Customer support system using internet

[0002] This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. §119 from an application for CUSTOMER SUPPORT SYSTEM USING INTERNET earlier filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on the May 15, 1997, and there duly assigned Serial No. 18681/1997, a copy of which application is annexed hereto.

[0003] 1. Technical Field

[0004] The present invention relates to a customer support system, and more particularly, to a customer support system for providing customer support services with respect to a predetermined product using an Internet.

[0005] 2. Related Art

[0006] Generally, when consumer products are purchased by a consumer and are subsequently found to be defective, support service must be provided by a manufacturer to help diagnose the problems of the consumer products. The consumer products may be computer systems, software products and other consumer electronics devices. Traditionally, a service person from a centralized service center must visit the consumer's home to repair or replace the defective products. Such a house-to-house service of consumer products requires extensive networks of service representatives, inventories and physical facilities. Moreover, support service can be very expensive and time consuming process.

[0007] A centralized service information system has since established to provide support services to a wide variety of consumer products, particularly computer systems and software products. When a customer experiences problems with a computer system or a software product, the customer typically calls a customer support line and receives assistance from a service representative, usually a customer support engineer. The customer support engineer typically asks the customer questions to help diagnose the customer's problems and offers a proposed diagnosis and instructions to help the customer to remedy the problems. However, this service process is also slow and unsatisfactory both to the customer and the manufacturer.

[0008] In an effort to reduce product support costs and improve customer satisfaction, many customer support systems, particularly for computer systems and software products are now available “on-line” as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,062 for Method For Providing An On-Line Help Facility For Interactive Information Handling Systems issued to Johnson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,9964,077 for Method For Automatically Adjusting Help Information Displayed In An On-Line Interactive System issued to Eisen et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,287,448 for Method And Apparatus For Providing Help Information To Users Of Computers issued to Nicol et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,287,505 for On-Line Problem Management Of Remote Data Processing Systems, Using Local Problem Determination Procedures And A Centralized Database issued to Calvert et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,252 for System for Transparent Monitoring Of Processors In A Network With Display Of Screen Images At A Remote Station For Diagnosis By Technical Support Personnel issued to Dreste et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,455,933 for Circuit And Method For Remote Diagnosis Of Personal Computers issued to Schieve et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,678,002 for System And Method For Providing Automated Customer Support issued to Fawcett et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,694,559 for On-Line Help Method And System Utilizing Free Text Query issued to Hobson et al. Generally, on-line documentation is structured like an instruction manual with the choice of index, search, or table-of-contents access to help topics. The customer can search through headings to locate the topic appropriate for the needs of the customer. While these “on-line” help systems advance the market quality of customer products, I believe that an improved customer service system can be installed using the popularity of Internet to ensure high level of customer satisfaction and minimize after-service cost.

[0009] Accordingly, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a customer support system for providing customer support services with respect to consumer products using an Internet.

[0010] It is also an object to provide a customer support system for providing customer support services using an Internet to reduce the number of after service requests from consumer products and to enhance the service quality of the consumer products while saving after-service costs.

[0011] These and other objects of the present invention can be achieved by a customer support system for providing customer support services with respect to a consumer products using an Internet. The customer support system may be constructed with a customer support server including a customer support engine for providing customer support services with respect to the consumer product, and a database for storing product-related support information to be used by the customer support engine; and a user computer including Internet communications device which can be connected to the customer support server through an Internet for access to the product-related support information.

[0012] The customer support engine of the customer support server may have a gate page, as a homepage of the customer support system, for providing a menu with respect to a specific client support service; and a service page for providing at least the specific client support service, including the usage guidance on a consumer product, according to a predetermined menu selected on the gate page.

[0013] The gate page may be configured with a Window name window; a tool bar window for providing a menu where an operation tool with respect to a Windows can be selected; an operation window for providing a menu with respect to at least a client support service; a screen scroll bar window for scrolling the operation window; and a Window task bar window. The service page is a service menu provided by the gate page as a support page for providing a product model guidance, the usage of various resources related to the consumer product, and technical information relating the consumer product. The service page may also have a download page for downloading a software related to the consumer product to the user computer via the Internet.

[0014] The support page may have a model menu screen unit for providing a model menu from which a product model that a user is using or desires to learn about can be selected; a specification screen unit for providing a detailed item menu of the specification of a model selected from the model menu screen and various resources related to the selected model; and a support service unit for providing the usage and technical information with respect to a detailed item selected from the detailed item menu by making access to a database storing information related to the selected product. When the consumer product is a personal computer (PC) a Windows 95 page provides Windows 95-related technical information, and the support service unit includes graphic and text information with respect to the front and rear sides of the main body of the selected PC model, a main board of the selected PC model, and a switch setting of the selected PC model.

[0015] The download page may have a model menu screen unit providing a model menu from which a product model that a user uses or wants to know can be selected; a detailed item menu output unit displaying a detailed item menu including various utilities, various drivers and bundled software which are required for a model selected on the model menu screen; and a download service unit accommodating downloading a program corresponding to a detailed item selected from the detailed item menu to the user computer via the Internet.

