Computer hardware and software diagnostic and report system

• US 20070233633A1
• Filed: 05/24/2006
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Maxsp Corporation
• Inventors: Keith, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,234,238 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 706/60
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/04 Inference or reasoning models

Abstract

The present invention tests computer systems for defects that are able to cause performance and functional problems. An agent application is first installed on a user'"'"'s system. The agent application then retrieves problem data from the expert system library pertinent to the user'"'"'s operating environment. The agent application tests the user'"'"'s system for each problem description within a downloaded data structure from the expert system library. If a problem is discovered, a script attempts to remediate the problem and/or notifies the user, describing the issue. If an unknown problem arises, a feedback mechanism expands the expert system library by sending a notification that a problem was discovered. The feedback is then utilized to increase the total knowledge in the expert system library. Then when another user with a similar or the same setup is tested, the agent application will recognize the issue and will take the appropriate remedial actions.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a computing device comprising:

a. a plurality of programs for interacting with the computing device to gather information; and

b. a plurality of scripts coupled to the plurality of programs for initiating the plurality of programs.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein interacting with the computing device further comprises:

a. determining a setup of the computing device;

b. gathering information related to configuration of the computing device; and

c. analyzing the computing device.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the plurality of scripts are less complex than the plurality of programs.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the plurality of scripts return a condition status.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the condition status is a binary-type value.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the system runs in the background of the computing device.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the plurality of scripts run in a specified order.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the plurality of scripts are stored within an expert system library.

9. The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a user interface coupled to the plurality of scripts for interacting with a user.

10. The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a feedback mechanism for sending feedback to an expert system library.

11. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the feedback mechanism expands the expert system library.

12. The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a reporting mechanism to report one or more problems.

13. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the plurality of scripts are embedded within an extensible markup language (XML) structure.

14. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the computing device is selected from the group consisting of a/an personal computer, Apple computer, thin client, laptop, cell phone and PDA.

15. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein gathering information includes discovering one or more problems.

16. A system for monitoring a computing device while running in the background of the computing device comprising:

a. a plurality of programs for

i. determining a setup of the computing device;

ii. gathering information related to configuration of the computing device; and

iii. analyzing the computing device for one or more problems;

b. a user interface coupled to the plurality of programs, the user interface for interacting with a user; and

c. a plurality of scripts coupled to the plurality of programs and to the user interface for acting as an intermediary between the plurality of programs and the user interface, wherein each of the plurality of scripts return a condition status.

17. The system as claimed in claim 16 wherein the condition status is a binary-type value.

18. The system as claimed in claim 16 wherein the plurality of scripts are less complex than the plurality of programs.

19. The system as claimed in claim 16 wherein the plurality of scripts run in a specified order.

20. The system as claimed in claim 16 wherein the plurality of scripts are stored within an expert system library.

21. The system as claimed in claim 16 further comprising a feedback mechanism for sending feedback to an expert system library.

22. The system as claimed in claim 21 wherein the feedback mechanism expands the expert system library.

23. The system as claimed in claim 16 further comprising a reporting mechanism to report the one or more problems.

24. The system as claimed in claim 16 wherein the plurality of scripts are embedded within an extensible markup language (XML) structure.

25. The system as claimed in claim 16 wherein the computing device is selected from the group consisting of a/an personal computer, Apple computer, thin client, laptop, cell phone and PDA.

26. A method of monitoring a computing device to gather information comprising:

a. determining a setup of the computing device;

b. gathering information related to configuration of the computing device; and

c. analyzing the computing device.

27. The method as claimed in claim 26 wherein analyzing the computing device further comprises querying the computing device for one or more problems.

28. The method as claimed in claim 26 further comprising initiating one or more remediation scripts if one or more problems are detected.

29. The method as claimed in claim 26 further comprising sending feedback to an expert system library.

30. The method as claimed in claim 29 further comprising expanding the expert system library using the feedback mechanism.

31. The method as claimed in claim 26 further comprising reporting one or more problems.

32. The method as claimed in claim 26 wherein the computing device is selected from the group consisting of a personal computer, an Apple computer, a thin client, a laptop, a cell phone and a PDA.

33. A method of monitoring a computing device to gather information comprising:

a. determining a setup of the computing device;

b. gathering information related to configuration of the computing device;

c. analyzing the computing device;

d. reporting analysis on the computing device; and

e. sending feedback to an expert system library.

34. The method as claimed in claim 33 wherein analyzing the computing device further comprises querying the computing device for one or more problems.

35. The method as claimed in claim 33 further comprising initiating one or more remediation scripts if one or more problems are detected.

36. The method as claimed in claim 33 further comprising expanding the expert system library using a feedback mechanism.

37. The method as claimed in claim 33 wherein the computing device is selected from the group consisting of a personal computer, an Apple computer, a thin client, a laptop, a cell phone and a PDA.