Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-31
2001-05-29
Breene, John (Department: 2177)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C707S793000, C707S793000, C709S203000, C709S219000, C345S215000, C345S215000, C345S215000, C705S026640
Reexamination Certificate
active
06240420
ABSTRACT:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY
This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. §119 from an application for CONSUMER SUPPORT SEARCH ENGINE SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SEARCHING DATA THEREOF earlier filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on the 30
th
of Aug. 1997 and there duly assigned Ser. No. 44414/1997.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a search engine system, and more particularly, to a customer support search engine system which is used with a Web server for effecting customer service on a customer's computer using the Internet and providing technical information on the customer's computer for the customer, and a method of searching data using the search engine system.
2. Description of Related Art
In general, a customer requests customer service when defects occur in a purchased product while its being used, or when they have something to ask. Then, a service person from a service center or an external service employee visits the customer to solve his problem.
Accordingly, trouble can occur since even a simple problem must be solved by the service person's visiting the customer in person. Also, such a personal visit impedes rapid customer service, and labor costs to the service person or external service employee must be paid. In particular, when customer service is needed for a computer, development engineers are often requested to provide such a repair service by telephone since the customer service person cannot always solve computer problems.
Therefore, establishment of a rapid service system and curtailment of customer service expenses appear as significantly important matters to marketing companies selling products, in association with an increasing market quality issue.
A customer support system using the Internet includes a customer support server connected to the Internet via an Internet host, and a user's computer which can be connected to the customer support server via the Internet using an Internet communications unit such as a modem.
The user's computer, which may be a PC which can be connected to the Internet using a typical Internet connecting device, such as a modem or a leased circuit, can receive necessary customer service by connecting to the customer support server via the Internet. The customer support server adopts a computer as a server which includes a customer support engine for providing customer support service and a data base for systematically storing PC related information required by the customer support engine. The customer support engine includes software for customer support and consists of a gate page which corresponds to a homepage, a user's guide page, a download page, an FAQ page and a Windows 95 page.
In the customer support system using the Internet and having such a configuration, when the user's computer wants to search for desired data through the customer support server, if a search engine system for performing the above search is provided, customer support can be more effectively performed. The search engine system must be able to provide useful information more rapidly when it is convenient for a customer to use the information.
The following patents disclose some features in common with the present invention: U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,667 to Wahlquist et al., entitled System For Performing Remote Computer System Diagnostic Tests, U.S. Pat. No. 5,694,559 to Hobson et al., entitled On-Line Help Method And System Utilizing Free Text Query, U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,314 to Gifford et al., entitled Computer-Aided Customer Support System With Bubble-Up, U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,086 to Tanaka et al., entitled Method And System Of Hierarchical Assistance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,678,002 to Fawcett et al., entitled System And Method For Providing Automated Customer Support, U.S. Pat. No. 5,179,695 to Derr et al., entitled Problem Analysis Of A Node Computer With Assistance From A Central Site, U.S. Pat. No. 5,745,675 to Herbig et al., entitled Object Oriented Framework Mechanism For Performing Computer System Diagnostics, U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,150 to Yamada, entitled Apparatus For Producing Operational Manual, U.S. Pat. No. 5,469,498 to Abe et al., entitled Post-Delivery Support System For Private Branch Exchanges, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,781,191 to Mayuzumi et al., entitled Method And Apparatus For Reproducing Operation Guidance Information And Method And Apparatus For Reproducing Multi-Media Information.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a customer support search engine system which can be usefully utilized for a customer support system using the Internet.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of searching data, in the customer support search engine system.
To accomplish the first object, there is provided a customer support search engine system comprising: a product model database which stores information on product models of a computer purchased by a customer, each product model information group comprising of a first field including the names of product models and a second field including the names of devices constituting the product models, each device name including a pointer which indicates a path for providing information where detailed data with respect to the device is stored; a device database which stores information on devices constituting the product models, by the product models, the information on the devices consisting of a device field including the device names and a data field storing detailed data about the devices included in the device field; a user interface which displays predetermined customer support items in a menu form enabling selection by a user and allowing a user to select the customer support items and input character or numerical data through a keyboard, in order to accomplish the customer support; and a search engine which is connected to the user interface and the product model database and the device database, which searches the product model database and the device database if input data of a user is input through the user interface, and which outputs corresponding data.
It is preferable that the data field in the device database comprise: a user's guide module for storing information on the usages of the devices; an FAQ module for storing information on questions frequently asked with respect to the devices and answers to these questions; and a download module for storing downloadable programs that are required by customers, and wherein the search engine searches the device database and outputs corresponding information of the data field.
Also, preferably, the customer support item of the user interface is at least comprised of the names of product models, the names of devices constituting the product models, and items wanted by a predetermined user with respect to the devices.
The user wanted item comprises at least one of: a user's guide for providing information on the usages of the devices; an FAQ for providing questions often raised with respect to the devices and answers to these questions; and a download area for providing downloadable programs that are required by customers.
To accomplish the second object, there is provided a method of searching data using the customer support search engine system, comprising the steps of: displaying a product model name menu window for selecting one of product model names, a device name menu window for selecting a device name corresponding to the selected product model, and a customer selection item menu window consisting of a user's guide, an FAQ of frequent questions and answers, and a download area for downloading necessary programs; searching the product model database if a product model name is selected from the product model name menu window to determine a corresponding product model; displaying a menu window for showing the names of devices constituting a product model selected from the product model menu window, and searching the device database if
Breene John
Bushnell , Esq. Robert E.
Robinson David J.
Samsung Electronics Co,. Ltd.
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