[0016] The service page further comprises a frequently asked question page (i.e., a FAQ page) for prewriting the answers to questions that a user frequently raises and notifying of the prepared answers; and a Windows 95 page for providing Windows 95-related technical information.

[0017] The service page has a movement menu for a direct movement between service pages if the service page is comprised of at least two service pages.

[0018] The frequently asked question page (i.e., a FAQ page) may have a model menu screen unit for providing a model menu from which the model of a product that the user is currently using or desires to learn about can be selected; a detailed item menu output unit for classifying disorders or questions felt by a user during use of a product into detailed items by models and displaying the classified detailed items, when a model is selected on the model menu screen; an inquiry content menu output unit for displaying a menu consisting of prepared inquiry contents with respect to a detailed item selected from the detailed item menu; and a question and answer service unit for providing information on answers and measures corresponding to a question selected from the inquiry content menu.

[0019] The present invention is more specifically described in the following paragraphs by reference to the drawings attached only by way of example.

[0020] A more complete appreciation of the present invention, and many of the attendant advantages thereof, will become readily apparent as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference symbols indicate the same or similar components, wherein:

[0021] FIG. 1 illustrates a configuration of a client support system using an Internet according to the principles of the present invention;

[0022] FIG. 2 illustrates a configuration of a user computer for use as a customer support server;

[0023] FIG. 3 illustrates function blocks of a client support engine;

[0024] FIG. 4 illustrates a window configuration of a gate page;

[0025] FIG. 5 illustrates a configuration of a usage guide page;

[0026] FIG. 6 illustrates a model menu screen for displaying a menu on the model name of a PC which a user currently uses or desires to learn about on the support page;

[0027] FIG. 7 illustrates a specification and detailed item menu screen for displaying a specification on a selected model and a detailed item menu having various resources associated with the selected model;

[0028] FIG. 8 illustrates an example of a screen on which information on the front side of a system main body is provided as graphic and text information by a support service unit;

[0029] FIG. 9 illustrates a configuration of a download page;

[0030] FIG. 10 illustrates a model menu screen for displaying a menu on the model name of a PC which a user currently uses or desires to learn about on the download page;

[0031] FIG. 11 illustrates a detailed item menu screen for displaying a detailed item menu composed of various drivers and bundle-use software including a variety of utilities required by a selected model;

[0032] FIG. 12 illustrates a configuration of a FAQ (frequently asked question) page;

[0033] FIG. 13 illustrates a FAQ (frequently asked question) model menu screen for displaying a menu on the model name of a PC which a user currently uses or desires to learn about on the FAQ(frequently asked question) page;

[0034] FIG. 14 illustrates a detailed item menu screen for displaying a detailed item menu where disorders or questions raised by a user during the use of the selected model are divided into detailed items; and

[0035] FIG. 15 illustrates a screen for displaying an example of questions and answers with respect to the selected FAQ (frequently asked question).

[0036] Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1, illustrates a configuration of a customer support system for providing customer support services using an Internet according to the principles of the present invention. The customer support system includes a customer support server 110 connected to an Internet 120 via an Internet host 100, and user computers 140 which are either connected to a public switched telephone network (PSTN) to contact the customer support server 110 via the Internet 120 using an Internet connection device such as a modem 130, or connected to a local area network (LAN) to contact the customer support server 110 directly via the Internet 120.

[0037] The user computers 140 can be connected to the Internet 120 using a typical Internet connection device, such as a modem 130 a leased line, etc. The user computers 140 are customers with personal computers (PCs) who seek assistance from after service (AS) from a service center by connecting to the customer support server via the Internet 120.

[0038] FIG. 2 illustrates a typical computer system used as the customer support server 110 of the customer support system as shown in FIG. 1. The computer system typically includes a central processing unit (CPU) 200, a read-only-memory (ROM) 210, a random-access-memory (RAM) 220, a hard disk drive (HDD) 230, an input and output device 240, and a communication device 250. When the computer system is configured as a customer support server 110, the computer system also contains a customer support engine 112 for providing customer support services with respect to a predetermined product such as a personal computer (PC), and a database 114 for storing PC-related information that the customer support engine 112 requires. The customer support engine 112 is a software for customer support, and as shown in FIG. 3, is comprised of a gate page 300 corresponding to a homepage, a support page 310, a download page 320, a FAQ (frequently asked question) page 330 and a Windows 95 page 340.

[0039] The gate page 300, as a homepage of the customer support engine 112, supplies a menu of services to be provided to customers. As shown in FIG. 4, the gate page 300 includes a Window's name window 400 for showing the name of a Window, a tool bar window 410 for supplying a menu from which operation tools with respect to the Window can be selected, an operation window 420 for supplying at least a menu on the customer support services, a screen scroll bar window 430 for scrolling the above-described operation windows, and a Window task bar window 440.

