Computer service using automated local diagnostic data collection and automated remote analysis

• US 20040249914A1
• Filed: 05/21/2003
• Published: 12/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Faihe, Yassine, Parasuraman, Subalakshmi, Vaszary, Mark, Miner, Jacob, MacRoberts, Patrick F., Arrigo, Ron L., Lee, Noreen K., Flocken, Philip A., Brothers, William, Tripp, Travis Scott, Hawkins, Joshua D., Shaughnessy, Jay
• Application Number:
  US10/442,592
• Publication Number:
  US 20040249914A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0709 in a distributed system consisting of a plurality of standalone computer nodes, e.g. clusters, client-server systems
• 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 11/2294 by remote test

Abstract

Diagnostic data-collection software is triggered by a fault in application software running on a client computer. Data gathered by the diagnostic software is transmitted to a computer system of a service vendor. Analysis software running on the vendor system analyzes the diagnostic data and generates recommendations. The recommendations are posted on a vendor-managed website. The client is informed by email of a URL to access the recommendations. After a validation procedure, the client can access the recommendations. The recommendations can include instructions for a human to execute as well as software to be downloaded to the client computer.

Claims

1. A method for a vendor to service a client computer:

triggering real-time diagnostic data collection by diagnostic-data-collection software on said client computer so as to generate diagnostic data;

transmitting said diagnostic data to a vendor computer system not including said client computer;

analyzing said diagnostic data using said vendor computer system so as to generate a recommendation; and

communicating said recommendation to said client.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said triggering step involves detecting a software fault and automatically triggering said diagnostic data collection in response to said detection.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said triggering step involves detecting a configuration change and automatically triggering said diagnostic data collection in response to said detection.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said triggering step involves a manual trigger.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said communicating step involves posting said recommendation on a web site.

6. A method as recited in claim 5 wherein said communicating step further involves emailing instructions to said client on how to access said recommendation.

7. A method as recited in claim 5 wherein said web site implements client validation measures if and when said client attempts to access said web site.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said analyzing step makes use of data collected from third-party websites using Internet agents.

9. A computer program set comprising:

first computer-readable media residing on a vendor computer system;

a first program embodied in said first computer-readable media, said first program receiving diagnostic data from a client computer system of a client, analyzing said diagnostic data to generate a recommendation, and communicating said recommendation to said client.

10. A computer program set as recited in claim 9 wherein said communicating involves posting said recommendation on a website and notifying said client that said recommendation has been posted.

11. A computer program set as recited in claim 9 further comprising:

a second computer-readable media residing on said client computer system;

a second program embodied in said second computer-readable media, said second program responding to a triggering event by collecting diagnostic data on said client computer system and transmitting said diagnostic data to said vendor computer system.

12. A computer program set as recited in claim 11 wherein said triggering event is the detection of a software fault.

13. A computer program set as recited in claim 9 wherein said triggering event is the detection of a computer configuration change.

14. A computer program set as recited in claim 9 wherein said triggering event is a user command.