Assistance request system

• US 20030048288A1
• Filed: 09/06/2002
• Published: 03/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Puyo, Cecile, Drif, Dany
• Application Number:
  US10/235,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20030048288A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/705
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0748 in a remote unit communicating with a single-box computer node experiencing an error/fault remote testing G06F11/2294
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test

Abstract

An assistance request system for a computer connected to a network, the assistance request system comprising a message generation module operable to;

receive a signal from a manually operable request device,

in response to the signal, generate a message comprising an assistance request and identification information, and

transmit the message to an assistance source via said network.

Claims

1. An assistance request system for a computer connected to a network, the assistance request system comprising a message generation module operable to;

receive a signal from a manually operable request device;

in response to the signal, generate a message comprising an assistance request and identification information, and

transmit the message to an assistance source via said network.

2. An assistance request system according to claim 1 wherein the message operation module is operable to retrieve information from an information store and generate the message in accordance with the information.

3. An assistance request system according to claim 2 wherein the stored information is stored in said information store on completion of a successful boot procedure.

4. An assistance request system according to claim 2 wherein the information comprises a network address of the assistance source.

5. An assistance request system according to claim 2 wherein the information comprises a network address of the computer.

6. An assistance request system according to claim 3 wherein the information comprises a network address of the computer.

7. An assistance request system according to claim 4 wherein the information comprises a network address of the computer.

8. An assistance request system according to claim 2 wherein the information comprises configuration information.

9. An assistance request system according to claim 3 wherein the information comprises configuration information.

10. An assistance request system according to claim 4 wherein the information comprises configuration information.

11. An assistance request system according to claim 5 wherein the information comprises configuration information.

12. An assistance request system according to claim 1, operable on receipt of the signal from the manually operable request device, to

display an information request,

receive user information in response to the information request, and

generate the message in accordance with the user information.

13. An assistance request system according to claim 1 wherein the manually operable request device comprises a keyboard comprising an assistance request key.

14. An assistance request system according to claim 12 wherein the manually operable request device comprises a keyboard comprising an assistance request key.

15. An assistance request system according to claim 13 wherein the system comprises a keyboard driver filter, operable to receive a scan code from the keyboard, identify a scan code corresponding to said assistance request key and generating a signal accordingly.

16. An assistance request system according to claim 14 wherein the system comprises a keyboard driver filter, operable to receive a scan code from the keyboard, identify a scan code corresponding to said assistance request key and generating a signal accordingly.

17. An assistance request system according to claim 13 wherein the keyboard comprises a keyboard controller, the keyboard controller being operable to identify a key press corresponding to said assistance request key and generate a signal accordingly.

18. An assistance request system according to claim 14 wherein the keyboard comprises a keyboard controller, the keyboard controller being operable to identify a key press corresponding to said assistance request key and generate a signal accordingly.

19. An assistance request system according to claim 13 wherein the assistance request key is directly connected to said message generation module to send a signal to the message generation module on depression of the assistance request key.

20. An assistance request system according to claim 14 wherein the assistance request key is directly connected to said message generation module to send a signal to the message generation module on depression of the assistance request key.

21. An assistance request system according to claim 1 wherein the manually operable request device comprises a manually operable control located on the computer.

22. An assistance request system according to claim 12 wherein the manually operable request device comprises a manually operable control located on the computer.