Computer hardware and software diagnostic and report system incorporating an expert system and agents

• US 8,589,323 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2008
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Maxsp Corporation
• Inventors: Keith, Jr., Robert O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chaki, Kakali
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Mai T
• Application Number:
  US12/074,986
• Publication Number:
  US 20130204821A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,085 Days
• Field of Search: 706/46
• US Class Current: 706/46
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/26 Functional testing
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/04 Inference or reasoning models

Abstract

The diagnostic and report system tests computer systems for defects that are able to cause performance and functional problems. An agent application is first installed on a user'"'"'s system. The agent application then retrieves problem data from the expert system library pertinent to the user'"'"'s operating environment. The agent application tests the user'"'"'s system for each problem description within a downloaded data structure from the expert system library. If a problem is discovered, a script attempts to remediate the problem and/or notifies the user, describing the issue. The agent application utilizes discrete programs and/or scripts to send data to a knowledge base so that the knowledge base is able to generate new discrete programs and/or scripts using artificial intelligence which are sent to the expert system library. With additional discrete programs and/or scripts, the user'"'"'s system is better protected.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a computing device comprising:

a. a server device in communication with the computing device, the server device including a memory device comprising an expert system library;

b. a plurality of programs for interacting with the computing device to gather information, wherein the plurality of programs are stored within the expert system library, wherein the plurality of programs run in the background of the computing device;

c. a knowledge base element coupled to the plurality of programs, wherein the knowledge base element is configured to receive the information and to generate a new program configured to interact with the computing device, wherein the new program and one or more subsequent new programs are generated based on the information gathered from the computing device, and wherein the new program is configured to test the computing device for a configuration defect and to provide a remediation solution to one or more discovered configuration defects; and

d. a feedback mechanism for sending feedback to the knowledge base element, wherein the knowledge base element expands the expert system library.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein interacting with the computing device further comprises:

a. determining a setup of the computing device;

b. gathering information related to configuration of the computing device; and

c. analyzing the computing device.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2 wherein gathering information comprises discovering one or more problems.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein interacting with the computing device further comprises resolving an issue within the computing device.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the expert system library is expanded by one or more of inference processing and pattern recognition.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a reporting mechanism to report one or more problems.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the plurality of programs are embedded within an extensible markup language (XML) structure.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the computing device is selected from a group consisting of a personal computer, an Apple computer, a thin client, a laptop, a cell phone and a PDA.

9. The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of scripts for communicating with the plurality of programs.

10. The system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the knowledge base element is for generating additional scripts for interacting with the computing device.

11. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the new program is generated using a program model.

12. The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a sensor agent for monitoring hardware characteristics and sending information to the knowledge base element.

13. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the configuration defect comprises a hardware or software configuration problem.

14. A system for monitoring a computing device while running in the background of the computing device comprising:

a. a server device in communication with the computing device, the server device including a memory device comprising an expert system library;

b. a plurality of programs for

i. determining a setup of the computing device;

ii. gathering information related to configuration of the computing device; and

iii. analyzing the computing device for one or more problems;

c. a plurality of scripts coupled to the plurality of programs for initiating the plurality of programs, wherein the plurality of programs and the plurality of scripts are stored within the expert system library;

d. a knowledge base element coupled to the plurality of programs, wherein the knowledge base element is configured to receive the information and to generate a new program and a script configured to interact with the computing device, wherein the new program and one or more subsequent new programs are generated based on the information gathered from the computing device, and wherein the new program is configured to test the computing device for a configuration defect and to provide a remediation solution to one or more discovered configuration defects; and

e. a feedback mechanism for sending feedback to the knowledge base element, wherein the knowledge base element expands the expert system library.

15. The system as claimed in claim 14 wherein the expert system library is expanded by one or more of inference processing and pattern recognition.

16. The system as claimed in claim 14 further comprising a reporting mechanism to report the one or more problems.

17. The system as claimed in claim 14 wherein the plurality of programs and the plurality of scripts are embedded within an extensible markup language (XML) structure.

18. The system as claimed in claim 14 wherein the computing device is selected from a group consisting of a personal computer, an Apple computer, a thin client, a laptop, a cell phone and a PDA.

19. The system as claimed in claim 14 wherein the new program and script are generated using a program model.

20. The system as claimed in claim 14 further comprising a sensor agent monitoring hardware characteristics and sending information to the knowledge base element.

21. The system as claimed in claim 14 wherein the configuration defect comprises a hardware or software configuration problem.

22. A system for monitoring a computing device comprising:

a. a server device in communication with the computing device, the server device including a memory device comprising an expert system library;

b. a plurality of programs for interacting with the computing device to gather information, wherein the plurality of programs are stored within the expert system library, wherein the interacting comprises detecting a problem on the computer device and assigning a priority level to the problem, wherein the plurality of programs run in the background of the computing device;

c. a knowledge base element coupled to the plurality of programs, wherein the knowledge base element is configured to receive the information and to generate a new program configured to interact with the computing device, wherein the new program and one or more subsequent new programs are generated based on the information gathered from the computing device, and wherein the new program is configured to test the computing device for a configuration defect and to provide a remediation solution to one or more discovered configuration defects; and

d. a feedback mechanism for sending feedback to the knowledge base element, wherein the knowledge base element expands the expert system library.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the interacting further comprises assigning a health risk value to the problem based on future potential harm to the computing device if the problem is not corrected.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein the new program comprises a plurality of instructions that define how the new program will monitor for the configuration defect, resolve the one or more discovered configuration defects, or both.

25. The system of claim 22 wherein the programs run in the background of the computing device such that the programs are executed as a low priority process when one or more high priority processes are not accessing the resources of the computing device.