User interface assistant

• US 7,830,547 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2005
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Muchaneta, Themba, Kolb, Kurt
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, TOMMY D
• Application Number:
  US11/290,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20070168758A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,805 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.14, 358/406, 358/437, 358/504, 358/1.1, 358/1.9
• US Class Current: 358/1.9
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

A diagnostic system provides help to a user utilizing a data store that stores one or more solutions to at least one error. A storage component logs error data and associates errors, responses to the errors, and information indicative of whether each of the error responses was successful or unsuccessful. A linking component receives the error data from a source and identifies an appropriate solution to the error data from the information logged in the storage component. A presentation component presents the appropriate solution to a user.

Claims

1. A diagnostic system that provides help to a user, comprising:

a data store that stores one or more solutions to at least one error, wherein each solution associated with an error has a success rate, which is employed to organize each solution based on likelihood of success in eliminating the error;

a storage component that logs error data and associates errors, responses to the errors, information indicative of whether each of the error responses was successful or unsuccessful, and is configured to determine an appropriate response to eliminate an error by machine learning;

a web component that receives updated solution information from one or more sources on a periodic basis and provides said data store with said updated information;

a linking component that receives the error data from a source and identifies an appropriate solution to the error data from the information logged in the storage component;

a presentation component that presents the appropriate solution to a user; and

a central processing component that records actions performed and correlates said actions to a particular clearance strategy.

2. The diagnostic system according to claim 1,

wherein the linking component identifies the appropriate solution to the error data from the information stored in the data store.

3. The diagnostic system according to claim 1, wherein the web component is a web portal for searching and locating updated solution information from one or more websites.

4. The diagnostic system according to claim 1, wherein the system is employed in a multifunction printing platform.

5. The diagnostic system according to claim 1, further including:

a communication element that transmits at least one of the error data, the error response data, and whether the error response was successful or unsuccessful from the storage component to a remote component.

6. The diagnostic system according to claim 5, further including a component that automatically submits an order for a replacement component if the error condition indicates that a component is defective.

7. The diagnostic system according to claim 6, wherein the component notifies one or more technicians in response to at least one of user feedback, type of error condition and error code received.

8. The diagnostic system according to claim 5, wherein the remote component is a searchable database.

9. The diagnostic system according to claim 1, wherein error response data includes user actions that are responsive to the error data received by the linking component.

10. The diagnostic system according to claim 1, wherein the error information received is an error code that represents a particular error or warning condition.

11. The diagnostic system according to claim 1, wherein the error information relates to at least one of a paper jam error, a door open error, a stapling error, a collation error, a low toner cartridge, an out of paper error, a control component failure, and a power component failure.

12. The diagnostic system according to claim 1, wherein the solution is at least one of performing a step, replacing a component, repairing a component, updating software, updating firmware, contacting technical personnel, and searching the web.

13. A method that provides help to a user, comprising:

providing a diagnostic system capable of;

receiving an error code;

determining the error from the error code;

reviewing previous responses to the error code stored in a data store;

reviewing available clearance strategies for the error, wherein said clearance strategies and associated error have a success rate, which is employed to organize each clearance strategy based on the likelihood of success in eliminating the error;

determining the appropriate clearance strategy by machine learning;

displaying the clearance strategy to the user;

performing said clearance strategy;

determining whether said clearance strategy was successful;

storing the actions of the user in response to the displayed clearance strategy in memory and correlating said actions to a particular clearance strategy; and

providing a web component that receives updated data on a periodic basis and updates clearance strategies in said data store.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the displayed clearance strategy is performed by a user to resolve the error.

15. The method according to claim 13, further including:

utilizing the stored actions to determine future clearance strategies.

16. A method for remedying a machine error condition using a diagnostic system, comprising:

receiving an error code into said diagnostic system from the machine, which is representative of an error condition;

determining a first solution to respond to the error code by linking the error code to one or more solutions stored in a data store, wherein each solution is associated with an error and has a success rate, which is employed to organize each solution based on the likelihood of success in eliminating the error;

displaying the first solution to a user via a user interface on said diagnostic system;

determining if the first solution resolved the error condition;

interfacing to a network to search various sources and locate a second solution if the error was not resolved utilizing the first solution;

determining if the second solution resolved the error condition;

requesting additional solutions from at least one resource until the error is resolved, wherein said network receives updated data on a periodic basis and updates solutions in said data store.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the first solution is further determined by selecting the solution with the highest success rate from the one or more solutions.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein interfacing to a network includes searching at least one of a web-enabled searchable database, a knowledge base, and a web page.