Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Philip E Fawcett

Christopher Blomfield-Brown

Clifford Paul Strom

Creators of computer software provide the most up-to-date versions of their computer software on an update service. A user who has purchased computer software calls the update service on a periodic basis. The update service automatically inventories the user computer to determine what computer software may be out-of-date, and/or need maintenance updates. If so desired by the user, the update service computer automatically downloads and installs computer software to the user computer. By making periodic calls to the update service, the user always has the most up-to-date computer software immediately available. The update service may also alert the user to new products (i.e. including new help files, etc.), and new and enhanced versions of existing products, which can be purchased electronically by a user from the update service.

Method and system for identifying and obtaining computer software from a remote computer

Method and system for identifying and obtaining computer software from a

Creators of computer software provide the most up-to-date versions of their computer software on an update service. A user who has purchased computer software calls the update service on a periodic basis. The update service automatically inventories the user computer to determine what computer software may be out-of-date, and/or need maintenance updates. If so desired by the user, the update service computer automatically downloads and installs computer software to the user computer. By making periodic calls to the update service, the user always has the most up-to-date computer software immediately available. The update service may also alert the user to new products (i.e. including new help files, etc.), and new and enhanced versions of existing products which can be purchased electronically by a user from the update service.

Interactive voice response systems (IVRS) are used as interfaces at a wide variety of support and information retrieval centers. A caller who contacts in IVRS-equipped support center can choose to have the voice information contained in the IVRS menus displayed graphically on the caller's communications terminal. The graphical display allows a caller to navigate up and down in the IVRS menus, skipping intermediate steps that would be required making responses to voice queries. In one embodiment the Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) is used to produce the graphical display. The HTML data also contains a pre-defined protocol used to display IVRS menus. The graphical display of IVRS menus saves callers time, and displays IVRS information more quickly and thoroughly than could be done with voice. Graphical display of IVRS menus also saves support costs since a caller may find desired information without interaction with support center personal.

System and method for graphically displaying and navigating through an

An automated system and method for diagnosing and resolving computer-related problems from a product support center. The traditional roles of the product engineer and customer are largely supplanted by execution of specialized client/server software programs on the respective computers. These programs exchange diagnostic and--in some cases--remedial data over the same telephone circuit used by the engineer and customer. The resulting system accelerates diagnosis and resolution of the customers' problems, reduces product support costs, and improves customer satisfaction.

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Duvall, WA, United States of America

Philip E Fawcett