Method and apparatus for providing entitlement information for interactive support

• US 6,976,067 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2001
• Issued: 12/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gusler, Carl Phillip, Hamilton, Rick Allen II
• Primary Examiner(s): Barot, Bharat
• Application Number:
  US09/947,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20030046410A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,559 Days
• Field of Search: 709202-205, 709217-219, 709223-226, 709/253, 715/705, 715/708, 715711-715, 715/741, 715/753
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for providing real-time user support. Monitoring is performed for a user input selecting a particular option on a desktop in the data processing system. In response to detecting the user input, a request is generated for real-time user support, wherein the request includes entitlement information used to determine a type of support to be provided. The request is sent to initiate a communication link for real-time user support.

Claims

1. A method in a data processing system for providing real-time user support, the method comprising:

monitoring for a user input selecting a particular option on a desktop in the data processing system;

responsive to detecting the user input, generating a request for real-time user support, wherein the request includes entitlement information used to determine a type of support to be provided; and

sending the request to initiate a communications link for real-time user support.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular option is an icon on the desktop or a contextual keystroke.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting an icon in a graphical user interface in the data processing system, wherein the icon is associated with the particular option.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the entitlement information in the request includes support information used to identify a level of support for a user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein entitlement information includes at least one of a user identification, a password, a user'"'"'s organization, licensing and authentication information, a support level, an expiration date, and type of support.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the request also includes at least one of operations performed by a user and context information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the entitlement information is compared to support information by a real-time user support service to validate entitlement to real-time user support.

8. A data processing system comprising:

a bus system;

a communications unit connected to the bus system;

a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes a set of instructions; and

a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to monitor for a user input selecting a particular option on a desktop in the data processing system, generate a request for real-time user support in response to detecting the user input in which the request includes entitlement information used to determine a type of support to be provided, and send the request to initiate a communications link for real-time user support.

9. A data processing system for providing real-time user support, the data processing system comprising:

monitoring means for monitoring for a user input selecting a particular option on a desktop in the data processing system;

generating means, responsive to detecting the user input, for generating a request for real-time user support, wherein the request includes entitlement information used to determine a type of support to be provided; and

sending means for sending the request to initiate a communications link for real-time user support.

10. The data processing system of claim 9, wherein the particular option is an icon on the desktop or a contextual keystroke.

11. The data processing system of claim 9, further comprising:

presenting means for presenting an icon in a graphical user interface in the data processing system, wherein the icon is associated with the particular option.

12. The data processing system of claim 9, wherein the entitlement information in the request includes support information used to identify a level of support for a user.

13. The data processing system of claim 9, wherein entitlement information includes at least one of a user identification, a password, a user'"'"'s organization, licensing and authentication information, a support level, an expiration date, and type of support.

14. The data processing system of claim 9, wherein the request also includes at least one of operations performed by a user and context information.

15. The data processing system of claim 9, wherein the entitlement information is compared to support information by a real-time user support service to validate entitlement to real-time user support.

16. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for providing real-time user support, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions for monitoring for a user input selecting a particular option on a desktop in the data processing system;

second instructions, responsive to detecting the user input, for generating a request for real-time user support, wherein the request includes entitlement information used to determine a type of support to be provided; and

third instructions for sending the request to initiate a communications link for real-time user support.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the particular option is an icon on the desktop or a contextual keystroke.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising:

fourth instructions for presenting an icon in a graphical user interface in the data processing system, wherein the icon is associated with the particular option.

19. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the entitlement information in the request includes support information used to identify a level of support for a user.

20. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein entitlement information includes at least one of a user identification, a password, a user'"'"'s organization, licensing and authentication information, a support level, an expiration date, and type of support.

21. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the request also includes at least one of operations performed by a user and context information.

22. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the entitlement information is compared to support information by a real-time user support service to validate entitlement to real-time user support.