Mobile screen methods and systems for collaborative troubleshooting of a device

• US 8,621,362 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2011
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Castellani, Stefania, Meunier, Jean-Luc, Roulland, Frederic
• Primary Examiner(s): LEGGETT, ANDREA C.
• Application Number:
  US13/010,896
• Publication Number:
  US 20120192077A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 715/740, 715/756
• US Class Current: 715/740
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/502 relating to the structure of the control menu, e.g. pop-up menus, help screens
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5079 for maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/00109 Remote control of apparatus, e.g. by a host
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1204 resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/121 Facilitating exception or error detection and recovery, e.g. fault, media or consumables depleted
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1234 Errors handling and recovery, e.g. reprinting G06F3/1261 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1287 via internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00029 Diagnosis, i.e. identifying a problem by comparison with a normal state
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00079 remotely
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00344 with a management, maintenance, service or repair apparatus monitoring H04N1/00002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00408 Display of information to the user, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32625 Fault detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32662 remotely, e.g. to the transmitter from the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32667 Restarting a communication or performing a recovery operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

This disclosure provides collaborative communication systems and methods to facilitate troubleshooting of a device. Specifically, the disclosed systems and methods include a dynamic virtual representation of a device from the perspective of a user of the device which is shared with a remote troubleshooter. The dynamic virtual representation is based on the position of the user.

Claims

1. A communication system for supporting collaborative interactions between an electromagnetic device user and a troubleshooting advisor engaged in troubleshooting support activities for the electromechanical device, comprising:

an electromechanical device including a user detachable display unit detachably mounted to the device, the device and display unit configured to generate and display on the detachable display unit a dynamic virtual representation of the device including a model of the device orientated to a perspective of the device user'"'"'s position relative to the device and a sensed state of the device, wherein a first communication link is configured to communicate data between the display unit and the device, the data being characteristic of the sensed state of at least one component of the electromechanical device; and

a remote troubleshooting interface configured to display the dynamic virtual representation of the device orientated to the perspective of the device user'"'"'s position relative to the device and the sensed state of the device;

wherein a second communication link is configured to provide bidirectional data communications between the electromechanical device and the remote troubleshooting interface,

wherein the communication system is configured to update the dynamic virtual representation of the device displayed on the detachable display unit based on a change in the position of the device user relative to the device and the sensed state of the device, and the communication system is configured whereby the dynamic virtual representation of the device is communicated by the second communication link to the remote troubleshooting interface and synchronized with the troubleshooting interface.

2. The communication system according to claim 1, the communication system configured to include a live mode, a frozen mode and a guided mode of operation.

3. The communication system according to claim 1, the communication system configured to support detection and correction of differences between the sensed state of the device and an observed state of the device by the user.

4. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the dynamic virtual representation is one of 2D and 3D.

5. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the remote troubleshooting interface is configured to include a second virtual representation of the device, not shared with the user.

6. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the detachable display unit includes a pointing device, the detachable display unit configured to selectively point at a part of the device and the communication system configured to communicate the part to the troubleshooting interface.

7. The communication system according to claim 1, the communication system configured to display instructions to the user on the detachable display unit.

8. The communication system according to claim 7, wherein the instructions to the user are associated with changing the device from the sensed state to a desired state.

9. The communication system according to claim 1, the communication system configured to perform two or more of:

a) updating the dynamic virtual representation based on the user moving;

b) the user freezing the dynamic virtual representation;

c) the dynamic virtual representation including the indication by the user of a part associated with the device;

d) updating the dynamic virtual representation to include information associated with a second virtual representation associated with the troubleshooting interface;

e) updating a second virtual representation associated with the troubleshooting interface with information associated with the dynamic virtual representation;

f) guiding the user to perform actions to change the device from the sensed state to a desired state;

g) indicate a part on the dynamic virtual representation selected by the troubleshooter; and

h) modifying the dynamic virtual representation based on the user observed state of the device.

10. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the device is one of a copier, a printer, a MFD, and a scanner.

11. A method for troubleshooting a device operatively associated with a communication system for supporting remote interactions between a device user and a troubleshooting advisor, the communication system including a user detachable display unit detachably mounted to the device and operatively connected to the device, a troubleshooting interface operatively connected to the device, and a communication link operatively connecting the detachable display unit and the remote troubleshooting interface, the method comprising:

a) the detachable display unit generating and displaying a virtual representation of the device including a model of the device orientated to a perspective of the device user'"'"'s position relative to the device and a sensed state of the device;

b) the troubleshooting interface displaying the virtual representation of the device orientated to the perspective of the device user'"'"'s position relative to the device and the sensed state of the device; and

c) dynamically updating the virtual representation of the device displayed on the detachable display unit based on a change in the position of the device user relative to the device and the sensed state of the device.

