Error codes for products

Abstract

An example system and method for generating an error code involve detecting an error condition of a product and generating an error code by combining information indicative of the detected error condition with an identifier associated with, the product.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features and advantages will be better and more completely understood by referring to the following detailed description of exemplary non-limiting illustrative embodiments in conjunction with the drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example product in which error codes as described herein may be implemented.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show a specific example of a game machine in which the error codes described herein may be implemented.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of example circuitry for the game machine shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

FIG. 5 shows an example online game system.

FIG. 6 shows an example error message provided for the game machine of FIGS. 2-4.

Claims

1. A method for generating an error code comprising: detecting an error condition of a product; andgenerating an error code by combining information indicative of the detected error condition with an identifier associated with the product.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the identifier uniquely identifies a user of the product.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the identifier uniquely identifies the product.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the identifier identifies both the product and a user of the product.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the identifier identifies a model of the product.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the combining comprises concatenating the information indicative of the detected error condition and the identifier associated with the product.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the combining comprises arithmetically combining the information indicative of the detected error condition and the identifier associated with the product.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the combining comprises logically combining the information indicative of the detected error condition and the identifier associated with the product.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the information indicative of the detected error condition comprises an alphanumeric string.

10. A system for generating an error code comprising: a detector for detecting an error condition of a product; andan error code generator for generating an error code by combining information indicative of the detected error condition with an identifier associated with the product.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the identifier uniquely identifies a user of the product.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein the identifier uniquely identifies the product.

13. The system according to claim 10, wherein the identifier identifies both the product and a user of the product.

14. The system according to claim 10, wherein the identifier identifies a model of the product.

15. The system according to claim 10, wherein the combining comprises concatenating the information indicative of the detected error condition and the identifier associated with the product.

16. The system according to claim 10, wherein the combining comprises arithmetically combining the information indicative of the detected error condition and the identifier associated with the product.

17. The system according to claim 10, wherein the combining comprises logically combining the information indicative of the detected error condition and the identifier associated with the product.

18. The system according to claim 10, wherein the information indicative of the detected error condition comprises an alphanumeric string.

19. A customer service system comprising: an input section supplied with an error code including information indicative of an error condition of a product and an identifier associated with the product; anda processing section that uses the information indicative of the error condition and the identifier to provide information for the product relating to the error condition.

20. A computer-readable medium on which computer-executable instructions are tangibly embodied, the instructions, when executed, performing the steps of: detecting an error condition of a product; andgenerating an error code by combining information indicative of the detected error condition with an identifier associated with the product.

21. A data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing a sequence of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising the steps of: detecting an error condition of a product; andgenerating an error code by combining information indicative of the detected error condition with an identifier associated with the product.