Patent Application
20120117576
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a system and method of utilizing user feedback of a user device and more specifically to obtaining and analyzing user feedback.
2. Background Discussion
Generally, customer feedback of a user device, such as a personal computer, cell phone, PDA, television, PLAYSTATION™, PSP™ and the like, can be collected through surveys, call centers, or focus groups. Typically, conventional processing of feedback has several disadvantages. First, the customer feedback collected by this process does not have an effect on the development process since the development cycle is over by the time the machine is in the customers' hands. Second, it is too costly to conduct focus groups. It is also costly to have customers call in for software issues, for example, questions like “How do I burn a disc”, “Where do I go to find help”. Third, the manufacturer cannot directly gauge if customers are actually using their computer's software and hardware. Indeed, in many instances, when customers were asked about pre-installed device software on their computer many customers claimed to have used software that was not even installed on their device.
One embodiment of the present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for providing a user device with data based on user feedback from the user device. The method includes obtaining usage data of the user device using an application programming interface (API). A data file is generated or created based on the obtained usage data and the data file is uploaded from the user device to an external server device. Data analysis of the data file is then performed. Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to the method described above wherein data analysis identifies a speed of a wireless connection, and provides selected data, to the user device, to improve the speed of the wireless connection.
Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to the method described above wherein data analysis identifies a length of battery operational life, and provides selected data, to the user device, to improve the length of battery operational life.
Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to the method described above wherein data analysis identifies co-operation of a second device with the user device. The method further includes providing selected data, to the user device, to improve the co-operation of the second device.
Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to the method described above and also includes providing selected data, to the second device, to modify operation of the second device.
Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to the method described above and also includes providing the user device with selected data based on the data analysis.
Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to the method described above and also includes providing the user device with selected data to monitor a specified feature of the user device.
Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to the method described above and also includes determining when the specific feature monitored in the providing step reaches a predetermined threshold; and triggering a process to report the determination.
Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to the method described above wherein the determination is provided to the user device.
Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to the method described above wherein the determination is provided to a specified location.
Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to the method described above and also includes identifying a functional issue and storing data related to the functional issue. The stored data related to the functional issue is compared to previously stored data so that a response to the functional issue can be determined.
Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to the method described above and also includes obtaining second usage data after selected data is provided, to the user device, based on data analysis.
Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to the method described above and also includes creating a second data file based on the obtained second usage data and uploading the second data file from the user device to an external server device. Then performing a second data analysis of the second data file.
Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to the method described above and also includes identifying whether selected data provided to user device based on data analysis improved user device performance.
Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to the method described above and also includes providing second selected data to user device based on second data analysis.
Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to the method described above wherein the data analysis identifies a performance issue, and the selected data provided to the user device based on the data analysis is troubleshooting data, which performs a number of steps in an attempt to address the performance issue.
Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a client device that includes a user account module that stores use pattern data for a user, the use pattern data including operational parameter data of the client device. A transmission module transmits the use pattern data to a remote location. A reception module receives processed data, the processed data being a function of the use pattern data and the operational parameter data. A processor module utilizes the processed data to modify operation of the client device based on the received processed data.
Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to the client device described above and also includes display unit that displays an indication of the operation of the client device.
Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to the client device described above, wherein the use pattern data is updated at a predetermined time interval.
Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to the client device described above, wherein the client device monitors a specified feature of the client device.
Other embodiments of the present invention include the methods described above but implemented using apparatus or programmed as computer code to be executed by one or more processors operating in conjunction with one or more electronic storage media.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative embodiments of the invention are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These embodiments are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed and the present invention is intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages, embodiments and novel features of the invention may become apparent from the following description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the drawings. The following description, given by way of example, but not intended to limit the invention solely to the specific embodiments described, may best be understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
It is noted that in this disclosure and particularly in the claims and/or paragraphs, terms such as “comprises,” “comprised,” “comprising,” and the like can have the meaning attributed to it in U.S. patent law; that is, they can mean “includes,” “included,” “including,” “including, but not limited to” and the like, and allow for elements not explicitly recited. Terms such as “consisting essentially of” and “consists essentially of” have the meaning ascribed to them in U.S. patent law; that is, they allow for elements not explicitly recited, but exclude elements that are found in the prior art or that affect a basic or novel characteristic of the invention. These and other embodiments are disclosed or are apparent from and encompassed by, the following description. As used in this application, the terms “component” and “system” are intended to refer to a computer-related entity, either hardware, a combination of hardware and software, software, or software in execution. For example, a component may be, but is not limited to being, a process running on a processor, a processor, an object, an executable, a thread of execution, a program, and/or a computer. By way of illustration, both an application running on a server and the server can be a component. One or more components may reside within a process and/or thread of execution and a component may be localized on one computer and/or distributed between two or more computers.
