Online diagnosing of computer hardware and software
First Claim
1. A method for remotely diagnosing a computer, comprising:
- establishing communication between a server and a communications interface associated with a client computer;
establishing communication between a client application operating on said client computer and said server;
in response to a signal associated with said communications interface and received by said server, downloading a first diagnostic tool from said server to said client application;
executing said first diagnostic tool;
returning a result from said client application to said server; and
returning a disposition from said server to said communications interface.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for online diagnosis and repair of computer hardware and software are provided. A client application and executable program scripts are downloaded to a computer (108) to be diagnosed. The client application executes the scripts and returns information obtained as a result of executing those scripts to a server (104). The server (104) then applies a rule based analysis to the returned information and provides a disposition to the computer (108) to be diagnosed. The disposition may include information regarding a potential remedy for the detected problems, or may include provisions to automatically effect a repair. In one embodiment, the client computer (108) is directed to the exact universal resource location at which information or a file needed to effect a repair can be found.
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Citations
77 Claims
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1. A method for remotely diagnosing a computer, comprising:
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establishing communication between a server and a communications interface associated with a client computer;
establishing communication between a client application operating on said client computer and said server;
in response to a signal associated with said communications interface and received by said server, downloading a first diagnostic tool from said server to said client application;
executing said first diagnostic tool;
returning a result from said client application to said server; and
returning a disposition from said server to said communications interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for remotely diagnosing computer hardware and software, comprising:
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a server;
a server application program;
a client computer;
a plurality of client diagnostic tools;
a computer network interconnecting said server and said client computer;
a communications interface in communication with said server;
a client application program, wherein said client application program communicates with said server and said client application performs a number of functions, including;
executing at least a one of said plurality of client diagnostic tools, said at least one of said client diagnostic tools being downloaded from said server; and
returning results obtained from said executing step to said server, wherein in response to said results returned to said server, said server application program returns a disposition concerning said client computer to said communications interface. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for providing a user of a computer with diagnosis of said computer from a remote location, comprising:
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establishing a communications channel between a communications interface associated with said computer and a server located at said remote location;
in response to said server receiving a first signal from said communications interface, downloading a client application to said computer;
installing said client application on said computer;
in response to said server receiving a second signal from said communications interface, downloading a first diagnostic tool to said computer;
executing said first diagnostic tool using said client application, wherein at least a partial inventory of hardware associated with said computer is obtained;
returning said at least partial inventory of said hardware from said client application to said server;
downloading a second diagnostic tool to said computer;
executing said second diagnostic tool using said client application, wherein at least a first functional test of at least a portion of said installed hardware is performed;
returning a first result from said first functional test to said server;
analyzing said first result; and
returning a disposition of said computer to said user. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method for remotely diagnosing a computer, comprising:
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providing computer related selector inputs on a display screen including a plurality of the following;
a hardware related selector input, a software related selector input, a performance related selector input and an other related selector input;
performing a plurality of the following using the computer;
checking at least partially inventory of hardware devices associated with the computer, conducting functional tests associated with a number of said hardware devices, determining performance data associated with the computer, diagnosing software associated with the computer, relying on at least one of said selector inputs, and utilizing log files from test applications associated with the computer to generate diagnostic information related to said hardware devices and/or said software associated with the computer; and
developing output information based on said diagnostic information. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A system for remotely diagnosing a computer, comprising:
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a server; and
storage memory communicating with said server that stores a plurality of the following;
a first diagnostic tool related to checking inventory of hardware devices associated with the computer;
a second diagnostic tool related to performing functional tests on hardware devices associated with the computer;
a third diagnostic tool related to determining performance data associated with the operation of the computer;
a fourth diagnostic tool related to diagnosing software associated with the computer; and
/or files from test applications associated with the computer. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38)
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39. A method for diagnosing a computer, comprising:
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directing a communications interface application to a diagnosing web site;
providing identifying information related to a computer to be diagnosed;
receiving at said computer to be diagnosed a client application;
receiving test results of hardware installed in said computer to be diagnosed;
selecting a problem to diagnose; and
receiving information regarding said problem, wherein said information includes at least one of a suggested automated fix and a suggested self-help procedure. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A method for diagnosing a computer, comprising:
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receiving from a remote computer identifying information;
assigning an identifier to said remote computer;
providing a client application to said remote computer;
executing said client application, wherein an inventory of hardware installed in said remote computer is compiled;
returning a disposition to said remote computer, wherein said disposition comprises at least one of a suggested automated fix, a suggested self-help procedure, and a suggested maintenance procedure. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. A method for remotely diagnosing computer problems, comprising:
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providing a diagnosing server computer;
establishing a connection between said server computer and a remote computer over a communication network;
sending a test script to said remote computer;
receiving from said remote computer a result obtained from a running of said test script;
analyzing at said server said result;
associating said result with a disposition;
sending said disposition to said remote computer. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71)
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72. A system for remotely diagnosing a computer, comprising:
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a network interface, wherein scripts are provided to a remote computer, and wherein test results related to said remote computer are received;
data storage, wherein said test results are stored, and wherein a plurality of dispositions each related to a problem are stored;
a processor, wherein said test results are analyzed and at least a one of said plurality of dispositions is selected for provision to said remote computer. - View Dependent Claims (73, 74, 75, 76, 77)
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Specification