SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LOCATING AN OPERATOR IN A REMOTE TROUBLESHOOTING CONTEXT

• US 20100125759A1
• Filed: 11/19/2008
• Published: 05/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Roulland, Frederic
• Granted Patent: US 8,155,878 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/46
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5075 Remote control machines, e.g. by a host
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/00109 Remote control of apparatus, e.g. by a host
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection

Abstract

A system locates a user in a remote troubleshooting environment. An office device is utilized to perform at least one of a copy, a facsimile, a print, and an email. A headset facilities audio communication between the user and a remote troubleshooter. A compass is located proximate to the office device wherein the headset is placed in a predetermined location proximate to the compass to establish a datum point such that movement from the datum point is recognized as a location proximate to the office device. A remote processing component displays the location of the headset relative to the office device based on information provided by the compass.

Claims

1. a system that locates a user in a remote troubleshooting:

environment, comprising;

an office device that is utilized to perform at least one of a copy, a facsimile, a print, and an email;

a headset that facilities audio communication between the user and a remote troubleshooter;

a compass that is located proximate to the office device wherein the headset is placed in a predetermined location proximate to the compass to establish a datum point such that movement from the datum point is recognized as a location proximate to the office device; and

a remote processing component that displays the location of the headset relative to the office device based on information provided by the compass.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the coordinate system utilized to ascertain the location of the headset relative to the compass is a polar coordinate system.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the location of the user is displayed on the remote processing device via an icon that is proximate to the office device.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the office device is loaded and a schematic is displayed for each office device utilized.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein high frequency movement of the headset is ignored by the remote processing component and is not displayed on the remote processing component.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein filtering is accomplished via a low pass filter that ignores high frequency location data.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein remote processing component is facilitated via the office device.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the location of the headset relative to the office device is communicated to the remote processing component via the office device along with the audio data.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein a troubleshooter interfaces with the remote processing component to provide one or more solutions to a user utilizing the headset proximate to the office device.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the audio data from the user to the troubleshooter is facilitated via Voice-over-Internet protocol.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the troubleshooter utilizes a communication device to communicate with the user proximate to the office device.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the remote processing component can display one or more troubleshooting areas that are particular to each type of office device that is being troubleshot.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein the location of the headset relative to the compass is determined based on the angle of rotation that the headset is from the data point.

14. A method to establish communication between a user and a troubleshooter during a session comprising:

placing a communication device at a predetermined point to establish datum;

receiving location data from the communication device relative to the datum;

filtering out high frequency changes in the location data;

transmitting the location data to a remote processor; and

,

displaying the location data in substantially real time to a remote troubleshooter.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the location of the user is displayed on the remote processing device via an icon that is proximate to the office device.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein high frequency movement of the headset is ignored by the remote processing component and is not displayed on the remote processing component.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein the location of the headset relative to the office device is communicated to the remote processing component via the office device along with the audio data.

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein the remote processing component can display one or more troubleshooting areas that are particular to each type of office device that is being troubleshot.

19. The method according to claim 14, wherein the location of the headset relative to the compass is determined based on the angle of rotation that the headset is from the data point.

20. A method to provide contextualized direction to a user during a troubleshooting session comprising:

initiating communication from a user to a remote troubleshooter via multifunction device;

transmitting user location to a remote computer via the multifunction device;

displaying user location relative to the multifunction device in substantially real time to the remote troubleshooter via the remote computer; and

directing the user based at least in part upon the user location relative to the multifunction device.