Furthermore, the detailed description describes various embodiments of the present invention for illustration purposes and embodiments of the present invention include the methods described and may be implemented using one or more apparatus, such as processing apparatus coupled to electronic media. Embodiments of the present invention may be stored on an electronic media (electronic memory, RAM, ROM, EEPROM) or programmed as computer code (e.g., source code, object code or any suitable programming language) to be executed by one or more processors operating in conjunction with each other and/or one or more electronic storage media.
Embodiments of the present invention may be implemented using one or more processing devices, or processing modules. The processing devices, or modules, may be coupled such that portions of the processing and/or data manipulation may be performed at one or more processing devices and shared or transmitted between a plurality of processing devices or modules.
Indeed, the present invention may be implemented in a distributed or “cloud” computing environment in which shared resources, software and information are provided to computers and other devices over a network, which may be, for example, the Internet. “Cloud computing” typically involves delivering hosted services over the Internet. A cloud service typically has three distinct characteristics that differentiate it from traditional hosting. One characteristic is that it is sold on demand, typically by the minute or the hour; secondly, it is elastic—a user can have as much or as little of a service as they want at any given time; and thirdly, the service is usually fully managed by the provider (the consumer needs nothing but a personal computer and Internet access). Significant innovations in virtualization and distributed computing, as well as improved access to high-speed Internet have accelerated interest in cloud computing. The cloud can be private or public. A public cloud typically sells services to anyone on the Internet. (Currently, Amazon Web Services™ is the largest public cloud provider.) A private cloud is a proprietary network or a data center that supplies hosted services to a limited number of people. When a service provider uses public cloud resources to create their private cloud, the result is called a virtual private cloud. Private or public, the goal of cloud computing is to provide easy, scalable access to computing.
“Distributed computing”, or “distributed systems” relate to a system of multiple autonomous computers or processing devices or facilities that communicate through a network. The computers interact with each other in order to achieve a particular goal. A computer program that runs in a distributed system is typically referred to as a “distributed program” and “distributed programming” is the process of writing such programs. Distributed computing also refers to the use of distributed systems to solve computational problems. Typically, in distributed computing, a problem is divided into multiple tasks, each of which is solved by one or more computers. In general, distributed computing is any computing that involves multiple computers remote from each other that each has a role in a computation problem or information processing.
The network 102 is, for example, any combination of linked computers, or processing devices, adapted to transfer and process data. The network 102 may be private Internet Protocol (IP) networks, as well as public IP networks, such as the Internet that can utilize World Wide Web (www) browsing functionality. An example of a wired network is a network that uses communication buses and MODEMS, or DSL lines, or a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN) to transmit and receive data between terminals. An example of a wireless network is a wireless LAN. Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) is another example of a wireless network. The GSM network is divided into three major systems which are the switching system, the base station system, and the operation and support system (GSM). Also, IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi) is a commonly used wireless network in computer systems, which enables connection to the Internet or other machines that have Wi-Fi functionality. Wi-Fi networks broadcast radio waves that can be picked up by Wi-Fi receivers that are attached to different computers.
The HTTPs server module, or facility, or unit, 104 is typically one or more processors with associated memory, such as computers, or other processing devices such as a desktop computer and the like. The HTTPs server 104 may also be used as an external server to which gather usage data is sent from the user devices. The HTTPs server 104 includes CPU 160, which is operatively coupled to memory 164 via interconnection medium 162. The CPU 160 is a processing unit that typically includes an ALU and is configured to perform processing operations and manipulations. Memory 164 is typically an electronic storage medium that stores data in electronic format.
