RECOVERY FROM HDD FAILURE AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT THROUGH WWAN
First Claim
Patent Images
1. Computer comprising:
- processor;
solid state memory accessible to the processor for executing a basic input output system (BIOS);
hard disk drive (HDD) storing a main O.S. configured to be booted into the memory by BIOS during a power on operation;
wireless wide area network (WWAN) transceiver communicating with the processor;
special key communicating a signal to the processor when manipulated by a user, the signal causing the processor to automatically execute at least one diagnostic routine to ascertain status of the HDD and to activate the WWAN transceiver to send information to a predetermined address associated with a service computer using the WWAN transceiver, the information including at least status of the HDD and an identifier associated with the computer.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A user of a user computer whose hard disk drive (HDD) is “fried” can press a special key to cause BIOS to automatically gather location information about the computer from its GPS receiver and gather information about the HDD, activate a WWAN transceiver, and automatically send the location and HDD information over the WWAN to a service computer, which may return a location of a nearest service center to the user computer and any other advice including recovery advice for the HDD that the service center might be able to divine from the information sent to it by the user computer.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. Computer comprising:
-
processor; solid state memory accessible to the processor for executing a basic input output system (BIOS); hard disk drive (HDD) storing a main O.S. configured to be booted into the memory by BIOS during a power on operation; wireless wide area network (WWAN) transceiver communicating with the processor; special key communicating a signal to the processor when manipulated by a user, the signal causing the processor to automatically execute at least one diagnostic routine to ascertain status of the HDD and to activate the WWAN transceiver to send information to a predetermined address associated with a service computer using the WWAN transceiver, the information including at least status of the HDD and an identifier associated with the computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. Method comprising:
-
at a user computer, receiving a signal from a special key prior to booting a main operating system (O.S.) from a hard disk drive (HDD) of the user computer into a solid state memory of the user computer; responsive to the signal from the special key and without further user interaction, executing at least one diagnostic test on the HDD; further responsive to the signal from the special key and without further user interaction, activating a wireless wide area network (WWAN) transceiver associated with the user computer; and further responsive to the signal from the special key and without further user interaction, using the WWAN transceiver to automatically send to a service computer at least one result of the diagnostic test and at least one identifier associated with the computer. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. User computer comprising:
-
a hard disk drive (HDD); a special key manipulable by a user to cause a basic input output system (BIOS) to automatically gather location information about the user computer from a position receiver and gather information about the HDD, activate a wireless wide area network (WWAN) transceiver, and automatically send the location information and information about the HDD over the WWAN to a service computer, the user computer receiving back from the service computer a location of a nearest service center to the user computer. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
Specification