Systems and methods for capturing and reporting a technical event

Abstract

Systems and methods may facilitate acquisition, distribution, and analysis of information relating to technical events associated with client electronic computing devices within an organization (e.g., malfunctions and other performance issues of hardware and/or software). Graphical user interfaces may facilitate the acquisition of system state information associated with client devices, as well as the acquisition of other user-provided contextual information relating to technical events. Additionally, the systems and methods may facilitate acquisition, distribution, and analysis of information relating to organizational ideas raised by client device users within the organization.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for acquiring information relating to a technical event associated with a client computing device, the method comprising:
 operating an event capture application as a background application while a plurality of other applications operate at the client computing device, the event capture application being executed via one or more processors of the client computing device, and wherein the event capture application operating as a background application continuously monitors system state information comprising information pertaining to operation of the plurality of other applications for a time window of a predetermined duration prior to a current time,   obtaining, by the event capture application, an indication of an occurrence of a technical event associated with the client computing device,   in response to obtaining the indication of the occurrence of the technical event,
 (i) automatically obtaining, via the event capture application, at least a portion of the continuously monitored state information, and 
 (ii) displaying a first graphical user interface of the event capture application at the client computing device, the first graphical user interface being configured to receive further contextual information from the user regarding the technical event. 
   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the technical event comprises a software application malfunction or a hardware malfunction originating at, or otherwise affecting the performance of, the client computing device. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the event capture application while operating as a background application displays a second graphical user interface that occupies a lesser screen area of the client computing device than the first graphical user interface, and wherein obtaining the indication of the occurrence of the technical event comprises detecting a user interaction in the second graphical user interface. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the event capture application while operating as a background application operates in a first mode wherein the event capture application does not occupy screen area of the client computing device. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 while the event capture application operates in the first mode, detecting, via the event capture application, a first user interaction; and   in response to receiving the first user interaction, operating the event capture application as a background application in a second mode of operation to display a second graphical user interface that occupies a lesser screen area of the client computing device than the first graphical user interface,   wherein obtaining the indication of the occurrence of the technical event comprises detecting a second user interaction in the second graphical user interface.   
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 causing, by the event capture application, information relating to the technical event to be transmitted to one or more other computing entities, the information associated with the technical event including at least the obtained system state information.   
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 6 , wherein the information relating to the technical event further includes the further contextual information obtained via the first graphical user interface. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 6 , further comprising, subsequent to causing the information relating to the technical event to be transmitted:
 receiving, by the event capture application, an indication of an updated status associated with a diagnosis or resolution of the technical event; and   displaying the updated status by another graphical user interface of the event capture application.   
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the further contextual information comprises an audio recording provided via a microphone of the client computing device. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the further contextual information comprises a text description of the technical event provided via one of the one or more input devices of the client computing device. 
     
     
         11 . One or more non-transitory computer readable media storing non-transitory computer executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause a client computing device to:
 operate an event capture application as a background application while a plurality of other applications operate at the client computing device, the event capture application being executed via the one or more processors, and wherein the event capture application operating as a background application continuously monitors system state information comprising information pertaining to operation of the plurality of other applications for a time window of a predetermined duration prior to a current time,   obtain, by the event capture application, an indication of an occurrence of a technical event associated with the client computing device,   in response to obtaining the indication of the occurrence of the technical event,
 (i) automatically obtain, via the event capture application, at least a portion of the continuously monitored state information, and 
 (ii) display a first graphical user interface of the event capture application at the client computing device, the first graphical user interface being configured to receive further contextual information from the user regarding the technical event. 
   
     
     
         12 . The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of  claim 11 , wherein the technical event comprises a software application malfunction or a hardware malfunction originating at, or otherwise affecting the performance of, the client computing device. 
     
     
         13 . The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of  claim 11 , wherein the instructions to operate the event capture application as a background application include instructions to display a second graphical user interface that occupies a lesser screen area of the client computing device than the first graphical user interface, and wherein the instructions to obtain the indication of the occurrence of the technical event comprise instructions to detect a user interaction in the second graphical user interface. 
     
     
         14 . The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of  claim 11 , wherein the instructions to operate the event capture application as a background application include instructions to operate in a first mode wherein the event capture application does not occupy screen area of the client computing device. 
     
     
         15 . The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of  claim 14 , wherein the non-transitory computer executable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the client computing device to:
 while the event capture application operates in the first mode, detect, via the event capture application, a first user interaction; and   in response to receiving the first user interaction, operate the event capture application as a background application in a second mode of operation to display a second graphical user interface that occupies a lesser screen area of the client computing device than the first graphical user interface,   wherein the instructions to obtain the indication of the occurrence of the technical event comprise instructions to detect a second user interaction in the second graphical user interface.   
     
     
         16 . The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of  claim 14 , wherein the non-transitory computer executable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the client computing device to:
 cause, by the event capture application, information relating to the technical event to be transmitted to one or more other computing entities, the information associated with the technical event including at least the obtained system state information.   
     
     
         17 . The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of  claim 11 , wherein the information relating to the technical event further includes further the contextual information obtained via the first graphical user interface. 
     
     
         18 . The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of  claim 11 , wherein the non-transitory computer executable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the client computing device to:
 receive, by the event capture application, an indication of an updated status associated with a diagnosis or resolution of the technical event; and   display the updated status by another graphical user interface of the event capture application.   
     
     
         19 . The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of  claim 11 , wherein the further contextual information comprises an audio recording provided via a microphone of the client computing device. 
     
     
         20 . A client computing device configured to acquire information relating to a technical event associated with the client computing device, the client computing device comprising:
 one or more processors; and   one or more computer memories storing non-transitory computer executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the client computing device to:   operate an event capture application as a background application while a plurality of other applications operate at the client computing device, the event capture application being executed via the one or more processors, and wherein the event capture application operating as a background application continuously monitors system state information comprising information pertaining to operation of the plurality of other applications for a time window of a predetermined duration prior to a current time,   obtain, by the event capture application, an indication of an occurrence of a technical event associated with the client computing device,   in response to obtaining the indication of the occurrence of the technical event,
 (i) automatically obtain, via the event capture application, at least a portion of the continuously monitored state information, and 
 (ii) display a first graphical user interface of the event capture application at the client computing device, the first graphical user interface being configured to receive further contextual information from the user regarding the technical event.