The file server module, or facility, or unit, 106 is typically a server, computer, or other processing devices such as a desktop computer, laptop computer, and the like. The server module 106 includes one or more processors 120 bi-directionally coupled with associated memory module 124 via wired or wireless medium 122. The memory module 124 of the file server 106 may comprise a plurality of algorithm storage modules 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000, 1100 and 1200. The file server 106 may also be an internal server for processing data sent from the HTTPs server 104.
The database server module, or facility, or unit, 108 typically includes one or more processors 126 bi-directionally coupled with associated memory 130 via wired or wireless medium 128. Database server module 108 is typically a computer, server or other processing device such as a desktop computer, laptop computer, and the like. The memory 130 comprises an algorithm 138 for data analysis and a plurality of databases, database (1) 132, database (2) 134 . . . database (n) 136, (where “n” is any suitable number) for storing data. The database server 108 is used as a server for data analysis.
Similarly, the web server module, or facility, or unit, 110 typically includes one or more processors 140 bi-directionally coupled with associated memory 144 via wired or wireless medium 142. Web server module 110 includes computers, or other processing devices such as a desktop computer, laptop computer, and the like. The memory 144 comprises an algorithm 146, output means 148, such as a monitor, input means 150, such as a keyboard or mouse, and browser software 152. The web server 110 is used as a server to host and build website.
It is noted that the file server 106, the database server 108 and the web storage 110 may be a single server, and also may be implemented as one or more separate servers, which may be used in a cloud computing or distributed computing environment.
User devices 112(a), 112(b) . . . 112(n) (where “n” is any suitable number) are connected directly to the communication network 102, via associated communication medium 113(a) . . . (n). User device 112 may be any suitable consumer electronic (CE) unit or module or device. As shown in
The HTTPs server 104, the file server 106 and the user devices 112(a), 112(b) . . . 112(n) are coupled to network 102 via an associated bi-directional communication medium, which may be for example a serial bus such as IEEE 1394, or other wire or wireless transmission medium. Also, web server 110 is in bi-directional communication with database server 108 via communication medium 180, which may be a wire or wireless connection. Database server 108 is in bi-directional communication with file server 106 via communication medium 170, which may be a wire or wireless connection.
Application Usage Data (AUD) (
The invention disclosed herein may be practiced using programmable digital computers.
One skilled in the art will recognize that, although the data storage device, or unit 369 and memory 362, 363 are depicted as different units, the data storage unit 369 and memory 362, 363 can be parts of the same unit or units, and that the functions of one can be shared in whole or in part by the other, e.g., as RAM disks, virtual memory, etc. It will also be appreciated that any particular computer may have multiple components of a given type, e.g., processors 361, input devices 367, communications unit 370, etc.
The data storage device 369 and/or memory 362, 363 may store an operating system such as Microsoft Windows 7®, Windows XP® or Vista™, Linux®, Mac OS®, or Unix®. Other programs may be stored instead of or in addition to the operating system. It will be appreciated that a computer system may also be implemented on platforms and operating systems other than those mentioned. Any operating system or other program, or any part of either, may be written using one or more programming languages such as, e.g., Java®, C, C++, C#, Visual Basic®, VB.NET®, Perl, Ruby, Python, or other programming languages, possibly using object oriented design and/or coding techniques. These platforms and operating systems may be accessed in a cloud computing or distributed computing environment.
The computer system 300 may also include additional components and/or systems, such as network connections, additional memory, additional processors, network interfaces, input/output ports or busses. Also the programs and data may be received by and stored in the system in alternative ways. For example, a computer-readable storage medium (CRSM) reader, such as, e.g., a magnetic disk drive, magneto-optical drive, optical disk drive, or flash drive, may be coupled to the communications bus 364 for reading from a computer-readable storage medium (CRSM) such as, e.g., a magnetic disk, a magneto-optical disk, an optical disk, or flash RAM. Accordingly, the computer system 300 may receive programs and/or data via the CRSM reader. Further, it will be appreciated that the term “memory” herein is intended to include various types of suitable data storage media, whether permanent or temporary, such as transitory electronic memories, non-transitory computer-readable medium and/or computer-writable medium.