12. The method for troubleshooting a device according to claim 11, comprising:

operating the communication system in one of a live mode, a frozen mode and a guided mode.

13. The method for troubleshooting a device according to claim 11, comprising:

detecting differences between the sensed state of the device and an observed state of the device; and

modifying the virtual representation based on the detected differences.

14. The method for troubleshooting a device according to claim 11, wherein the virtual representation of the device is one of 2D and 3D.

15. The method for troubleshooting a device according to claim 11, comprising:

the troubleshooting interface displaying a second virtual representation of the device, not shared with the user.

16. The method for troubleshooting a device according to claim 11,

the detachable display unit including a pointing device, and the method comprising:

the user selectively pointing at a part associated with the device; and

dynamically updating the virtual representation of the device to indicate the part.

17. The method for troubleshooting a device according to claim 11, comprising:

displaying on the detachable display unit instructions to the user from the troubleshooting advisor.

18. The method for troubleshooting a device according to claim 17, wherein the instructions to the user are associated with changing the device from the sensed state to a desired state.

19. The method for troubleshooting a device according to claim 11, the communication system performing two or more of:

a) updating the dynamic virtual representation based on the user moving;

b) the user freezing the dynamic virtual representation;

c) the dynamic virtual representation including the indication by the user of a part associated with the device;

d) updating the dynamic virtual representation to include information associated with a second virtual representation associated with the troubleshooting interface;

e) updating a second virtual representation associated with the troubleshooting interface with information associated with the dynamic virtual representation;

f) guiding the user to perform actions to change the device from the sensed state to a desired state;

g) indicate a part on the dynamic virtual representation selected by the troubleshooter; and

h) modifying the dynamic virtual representation based on the user observed state of the device.

20. The method for troubleshooting a device according to claim 11, wherein the device is one of a copier, a printer, a MFD and a scanner.

21. A printing system including an interactive communication system for supporting collaborative interactions between a printing system user and a troubleshooting advisor engaged in troubleshooting support activities for the printing system comprising:

a printer;

a user detachable display unit detachably mounted to the printer, the display unit configured to generate a dynamic virtual representation including a model of one or more areas of the printing system orientated to a perspective of the printing system user'"'"'s position relative to the printing system and a sensed state of the printing system, wherein a first communication link is configured to communicate data between the display unit and the printer, the data being characteristic of the sensed state of at least one component of the printer;

a remote troubleshooting interface configured to display the dynamic virtual representation of the one or more areas of the printing system orientated to the perspective of the printing system user'"'"'s position relative to the printing system and the sensed state of the printing system; and

wherein a second communication link is configured to provide bidirectional data communications between the printing system and the remote troubleshooting interface;

wherein the printing system is configured to update the dynamic virtual representation of the one or more areas of the printing system displayed on the detachable display unit based on a change in the position of the printing system user relative to the printing system and the sensed state of the printing system, and the printing system is configured whereby the dynamic virtual representation of the one or more areas of the printing system is communicated by the second communication link to the remote trouble shooting interface and synchronized with the troubleshooting interface.

22. The printing system according to claim 21, wherein the communication system configured to include a live mode, a frozen mode and a guided mode of operation.

23. The printing system according to claim 22, wherein the dynamic virtual representation is one of 2D and 3D.

24. The printing system according to claim 22, wherein the remote troubleshooting interface is configured to include a second virtual representation of the printing system, not shared with the user.

25. The printing system according to claim 22, the communication system configured to perform two or more of:

a) updating the dynamic virtual representation based on the user moving;

b) the user freezing the dynamic virtual representation;

c) the dynamic virtual representation including the indication by the user of a part associated with the printing system;

d) updating the dynamic virtual representation to include information associated with a second virtual representation associated with the troubleshooting interface;

e) updating a second virtual representation associated with the troubleshooting interface with information associated with the dynamic virtual representation;

f) guiding the user to perform actions to change the printing system from the sensed state to a desired state;

g) indicate a part on the dynamic virtual representation selected by the troubleshooter; and

h) modifying the dynamic virtual representation based on the user observed state of the printing system.