Inventory determination for facilitating commercial transactions during diagnostic tests
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for procuring goods or services during a power-on self-test (POST) of a client, comprising:
- during the POST of the client, performing;
determining a good of the client requiring replacement;
contacting a server over a network; and
procuring repair or replacement of the good from the server.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides for facilitating e-commerce transactions between a client and a server over a network. In particular, a client, such as a client computing device, can perform a diagnostic test, such as a power-on self-test, and determine during the test any goods requiring replacement (e.g., acquiring a substitute good, repair, or upgrade). The client may then contact a server, such as a vendor or a technical support department, for procuring such replacement. In one embodiment, the server sends the client diagnostic commands so as to allow remote diagnosis of operability of the client.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for procuring goods or services during a power-on self-test (POST) of a client, comprising:
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during the POST of the client, performing;
determining a good of the client requiring replacement;
contacting a server over a network; and
procuring repair or replacement of the good from the server. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
automatically determining a failure during the POST; and
automatically executing a procurement program, responsive to determining the failure, for procuring the repair or replacement of the good.
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3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
exiting an operating system for the client before initiating the POST.
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4. The method of claim 1, further comprising;
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using an expert system for said determining the good requiring replacement, contacting, and procuring;
wherein the expert system is configured to communicate with the server over the network for said procuring.
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5. The method of claim 4, wherein said determining includes identifying a duty cycle for the good requiring replacement, such that the good requires replacement when at the end of its duty cycle.
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6. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining includes identifying a duty cycle for the good requiring replacement, such that the good requires replacement when at the end of its duty cycle.
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7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
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inspecting the client to identify installed goods of the client;
preparing an inspection log of said installed goods;
submitting the inspection log to the server over the network; and
receiving a list of goods offered by the server, said list determined according to the inspection log;
wherein said procuring proceeds if the good requiring replacement is a member of said list of goods offered by the server.
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8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
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receiving one or more remote diagnostic commands; and
executing by the client said remote diagnostic commands so as to allow the server to analyze operability of the client.
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9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
using an expert system configured to utilize a tag based markup language (HTML) to communicate with the server over the network for said procuring.
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10. A readable medium having instructions encoded thereon capable of directing a processor to perform, during a power-on self-test (POST) of a client computing device:
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determining a good of said client computing device requiring replacement;
contacting a server over a network; and
procuring replacement of the good from the server. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
inspect the client computing device to identify installed goods of the client computing device;
prepare an inspection log of said installed goods;
submit the inspection log to the server over the network;
receive a list of goods offered by the server, said list determined according to the inspection log; and
procure replacement of said good if said good is a member of said list of goods offered by the server.
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16. The readable medium of claim 10, said instructions including further instructions for directing the processor to:
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receive one or more remote diagnostic commands; and
execute by the client said remote diagnostic commands so as to allow the server to analyze operability of the client computing device.
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17. The readable medium of claim 10, said instructions including further instructions for directing the processor to:
execute an expert system configured to utilize a tag based markup language (HTML) to communicate with the server over the network to procure replacement of said good.
Specification