Two or more computer systems 300 may be connected, e.g., in one or more networks, via, e.g., their respective communications interfaces and/or network interfaces (not depicted).
AUD 404 is comprised of Generic System information 406 and an Application Usage Log 416. The Generic System Information 406 is comprised of a randomly generated ID for the system called a Globally Unique Identifier (GUID) 408 which allows the system to maintain a history of data recorded on a computer without reporting any personal identifiable information this maintaining user privacy, model information 410, which is the model of the system, region information 412, which includes information on what language the user of the system selected, and OS information 414, which includes what operating system and what version of that operating system that the system is running.
The Application Usage Log 416 comprises date information 418, time information 420, area information 42, which includes data indicating where an action occurred, action information 424, which includes data on what action occurred, e.g. a click, and result information 426, which includes data indicating the result from the action.
SUD 428 is comprised of Hardware information 430 and Software information 446. Hardware information 430 comprises CPU usage data 432, network usage data 434, disk bandwidth data 436, and operation mode information 438. The operation mode information may comprise P-State information 440 indicating the voltage and frequency of the CPU, C-State information 442 indicating which of several included power state modes that the CPU is operating in, and S-State information 444 indicating a system in Standby/Sleep/Hibernate mode.
The software information 446 comprises Process Information 448, which comprises a list of all processes ran on the system, their descriptions, when it was ran, how much CPU, Disk, and Network bandwidth was used, and how often it was used. The software information 446 further comprises DLL information 450, which is a list of all DLLs associated with each process, their descriptions, when it was run, how much CPU, Disk, and Network bandwidth was used and how often it was used.
After the Application Usage Data (AUD) and System Usage Data (SUD) are gathered, an upload process zips and encrypts a data file. The data file is then transmitted using HTTPS protocol for secure transaction. The zipping, encrypting, and uploading can be written as generic code so that other applications may use the same methods. AUD and SUD may be sent to the file server at any predetermined or requested time. For example, AUD may be sent to the file server once per month and SUD may be sent to the file server once per week.
Portion 702 shows an example of statistics. This is illustrated as three columns of “statistic” “interval 1” and “interval 2”. The statistic column lists various categories, such as “Sust Disk BW(MB/sec)”; “Disk BW (conf)”; “Max Disk BW(MB/Sec)”; “Sust NetBW(KB/Sec)” and others, as shown in area 702.
Portion 704 shows a list of processes that may be executed. As shown in portion 704, these may include “devenv.exe”; “svchost.exe”; “chrome.exe”; “System” and others, as shown in portion 704. The software information 704 may be organized with different color highlighting. For example, green highlights may indicate user launch processes, pink highlights may indicate system processes, and blue highlights may indicate unknown processes.
Portion 706 shows sample processes. This includes, for example, a listing of a “process”, “process time”, “i0Bytes”, “nInvoke”; “runtime”. The “process” list includes sample processes of the portion 704.
Portion 708 shows a menu sub-screen with headings “Slow Pct”; “Net”; “Disk”; “Proc” and “All”. Additional headings may also be used in portion 708.
Portion 1002 and 1004 is an area used to display graphical representations. Specifically, graphical representations 1002 and 1004 illustrate a pictorial representation of collected data.
Portion 1008 shows a summary area that provides a display or output in tabulated, or written form.
Portion 1006 shows a listing a various folders and categories of the system, as described herein. These categories include, for example, “One Click and Tune Up”; “Trouble Shoot and Diag.”; “Restore/Recovery”; “Help and Support”; “Performance”; “Time To Desktop”; “Online Crash Analysis” etc.
