User interface to aid system installation

• US 7,221,267 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2003
• Issued: 05/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Decarta (Uber Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chalker, Matt D., Kim, Jeffrey, Woo, Christina
• Primary Examiner(s): Pope; Daryl C.
• Application Number:
  US10/726,982
• Publication Number:
  US 20050125118A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,266 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/506, 340/539.24
• US Class Current: 340/539.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

A system and method is provided that allows an installer to obtain detailed installation instructions specific to the hardware to be installed as well as the system to which the hardware is to be installed. The instructions are provided to the installer via a user interface, the interface permitting the installer to efficiently complete the installation process. In addition to step-by-step instructions and/or visual installation aids, the system allows the installer to quickly obtain additional details relating to a specific subsystem or component.

Claims

1. A method of communicating alarm installation instructions to a user, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a set of alarm hardware specifications corresponding to an alarm system

by a remote processing system from a wireless user interface;

receiving a set of vehicle specifications corresponding to a particular vehicle to which said alarm system is to be installed by said remote processing system from said wireless user interface;

obtaining a set of installation instructions from a data base coupled to said remote processing system, said set of installation instructions particular to said set of received alarm hardware specifications and said set of received vehicle specifications;

receiving a set of interface capabilities by the remote processing system from the user interface; and

subsequent to receiving the set of interface capabilities, transmitting said set of installation instructions to said wireless user interface from said remote processing system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

initializing said remote processing system; and

transmitting a request for said set of alarm hardware specifications and said set of vehicle specifications to said user interface from said remote processing system.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of periodically updating said set of installation instructions in said data base to reflect changes in available alarm hardware and available vehicles.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said periodic updating step is performed automatically.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a request from said user interface to perform a test on a specific aspect of said alarm hardware; and

initializing a test sequence designed to perform said test on said specific aspect of said alarm hardware, wherein said test sequence is initialized by said processing system.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

monitoring said alarm hardware; and

transmitting results of said test sequence to said wireless user interface from said remote processing system.

7. The method of method of claim 1 wherein transmitting said set of installation instructions to said wireless user interface from said remote processing system further comprises:

receiving a set of alarm hardware specifications corresponding to an alarm system by a remote processing system from a wireless user interface;

receiving a set of vehicle specifications corresponding to a particular vehicle to which said alarm system is to be installed by said remote processing system from said wireless user interface;

obtaining a set of installation instructions from a data base coupled to said remote processing system, said set of installation instructions particular to said set of received alarm hardware specifications and said set of received vehicle specifications;

transmitting an initial portion of said set of installation instructions to said wireless user interface from said remote processing system;

transmitting a request for an additional portion of said set of installation instructions to said remote processing system from said wireless user interface; and

transmitting said additional portion of said set of installation instructions to said wireless user interface from said remote processing system in response to said transmitted request, wherein said steps of transmitting requests for additional portions of said set of

installation instructions and transmitting additional portions in response to said transmitted requests are performed at least once.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of transmitting said initial portion of said set of installation instructions is performed in response to a step of transmitting said request for said initial portion of said set of installation instructions to said remote processing system from said wireless user interface.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of obtaining said set of installation instructions from said data base comprises the step of obtaining said set of installation instructions in portions, wherein said portions correspond to said portions transmitted to said wireless user interface from said remote processing system.

10. A method of communicating alarm installation instructions to a user, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a set of alarm hardware specifications corresponding to an alarm system by a remote processing system from a wireless user interface;

receiving a set of vehicle specifications corresponding to a particular vehicle to which said alarm system is to be installed by said remote processing system from said wireless user interface;

obtaining a set of installation instructions from a data base coupled to said remote processing system, said set of installation instructions particular to said set of received alarm hardware specifications and said set of received vehicle specifications;

receiving a set of interface communication preferences by the remote processing system from the user interface; and

subsequent to receiving the set of interface communication preferences, transmitting said set of installation instructions to said wireless user interface from said remote processing system.

11. A method of communicating alarm installation instructions to a user, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a set of alarm hardware specifications corresponding to an alarm system by a remote processing system from a wireless user interface;

receiving a set of vehicle specifications corresponding to a particular vehicle to which said alarm system is to be installed by said remote processing system from said wireless user interface;

obtaining a set of installation instructions from a data base coupled to said remote processing system, said set of installation instructions particular to said set of received alarm hardware specifications and said set of received vehicle specifications;

transmitting said set of installation instructions to said wireless user interface from said remote processing system;

synthesizing said set of installation instructions into a set of audible instructions; and

audibly presenting said set of synthesized installation instructions via said user interface.