Help center and condition-based applications

• US 7,350,146 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2002
• Issued: 03/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AOL LLC (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Brown, Benjamin D., Moran, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cabeca; John
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, TING ZHOU
• Application Number:
  US10/134,674
• Publication Number:
  US 20030083941A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,156 Days
• Field of Search: 715/708, 715/710, 715/705, 715/714, 715/744, 715/733, 715/707, 705/8, 705/11, 705/7, 726/26, 717/168, 717/176, 717/177, 717/178
• US Class Current: 715/707
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements

Abstract

Various disclosed help center features provide help to a user without a staffed help center, provide help to a user before the user recognizes the need, or create targeted commerce opportunities for a provider of goods or services. One help center feature provides a user with help that is specifically related to a component in the user'"'"'s computer system and that is supplied to the help center feature by the component manufacturer. Another help center feature detects a condition that degrades performance, and hence user satisfaction, and alerts the user. Another help center feature detects an attempt by a computer system to inform the user of degraded performance and offers the user a solution. Another help center feature provides a user with a commerce opportunity specifically related to a component in the user'"'"'s computer system and/or to the user'"'"'s geographic location.

Claims

1. A method of providing automated electronic customer support for a computer, the method comprising:

performing a background access of at least one first parameter on a computer system, wherein the at least one first parameter affects performance of a first application configured to run on the computer system;

determining electronically, based on the at least one accessed first parameter, that at least a first predetermined condition of multiple predetermined conditions exists that is sub-optimal for a user of the first application;

selecting electronically a first service provider from multiple service providers for which solutions are available, each of the multiple service providers offering at least one solution to the first predetermined condition;

accessing electronically a first solution from the selected first service provider for the first predetermined condition;

communicating the first solution to the user;

performing a background access of at least one second parameter on the computer system, wherein the at least one second parameter affects performance of the first application;

determining electronically, based on the at least one accessed second parameter, that at least a second predetermined condition of multiple predetermined conditions exists that is sub-optimal for a user of the first application, the second predetermined condition being different from the first predetermined condition;

selecting electronically a second service provider from multiple service providers for which solutions are available, each of the multiple service providers offering at least one solution to the second predetermined condition;

accessing electronically a second solution from the selected second service provider for the second predetermined condition; and

communicating the second solution to the user.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising executing the first solution electronically.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising executing both the first solution and the second solution electronically.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein accessing the at least one first parameter and determining that at least a first predetermined condition exists are both performed by the application whose performance is affected.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein determining that at least a first predetermined condition exists comprising determining that a modem is not operating at its maximum speed.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein communicating the first solution comprises asking the user of the first application for permission to change a setting controlling the modem'"'"'s operating speed.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein determining that at least a first predetermined condition exists comprises determining that insufficient space is available in a directory.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein communicating The first solution comprises asking the user of the first application for permission to delete temporary flies.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein determining that a first predetermined condition exists comprises determining that the first application is designated to launch On start-up of the computer system.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein communicating the First solution comprises asking the user for permission to redesign the first application so that the first application does not launch on start-up of the computer system.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein accessing the at least one first parameter comprises accessing an item of data that can be modified and that influences an ability of an application to perform previously configured functionality.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein accessing the first solution comprises accessing a solution that, when implemented, interacts with specific software of the application while preserving the specific software of the application.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein accessing the at least one first parameter comprises accessing a parameter that does not include a version number of a piece of software.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first service provider is different from the second service provider.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first parameter is a different parameter than the second parameter.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein determining electronically that at least a first predetermined condition of multiple predetermined conditions exists comprises determining electronically that at least a first predetermined condition exists of multiple predetermined conditions, each of the multiple predetermined conditions being sub-optimal for the performance of the first application.

17. A computer program for providing automated electronic customer support for a computer, the computer program residing on a computer-readable storage medium and comprising instructions for causing a computer to perform at least The following operations:

perform a background access of at least one first parameter on a computer system, wherein the at least one first parameter affects performance of a first application configured to run on the computer system;

determine electronically, based on the at least one accessed first parameter, that at least a firs predetermined condition of multiple predetermined conditions exists that is sub-optimal for a user of the first application;

select electronically a first service provider from multiple service providers for which solutions are available, each of the multiple service providers offering at least one solution to the first predetermined condition;

access electronically a first solution from the selected first service provider for the first predetermined condition;

communicate the first solution to the user;

perform a background access of at least one second parameter on the computer system, wherein the at least one second parameter affects performance of the first application;

determine electronically, based on the at least one accessed second parameter, that at least a second predetermined condition of multiple predetermined conditions exists that is sub-optimal for a user of the first application, the second predetermined condition being different from the first predetermined condition;

select electronically a second service provider from multiple service providers for which solutions are available, each of the multiple service providers offering at least one solution to the second predetermined condition;

access electronically a second solution from the selected second service provider for the second predetermined condition; and

communicate the second solution to the user.

