System, method, apparatus, and program for providing electronic manual

• US 20070033230A1
• Filed: 09/19/2006
• Published: 02/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Atsushi Hanai, Eiji Shinohara, Haruo Hamaguchi, Kiyohisa Minowa, Tatsuto Torakai
• Original Assignee: Atsushi Hanai, Eiji Shinohara, Haruo Hamaguchi, Kiyohisa Minowa, Tatsuto Torakai
• Inventors: Hanai, Atsushi, Shinohara, Eiji, Torakai, Tatsuto, Minowa, Kiyohisa, Hamaguchi, Haruo
• Granted Patent: US 8,230,041 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0838 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0223 based on inventory
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

When a customer operates a terminal to send a request for a provision of a manual page to the center via the Internet, the center determines whether the customer who is accessing is a registered customer (user of a copier) based on the stored customer information. In a case where the customer who is accessing the center is a registered customer, the center automatically selects electronic manual file(s) for the copier being used by the customer concerned. And the center generates a manual page representing the content of the selected manual file so that the content of the manual file is noticeable rather than the other information. The center transmits the manual page to the terminal concerned.

Claims

1-17. -17. (canceled)

18. A system for providing an electronic manual, the system comprising a server and a plurality of terminals interconnected via a communication network;

a manual database configured to store customer ID data and user attribute data including skill level information being associated with the customer ID data;

a receiver configured to receive, via the communication network, request information with customer ID information from a terminal requesting an electronic manual, and to refer to the customer ID database to find user attribute data associated with the received customer ID;

a selector configured to select, from the manual database, the electronic manual information set corresponding to the skill level represented by the user attribute data if the receiver finds the user attribute data; and

a provider configured to provide to the terminal requesting an electronic manual, via the communication network, the electronic manual information set selected by the selector.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein

the customer ID database stores usage history information representing history of product usages for each customer;

the selector selects electronic manual sets regarding differences between a product which was used by a customer and a product which is currently used by the customer based on the usage history information.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein

the selector selects the electronic manual sets regarding the differences if a time period since the currently used product was upgraded by the customer is within a predetermined period.

21. The system according to claim 18, wherein the selector selects basic level manual information sets or advanced level manual information sets in accordance with the skill level of the customer based on the attribute data.

22. The system according to claim 18 further comprising an identifier configured to determine, based on the data stored in the customer ID database, whether the request information received by the receiver was sent by a registered customer or a visitor, wherein, the selector selects the manual information sets based on the attribute data for the registered customer, while selecting the manual information sets based on product identification for the visitor.

23. A method for providing an electronic manual, comprising:

preparing a manual database storing a plurality of electronic manual information sets, each of the sets describing the content of a product manual;

preparing a customer ID database storing customer ID data and user attribute data including skill level information being associated with the customer ID data;

receiving, via a communication network, request information with customer ID information from a terminal requesting an electronic manual referring to the customer ID database to find user attribute data associated with the received customer ID;

selecting, from the manual database, the electronic manual information set corresponding to the skill level represented by the user attribute data if the receiver finds the user attribute data; and

providing to the terminal requesting an electronic manual, via the communication network, the selected electronic manual information set.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the customer ID database stores usage history information representing history of product usages for each customer;

the step of selecting the electronic manual information sets comprises selecting electronic manual sets regarding differences between a product which was used by a customer and a product which is currently used by the customer based on the usage history information.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the step of selecting the electronic manual information sets comprises selecting the electronic manual sets regarding the differences if a time period since the currently used product was upgraded by the customer is within a predetermined period.

26. The method according to claim 23, wherein the step of selecting the electronic manual information sets comprises selecting basic level manual information sets or advanced level manual information sets in accordance with the skill level of the customer based on the attribute data.

27. The method according to claim 23 further comprising determining, based on the data stored in the customer ID database, whether the received request information was sent by a registered customer or a visitor, wherein, the step of selecting the electronic manual information set comprises selecting the manual information sets based on the attribute data for the registered customer, while selecting the manual information sets based on product identification for the visitor.

28. An apparatus for providing an electronic manual, comprising:

a connector configured to connect the apparatus to a terminal via a communication network;

a manual database configured to store a plurality of electronic manual information sets, each of the sets describing the content of a product manual;

a customer ID database configured to store customer ID data and user attribute data including skill level information being associated with the customer ID data;

a receiver configured to receive, via the communication network, request information with customer ID information from a terminal requesting an electronic manual, and to refer to the customer ID database to find user attribute data associated with the received customer ID;

a selector configured to select, from the manual database, the electronic manual information set corresponding to the skill level represented by the user attribute data if the receiver finds the user attribute data; and

a provider configured to provide to the terminal requesting an electronic manual, via the communication network, the electronic manual information set selected by the selector.

29. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the customer ID database stores usage history information representing history of product usages for each customer;

the selector selects electronic manual sets regarding difference between a product which was used by a customer and a product which is currently used by the customer based on the usage history information.

30. The apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the selector selects the electronic manual sets regarding the differences if a time period since the currently used product was upgraded by the customer is within a predetermined period.

31. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the selector selects basic level manual information sets or advanced level manual information sets in accordance with the skill level of the customer based on the attribute data.

32. The apparatus according to claim 28 further comprising an identifier configured to determine, based on the data stored in the customer ID database, whether the request information received by the receiver was sent by a registered customer or a visitor, wherein, the selector selects the manual information sets based on the attribute data for the registered customer, while selecting the manual information sets based on product identification for the visitor.

33. A program which causes a computer to function as the apparatus of claim 28.

34. A system for providing an electronic manual, comprising:

storage means for storing electronic manual files each representing the content of product manual;

reception means for receiving a request for an electronic manual;

identification means for identifying a requester;

selector means for selecting electronic manual files corresponding to skill level of the requestor;

retrieval means for retrieving, from the storage means, the electronic manual files selected by the selector means fully or partially based on the user attribute; and

sending means for sending to the requester the electronic manual files retrieved by the retrieval means.