User support

• US 20020093525A1
• Filed: 09/24/2001
• Published: 07/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Asauchi, Noboru
• Granted Patent: US 7,013,410 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/714
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/18 Delegation of network management function, e.g. customer network management [CNM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5064 Customer relationship management

Abstract

Online support is given for operation of a device. First, a client system equipped with the device is connected to a user support server that gives online support for operation of the device. Next, the client system transmits device information for which the device model can be specified and use environment information indicative of an operation environment of the device to the user support server system. Finally, using the information transmitted to the user support server system, the device support information for supporting operation of the device that the client system has is generated, and the device support information is transmitted to the client system.

Claims

1. A user support method of providing online support for operation of a device coupled to a client system, comprising the steps of:

(a) connecting the client system to a user support server system configured to provide online support for operation of the device;

(b) transmitting device information indicative of a device model and environment information indicative of an operation environment of the device, from the client system to the user support server system;

(c) generating device support information using the device information and the environment information transmitted to the user support server system, the device support information being configured to be used for supporting operation of the device; and

(d) transmitting the device support information from the user support server system to the client system.

2. The user support method of claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying the device support information on the client system.

3. The user support method of claim 1, wherein

the client system obtains a user ID and a password for receiving permission for access to the user support server system before the step (a), and

the step (a) includes a step of connecting the client system to the user support server with the user ID and the password.

4. The user support method of claim 1, wherein

the device support information includes malfunction solution information configured to be used to solve malfunction of the device.

5. The user support method of claim 4, wherein

the step (b) includes the steps of:

generating device malfunction information used to diagnose malfunction of the device;

transmitting the device malfunction information to the user support server system.

6. The user support method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

trying to generate the device malfunction solution information by the client system using the device information and the operation environment information stored in advance in the client system before the step(a),

halting the steps (a) through (d) if the generation of the device malfunction solution information is successful, and

executing the steps (a) through (d) if the generation of the device malfunction solution information is not successful.

7. The user support method of any of claim 4, wherein

the step (c) includes the step of generating the device malfunction solution information with the information transmitted to the user support server system.

8. The user support method of any of claim 4, wherein

the step (c) includes the step of solving malfunction of the device with the device malfunction solution information under a control of the user support server system.

9. A user support method of providing offline support for operation of a device on a computer connected to the device, comprising the steps of:

(a)generating device support information using device information indicative of a device model and environment information indicative of an operation environment of the device, the device support information being configured to be used for supporting operation of the device; and

(b)displaying the device support information on the computer.

10. The user support method of claim 9, wherein

the device support information includes device malfunction solution information used to solve malfunction of the device.

11. The user support method of claim 10, further comprising the step of solving malfunction of the device with the device malfunction solution information.

13. The information provision method of claim 12, wherein

the client system obtains a user ID and a password for receiving permission to access to the user support server system before the step (a), and

the step (a) includes the step of connecting the client system to the user support server system with the user ID and the password.

15. The user support method of claim 14, further comprising the step of displaying the device support information on the client system under a control of the user support server system.

16. The user support method of claim 14, wherein

the device support information includes malfunction solution information configured to be used to solve malfunction of the device.

17. The user support method of any of claim 16, wherein

the step (b) includes the step of generating the device malfunction solution information with the information transmitted to the user support server system.

18. The user support method of any of claim 16, wherein

the step (b) includes the step of solving malfunction of the device with the device malfunction solution information under a control of the user support server system.

20. The user support method of claim 19, further comprising the step of displaying the device support information on the client system.

21. The user support method of claim 19, wherein

the client system obtains a user ID and a password for receiving permission for access to the user support server system before the step (a), and

the step (a) includes a step of connecting the client system to the user support server system with the user ID and the password.

22. The user support method of claim 19, wherein

the device support information includes malfunction solution information configured to be used to solve malfunction of the device.

23. The user support method of claim 22, wherein

the step (b) includes the steps of:

generating device malfunction information used to diagnose malfunction of the device;

transmitting the device malfunction information to the user support server system.

24. The user support method of claim 23, further comprising the steps of:

trying to generate the device malfunction solution information using the device information and the operation environment information in the client system before the step(a)

halting the steps (a) through (d) if the generation of the device malfunction solution information is successful, and

executing the steps (a) through (d) if the generation of the device malfunction solution information is not successful.

26. The user support method of claim 25, further comprising the step of displaying the device support information on the client system under a control of the user support server system.

27. The user support method of claim 25, wherein

the device support information includes malfunction solution information configured to be used to solve malfunction of the device.

28. The user support method of any of claim 27, wherein

the information generator configured to generate the device malfunction solution information with the information transmitted to the user support server system.

29. The user support method of claim 27, wherein

the information generator solves malfunction of the device with the device malfunction solution information under a control of the user support server system.

12. An information provision method of providing information online from a user support server system in response to requests from a client system coupled to a device, comprising the steps of:

(a) connecting the client system to the user support server system;

(b) transmitting device information indicative of a device model from the client system to the user support server system; and

(c) transmitting information available for operation of the device from the user support server system to the client system, in accordance with the information transmitted to the user support server system.

