Intelligent knowledge management and content delivery system

Abstract

A system for the intelligent management of knowledge and delivery of content is provided. The system allows end users to access targeted fixes in connection with resolving problems with appliances, such as computers or other devices. The system further provides for the delivery of inventory information and information regarding attempts that have been made to fix problems with an appliance to technical support personnel. Technical support personnel may selectively access approved fixes or potential fixes through selections made from a tree of devices and/or problems or through the identification of key indicators. Technicians may also create fixes and made such fixes available to other technicians immediately.

1 . A method for delivering content, comprising:
 obtaining information regarding an appliance;   after said obtaining said information regarding an appliance, initiating a first communication between an end user and a technician;   providing said technician with access to said information regarding an appliance;   providing said technician with an end user selection of a problem associated with said appliance;   in response to a selection by said technician of a first piece of information included in said information regarding an appliance, presenting to said technician at least a first approved fix or potential fix;   in response to a selection by said technician of a second piece of information included in said information regarding an appliance, presenting to said technician at least a second approved fix or potential fix.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said information included in said information regarding an appliance includes an inventory of associated components. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining whether a key indicator is associated with at least one of a selected piece of information included in said information regarding an appliance and a problem identified by a user of said appliance is available;   in response to determining that a key indicator is available, presenting to said technician at least a third approved fix or potential fix.   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising delivering an automated fix associated with said key indicator to said end user. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 making available to said technician at least a first key indicator in response to said selection of said first piece of information; and   making available to said technician at least a second key indicator in response to said selection of a second piece of information.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said presenting to said technician at least a first approved fix or a potential fix comprises presenting to said technician a plurality of at least one of approved fixes or potential fixes. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said presenting to said technician at least a first approved fix or a potential fix comprises presenting to said technician an indication as to whether said at least a first approved fix or a potential fix has been applied to said appliance. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 said technician pushing to said end user at least one of said at least a first approved fix or a potential fix;   indicating that said at least one of said at least a first approved fix or a potential fix has been applied to said appliance;   terminating said first communication;   initiating a second communication between said end user and one of said technician and another technician; and   after said initiating a second communication, presenting to said one of said technician and another technician an indication that said at least one of said at least a first approved fix or a potential fix has been applied to said appliance.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 said technician creating a new fix, wherein said new fix is not included in said at least a first approved fix or a potential fix;   pushing said new fix to said end user;   determining that said new fix was successful in resolving a problem associated with said appliance; and   saving said new fix as a potential fix, wherein after said saving said new fix is available to other technicians.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 indexing said new fix according to at least one of a selected problem component, a selected problem program, a selected key indicator, and a newly created key indicator.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , The method of  claim 1 , wherein said presenting to said technician at least a first approved fix or a potential fix comprises presenting to said technician a plurality of at least one of approved fixes or potential fixes, and wherein said plurality of at least one of approved fixes or potential fixes are ordered according to a predicted probability that a fix will be successful in resolving a problem with said appliance. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said predicted probability is based on a number of times that a fix has successfully resolved a problem. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising providing a manufacturer of a component identified as part of said inventory with information related to a problem associated with said component. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said obtaining information regarding an appliance includes running an automated test procedure. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 prior to said end user contacting a support technician, delivering at least a first approved potential solution to said end user.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 using said information regarding said appliance, identifying at least a first key indicator;   using said key indicator, identifying a fix.   
   
   
       17 . A content delivery system, comprising:
 a database, wherein information including approved fixes and potential fixes is stored in said database;   an appliance, including:
 a processor, wherein instructions executed by said processor are carried out to obtain information related to said appliance 
 a communication interface; 
   a technician device, including:
 a visual display, wherein information related to an appliance is displayed; 
 a user input, wherein an item of said information displayed by said visual display can be selected; 
 a processor, wherein in response to a selection of an item of information said processor causes at least one of an approved fix and a potential fix to be retrieved from said database and displayed by said visual display; and 
 a communication interface, wherein said technician may communicate with a user of said appliance, said communicating including receiving said information related to said appliance from said appliance communication interface. 
   
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 an appliance, including:
 a processor, wherein instructions executed by said processor are carried out to obtain information related to said appliance 
 a communication interface, wherein said information related to said appliance is communicated to said technician device. 
   
   
   
       19 . A computer readable medium having program code recorded thereon for execution on a computer having a graphical user interface and a user input device to deliver content and organizing knowledge, comprising:
 first program code for receiving information related to an appliance requiring a fix, wherein at least some of said information related to an appliance requiring a fix is collected prior to displaying said information to a technician;   second program code for displaying at least a first fix in response to a selection of a first item of information related to said appliance and for displaying at least a second fix in response to a selection of a second item of information related to said appliance, said second program code additionally recording information related to whether said at least a first fix and said at least a second fix have been applied to said appliance; and   third program code for delivering a selected one of said at least a first fix and said at least a second fix to a network.   
   
   
       20 . The computer readable medium of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 fourth program code for displaying at least a first key indicator in response to a selection of a first item of information related to said appliance and for displaying at least a second key indicator in response to a selection of a second item of information related to said appliance.