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:
Feb. 22, 2000
Filed:
Oct. 09, 1997
Arshad F Ahmad, Bellevue, WA (US);
Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA (US);
Abstract
A method and system for trouble shooting and correcting computer software problems. A Trouble Shooting System is launched onto a computer when a user of a software application encounters a problem during use of that software application. The Trouble Shooting System includes a Character Interface, a Trouble Shooting Program, and an Internet-based Trouble Shooting site and server. The Character Interface allows the user to select from a menu of problems, or the user may type into the Character Interface a natural language string to identify the problem. The Trouble Shooting Program generates offset values corresponding to the problem identified by the user. The Trouble Shooting program uses the offset values to locate problem solutions in an Information Store of problem solutions. The problem solutions located in the Information Store are passed to the user for implementation of a correction of the problem. If no solution is found in the Information Store, the Trouble Shooting Program may connect the user's computer to the remote Internet-based Trouble Shooting site and server to obtain and download additional problem solutions and tools to the Information Store on the user's computer. If a solution to the problem continues to evade the user, the Trouble Shooting Program then may recommend that the user contact the product support services of the provider of the user's malfunctioning software application.