Technical support system

• US 20030088641A1
• Filed: 11/02/2001
• Published: 05/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Ueno, Toshio
• Application Number:
  US10/002,744
• Publication Number:
  US 20030088641A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/218
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

A technical support system includes a SIP section which provides web pages as an information input and output interface, a KB section which stores various claim reports and solutions answered by engineers with respect to the claim reports, and a CH section which searches the KB section for solutions which match a claim content input to a client web page. Particularly, the CH section is configured to perform an ordinary search of collecting the claim reports based on product information input as the claim content, and an extended search of extracting predetermined items of claim definition information in a standard term from claim details of a natural language form input as the claim content by referring to a synonym table which converts synonym terms having the same technical meaning into the single standard term and then deriving a reduced number of solution candidates based on a combination of the claim definition information items from the claim reports obtained in the ordinary search.

Claims

1. A technical support system comprising:

a service information portal section which provides web pages as an information input and output interface;

a knowledge base section which stores various claim reports and solutions answered by engineers with respect to the claim reports; and

a claim handling section which searches said knowledge base section for solutions which match a claim content input to a client web page;

wherein said claim handling section is configured to perform an ordinary search of collecting the claim reports from said knowledge base section based on product information input as the claim content, and an extended search of extracting predetermined items of claim definition information in a standard term from claim details of a natural language form input as the claim content by referring to a synonym table which converts synonym terms having the same technical meaning into the single standard term and then deriving a reduced number of solution candidates based on a combination of the claim definition information items from the claim reports obtained in the ordinary search.

2. The technical support system according to claim 1, wherein said claim handling section is configured to check a missing item of the product information based on the claim definition information obtained in the standard term in said extended search, and fill out the missing item of the product information with the standard term.

3. The technical support system according to claim 2, wherein said claim handling section is configured to check an error item of the product information based on the claim definition information obtained in the standard term in said extended search, and requires confirmation as to whether or not the product information is correct, when the claim definition information is inconsistent with a content of the product information.

4. The technical support system according to claim 1, wherein said claim handling section is configured to check an error item of the product information based on the claim definition information obtained in the standard term in said extended search, and requires confirmation as to whether or not the product information is correct, when the claim definition information is inconsistent with a content of the product information.

5. The technical support system according to claim 1, wherein said claim handling section includes a synonym table which is referred to in the extended search to convert synonymous terms indicative of a problem into a single standard term.

6. The technical support system according to claim 1, wherein said claim handling section includes a synonym table which is referred to in the extended search to convert synonymous terms indicative of a unit corresponding to a problem occurring position into a single standard term.

7. The technical support system according to claim 1, wherein said claim handling section includes a synonym table which is referred to in the extended search to convert synonymous terms indicative of a cause of a problem into a single standard term.

8. The technical support system according to claim 1, wherein said claim handling section includes a synonym table which is referred to in the extended search shown to convert synonymous terms indicative of a treatment for a problem into a single standard term.

9. A recording medium with a program for a technical support system server which includes a service information portal section which provides web pages as an information input and output interface, a knowledge base section which stores various claim reports and solutions answered by engineers with respect to the claim reports, and a claim handling section which searches said knowledge base section for solutions which match a claim content input to a client web page, said program being arranged for causing said claim handling section to perform an ordinary search of collecting the claim reports from said knowledge base section based on product information input as the claim content, and an extended search of extracting predetermined items of claim definition information in a standard term from claim details of a natural language form input as the claim content by referring to a synonym table which converts synonym terms having the same technical meaning into the single standard term and then deriving a reduced number of solution candidates based on a combination of the claim definition information items from the claim reports obtained in the ordinary search.

10. The recording medium according to claim 9, wherein said program is arranged for causing said claim handling section to check a missing item of the product information based on the claim definition information obtained in the standard term in said extended search, and fill out the missing item of the product information with the standard term.

11. The recording medium according to claim 9, wherein said program is arranged for causing said claim handling section to check an error item of the product information based on the claim definition information obtained in the standard term in said extended search, and requires confirmation as to whether or not the product information is correct, when the claim definition information is inconsistent with a content of the product information.

12. A technical support method using a knowledge base section which stores various claim reports and solutions answered by engineers with respect to the claim reports, said method comprising:

an ordinary search step of collecting claim reports;

a step of extracting predetermined items of claim definition information in a standard term from claim of a natural language form input as the claim content by referring to a synonym table which converts synonym terms having the same technical meaning into the single standard term; and

an extended search step of deriving a reduced number of solution candidates based on a combination of the claim definition information items from the claim reports obtained in the ordinary search.

13. The technical support method according to claim 12, further comprising:

a step of checking a missing item of the product information based on the claim definition information obtained in the standard term in said extended search; and

a step of filling out the missing item of the product information with the standard term.

14. The technical support method according to claim 12, further comprising:

a step of checking an error item of the product information based on the claim definition information obtained in the standard term in said extended search; and

a step of requiring confirmation as to whether or not the product information is correct when the claim definition information is inconsistent with a content of the product information.