14. A user support method of providing online support for operation of a device coupled to a client system, comprising the steps of:

under a control of a user support server system

(a) device information indicative of a device model and environment information indicative of an operation environment of the device, from the client system;

(b) generating device support information using the device information and the environment information transmitted to the user support server system, the device support information being configured to be used for supporting operation of the device; and

(c) transmitting the device support information from the user support server system to the client system.

19. A method of receiving online support for operation of a device coupled to a client system, comprising the steps of:

(a) connecting the client system to a user support server system configured to provide online support for operation of the device;

(b) transmitting device information indicative of a device model and environment information indicative of an operation environment of the device, from the client system to the user support server system; and

(c) receiving device support information using the device information and the environment information transmitted to the user support server system, the device support information being configured to be used for supporting operation of the device.

25. A user support server system of providing online support for operation of a device coupled to a client system, comprising:

an information receiver configured to receive device information indicative of a device model and environment information indicative of an operation environment of the device, from the client system;

an information generator configured to generate device support information using the device information and the environment information transmitted to the user support server system, the device support information being configured to be used for supporting operation of the device; and

an information transmitter configured to transmit the device support information to the client system.

30. A client system of receiving online support for operation of a device coupled to the client system, comprising:

a connector configured to connect the client system to the user support server system configured to provide online support for operation of the device;

an information transmitter configured to transmit device information indicative of a device model and environment information indicative of an operation environment of the device, from the client system to the user support server system; and

an information receiver configured to receive device support information using the device information and the environment information transmitted to the user support server system, the device support information being configured to be used for supporting operation of the device.

31. The user support method of claim 30, further comprising the step of displaying the device support information on the client system.

32. The client system of claim 30, wherein

the client system obtains a user ID and a password for receiving permission for access to the user support server system, and

the connector connects the client system to the user support server system with the user ID and the password.

33. The client system of claim 30, wherein

the device support information includes malfunction solution information configured to be used to solve malfunction of the device.

34. The client system of claim 33, wherein

the information transmitter generates device malfunction information being configured to be used to diagnose malfunction of the device, and also transmits the device malfunction information to the user support server system.

35. The client system of claim 34, further comprising the steps of:

a solution generator configured to try to generate the device malfunction solution information using the device information and the operation environment information in the client system before the step(a),

a process controller configured to halt the process if the generation of the device malfunction solution information is successful, or to proceed to the steps (a) through (d) if the generation of the device malfunction solution information is not successful.

37. The computer system of claim 36, wherein

the device support information includes device malfunction solution information used to solve malfunction of the device.

38. The computer system of claim 37, further comprising

a solver configured to solve malfunction of the device with the device malfunction solution information.

40. The user support server system of claim 39, wherein

the user support server system provide a client system with a user ID and a password for receiving permission to access the user support server system, and also accept a connection request with the user ID and the password from the client system.

36. A computer system of providing offline support for operation of a device coupled to the computer, comprising:

a device support information generator configured to generate device support information using device information indicative of a device model and environment information indicative of an operation environment of the device, the device support information being configured to be used for supporting operation of the device; and

a display controller configured to display the device support information on the computer.

39. A user support server system of providing information online in response to requests form client system coupled to a device, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive device information indicative of a device model from the client system; and

a transmitter configured to transmit information available for operation of the device to the client system, in accordance with the information transmitted to the user support server system.

41. A computer program product for causing a computer to provide online support for operation of a device coupled to another computer, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium; and

a computer program stored on the computer readable medium, the computer program comprising;

a program for causing the computer to receive device information indicative of a device model and environment information indicative of an operation environment of the device from the other computer;

a program for causing the computer to generate device support information using the device information and the environment information transmitted to the computer, the device support information being configured to be used for supporting operation of the device; and

a program for causing the computer to transmit the device support information to the other computer.

42. A computer program product for causing a computer to receive online support for operation of a device coupled to the computer, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium; and

a computer program stored on the computer readable medium, the computer program comprising;

a program for causing the computer to connect the computer to another computer configured to provide online support for operation of the device;

a program for causing the computer to transmit device information indicative of a device model and environment information indicative of an operation environment of the device from the computer to the other computer; and

a program for causing the computer to receive device support information using the device information and the environment information transmitted to the user support server system, the device support information being configured to be used for supporting operation of the device.

43. A computer program product for causing the computer to provide offline support for operation of a device coupled to the computer, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium; and

a computer program stored on the computer readable medium, the computer program comprising;

a program for causing the computer to generate device support information using device information indicative of a device model and environment information indicative of an operation environment of the device, the device support information being configured to be used for supporting operation of the device; and

a program for causing the computer to display the device support information on the computer.

44. A computer program product for causing a computer to provide information online in response to requests from a client system coupled to a device, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium; and

a computer program stored on the computer readable medium, the computer program comprising;

a program for causing the computer to receive device information indicative of a device model; and

a program for causing the computer to transmits information available for operation of the device to the client system, in accordance with the information transmitted to the user support server system.