[0040] The support page 310 of FIG. 3 is a module for providing PC model guidance, the usage of various PC-related resources, and technical support information. As shown in FIG. 5, the support page 310 is comprised of a model menu screen unit 312 for providing a model menu from which a model can be selected, a specification screen unit 314 for providing a specification and detailed item menu with respect to a model selected by the user, and a support service unit 316 for providing the usage and technical materials with respect to a selected resource to the customer support server 110 by making an access to the database 114 storing the PC-related information after a detailed item is selected.

[0041] FIG. 6 illustrates a model menu screen for displaying a menu on the model name of a PC which is being used by a user or the PC the user desires to learn about on the support page 310. FIG. 7 illustrates a specification and detailed item menu screen for displaying a specification on a selected model and a detailed item menu where a user can select various resources relating to the selected model, once a model is selected from the model menu on the model menu screen. The support service unit 316 provides the system appearance of the selected PC model, hardware resources, and the technical information on software as graphic and text information. Here, the system appearance includes the front and rear sides of the main body of the selected PC model, a periodic board thereof, and a switching setting thereof. Hardware resources of the selected PC model are a CPU, a memory, a video/audio card, a CD-ROM, an HDD, a modem, communication-related matters, a software collection, etc. FIG. 8 provides an example of a screen on which the information on the front side of the main system is displayed as graphic and text information by the support service unit 316.

[0042] The download page 320 of FIG. 3 is a module for downloading PC-related software desired by the user to a user computer 140 when the user experiences a particular program during use of a PC, when the version of software currently being used is to be upgraded, or when new application software is desired to be installed. As shown in FIG. 9, the download page 320 includes a model menu screen unit 322 for providing a model menu from which a user can select a product model that the user is currently using or desires to learn about, a detailed item menu output unit 324 for providing a detailed item menu consisting of various utilities, various drivers and bundled software required for a model selected on the model menu screen, and a download to the user computer 140 via Internet 120 service unit 326 for downloading a program corresponding to a detailed item selected from the detailed item menu.

[0043] FIG. 10 shows a model menu screen which is displaying a menu with respect to the model name of a PC which the user is using or desires to learn about on the download page 320. FIG. 11 shows a detailed item menu screen which is displaying a detailed item menu having various utilities, various drivers and bundled software required for a model selected from the model menu screen by the user. A keyword search unit for searching a program to be downloaded through keyword search is further provided when a model is selected from the model menu on the model menu screen as shown in FIG. 11. At this time, the download service unit 326 downloads a program searched by the keyword search unit to a user computer. In addition, the detailed item menu can be realized by a multi-step menu driving scheme as shown in FIG. 11.

[0044] The frequently asked question page (FAQ page) 330 is a module for prewriting answers to most frequent asked questions and for notifying the user of the prewritten answers. As shown in FIG. 12, the FAQ (frequently asked question) page 330 includes a model menu screen unit 332, a detailed item menu output unit 334, an inquiry or question content menu output unit 336, and a question and answer service unit 338. Here, the model menu screen unit 332 provides a model menu from which a product model that the user is using or desires to learn about can be selected. When a model is selected on the model menu screen, the detailed item menu output unit 334 classifies disorders or questions felt or raised by a user during use of a product into detailed items by models, and displays the classified detailed items. When a detailed item is selected from the detailed item menu, the inquiry content menu output unit 336 displays inquiry contents preset with respect to the selected detailed item in a menu system. When an inquiry content is selected from the inquiry content menu, the question and answer service unit 338 provides information on the answer and necessary measures to the selected question. FIG. 13 shows a FAQ model menu screen which is displaying a menu on the model name of a PC which the user is currently using or desires to learn about on the FAQ page 330. FIG. 14 shows a detailed item menu screen which is displaying a detailed item menu where disorders or questions felt or raised by a user while using a model selected by a user on the model menu screen are classified into detailed items. As shown in FIG. 14, when a model is selected on the model menu screen, a keyword search unit for searching the inquiry contents by keyword search is further provided. Then, the question and answer service unit 338 displays the inquiry content corresponding to the keyword to a user computer 140. FIG. 15 shows a screen roughly displaying an example of a question and answer with respect to the selected FAQ (frequently asked question).

[0045] The Windows 95 page 340 provides technical information associated with the Microsoft Windows 95 and materials on the usage of Windows 95 to a user. Meanwhile, each of the service pages has a moving menu (going straight) to go from a current service page directly to another service providing page in order to get a desired service.

[0046] As described above, the customer support system for providing customer support services using an Internet according to the principles of the present invention advantageously provides high quality support services to customers while reducing the number of after-service requests from customers and the service costs.

[0047] While there have been illustrated and described what are considered to be preferred embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made, and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the true scope of the present invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation to the teaching of the present invention without departing from the central scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the present invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out the present invention, but that the present invention includes all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.