18. The computer program of claim 17, wherein the instructions for determining electronically that at least a first predetermined condition of multiple predetermined conditions exists comprise instructions for determining electronically that at least a first predetermined condition exists of multiple predetermined conditions, each of the multiple predetermined conditions being sub-optimal for the performance of the first application.

19. An apparatus for providing automated electronic customer support for a computer, the apparatus comprising:

a storage device; and

a processor programmed to perform at least the following operations;

determine electronically, based on an at least one accessed first parameter, that at least a first predetermined condition of multiple predetermined conditions exists that is sub-optimal for a user of a first application;

select electronically a first service provider from multiple service providers for which solutions are available, each of the multiple service providers offering at least one solution to the first predetermined condition;

access electronically a first solution from the selected first service provider for the first predetermined condition;

communicate the first solution to the user;

perform a background access of at least one Second parameter on a computer system, wherein the at least one second parameter affects performance of the first application;

determine electronically, based on the at least one accessed second parameter, that at least a second predetermined condition of multiple predetermined conditions exists that is sub-optimal for a user of the first application, the second predetermined condition being different from the first predetermined condition;

select electronically a second service provider from multiple service providers for which solutions are available, each of the multiple service providers offering at least one solution to the second predetermined condition;

access electronically a second solution from the selected second service provider for the second predetermined condition; and

communicate the second Solution to the user.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the processor being programmed to determine electronically that at least a first predetermined condition of multiple predetermined conditions exists comprises the processor being programmed to determine electronically that at least a first predetermined condition exists of multiple predetermined conditions, each of the multiple predetermined conditions being sub-optimal for the performance of the first application.

21. A method of providing automated electronic customer support for a computer, the method comprising:

detecting an attempt by a component of a computer system to electronically inform a user that a predetermined condition has occurred by displaying a first message to the user;

selecting electronically a service provider from multiple service providers for which solutions are available, each of the multiple service providers offering at least one solution to the predetermined condition;

accessing electronically a solution, from the selected service provider, to the condition based on the detected attempt; and

communicating the solution to the user by overwriting the first message with a second message different from the first message, the second message informing, the user of both the occurrence of the predetermined condition and the solution to the predetermined condition.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising executing the solution electronically.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the condition comprises an error condition.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein detecting and accessing are performed in the background.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein detecting an attempt to inform the user that the condition has occurred comprises sensing elements of a window construction.

26. The method of claim 21 wherein the component of the computer system further performs:

the selecting of the service provider,

the accessing Of the solution, and

the communicating of the solution.

27. The method of claim 21 wherein detecting the attempt comprises detecting by a first component of the computer system an attempt by a second component of the computer system to electronically inform the user that the predetermined condition has occurred.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the first component comprises a first application and the second component comprises a second application.

29. The method of claim 21 further comprising blocking the detected attempt to inform the user.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein communicating the solution to the user by overwriting the first message with a second message includes overwriting a message otherwise presented by the component of the computer system to the user.

31. The method of claim 21, wherein communicating the solution to the user by overwriting the first message with a second message includes replacing the first message with the second message.

32. A computer program for providing automated electronic customer support for a computer, the computer program residing on a computer-readable storage medium and comprising instructions for causing a computer to perform at least the following operations:

detect an attempt by a component of a computer system to electronically inform a user that a predetermine condition has occurred by displaying a first message to the user;

select electronically a service provider from multiple service providers for which solutions are available, each of the multiple service providers offering at least one solution to the predetermined condition;

access electronically a solution, from the selected service provider, to the condition based on the detected attempt; and

communicate the solution to the user by overwriting the first message with a second message different from the first message, the second message informing the user of both the occurrence of the predetermined condition and the solution to the predetermined condition.

33. An apparatus for providing automated electronic customer support for a computer, the apparatus comprising:

a storage device; and

one or more processors collectively programmed to perform at least the following operations;

detect an attempt by a component of a computer system to electronically inform a user that a predetermined condition has occurred by displaying a first message to the user;

select electronically a service provider from multiple service providers for which solutions are available, each of the multiple service providers offering at least one solution to the predetermined condition;

access electronically a solution;

from the selected service provider, to the condition based on the detected attempt; and

communicate the solution to the user, by overwriting the first message with a second message different from the first message, the second message informing the user of both the occurrence of the predetermined condition and the solution to the predetermined condition.