Electronic adverse event reporting system

• US 9,413,629 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2014
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• 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:
  US14/520,573
• Publication Number:
  US 20150039758A1
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/224, 709/203, 709/217, 709/219
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 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 from a first communications device of a first consumer, the electronic information comprising a first unique identifier that was directly wirelessly obtained from a first electronic device among a plurality of electronic devices located at a first location, and the first communications device is not one of the plurality of electronic devices, wherein the electronic information is received from the first 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 plurality of 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 electronic devices and at least one electronic device located at a second location, 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

the 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 second communication device is configured to wirelessly communicate with the first electronic device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second communication device is configured to wirelessly communicate directly with the first electronic device.

4. 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 a status of the first electronic device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the received electronic information comprises contact information of the first consumer associated with the first communications device, the method further comprising:

transmitting at least a portion of the contact information of the first consumer to the second communications device.

6. The method of claim 4, 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.

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

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving diagnostic information from the first communications device that was wirelessly obtained directly from the first electronic device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing wireless transmission to be transmitted the first electronic 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.

10. 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.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

automatically transmitting the diagnostic information to the second communications device.

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

13. 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.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

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

15. 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 electronic signature configured to be transmitted by a first remote electronic device experiencing an adverse event and further configured to be captured directly by an electronic sensor of a first communications 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 an electronic signature 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 at the remote server, 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.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first electronic signature is configured such that upon being received by the first communications device, 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.

17. The system of claim 16, 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.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of remote devices comprises a second remote device that is devoid of a transceiver configured to communicate with a remote device but is configured to permit direct wireless communication with the first communications device when the first communications device is within a proximity threshold of the first communications device.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of remote devices comprise a second remote device is configured to provide a unique identifier without requiring a consumer to utilize a digital image sensor.

20. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

transmitted to the first electronic 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.