System and method for automatically diagnosing a computer problem

• US 6,681,344 B1
• Filed: 09/14/2000
• Issued: 01/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Andrew, Felix GTi
• Primary Examiner(s): Iqbal, Nadeem
• Application Number:
  US09/662,397
• Time in Patent Office: 1,223 Days
• Field of Search: 714/38, 714/43, 714/45, 714/46, 714/48, 714/25, 714/30, 714/31, 714/37, 714/18, 714/26, 706/45, 706/10, 706/101
• US Class Current: 714/38.14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0709 in a distributed system consisting of a plurality of standalone computer nodes, e.g. clusters, client-server systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0748 in a remote unit communicating with a single-box computer node experiencing an error/fault remote testing G06F11/2294
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test

Abstract

The present invention relates to an application for automatically diagnosing problems with an object via problem representation data that is substantially accurate, complete and language independent. The application may process the problem representation data via pattern matching problem representation data against known problems and may generate at least one of diagnostic information and solution information relating to the problem representation data. The present invention may also update a store of known problems and the diagnostic rules, diagnostic messages and solution messages associated with such known problems.

Claims

1. An application for diagnosing problems with an object comprising:

a component for generating problem representation data;

a component for applying at least one diagnostic rule to the problem representation data;

a component for storing a user interface schema that facilitates generating problem representation data;

a component for storing a diagnosis and solution database to provide diagnostic and solution information; and

a component for generating and transmitting at least one of diagnostic information and solution information relating to the problem representation data.

2. The application of claim 1 further comprising a component for updating the diagnosis and solution database.

3. The application of claim 1 wherein the problem representation data conforms to a problem representation schema.

4. The application of claim 3 wherein the object is a computer.

5. The application of claim 3 wherein the object is a device.

6. The application of claim 3 wherein the object is a system.

7. The application of claim 3 wherein the object is another application.

8. The application of claim 4 wherein the application is associated with the computer to be diagnosed.

9. The application of claim 4 wherein the application is associated with a server computer separate from the computer to be diagnosed.

10. The application of claim 8 wherein the application may be updated by at least one server computer.

11. A method for diagnosing an object with a problem comprising the steps of:

storing a user interface schema to facilitate generating problem representation data;

generating problem representation data;

automatically processing the problem representation data to facilitate generating at least one of diagnostic and solution information;

accessing a store of diagnostic and solution information; and

automatically generating and transmitting at least one of diagnostic information and solution information to the object with the problem.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of updating the store of diagnostic and solution information.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the problem representation data is stored in an XML document.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of generating the problem representation data further comprises the steps of:

identifying one or more user interface structures associated with the problem representation data;

identifying one or more dialogs traversed in the user interface structures;

identifying one or more values associated with the dialogs traversed in the user interface structures;

formatting the problem representation data; and

transmitting the problem representation data.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of automatically processing the problem representation data further comprises the steps of:

receiving the problem representation data;

pattern matching the problem representation data against a store of known patterns;

selectively escalating the problem;

applying one or more diagnostic rules to the problem representation data; and

selectively invoking diagnostic information processing.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of generating and sending at least one of diagnostic information and solution information further comprises the steps of:

accessing a store of diagnostic responses;

selecting an appropriate diagnostic response;

formatting the diagnostic information message;

transmitting the diagnostic information message;

accessing a store of solution responses;

selecting an appropriate solution information message;

formatting the solution information message;

transmitting the solution information message; and

selectively escalating the problem to a separate diagnostic entity.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the pattern matching is XLS pattern matching.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the diagnostic information is transmitted via email.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein the diagnostic information is transmitted via an XML document.

20. The method of claim 11 wherein the diagnostic information is a configuration file.

21. The method of claim 11 wherein the solution information is a process for reconfiguring the object with the problem.

22. The method of claim 11 wherein the solution information is transmitted via email.

23. The method of claim 11 wherein the solution information is transmitted via an XML document.

24. The method of claim 11 wherein the solution information is transmitted via a configuration file.

25. The method of claim 11 wherein the solution information is verifiably trustworthy and automatically applied by the receiving device.

26. An application for diagnosing problems with an object comprising:

means for storing a user interface schema to facilitate generating problem representation data;

means for generating problem representation data;

means for processing the problem representation data;

means for applying at least one diagnostic rule to the problem representation data; and

means for generating at least one of diagnostic information and solution information relating to the problem resolution data.

27. The application of claim 26 further comprising means for updating a store of diagnostic and solution information.

28. The application of claim 26 wherein the problem representation data conforms to a problem representation schema.

29. The application of claim 26 wherein the object is a computer.

30. The application of claim 26 wherein the object is a device.

31. The application of claim 26 wherein the object is a system.

32. The application of claim 26 wherein the object is another application.

33. The application of claim 26 wherein the application is associated with the computer to be diagnosed.

34. The application of claim 26 wherein the application is associated with a server computer separate from the computer to be diagnosed.

35. The application of claim 26 wherein the application may be updated by at least one server computer.

36. An system that diagnoses problems with an object comprising:

a component that generates problem representation data;

a component that applies at least one diagnostic rule to the problem representation data;

a component that stores a user interface schema that facilitates generating problem representation data;

a component that stores a diagnosis and solution database to provide diagnostic and solution information; and

a component that generates and transmits at least one of diagnostic information and solution information relating to the problem representation data.

37. The system of claim 36 further comprising a component that updates the diagnosis and solution database.

38. The system of claim 36 wherein the problem representation data conforms to a problem representation schema.

39. The system of claim 38 wherein the object is a computer.

40. The system of claim 38 wherein the object is a device.

41. The system of claim 38 wherein the object is another system.

42. The system of claim 38 wherein the object is an application.

43. The system of claim 39 wherein the system is associated with the computer to be diagnosed.

44. The system of claim 39 wherein the system is associated with a server computer separate from the computer to be diagnosed.

45. The system of claim 43 wherein the system may be updated by at least one server computer.