Computerized method and system for managing warranty services in a digital system or device
First Claim
1. A computerized method for handling warranty services related to a renewable subunit of a user'"'"'s digital system or device by means of a warranty service provider, wherein the renewable subunit provides a readable unique identifier, the method comprising the steps of:
- applying, on a side of the digital system or device, a test procedure on the renewable subunit in order to determine functionality or reliability of the renewable subunit;
determining, on the side of the digital system or device, a valid warranty claim dependent on the determined functionality or reliability of the renewable subunit;
in case of a determined valid warranty claim, gathering the unique identifier from the renewable subunit and generating a warranty certificate including the unique identifier;
delivering the warranty certificate to the warranty service provider;
determining, on a side of the warranty service provider, the validity of the warranty claim by means of the unique identifier of the renewable subunit; and
if valid, delivering, on the side of the warranty service provider, a renewing subunit to the user.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A digital system or device includes a battery pack as an exemplary functional subunit. In a warranty case determined by an electrical load test for determining its actual charge capacity, a battery check program initializes, via the operating system and an underlying printer, a printout of a warranty certificate. This certificate form, in particular, contains a UID of the underlying battery pack gathered from a ROM implemented in the battery pack. Before generating the printout of the certificate, the UID gathered from the ROM is coded e.g. by the battery check program and only the coded UID is printed. The printout of the warranty certificate thereafter will be delivered to the warranty service provider by the user. After having received the delivered warranty certificate and having checked validity of the user'"'"'s warranty claim by means of the coded UID the warranty service provider sends a replacement battery pack back to the user. As a consequence, the user can replace the battery pack on its own and therefore does not have to deliver the replaced battery pack to the warranty service provider.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A computerized method for handling warranty services related to a renewable subunit of a user'"'"'s digital system or device by means of a warranty service provider, wherein the renewable subunit provides a readable unique identifier, the method comprising the steps of:
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applying, on a side of the digital system or device, a test procedure on the renewable subunit in order to determine functionality or reliability of the renewable subunit;
determining, on the side of the digital system or device, a valid warranty claim dependent on the determined functionality or reliability of the renewable subunit;
in case of a determined valid warranty claim, gathering the unique identifier from the renewable subunit and generating a warranty certificate including the unique identifier;
delivering the warranty certificate to the warranty service provider;
determining, on a side of the warranty service provider, the validity of the warranty claim by means of the unique identifier of the renewable subunit; and
if valid, delivering, on the side of the warranty service provider, a renewing subunit to the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A computer program for handling warranty services related to a renewable subunit of a user'"'"'s digital system or device by means of a warranty service provider, wherein the renewable subunit provides a readable unique identifier, the computer program comprising:
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first program means, residing on a side of the digital system or device, for applying a test procedure on the renewable subunit in order to determine functionality or reliability of the renewable subunit;
second program means, residing on the side of the digital system or device, for determining a valid warranty claim dependent on the determined functionality or reliability of the renewable subunit;
third program means, residing on the side of the digital system or device, for gathering the unique identifier from the renewable subunit in case of a determined valid warranty claim and for generating a warranty certificate including the unique identifier;
fourth program means, residing on the side of the digital system or device, for delivering or initiating delivery of the warranty certificate to the warranty service provider;
fifth program means, residing on a side of the warranty service provider, for determining the validity of the warranty claim by means of the encoded unique identifier of the renewable subunit; and
sixth program means, residing on the side of the warranty service provider, for delivering or initiating delivery of a renewing subunit back to the user. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A computer program product stored on a computer usable medium, comprising computer readable program means for causing a computer to perform:
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applying, on a side of the digital system or device, a test procedure on the renewable subunit in order to determine fuctionality or reliability of the renewable subunit;
determining, on the side of the digital system or device, a valid warranty claim dependent on the determined functionality or reliability of the renewable subunit;
in case of a determined valid warranty claim, gathering the unique identifier from the renewable subunit and generating a warranty certificate including the unique identifier;
delivering the warranty certificate to the warranty service provider;
determining, on a side of the warranty service provider, the validity of the warranty claim by means of the unique identifier of the renewable subunit; and
delivering, on the side of the warranty service provider, a renewing subunit back to the user.
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15. A digital system or device including at least one renewable subunit providing a readable unique identifier, comprising program means adapted for carrying out the steps of:
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applying, on a side of the digital system or device, a test procedure on the renewable subunit in order to determine functionality or reliability of the renewable subunit;
determining, on the side of the digital system or device, a valid warranty claim dependent on the determined functionality or reliability of the renewable subunit;
in case of a determined valid warranty claim, gathering the unique identifier from the renewable subunit and generating a warranty certificate including the unique identifier;
delivering the warranty certificate to the warranty service provider;
determining, on a side of the warranty service provider, the validity of the warranty claim by means of the unique identifier of the renewable subunit; and
delivering, on the side of the warranty service provider, a renewing subunit back to the user.
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16. A digital system or device including at least one renewable subunit providing a readable unique identifier, comprising:
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program means, residing on a side of the digital system or device, for;
applying a test procedure on the renewable subunit in order to determine functionality or reliability of the renewable subunit;
determining a valid warranty claim dependent on the determined functionality or reliability of the renewable subunit;
gathering the unique identifier from the renewable subunit in case of a determined valid warranty claim and for generating a warranty certificate including the unique identifier;
delivering or initiating delivery of the warranty certificate to the warranty service provider; and
program means, residing on a side of the warranty service provider, for;
determining the validity of the warranty claim by means of the encoded unique identifier of the renewable subunit; and
delivering or initiating delivery of a renewing subunit back to the user.
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Specification