System for providing support for an electronic device
First Claim
1. A method of supporting remotely a user electronic device including the steps of providing an automated telephonic guidance service for assisting a user in accessing a support web application;
- running a preparation routine via the web application, which routine harvests data from the user'"'"'s device;
providing for the harvested data to be stored by the web application;
providing human support assistance to the user; and
providing access by the human support assistance to the harvested data stored by the web application.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A support system is provided by which a support agent (10) can assist a user (12) to resolve a problem with a device (14). The support service provides a telephone link (32) between the user (12) and a support agent (10), a call initially being handled by an automated answering service (34) which invites the user (12) to prepare for the call by visiting a support website to run a preparation routine (112) which determines the configuration and state of the client'"'"'s device (14). Once the data has been harvested, the web application (32) carries out a plurality of sub-routines to determine the operating conditions of the device (14). Where the problem can be corrected automatically, the web application (22) performs this directly. Where this cannot be done, the web application (22) stores the harvested data in memory (25) and provides the user (12) with a location code for that data. The user (12) can then contact the support agent (10) and provide the agent with the location code. Support can thus be provided efficiently without the agent needing to waste time on data harvesting tasks.
-
Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A method of supporting remotely a user electronic device including the steps of providing an automated telephonic guidance service for assisting a user in accessing a support web application;
- running a preparation routine via the web application, which routine harvests data from the user'"'"'s device;
providing for the harvested data to be stored by the web application;
providing human support assistance to the user; and
providing access by the human support assistance to the harvested data stored by the web application. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
- running a preparation routine via the web application, which routine harvests data from the user'"'"'s device;
-
11. Apparatus for supporting remotely a user electronic device including an automated telephonic guidance service operable to assist a user in accessing a support web application;
- a preparation routine executable via the web application, which routine harvests data from the user'"'"'s device;
memory for providing for the harvested data to be stored by the web application;
a support station providing human support assistance to the user, which support station is operable to provide access by the human support assistance to the harvested data stored by the web application. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
- a preparation routine executable via the web application, which routine harvests data from the user'"'"'s device;
-
18. A method of supporting remotely a user electronic device including the steps of providing an automated telephonic guidance service for assisting a user in accessing a support web application;
- running a preparation routine via the web application, which routine harvests data from the user'"'"'s device;
determining whether automatic repair can be provided for the device via the web application and if so providing such automatic repair;
where automatic repair cannot be carried out, the method includes the steps of;
providing for the harvested data to be stored by the web application and providing the user a location code identifying the location where the harvested data is stored by the web application;
providing human support assistance to the user and providing access by the human support assistance to the harvested data stored by the web application using the location code.
- running a preparation routine via the web application, which routine harvests data from the user'"'"'s device;
-
19. Apparatus for supporting remotely a user electronic device including an automated telephonic guidance service operable to assist a user in accessing a support web application;
- a preparation routine executable via the web application, which routine harvests data from the user'"'"'s device;
memory for providing for the harvested data to be stored by the web application;
a support station providing human support assistance to the user;
wherein the web application is operable to determine whether automatic repair can be provided for the device and if so provides such automatic repair, where automatic repair is not available the web application is operable to store the harvested data in the memory and to provide the user a location code identifying the location where the harvested data is stored and the support station is operable to provide access by the human support assistance to the harvested data stored by the web application using the location code.
- a preparation routine executable via the web application, which routine harvests data from the user'"'"'s device;
Specification