Frugal user engagement help systems

US9846881B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated · US

Inventors

• Daniel H. Greene · Sunnyvale, US
• Marzieh Nabi-Abdolyousefi · San Jose, US
• Matthew E. Klenk · San Francisco, US
• Johan de Kleer · Los Altos, US
• Shekhar Gupta · Bengaluru, IN
• Ion Matei · Sunnyvale, US
• Kyle D. Dent · San Carlos, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 19, 2014
• Grant date: Dec 19, 2017
• Expiry date: Mar 11, 2036

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06Q50/163
• WIPO field: IT methods for management
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for providing assistance to a user of a product in diagnosing faults in the product. During operation, the system receives, at a help server, data associated with current and/or past operation of the product; performs an optimization to determine a sequence of diagnostic actions that is expected to maximize a net benefit to the user. The sequence of diagnostic actions includes one or more actions that require the user to perform at least one task, and performing the optimization involves accounting for costs to the user for performing the at least one task and savings to the user for correcting the faults. The system then interacts with the user, which involves presenting the sequence of diagnostic actions to the user.