Electronic adverse event reporting system

• US 8,898,273 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2012
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jfh Technologies Inc.
• Original Assignee: Jfh Technologies Inc.
• Inventors: Harhi, James
• Primary Examiner(s): JACOBS, LASHONDA T
• Application Number:
  US13/648,864
• Publication Number:
  US 20140101232A1
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/224, 709/203, 709/217, 709/219
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0264 Control of logging system, e.g. decision on which data to store; time-stamping measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

An adverse event reporting system and related methods are provided. Aspects relate to a associating a unique identifier of a device with resolution information configured to be automatically transmitted in response to an adverse event with the device. A consumer experiencing an adverse event with a remote device may use a communications device, such as a mobile phone, to capture and/or transmit the unique identifier, which may be located on or by the device. In one embodiment, capturing or deciphering the identifier causes the communications device to be directed to a virtual address for reporting the adverse event. The unique identifier may be used to automatically transmit resolution information to a second communications device that is not associated with the consumer. The second communications device may be associated with a vendor responsible for operation of the implicated device. The resolution information may comprise the identity and/or location of the device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving electronic information transmitted from a first remote communications device of a first consumer located at the location of a first remote electronic devices, the electronic information comprising a first unique identifier electronically obtained from and specific to the first remote electronic device that is among a plurality of remote electronic devices, wherein the first remote communications device is not one of the plurality of remote electronic devices and the electronic information is transmitted from the first remote communications device of the first consumer without the first consumer knowing either;

(1) any contact information for a second communications device associated with at least a first vendor responsible for the operation of the first electronic device;

or (2) the individual or entity responsible for remedying an adverse event with the first electronic device;

based upon the reception of the first unique identifier, automatically determining with a processor that the first consumer of the first communications device experienced an adverse event with one of the remote electronic devices;

with a processor, comparing the first unique identifier against a collection of unique identifiers stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, wherein each unique identifier of the collection is associated with one of the plurality of remote electronic devices, to identify resolution information of the first electronic device linked to the received first unique identifier, wherein the resolution information comprises;

an identity of the first electronic device associated with the adverse event, and

a first location associated with the first electronic device;

based on, at least in part, the resolution information, automatically identifying a second communication device associated with at least a first vendor responsible for the operation of the first electronic device, wherein the second communications device is not one of the plurality of remote electronic devices; and

automatically transmitting an electronic notification to the second communication device configured to notify an individual of the second communication device that a consumer has experienced the adverse event with the first electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the received electronic information comprises contact information of the first consumer associated with the first communications device, the method further comprising:

after transmitting the electronic notification to the second communications device, transmitting a second electronic notification to the first communications device regarding the status of the first electronic device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second notification comprises information selected from the group consisting of:

an indication that the electronic device has been fixed, an indication of an estimated time for repair of the first electronic device, and combinations thereof.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic information comprises an adverse event field configured to comprise diagnostic information relating to the adverse event.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

after using the unique identifier to identify the resolution information of the first electronic device, transmitting an electronic signal to the first electronic device configured to collect diagnostic information from the first electronic device;

displaying a diagnostic code on a local display device; and

receiving the diagnostic code in the adverse event field of the electronic information.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after receiving the first unique identifier, automatically causing a request to be displayed on at least one of a local display device of the first electronic device or a local display device of the first communications device, requesting at least one of;

permission to utilize a communication pathway of the first communications device to transmit diagnostic information regarding the first electronic device;

or

request to perform a physical activity regarding the first electronic device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after receiving the first unique identifier, automatically attempting to obtain electronic diagnostic information from the first electronic device.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

automatically transmitting the electronic diagnostic information to the second communications device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the diagnostic information comprises information transmitted by the first communication device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic information comprises diagnostic information of the adverse event and the identification of the second communications device is based, at least in part, on the diagnostic information.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique identifier is solely derived from image data electronically captured by a digital image sensor of the first communications device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

directing the first communications device to a first virtual address specific to the first unique code, wherein the first virtual address is configured to receive adverse event information from the first communications device.

13. An adverse event reporting system comprising:

a remote server comprising a processor and one or more non-transitory computer-readable mediums comprising computer-executable instructions that when executed by the processor performs at least;

associating a first visual indicia configured to be placed on a first remote electronic device and further configured to be captured by a digital image sensor of a first device and analyzed by a processor to provide a unique identifier of the first remote electronic device with resolution information comprising an identity of the first remote electronic device, a first remote location associated with the first electronic device, and at least one second communications device associated with reporting an adverse event with the first remote electronic device;

wherein the first remote electronic device is one of a plurality of remote devices that are each associated with a visual indicia configured to provide a unique identifier, and wherein neither the first communications device nor the second communications devices are part of the plurality of remote devices;

upon receiving the first unique identifier from the first communications device, automatically determining that a consumer of the first communications device has experienced an adverse event with the first electronic device, and in response, selecting one of the at least one second communications devices to transmit an electronic notification of the adverse event to; and

transmitting the notification to the selected second communications device configured to notify a user of the second communications device of an adverse event with the first remote electronic device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the first visual indicia is configured such that upon being analyzed, causes the first communications device to be directed to a first virtual address that is specific to the first remote electronic device, the system further including a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that when executed by the processor performs at least:

presenting visual output on a display device of either the first communications device or the first remote electronic device as a result of being directed to the first virtual address;

capturing information from the first communications device or the first remote electronics device inputted by the first consumer associated with the first communications device regarding the adverse event with the first remote electronic device; and

associating the first virtual address with the resolution information of the first electronic device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein presenting of the visual output on a display device as a result of being directed to the first virtual address occurs before selecting one of the at least one second communications devices to transmit an electronic notification to.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of remote devices comprises a second remote device that is devoid of a transceiver configured to communicate with a remote devices.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of remote devices comprises a second remote device comprising second visual indicia configured to provide a unique identifier of the second remote device without requiring a consumer to utilize a digital image sensor.

18. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

after receiving the first unique identifier at the remote server, automatically causing a request to be displayed on at least one of a local display device of the first electronic device or a local display device of the first communications device, requesting at least one of;

permission to utilize a communication pathway of the first communications device to transmit diagnostic information regarding the first electronic device;

or

requesting the first consumer to perform a physical activity regarding the first electronic device.

19. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving at a processing device, electronic information indicative that a first communications device of a first consumer has transmitted a unique identifier associated with a first remote electronic device, wherein the first remote electronic device is one of a plurality of remote devices that are each associated with a unique identifier and the first communications device is not part of the plurality of remote devices;

automatically determining, based upon the reception of the electronic information, that the first consumer experienced an adverse event with the first remote electronic device, and automatically identifying at least a second communication device associated with a vendor responsible for the operation of the first remote electronic device; and

based upon the identification of the vendor, transmitting a notification to the second communication device associated with the vendor configured to notify an individual of the vendor that a consumer has experienced an adverse event with the first electronic device, wherein the notification comprises;

an identity of the first remote electronic device, and location of the first remote electronic device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein information external to the received electronic information is used in the identification of the vendor.