Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-27
2003-05-13
Coby, Frantz (Department: 2171)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C707S793000, C707S793000, C707S793000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06564227
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a customer support system. In particular, the present invention relates to a customer support system, a customer support method, a customer support center, and a customer information system for supporting a customer by effectively using data from a device that is in the customer's possession.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known to remotely monitor the state of a device located at a customer and take necessary measures for such device. However, such known systems depend upon the collection of certain specified information. Therefore, the purposes for which the collected information may be used have been limited.
For example, a known system remotely monitors the amount (or time) that a device has been used, and collects a charge according to the amount of usage. Further, there are known systems for remotely monitoring the quality or the state of a device.
However, it may not be possible to sufficiently support customers merely by obtaining information regarding the status or usage of a device.
For example, it is not possible to know the complete state of a device only through usage or quality information. If it is not possible to know the complete state of a device, then it is not possible to fully perform maintenance and management of the device. Thus, it is not possible to fully support the customer.
In many cases, a microcomputer may be set in a device located at a customer, and the information-orientation of the device itself may be processed. However, the present applicants are unaware of any one system in which information generated from the device is effectively used and used equally by customers, device suppliers, device maintenance staff and device managers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been devised in consideration of the above-mentioned problems. An object of the present invention is to obtain a wide range of information of a device located at a customer, and to use the usage information and the quality information of the device to give various facilities to the customer and to positively support the customer.
An exemplary customer support system according to the present invention using information concerning at least one device (for example, terminals
1
1
through
1
N
, shown in
FIG. 1
; a device shown in
FIG. 6
) located at a customer, and supporting the customer, may comprise:
a customer support center (for example, a customer support center
11
, shown in
FIG. 1
; the same shown in
FIG. 3
) collecting customer information using a communication line (for example, a network
13
shown in
FIG. 1
; a network
10
shown in FIG.
2
), and storing or transferring the thus-collected information; and
at least one customer information system (for example, the customer information systems
12
1
through
12
N
shown in
FIG. 1
; the same shown in each of
FIGS. 4 and 5
) connected with the customer support center via a communication line (for example, a network
10
shown in each of FIGS.
1
and
2
), using the information from the customer support center, and supporting the customer,
wherein the customer support center comprises a collection and delivery program for collecting and distributing usage information and quality information of the at least one device, and a device information storing program for storing the usage information and quality information of the at least one device as it is or after modifying it; and
the at least one customer information system uses the usage information and quality information of the at least one device collected by the customer support center, and supports the customer.
Thereby, the customer support center collects the usage information indicating an amount to which the device has been used and the quality information indicating the quality of the device from the at least one device located at the customer, and distributes the same information. The at least one customer information system uses the same information for supporting the customer. Thereby, various conveniences/advantages can be provided to the customer, and positive supporting of the customer can be achieved.
The quality information may comprise alarm information which indicates that the device is in a condition such that no fault has occurred but maintenance is needed; and
the usage information may comprise information as to how many times the device is used in a case where the device comprises an image processing device.
Thereby, the fault information, alarm information and information as to how many times the device is used are used. Accordingly, it is possible to support the customer appropriately in each situation.
The customer support center, when receiving the fault information, may report this matter to the customer information system in charge of maintenance and/or management of the device. Also, the customer support center may obtain the quality information of the device which has the fault, after a predetermined time has elapsed since the fault information was received, and may comprise a canceling part for canceling the fault information when it is determined from the quality information that the device operates normally.
Thereby, when receiving the fault information, the customer support center determines whether the relevant device has been restored after the predetermined time has elapsed, and, when the device has been restored, determines that it is not necessary to take care of the customer and cancels the fault information. Accordingly, it is possible to effectively deal with the fault information.
The customer support center may comprise a discarding part which discards the fault information or alarm information when it is determined from a condition of the device that the device is in a condition such that no fault or no alarm occurs, when the fault information or alarm information is received.
Thereby, by discarding the fault information when the relevant device is in such a condition that a fault or alarm does not occur, it is possible to avoid useless dealing with the fault information or alarm information.
The customer support center, when receiving the fault information, may not regard it as the fault information when it is not necessary to deal with it.
It is thereby possible to avoid useless dealing with the fault information.
The customer support center may comprise a filter part for deleting, from the fault information, information unnecessary for restoring the device from the fault.
It is thereby possible to perform data processing of the fault information efficiently.
Further, because no unnecessary information is included, it is possible to transmit and store the data efficiently.
The customer support center may comprise a prediction part which predicts a future fault or bad condition or deficiency using the fault information which is not regarded as the fault information.
It is thereby possible to effectively use the fault information which is not regarded as the fault information for predicting a future fault or bad condition or deficiency.
The customer support center may comprise a prediction part which predicts a future fault or bad condition or deficiency using the information which is deleted from the fault information by the filter part.
It is thereby possible to effectively use the information which is deleted from the fault information by the filter part for predicting a future fault or bad condition or deficiency.
The customer support center may regard the alarm information as the fault information when it is received from the same device successively.
It is thereby possible to restore from an alarm which is felt by the customer as an actual fault.
The customer support center may comprise an information acquisition setting part for specifying the target device or a time, and obtaining information regarding the use of the target device.
It is thereby possible to obtain necessary information as the need arises.
The customer support center may comprise a supply instructing part for using the us
Nishida Hiroshi
Sakakibara Yutaka
Coby Frantz
Morrison & Foerster / LLP
Ricoh & Company, Ltd.
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