Interactive diagnostics having graphical playback and solution implementation capabilities

• US 8,082,123 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2005
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Virji, Shafin A., Gordon, Kevin G., Bromley, Clifton H., Dorgelo, Eric G., Semkow, Marc D., Reichard, Douglas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): KUNDU, SUJOY K
• Application Number:
  US11/239,960
• Publication Number:
  US 20070078628A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,272 Days
• Field of Search: 702/183
• US Class Current: 702/183
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31471 Operator can select a graphical screen at his will as help diagnostic
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35488 Graphical user interface, labview
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems

Abstract

A system(s) and method(s) that facilitates diagnosing a HMI system and automatically applying a solution to correct and/or update the HMI system. According to a feature is an interactive diagnosis system for an human machine interface (HMI) system. The interactive diagnosis system includes a data capture component that captures HMI system information and a diagnostic component that accepts a user input relating to an HMI system and receives the HMI system information from the data capture component. The user input can be communicated through an interactive voice response system. Also included in the interactive diagnosis system is an engine component that receives the user input and based in part on the captured HMI system information selectively requests diagnostic and solution information from a data source and automatically applies the solution to the HMI system.

Claims

1. An interactive diagnosis system, comprising:

a data capture component that captures HMI system information;

a diagnostic component that accepts a user input relating to an HMI system and receives the HMI system information from the data capture component and further provides an instruction to a user to implement a solution for the HMI system; and

an engine component that receives the user input and based in part on the captured HMI system information selectively requests diagnostic information and solution information from a data source, the engine component is configured to automatically apply a solution to the HMI system.

2. The system of claim 1, the diagnostic component includes an interactive voice response (IVR) system.

3. The system of claim 1, the data source is one of a vendor database and a technical support center.

4. The system of claim 3, the engine component contacts the technical support center if the vendor database does not include the diagnostic or solution information.

5. The system of claim 1, the engine component interfaces with a user to obtain additional HMI system information.

6. The system of claim 1, the HMI system information includes at least one of operating system parameters, machine function parameters, machine identification, user identification, and software components.

7. The system of claim 1, the HMI system is dispersed through a plurality of geographic locations.

8. A method for interactive diagnosis and solution implementation in an industrial environment, comprising:

receiving a diagnostic request;

retrieving HMI system data;

providing an instruction to a user to implement a solution for the HMI system;

receiving requesting diagnostic information and a solution to a problem from an external source; and

automatically applying the solution to the HMI system to resolve the diagnostic request.

9. The method of claim 8, receiving a diagnostic request is through an interactive voice response system.

10. The method of claim 8, the external source is a vendor software knowledge database.

11. The method of claim 10, if the vendor software knowledge database does not include the diagnostic and solution information, the method further comprising:

automatically contacting a technical support service for diagnostic and solution information.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

contacting an external software vendor database for diagnostic and solution information;

determining if the external software vendor database includes the diagnostic and solution information; and

automatically communicating a diagnostic and solution information request to technical support personnel if the external software vendor database does not include the information.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

communicating to a user through an IVR module if additional HMI system information is necessary to diagnose and solve the diagnostic request.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising searching the external source for HMI system diagnostic information.

15. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions for carrying out the method of claim 8.

16. A system for diagnosing and correcting an HMI system, comprising:

means for receiving a user request to diagnose an HMI system;

means for gathering HMI system data;

means for transmitting the user request and HMI system data to an external source; and

means for receiving solution information from the external source and automatically applying the solution information to the HMI system.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

means for interacting with a user through a IVR module.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

means for accessing an external software vendor database.

19. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

means for automatically communicating the user request and HMI system data to technical support personnel.