing a repair request from a user and information representing the progress of repair processing in response to said repair request.

8. A user support system as set forth in claim 7, wherein:

said information representing the progress of the repair processing is displayed on a web page accessible by a user terminal unit; and

in the web page, a button for accessing a person in charge of repair is displayed.

9. A user support system as set forth in claim 8,

wherein the button is a button for making a telephone call to the person in charge of repair.

10. A user support system as set forth in claim 8,

wherein the button is a button for sending mail to the person in charge of repair.

11. A user support system as set forth in claim 5,

wherein said database contains a set of web pages which are stored in the storage unit of said host computer linked to said user terminal unit by said network.

12. A user support system as set forth in claim 5,

wherein the URL of said web page is displayed in a user-support data file stored in the storage unit of a computer of the user.

13. A user support system as set forth in claim 5,

wherein the URL of said web page is displayed in a user-support data file stored in a driver-data recording medium distributed with a computer of the user.

15. A user support system as set forth in claim 14,

wherein said database includes information representing a troubleshooting method answered in response to a trouble posted from said user.

16. A user support system as set forth in claim 15,

wherein said database includes web data which is stored in a storage unit of a host computer linked to a user terminal unit by a network and which can be referred to in retrieval by said user terminal unit.

17. A user support system as set forth in claim 16,

wherein said database includes web data stored in a storage unit of a host computer linked to a user terminal by a network and which is written after retrieval by said user terminal.

2. A user support system comprising:

a database in which information representing the specifications of a computer of a user at the time the computer is purchased, hardware which is added or changed after the purchase, and the condition of a trouble occurring after the purchase are recorded; and

a terminal unit for searching and referring to said database.

3. A user support system comprising:

a database in which information representing the specifications of a computer of a user at the time the computer is purchased, software which is added or changed after the purchase, hardware which is added or changed after the purchase, and the condition of a trouble occurring after the purchase are recorded; and

a terminal unit for searching and referring to said database.

14. A user support system comprising:

a database in which information representing the specifications of goods at the time a user purchases said goods and information representing the condition of a trouble occurring after the purchase are recorded; and

a terminal unit for searching and referring to said database.