Tracking use of interface and online assistance

• US 7,895,519 B1
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Allegrezza, George N., Todd, Stephen J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hailu; Tadeese
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ulrich; Nicholas S
• Application Number:
  US11/904,889
• Time in Patent Office: 1,243 Days
• Field of Search: 715/708, 715/705
• US Class Current: 715/708
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3409 for performance assessment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3438 monitoring of user actions tracking the activity of the user H04L67/535
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3476 Data logging G06F11/14, G06F11/2205 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/87 Monitoring of transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/88 Monitoring involving counting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

A method is used in tracking use of interface and online assistance. A first set of a user'"'"'s user interface activity is tracked. The user'"'"'s online assistance activity subsequent to the user'"'"'s user interface activity is tracked. A second set of the user'"'"'s user interface activity is tracked. The second set occurs subsequent to the user'"'"'s online assistance activity. A description of the first and second sets of the user'"'"'s user interface activity and the user'"'"'s online assistance activity are recorded together.

Claims

1. A method for use in tracking use of interface and online assistance, the method comprising:

tracking a first set of a user'"'"'s user interface activity;

tracking the user'"'"'s online assistance activity subsequent to the user'"'"'s user interface activity;

tracking a second set of the user'"'"'s user interface activity, the second set occurring subsequent to the user'"'"'s online assistance activity; and

recording together a description of the first and second sets of the user'"'"'s user interface activity and the user'"'"'s online assistance activity, wherein the description describes data storage system setup activity of the user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recording the user'"'"'s time expended together with the description.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the description describes when and why the user tried to use online assistance.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the description describes what the user looked at when the user used online assistance.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the description describes what the user tried to do after using online assistance.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

building up usage patterns during pre-roll-out of a product.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

building up usage patterns automatically.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

uploading the description to a remote server.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the description indicates help screens the user looked at.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using the description as content for a pattern recognition database.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

including in the description all action including the user'"'"'s use of an input device.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recording the description at all time while a storage system is running.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using the description in preloading a pattern recognition database with patterns based on historical data.

14. A method for use in tracking use of interface and online assistance, the method comprising:

tracking a first set of a user'"'"'s user interface activity;

tracking the user'"'"'s online assistance activity subsequent to the user'"'"'s user interface activity;

tracking a second set of the user'"'"'s user interface activity, the second set occurring subsequent to the user'"'"'s online assistance activity; and

recording together a description of the first and second sets of the user'"'"'s user interface activity and the user'"'"'s online assistance activity, wherein the description is suitable for use with a storage system model.

15. A method for use in tracking use of interface and online assistance, the method comprising:

tracking a first set of a user'"'"'s user interface activity;

tracking the user'"'"'s online assistance activity subsequent to the user'"'"'s user interface activity;

tracking a second set of the user'"'"'s user interface activity, the second set occurring subsequent to the user'"'"'s online assistance activity;

recording together a description of the first and second sets of the user'"'"'s user interface activity and the user'"'"'s online assistance activity; and

using the description to show where the user is in a sequence of installation and use.

16. A method for use in tracking use of interface and online assistance, the method comprising:

tracking a first set of a user'"'"'s user interface activity;

tracking the user'"'"'s online assistance activity subsequent to the user'"'"'s user interface activity;

tracking a second set of the user'"'"'s user interface activity, the second set occurring subsequent to the user'"'"'s online assistance activity; and

recording together a description of the first and second sets of the user'"'"'s user interface activity, the user'"'"'s online assistance activity, and actions occurring deeper in software than that revealed to the user.

17. A method for use in tracking use of interface and online assistance, the method comprising:

tracking a first set of a user'"'"'s user interface activity;

tracking the user'"'"'s online assistance activity subsequent to the user'"'"'s user interface activity;

tracking a second set of the user'"'"'s user interface activity, the second set occurring subsequent to the user'"'"'s online assistance activity; and

recording together a description of the first and second sets of the user'"'"'s user interface activity and the user'"'"'s online assistance activity, wherein the description includes a first log pattern before online assistance is invoked, a second log pattern within online assistance, and a third log pattern subsequent to use of online assistance.

18. A method for use in tracking use of interface and online assistance, the method comprising:

tracking a first set of a user'"'"'s user interface activity;

tracking the user'"'"'s online assistance activity subsequent to the user'"'"'s user interface activity;

tracking a second set of the user'"'"'s user interface activity, the second set occurring subsequent to the user'"'"'s online assistance activity; and

recording together a description of the first and second sets of the user'"'"'s user interface activity and the user'"'"'s online assistance activity, wherein the description comprises

a date field indicating the day a description entry occurred;

a time field indicating the time;

a component field which indicates a component in a software architecture that is providing information for the entry; and

a message being described.