Data analysis may be performed on any portion of the data. Data analysis may be used to identify data related to any function of the user device, e.g. input or output devices, memory, display devices, and data that alter the performance of any function may be selected in response to the data analysis, as shown in step 1110. Once data analysis is complete or after data is selected in the data analysis, the process moves to step 1112, where the selected data is provided to the user device. The data that is provided to the user device may be used to update software, increase hardware functionality by updating memory registers or any other operation that causes the user device to operate more efficiently.
Data analysis may also determine the battery operational life length or whether the battery operating life may be improved, as shown in step 1214. In step 1216, data is identified that may improve the operating life of the battery. Data analysis may determine connection speed and determine whether connections speed may be improved, as shown in step 1218. In step 1220, data is selected that may improve wireless connection speed.
In step 1222, data analysis identifies specific data from the data file. Specific data may be what version of a software program is being used, or specific trigger data that indicate a need for an update. If the specific data is identified in step 1222, critical update data is selected in step 1224.
Additionally, data analysis may identify or determine an issue area in step 1226, such as a piece of hardware of software not running correctly or in an optimum or acceptable performance level. In step 1228, data related to the identified issue area is stored. When data related to the issue area has been identified or stored at a previous time, the new data related to the issue area and data previously stored is compared, as shown in step 1230. In step 1232, the process determines what changes, if any, should be made. Change data related to any changes determined are selected, as shown in step 1250.
In an alternative embodiment, change data may include software that when installed, monitors specified data. When a predetermined threshold or change is monitored in the specified data, a data file is created and uploaded.
Furthermore, data analysis may identify connected devices to the user device in the data analysis, in step 1242. In addition to determining what devices are connected or have been connected to the user device, the process may identify data related to the connection. For example, data analysis may determine that the user device often connects to a MP3®, DVD, or Blu-Ray® player, and may determine the USB bus speed of the download of data and the upload of data from the connected devices.
Also, the data analysis may indicate that the user account has one or more additional devices, such as for example, a second Blu-Ray® device associated with the user account. The data analysis can include providing information to increase the efficiency of the two Blu-Ray® players interaction. Also, the information may include update information related to other electronic devices (secondary devices) associated with a single user account. Thus, one embodiment of the present invention increases the intelligence by providing updates and modifications to devices other than the device that a user is currently, or actively, using. This is done when the server provides update data to the secondary devices.
In step 1244, the data is stored. In step 1246, the newly stored data is compared to data that has been previously stored. The process then determines what, if any, changes should be made, as shown in step 1248. These changes may include software, updates, or connections settings on the user device or on the connected device. For example, the process may determine that a decrease in upload speed from the user device a Blu-Ray® player is related to a user adjustable setting on the Blu-Ray® player.
Data is then selected in step 1250 and provided to the user device in step 1126. Where the selected data is software, an update, or a change in an adjustable setting on the connected the device, the selected data will be transferred to the connected device when the user device next connects to the connected device. For example, where data is provided to the use device to install or update software or change an adjustable setting on a Blu-Ray® player, the data is stored on the user device until connection is made to the Blu-Ray® player. Upon connection, the data is sent to the Blu-Ray® player and the change is affected. If the connection does not last long enough for the transfer to be made, the data continues to be stored on the user device until the next connection.
Data analysis may be used to identify data related to any function of the user device, e.g. input or output devices, memory, display devices, and data that alter the performance of any function may be selected in response to the data analysis.
Once data analysis is performed and data is selected according to the data analysis, the process, as shown in step 1312. Since additional data analysis of a different set of data may be desired, the process then may proceed to step 1302 and obtain additional usage data. Specific usage data may be obtained. The specific usage data is related to the results of the data analysis and the results of the selected data on the data analysis. For example, if the data analysis step 1308 identifies a critical update is needed and a critical patch needed is selected in step 1310 and provided to the user device in step 1312, the second data obtaining step may obtain only data related to the critical pitch, the delivery of the critical patch, the installation of the critical patch, the performance of the system, or any combination thereof.
Alternatively, the second data obtaining step may collect data as usual, and only related data may be put in the second data file created. Alternatively, data may be collected as usual, and the data file may be created and uploaded as usual, but only the related data may be analyzed.
