Frugal user engagement help systems
First Claim
1. A method for providing assistance to a user of a product in diagnosing faults in the product, comprising:
- receiving, at a help server, data associated with current and/or past operation of the product;
performing an optimization to determine a sequence of diagnostic user actions that is expected to maximize a net benefit to the user, wherein the sequence of diagnostic user actions includes one or more of;
a test associated with the product'"'"'s operation; and
a research action to investigate an aspect of the product or its environment; and
wherein the net benefit to the user accounts for costs to the user for performing a respective diagnostic action and savings to the user for correcting the faults;
presenting the sequence of diagnostic user actions to the user;
receiving a response from the user; and
diagnosing, by the help server, based on the user'"'"'s response, a likely fault in the product.
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Accused Products
Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for providing assistance to a user of a product in diagnosing faults in the product. During operation, the system receives, at a help server, data associated with current and/or past operation of the product; performs an optimization to determine a sequence of diagnostic actions that is expected to maximize a net benefit to the user. The sequence of diagnostic actions includes one or more actions that require the user to perform at least one task, and performing the optimization involves accounting for costs to the user for performing the at least one task and savings to the user for correcting the faults. The system then interacts with the user, which involves presenting the sequence of diagnostic actions to the user.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for providing assistance to a user of a product in diagnosing faults in the product, comprising:
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receiving, at a help server, data associated with current and/or past operation of the product; performing an optimization to determine a sequence of diagnostic user actions that is expected to maximize a net benefit to the user, wherein the sequence of diagnostic user actions includes one or more of; a test associated with the product'"'"'s operation; and a research action to investigate an aspect of the product or its environment; and wherein the net benefit to the user accounts for costs to the user for performing a respective diagnostic action and savings to the user for correcting the faults; presenting the sequence of diagnostic user actions to the user; receiving a response from the user; and diagnosing, by the help server, based on the user'"'"'s response, a likely fault in the product. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for providing assistance to a user of a product in diagnosing faults in the product, the method comprising:
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receiving, at a help server, data associated with current and/or past operation of the product; performing an optimization to determine a sequence of diagnostic user actions that is expected to maximize a net benefit to the user, wherein the sequence of diagnostic user actions includes one or more of; a test associated with the product'"'"'s operation; and a research action to investigate an aspect of the product or its environment; and wherein the net benefit to the user accounts for costs to the user for performing a respective diagnostic action and savings to the user for correcting the faults; presenting the sequence of diagnostic user actions to the user; receiving a response from the user; and diagnosing, by the help server, based on the user'"'"'s response, a likely fault in the product. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A computer system for providing assistance to a user of a product in diagnosing faults in the product, comprising:
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a processor; and a storage device coupled to the processor and storing instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform a method, the method comprising; receiving, at a help server, data associated with current and/or past operation of the product; performing an optimization to determine a sequence of diagnostic user actions that is expected to maximize a net benefit to the user, wherein the sequence of diagnostic user actions includes one or more actions that require the user to perform at least one task, of; a test associated with the product'"'"'s operation; and a research action to investigate an aspect of the product or its environment; and wherein the net benefit to the user accounts for costs to the user for performing a respective diagnostic action and savings to the user for correcting the faults; presenting the sequence of diagnostic user actions to the user; receiving a response from the user; and diagnosing, by the help server, based on the user'"'"'s response, a likely fault in the product. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification