The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 09, 1999
Filed:
Jun. 17, 1996
Brian Bakoglu, Milpitas, CA (US);
Parichay Saxena, Fremont, CA (US);
Sony Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Sony Electronics Inc., Park Ridge, NJ (US);
Abstract
An online computer support system uses simultaneous and alternating transfer of different data types including voice, image, video, and other digital information. This allows a customer service representative and a user having a computer problem to communicate more effectively and solve the problem. The customer service representative can provide prepared tutorials or information to the customer in the form of text, diagrams, and video with synchronized sound. Software at the user computer side automatically interrogates the user computer to determine information about hardware and software components needed to solve problems the user is having. Information, such as the serial number, is programmed into non-volatile memory at the factory for reading during, or at the beginning of, an online support session. The customer service representative can control the user's computer remotely. Software agents are used to perform specific functions. A data base, indexed by information obtained from the user's computer, tracks warranty, support history, and other information. A preventive maintenance function detects components having sporadic problems before they fail as well as flags components as they approach the end of their predicted life spans.