User support
First Claim
1. A user support method of providing online support for operation of a printing device coupled to a client system, comprising steps of:
- (a) connecting the client system to a user support server system configured to provide online support for operation of the printing device;
(b) transmitting device information indicative of a device model and environment information indicative of an operation environment of the printing device, from the client system to the user support server system;
(c) generating device support information using the device information and the environment information transmitted to the user support server system, the device support information being configured to be used for supporting operation of the printing device;
(d) transmitting the device support information from the user support server system to the client system; and
(e) displaying the device support information on the client system, whereinthe step (b) includes a step of generating device malfunction information by the client system, used to diagnose malfunction of the printing device, and whereinthe malfunction information includes information relating to printing done in the past by the printing device, and whereinstep (c) includes generating a repair plan for solving malfunction of the printing device, the repair plan comprising at least one repair method; and
step (e) includes making proposals in sequence from the repair method that causes the least burden to a user of the printing device, when multiple diagnosis results and multiple repair methods are obtained in step (c).
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Online support is given for operation of a device. First, a client system equipped with the device is connected to a user support server that gives online support for operation of the device. Next, the client system transmits device information for which the device model can be specified and use environment information indicative of an operation environment of the device to the user support server system. Finally, using the information transmitted to the user support server system, the device support information for supporting operation of the device that the client system has is generated, and the device support information is transmitted to the client system.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A user support method of providing online support for operation of a printing device coupled to a client system, comprising steps of:
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(a) connecting the client system to a user support server system configured to provide online support for operation of the printing device; (b) transmitting device information indicative of a device model and environment information indicative of an operation environment of the printing device, from the client system to the user support server system; (c) generating device support information using the device information and the environment information transmitted to the user support server system, the device support information being configured to be used for supporting operation of the printing device; (d) transmitting the device support information from the user support server system to the client system; and (e) displaying the device support information on the client system, wherein the step (b) includes a step of generating device malfunction information by the client system, used to diagnose malfunction of the printing device, and wherein the malfunction information includes information relating to printing done in the past by the printing device, and wherein step (c) includes generating a repair plan for solving malfunction of the printing device, the repair plan comprising at least one repair method; and step (e) includes making proposals in sequence from the repair method that causes the least burden to a user of the printing device, when multiple diagnosis results and multiple repair methods are obtained in step (c). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A user support method of providing offline support for operation of a printing device on a computer connected to the printing device, comprising steps of:
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(a) generating device support information using device information indicative of a device model and environment information indicative of an operation environment of the printing device, the device support information being configured to be used for supporting operation of the printing device; (b) displaying the device support information on the computer, (c) generating device malfunction information by the computer, used to diagnose malfunction of the printing device, wherein the malfunction information includes information relating to printing done in the past by the printing device, and wherein step (a) includes generating a repair plan for solving malfunction of the printing device, the repair plan comprising at least one repair method; and step (b) includes making proposals in sequence from the repair method that causes the least burden to a user of the printing device, when multiple diagnosis results and multiple repair methods are obtained in step (a). - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. A user support method of providing online support for operation of a printing device coupled to a client system, comprising steps of:
under a control of a user support server system (a) transmitting device information indicative of a device model and environment information indicative of an operation environment of the printing device, from the client system; (b) generating device support information using the device information and the environment information transmitted to the user support server system, the device support information being configured to be used for supporting operation of the printing device; (c) transmitting the device support information from the user support server system to the client system; and (d) displaying the device support information on the client system under a control of the user support server system, wherein the step (a) includes a step of generating device malfunction information by the client system, used to diagnose malfunction of the printing device, and wherein the malfunction information includes information relating to printing done in the past by the printing device, and wherein step (b) includes generating a repair plan for solving malfunction of the printing device, the repair plan comprising at least one repair method; and step (d) includes making proposals in sequence from the repair method that causes the least burden to a user of the printing device, when multiple diagnosis results and multiple repair methods are obtained in step (b). - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of receiving online support for operation of a printing device coupled to a client system, comprising steps of:
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(a) connecting the client system to a user support server system configured to provide online support for operation of the printing device; (b) transmitting device information indicative of a device model and environment information indicative of an operation environment of the printing device, from the client system to the user support server system; (c) receiving device support information using the device information and the environment information transmitted to the user support server system, the device support information being configured to be used for supporting operation of the printing device; and (d) displaying the device support information on the client system, wherein the step (b) includes a step of generating device malfunction information by the client system, used to diagnose malfunction of the printing device, wherein the malfunction information includes information relating to printing done in the past by the printing device, and wherein step (c) includes generating a repair plan for solving malfunction of the printing device, the repair plan comprising at least one repair method; and step (d) includes making proposals in sequence from the repair method that causes the least burden to a user of the printing device, when multiple diagnosis results and multiple repair methods are obtained in step (c). - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A user support server system of providing online support for operation of a printing device coupled to a client system, comprising:
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a first information receiver configured to receive device information indicative of a device model and environment information indicative of an operation environment of the printing device, from the client system; an information generator configured to generate device support information using the device information and the environment information transmitted to the user support server system, the device support information being configured to be used for supporting operation of the printing device; an information transmitter configured to transmit the device support information to the client system; a display controller configured to display the device support information on the client system under a control of the user support server system; and a second information receiver configured to receive device malfunction information generated by the client system, used to diagnose malfunction of the printing device, wherein the malfunction information includes information relating to printing done in the past by the printing device, and wherein the information generator is configured to generate a repair plan for solving malfunction of the printing device, the repair plan comprising at least one repair method; and the display controller is configured to make proposals in sequence from the repair method that causes the least burden to a user of the printing device, when multiple diagnosis results and multiple repair methods are obtained by the information generator. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. A client system of receiving online support for operation of a printing device coupled to the client system, comprising:
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a connector configured to connect the client system to a user support server system configured to provide online support for operation of the printing device; an information transmitter configured to transmit device information indicative of a device model and environment information indicative of an operation environment of the printing device, from the client system to the user support server system; an information receiver configured to receive device support information using the device information and the environment information transmitted to the user support server system, the device support information being configured to be used for supporting operation of the printing device; and a display controller configured to display the device support information on the client system;
whereinthe information transmitter is further configured to generate device malfunction information by the client system, used to diagnose malfunction of the printing device, wherein the malfunction information includes information relating to printing done in the past by the printing device, and wherein the information receiver is configured to generate a repair plan for solving malfunction of the printing device, the repair plan comprising at least one repair method; and the display controller is configured to make proposals in sequence from the repair method that causes the least burden to a user of the printing device, when multiple diagnosis results and multiple repair methods are obtained by the information receiver. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A computer system of providing offline support for operation of a printing device coupled to the computer, comprising:
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a device support information generator configured to generate device support information using device information indicative of a device model and environment information indicative of an operation environment of the printing device, the device support information being configured to be used for supporting operation of the printing device; a display controller configured to display the device support information on the computer; and a device malfunction information generator configured to generate device malfunction information used to diagnose malfunction of the printing device, wherein the malfunction information includes information relating to printing done in the past by the printing device, and wherein the device support information generator is configured to generate a repair plan for solving malfunction of the printing device, the repair plan comprising at least one repair method; and the display controller is configured to make proposals in sequence from the repair method that causes the least burden to a user of the printing device, when multiple diagnosis results and multiple repair methods are obtained by the device support information generator. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
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32. A computer program product for causing a computer to provide online support for operation of a printing device coupled to another computer, the computer program product comprising:
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a computer readable medium; and a computer program stored on the computer readable medium, the computer program comprising; a program for causing the computer to receive device information indicative of a device model and environment information indicative of an operation environment of the printing device from the other computer; a program for causing the computer to generate device support information using the device information and the environment information transmitted to the computer, the device support information being configured to be used for supporting operation of the printing device; a program for causing the computer to transmit the device support information to the other computer; a program for causing the other computer to display the device support information on the other computer, and a program for causing the computer to generate device malfunction information used to diagnose malfunction of the printing device, wherein the malfunction information includes information relating to printing done in the past by the printing device, and wherein the program for causing the computer to generate device support information includes a program for causing the computer to generate a repair plan for solving malfunction of the printing device, the repair plan comprising at least one repair method; and the program for causing the other computer to display the device support information includes a program for causing the other computer to make proposals in sequence from the repair method that causes the least burden to a user of the printing device, when multiple diagnosis results and multiple repair methods are obtained by the program for causing the computer to generate device support information.
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33. A computer program product for causing a computer to receive online support for operation of a printing device coupled to the computer, the computer program product comprising:
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a computer readable medium; and a computer program stored on the computer readable medium, the computer program comprising; a program for causing the computer to connect the computer to another computer configured to provide online support for operation of the printing device; a program for causing the computer to transmit device information indicative of a device model and environment information indicative of an operation environment of the printing device from the computer to the other computer; a program for causing the computer to receive device support information using the device information and the environment information transmitted to a user support server system, the device support information being configured to be used for supporting operation of the printing device; a program for causing the other computer to displaying the device support information on the other computer, and a program for causing the computer to generate device malfunction information used to diagnose malfunction of the printing device, wherein the malfunction information includes information relating to printing done in the past by the printing device, and wherein the program for causing the computer to receive device support information includes a program for causing the computer to generate a repair plan for solving malfunction of the printing device, the repair plan comprising at least one repair method; and the program for causing the other computer to display the device support information includes a program for causing the other computer to make proposals in sequence from the repair method that causes the least burden to a user of the printing device, when multiple diagnosis results and multiple repair methods are obtained by the program for causing the computer to receive device support information.
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34. A computer program product for causing the computer to provide offline support for operation of a printing device coupled to the computer, the computer program product comprising:
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a computer readable medium; and a computer program stored on the computer readable medium, the computer program comprising; a program for causing the computer to generate device support information using device information indicative of a device model and environment information indicative of an operation environment of the printing device, the device support information being configured to be used for supporting operation of the printing device; a program for causing the computer to display the device support information on the computer, and a program for causing the computer to generate device malfunction information used to diagnose malfunction of the printing device, wherein the malfunction information includes information relating to printing done in the past by the printing device, and wherein the program for causing the computer to generate device support information includes a program for causing the computer to generate a repair plan for solving malfunction of the printing device, the repair plan comprising at least one repair method; and the program for causing the computer to display the device support information includes a program for causing the computer to make proposals in sequence from the repair method that causes the least burden to a user of the printing device, when multiple diagnosis results and multiple repair methods are obtained by the program for causing the computer to generate device support information.
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Specification