Transmission module 1506 transmits the use pattern data to a remote location. The remote location may be one or more of remote devices, such as one or more of the server devices (104, 106, 108, and/or 10) shown in
A reception module 1508 receives processed data, the processed data including processed operational parameter data. The processed data may identify one or more device functions that may be enhanced, upgraded or modified.
The processor module (CPU) 1502 utilizes the processed data, including the CPU recommendations and/or CPU upgrade data to modify operation of the client device. Display module 1520, which may be an LCD, plasma, CRT or other suitable display device that can display text and/or image data, displays an indication of the received processed data and displays an indication of the modified operation of the client device, and/or recommendations or a combination thereof. The modified operation may include, for example, what software is operating on the client device, the CPU operating conditions, memory allocation, troubleshooting routines, anti-virus software and other hardware and/or software operations of the client device.
Thus, a user at a client device, or terminal, 1500 can receive an indication of how their device operation has been modified based on the processed use data and what recommendations are being generated based on the use pattern data. This indication may also include device parameters and/or functions that have been optimized and parameters and/or functions that have not been optimized. It can also indicate the status of one or more troubleshooting routines or algorithms. The troubleshooting routines may be updated and/or modified based on additional use pattern data that is acquired subsequent to execution of a previous troubleshooting routine.
The use pattern data may be updated at a predetermined time interval, such as every 24 hours, every month or after new software and/or hardware has been introduced. Thus, the use pattern data module is iterative by updating the use pattern data of the device at a predetermined time interval and/or operational status.
The processed use pattern data includes operational parameter data information may then be used to modify operation of the client device and/or provide recommendations, as shown in step 1610 and step 1612. This modification may include retrieving additional software, suggesting additional software upgrades, suggesting additional hardware upgrades, changing the operational status of the device, troubleshooting, downloading one or more software patches, or other modification or recommendation based on the received processed data.
The result of the processed data and/or recommendations may be displayed on a display device. This may include displaying a message regarding software upgrades, hardware upgrades, optimization of one or more device parameters, such as CPU operation, detected virus, anti-virus software or other messages and/or recommendation to a user to improve operation of the device or suggest a more suitable device or other additional devices that the user may find enhance the computing experience.
In step 1614, a determination is made whether there is any additional use pattern data. This includes use pattern data that has been generated since the previous collection of use pattern data or use pattern data that results from modified operation of the device and/or additional software/hardware. If there is additional use pattern data, “yes” line 1616 leads to step 1604 and the process repeats, as described above. If there is no additional use pattern data, “no” line 1618 leads to end step 1620.
It will be appreciated from the above that the invention may be implemented as computer software, which may be supplied on a storage medium or via a transmission medium such as a local-area network or a wide-area network, such as the Internet. It is to be further understood that, because some of the constituent system components and method steps depicted in the accompanying Figures can be implemented in software, the actual connections between the systems components (or the process steps) may differ depending upon the manner in which the present invention is programmed. Given the teachings of the present invention provided herein, one of ordinary skill in the related art will be able to contemplate these and similar implementations or configurations of the present invention.
It is to be understood that the present invention can be implemented in various forms of hardware, software, firmware, special purpose processes, or a combination thereof In one embodiment, the present invention can be implemented in software as an application program tangible embodied on a computer readable program storage device. The application program can be uploaded to, and executed by, a machine comprising any suitable architecture.
The particular embodiments disclosed above are illustrative only, as the invention may be modified and practiced in different but equivalent manners apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings herein. Furthermore, no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown, other than as described in the claims below. It is therefore evident that the particular embodiments disclosed above may be altered or modified and all such variations are considered within the scope and spirit of the invention. Although illustrative embodiments of the invention have been described in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various changes and modifications can be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
This application claims the benefit of previously filed U.S. Provisional Application 61/412,030 filed Nov. 10, 2010 entitled “VAIO Care Metrics” by Lam et al. The entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61412030 | Nov 2010 | US |
