Remote Computer Diagnostic System and Method

• US 20090310764A1
• Filed: 06/17/2009
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: My Computer Works
• Original Assignee: My Computer Works
• Inventors: Gerhart, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,448,015 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/142.40
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1474 in transactions G06F16/20 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/245 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9032 Query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet

Abstract

The system enables a call center to manage requests from remote computing clients for service. The system provides a number of software tools that allow technicians to perform routine maintenance and correct problems remotely. At the front-end, the system enables requests to be submitted by customers via various mediums, accesses a calendar to determine technician availability, determines the urgency of the request, and schedules an appropriate technician to address the reported problem. The system further includes tools that enable a technician to access a remote computing client to perform a number computer maintenance and diagnostics. Other tools enable the technician to correct problems that are detected through diagnostics. Calls to the call center are recorded and maintained in order to track pending issues and identify potential areas of improvement.

Claims

1. A tangible computer-readable medium having stored thereon, computer executable instructions that, if executed by a computing device, cause said computing device to perform the method comprising:

receiving, at a service manager module, a request from a customer, wherein said request may be received by way of at least one of;

telephone, email, or Internet;

identifying, by said service manager module, said customer;

determining, by said service manager module, an urgency of said request; and

creating, by said service manager module, a service request based on at least one of;

a type of service related to said customer or a request type, wherein said service request is automatically entered into a service request queue based on at least one of;

said identity of customer or said urgency of said request type

2. The medium of claim 1, wherein said request is automatically generated by said remote computing client.

3. The medium of claim 1, wherein said request is received by a voicemail system, and wherein said service manager module identifies said customer based on caller identification (caller ID).

4. The medium of claim 1, wherein said service manager module further includes an interface, and wherein said interface includes access to said technician calendar.

5. The medium of claim 1, wherein said service manager module creates an instance of a value object, said value object including a field name to be searched within a database.

6. The medium of claim 1, wherein said service order includes information regarding at least one of:

a software inventory or a hardware inventory associated with said client computer.

7. The medium of claim 1, wherein said service manager module records actions performed by a technician based on said request.

8. The medium of claim 1, wherein said service manager module links said request to a database of known customers using at least one of:

an email address or caller ID.

9. The medium of claim 1, wherein said service manager module evaluates technician skills in order allow proper staffing of a call center.

10. A system for managing call center requests received from a remote client computer, said system including a service manager module configured to:

receive a request from a customer, wherein said request may be received by way of at least one of;

telephone, email, or Internet;

identify said customer;

determine an urgency level of said request; and

create a service request based on at least one of;

a type of service related to said customer or a request type, wherein said service request is automatically entered into a service request queue based on at least one of;

said identity of customer or said urgency of said request.

11. The system of claim 10, further including a sales manager module, wherein said sales manager module automatically matches said requests with sales information within a billing system.

12. The system of claim 10, further including a system information interface, wherein said system information interface provides a technician with at least one of:

a software or hardware inventory for said remote client.

13. The system of claim 10, further including an administrative tools interface, wherein said administrative tools interface provides a technician with access to Internet resources to resolve problems associated with said remote client.

14. The system of claim 10, further including a program administration interface, wherein said program administration interface enables a technician to at least one of:

add or remove programs from said client computer simultaneously.

15. The system of claim 10, further including a task manager interface, wherein said task manager interface enables a technician to terminate multiple computing tasks on said client computer based on a single action.

16. The system of claim 10, further including a system tuning interface, wherein said system tuning interface identifies system configuration changes that will enhance performance of said client computer.

17. The system of claim 10, further including providing an error log interface, wherein said error log interface identifies errors related to said client computer that have been identified by a technician.

18. The system of claim 10, further including a change log interface, wherein said change log interface identifies changes that have been made to at least one of:

software or hardware for said client computer.

19. The system of claim 10, further including an agent module, wherein said agent module is loaded onto a memory of said client computer, and wherein said agent module monitors performance of said client computer.

20. A system for managing call center requests received from a remote client computer, said system including:

a system information interface, wherein said system information interface provides a technician with at least one of;

a software or hardware inventory for said remote client;

an administrative tools interface, wherein said administrative shortcut interface provides a technician with navigation to administration resources to resolve problems associated with said remote client;

a program administration interface, wherein said program administration interface enables a technician to at least one of;

add or remove programs from said client computer simultaneously;

a task manager interface, wherein said task manager interface enables a technician to terminate multiple computing tasks on said client computer based on a single action;

a system tuning interface, wherein said system tuning interface identifies system configuration changes that will enhance performance of said client computer;

an error log interface, wherein said error log interface identifies errors related to said client computer that have been identified by a technician;

a change log interface, wherein said change log interface identifies changes that have been made to at least one of;

software or hardware for said client computer; and

an agent module, wherein said agent module is loaded onto a memory of said client computer, and wherein said agent module monitors performance of said client computer.