Instant fix for embedded device support using remote commands

• US 20040034698A1
• Filed: 08/15/2002
• Published: 02/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Abu-Husein, Loay Mahmoud, Halpern, Joseph E. III, Cooper, Grady G.
• Application Number:
  US10/219,149
• Publication Number:
  US 20040034698A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0748 in a remote unit communicating with a single-box computer node experiencing an error/fault remote testing G06F11/2294
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0793 Remedial or corrective actions recovery from an exception in an instruction pipeline G06F9/3861; by retry G06F11/1402; for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity H04L69/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00973 from a remote device, e.g. receiving via the internet instructions input to a computer terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32609 Fault detection or counter-measures, e.g. original mis-positioned, shortage of paper
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32662 remotely, e.g. to the transmitter from the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32667 Restarting a communication or performing a recovery operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0081 Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0091 Digital copier; digital 'photocopier' H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0093 Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and method for fixing commonly occurring errors or problems with an electronic device. More particularly, the present invention relates to the use of an e-service associated with a printing device for retrieving lists of frequently encountered problems and fixes to those problems from a database, or web site, and implementing fixes to selected problems on the printing device.

Claims

1. A method for providing a fix to a problem associated with an electronic device, comprising:

selecting a problem with said electronic device for fixing;

retrieving a set of fix codes from a remote database for fixing said selected problem; and

executing said set of fix codes on said electronic device

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic device comprises a printing device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said printing device is selected from the group consisting of a printer, a copier, a facsimile machine, and a multifunction device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said selecting a problem with said electronic device for fixing comprises:

activating an e-service accessible to said electronic device;

using said e-service to retrieve a list of frequently encountered problems associated with said electronic device;

displaying said retrieved list of frequently encountered problems on a display device of said electronic device; and

selecting at least one of said displayed frequently encountered problems for fixing.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said using said e-service to retrieve a list of frequently encountered problems associated with said electronic device comprises:

accessing a database for storing frequently encountered problems associated with said electronic device; and

compiling a list of frequently encountered problems associated with said electronic device from said database.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said using said e-service to retrieve a list of frequently encountered problems associated with said electronic device comprises:

establishing communications between said e-service and a web site; and

retrieving a list of frequently encountered problems associated with said electronic device from said web site.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said retrieving a set of fix codes from a remote database for fixing said selected problem comprises:

using said e-service to establish a connection to said remote database;

querying said remote database for a set of fix codes associated with said selected problem with said electronic device for fixing; and

retrieving said set of fix codes from said remote database.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said retrieving a set of fix codes from a remote database for fixing said selected problem comprises:

establishing a connection between said e-service and a web site;

communicating said selected problem to said web site;

using said web site to query said remote database for said set of fix codes for fixing said selected problem; and

communicating said set of fix codes for fixing said selected problem to said e-service.

9. A method for providing a fix to a problem associated with an electronic device, comprising:

initiating an e-service operating on an electronic device;

establishing communications between said e-service and a web site;

using said web site to retrieve a list of data comprising at least one frequently encountered problem associated with said electronic device;

communicating said list of data to said e-service;

displaying said list of data on a display device of said electronic device;

selecting at least one frequently encountered problem from said displayed list for fixing on said electronic device;

communicating said selected at least one frequently encountered problem from said list to said web site;

retrieving a set of fix commands for said selected at least one frequently encountered problem;

communicating said set of fix commands to said e-service; and

executing said set of fix commands for fixing said selected at least one frequently encountered problem.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said establishing communications between said e-service and a web site comprises:

initiating a web server associated with said electronic device;

requesting a communication with said web site over a communication network; and

establishing a communication link between said web server and said web site using said communication network.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said using said web site to retrieve a list of data comprising at least one frequently encountered problem associated with said electronic device comprises querying a database for frequently encountered problems associated with said electronic device.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said displaying said list of data on a display device of said electronic device comprises:

manipulating said list of data communicated to said e-service into a displayable format for said electronic device; and

displaying said list of data in a displayable format on said display device of said electronic device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said display device of said electronic device comprises a display device selected from the group consisting of a standard display and a touch-screen display.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein said selecting at least one frequently encountered problem from said displayed list for fixing on said electronic device comprises:

scrolling through said displayed list of frequently encountered problems; and

selecting an instant fix button associated with said electronic device when a desired frequently encountered problem is selected.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein said communicating said set of fix commands to said e-service comprises communicating said set of fix commands to said e-service in a stream text data format.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said communicating said set of fix commands to said e-service in a stream text data format comprises communicating said set of fix commands to said e-service in an XML format.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein said electronic device comprises a printing device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said printing device is selected from the group consisting of a printer, a copier, a facsimile machine, and a multifunction device.

19. A system for fixing problems associated with an electronic device, comprising:

an electronic device;

an e-service operating on said electronic device for fixing problems associated with said electronic device;

a database for providing fixes to problems associated with said electronic device; and

a communication network for providing communications between said e-service and said database.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising a web site for communicating with said e-service and said database.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein said database comprises a database for storing frequently encountered problems associated with said electronic device and storing fixes to said frequently encountered problems.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said fixes to said frequently encountered problems stored in said database are stored in a XML format.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein said electronic device comprises a printing device selected from the group consisting of a printer, a copier, a facsimile machine, and a multifunction device.

24. A program for fixing problems associated with electronic devices, comprising:

a first executable portion for retrieving at least one problem from a database;

a second executable portion for identifying a selected problem from the at least one problem retrieved; and

a third executable portion for retrieving and executing a program fix for the selected problem.

25. The program of claim 24, wherein said first executable portion is configured to query a database for problems associated with an electronic device operating said program.

26. The program of claim 25, wherein said first executable portion is further configured to display a list of retrieved problems on a display device associated with the electronic device operating the program.

27. The program of claim 24, wherein said third executable portion is configured to retrieve an executable fix program code from a database and execute said executable fix program code on an electronic device operating said program.