Patent · US Expired

Dynamic error messaging

US6526529B1 · kind B1 · utility

29Cited by
9References
62Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 29, 1999
Grant dateFeb 25, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 29, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F11/327
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and system for dynamically updating the error messages corresponding to a shipped software product. The exiting generic error messages shipped with a software product are replaced or appended as errors are resolved or better understood, whereby a user who receives an error message will see the latest known information for that error message. A file of updated error messages is automatically downloaded when the user is connected to the Internet. Any time an error message is to be displayed, an error handling mechanism compares identifier information of the error message to the file of updated error messages, and if a match is found, overwrites or extends the existing error message that was shipped with the code for display to the user. If no match is found, the existing message is displayed. An updated error message can be changed or reset to the original message if a problem changes or goes away, and updated messages may include certain identifying information for the purpose of assisting product support personnel in resolving user problems.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.