Method and apparatus for providing support for an electronic device

• US 20050060398A1
• Filed: 05/24/2004
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Bouchemoua, Mahmoud, Owhadi, Eric, Le Rouzo, Christophe
• Granted Patent: US 8,078,670 B2
• 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

A support system enables a support agent to assist a client to resolve a problem with a client electronic device provided with an Internet capability enabling communication between the device and a support service web application. A two-way communications link is provided between the agent and the same web application. Communication between the client and support agent is provided by a telephone link. Accessible by the device is a diagnostic and/or data harvesting engine which can diagnose and/or harvest data for transfer to the web application and which has access to a LAN software stack which enables the engine itself to establish communication with the web application without requiring user intervention and without requiring communication via a web server provided in the client'"'"'s device. Thus, as long as it is still possible for the device to communicate via the Internet, the diagnostic/data harvesting engine has the ability to carry out such communication to provide the required data to the web application. The support agent has access to the collected data stored in the application to be able to diagnose and resolve problems with the device.

Claims

1. A method of supporting remotely a user electronic device having an operating system for operating the device, including the steps of providing a diagnostic and/or data harvesting engine for the electronic device which includes at least one procedure for diagnosing the operational state of the device and/or harvesting data relating to the device;

providing independent Internet access software which is independent of the operating system of the device;

using Internet access software of the device or the independent Internet access software to access a support website;

transmitting to the website the results of the procedure for access by a support service; and

accessing by a support person said data through the support website.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the support website has a fixed Internet address.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method includes the step of transmitting system configuration to the support service.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the independent Internet access software includes at least one of a LAN driver, a TCP/IP stack and an HTTP stack.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the independent Internet access software provides access by one of FTP, TELNET and SOCKS 4/5.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the independent Internet access software uses one of DHCP and static IP to obtain the web site address.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the independent Internet access software is provided from one or more of a boot disc, a hidden partition in a hard disc drive of the device, a LAN connection, a USB boot device and ROM.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the independent Internet access software is copied from the proxy and IP settings from the operating system of the device during normal functioning of the device.

9. A method according to claim 1, including the steps of the web application establishing a unique identifier for identifying a URL of the web application where the results of the procedure can be obtained and transmitting the identifier to a user of the device.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the identifier is one of a numerical code, an alphanumerical code and a sound.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of providing for the support service to carry out repair or replacement of software or firmware of the device through the web application.

12. Apparatus for supporting remotely a user electronic device having an operating system for operating the device, including a diagnostic and/or data harvesting engine for the electronic device which includes at least one procedure for diagnosing the operational state of the device and/or harvesting data relating to the device, independent Internet access software stored which is independent of the operating system of the device, a transmission unit operable to use independent Internet access software of the device or the independent Internet access software to access a support web application and to transmit to the web application the results of the procedure for access by a support service, said results being accessible by a support person through a website of said support web application.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the independent Internet access software is provided from one or more of a boot disc, a hidden partition in a hard disc drive of the device, a LAN connection, a USB boot device and ROM.

14. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the engine is operable to copy for the independent Internet access software the proxy and IP settings from the operating system of the device during normal functioning of the device.

15. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the web application is operable to establish a unique identifier for identifying a URL of the web application where the results of the procedure can be obtained and to transmit the identifier to a user of the device.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the identifier is one of a numerical code, an alphanumerical code and a sound.

17. Apparatus according to claim 12, including at least one of a comparison database and an update database coupled to the web application for providing correct versions and updates, respectively, of software and firmware.

18. Apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the support service is enabled to carry out software and firmware updates and corrections to the device through the web application.

19. A method of supporting remotely a user electronic device having an operating system for operating the device, including the steps of providing a diagnostic and/or data harvesting engine for the electronic device which includes at least one procedure for diagnosing the operational state of the device and/or harvesting data relating to the device;

providing independent Internet access software which is independent of the operating system of the device;

using Internet access software of the device or the independent Internet access software to access a support website;

transmitting to the website the results of the procedure for access by a support service;

establishing a unique identifier for identifying a URL of the web application where the results of the procedure are located, for transfer to the support service.

20. Apparatus for supporting remotely a user electronic device having an operating system for operating the device, including a diagnostic and/or data harvesting engine for the electronic device which includes at least one procedure for diagnosing the operational state of the device and/or harvesting data relating to the device, independent Internet access software which is independent of the operating system of the device, a transmission unit operable to use Internet access software of the device or the independent Internet access software to access a support web application and to transmit to the web application the results of the procedure for access by a support service;

one of a user of the device and the web application being operable to establish a unique identifier for identifying a URL of the web application where the results of the procedure can be obtained for transfer to the support service.