User support

• US 7,340,648 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2005
• Issued: 03/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Asauchi, Noboru
• Primary Examiner(s): CHU, GABRIEL L
• Application Number:
  US11/317,188
• Publication Number:
  US 20060150031A1
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: 714/26, 714/44
• US Class Current: 714/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/18 Delegation of network management function, e.g. customer network management [CNM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5064 Customer relationship management

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.

Claims

1. A user support method of providing online support for operation of a 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 device;

(b) transmitting device information indicative of a device model and environment information indicative of an operation environment of the device, from the client system to the user support server system;

(c) diagnosing, using the device information and the environment information transmitted to the user support server system, a device system which includes the client system and the device so as to identify a malfunction part of the device system;

(d) generating a repair plan for solving the malfunction of the device system based on the diagnosis, the repair plan further based on a probability of estimated malfunction status and a repair burden on a user;

(e) generating device support information based on the diagnosis, the device support information including the repair plan and being configured to be used for supporting operation of the device;

(f) transmitting the device support information from the user support server system to the client system; and

(g) providing a user interface indicative of the identified malfunction part and the repair plan in response to the received device support information at the client system.

2. The user support method of claim 1, wherein

the user interface is configured to provide a dialog message for inputting a user authorization for an execution of an autonomous repair in accordance with the repair plan, wherein

the user support method further comprises executing the autonomous repair in response to the input of the user authorization.

3. The user support method of claim 1, wherein

the user interface is configured to provide a dialog message for inputting a user authorization for an execution of an autonomous repair in accordance with the repair plan, wherein

the dialog message is configured to allow for inputting a user authorization for the execution of uninstall of a specific software in accordance with the repair plan when the identified malfunction part is diagnosed as a device driver program in the client system and a cause of the malfunction is diagnosed as the specific software installed in the client system, and wherein

the user support method further comprises executing the uninstall of the specific software automatically, in response to the input of the user authorization.

4. The user support method of claim 3, wherein

the diagnosis step includes:

inputting test data into the device driver program in the client system;

analyzing processed test data processed from the inputted test data, the processed test data being processed by the device driver program; and

identifying if the device driver program is the malfunction part of the device system based on the analysis.

5. The user support method of claim 1, further comprising diagnosing the client system autonomously, by the client system before connecting the user support server system.

6. The user support method of claim 5, further comprising repairing the client system autonomously, by the client system before connecting the user support server system.

7. The user support method of claim 6, wherein

the user interface is configured to provide a dialog message for inputting a user authorization for connecting the user support server system for the diagnosis of the device system by the user support server system if the client system fails to perform at least one of the autonomous diagnosis or the autonomous repair.

8. The user support method of claim 5, wherein

the user interface is configured to provide a dialog message for inputting a user authorization for connecting the user support server system for the diagnosis of the device system by the user support server system if the client system fails to perform the autonomous diagnosis.

9. The user support method of claim 5, wherein

the user interface is configured to provide a dialog message for inputting a user authorization for an execution of an remote autonomous repair by the user support server system, wherein

the user support method further comprises executing the remote autonomous repair by the user support server system, in response to the input of the user authorization.

10. The user support method of claim 1, wherein the step (d) includes:

if multiple diagnosis results and multiple repair methods are obtained, prioritizing a plurality of repair plans based on the estimated probability and the repair burden of each repair method.

11. A user support server system for providing online support for operation of a device coupled to a client system, comprising:

an information receiver configured to receive device information indicative of a device model and environment information indicative of an operation environment of the device, from the client system;

an information generator configured to diagnose, using the device information and the environment information transmitted to the user support server system, a device system which includes the client system and the device so as to identify a malfunction part of the device system, to generate a repair plan for solving the malfunction of the device system based on the diagnosis, the repair plan further based on a probability of estimated malfunction status and a repair burden on a user, and to generate device support information based on the diagnosis, the device support information including the repair plan and being configured to be used for supporting operation of the device; and

an information transmitter configured to transmit the device support information to the client system, and

to control the client system to provide a user interface indicative of the identified malfunction part and the repair plan as the device support information in response to the device support information received from the user support server system.

12. The user support server system of claim 11, wherein

the information transmitter is further configured to control the client system such that the user interface provides a dialog message for inputting a user authorization for an execution of an autonomous repair in accordance with the repair plan, the dialog message allowing a user to input an authorization for the execution of uninstall of a specific software in accordance with the repair plan when the identified malfunction part is diagnosed as a device driver program in the client system and a cause of the malfunction is diagnosed as the specific software installed in the client system, the client system executing the uninstall of the specific software automatically, in response to the input of the user authorization.

13. The user support server system of claim 11, wherein, if multiple diagnosis results and multiple repair methods are obtained, the information generator prioritizes a plurality of repair plans based on the estimated probability and the repair burden of each repair method.

14. A client system for supporting operation of a device coupled to the client system, comprising:

a connector configured to connect the client system to the user support server system configured to provide online support for operation of the device;

an information transmitter configured to transmit device information indicative of a device model and environment information indicative of an operation environment of the device, from the client system to the user support server system; and

an information receiver configured to receive device support information from the user support server system, the device support information being generated based on a diagnosis, the diagnosis 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 device, wherein

the device support information includes an identification of a malfunction part of a device system which includes the client system and the device and a repair plan for solving the malfunction of the device system, wherein

the repair plan is based on a probability of estimated malfunction status and a repair burden on a user, and wherein

the client system is configured to provide a user interface indicative of the identified malfunction part and the repair plan as the device support information in response to the device support information received from the user support server system.

15. The client system of claim 14, wherein the user interface provides a dialog message for inputting a user authorization for an execution of an autonomous repair in accordance with the repair plan, the dialog message allowing a user to input an authorization for the execution of uninstall of a specific software in accordance with the repair plan when the identified malfunction part is diagnosed as a device driver program in the client system and a cause of the malfunction is diagnosed as the specific software installed in the client system, and wherein

the client system is further configured to execute the uninstall of the specific software automatically, in response to the input of the user authorization.

16. The client system of claim 14, wherein the information receiver is further configured to receive from the user support server system test data to be input into the device driver program, the device driver program processing the test data and output processed test data, the processed data being analyzed to identify if the device driver program is the malfunction part of the device system.

17. The client system of claim 14, wherein the client system is further configured to diagnose the client system autonomously before connecting to the user support server system.

18. The client system of claim 17, wherein the client system is further configured to repair the client system autonomously before connecting the user support server system.

19. The client system of claim 18, wherein

the user interface is configured to provide a dialog message for inputting a user authorization for connecting the user support server system for the diagnosis of the device system by the user support server system if the client system fails to perform at least one of the autonomous diagnosis or the autonomous repair.