Method and apparatus for gathering and transmitting information for events relating to a networked appliance
View Patent ↗Gathering data and providing messages concerning a networked appliance. A software application in the appliance detects the occurrence of events and records indications of the events in real-time or near real-time. Certain events such as appliance errors, or events for which a user desires notification, are associated with alert messages. Upon detecting one of those events, the software application captures a snapshot or set of the events and transmits to a user machine, system server, or web site the set of events along with the alert message and a link to the system server or web site. Upon viewing the alert message, such as via a web page, the user can enter a command to send the events and alert message to the system server or web site for use in servicing the appliance.
1. A method for gathering data and providing messages concerning a networked appliance, comprising:
detecting an occurrence of an event relating to the networked appliance;
recording an indication of the event;
determining whether the event is associated with an alert message;
capturing snapshots of a plurality of events associated with the event resulting in the alert message;
determining whether to send the alert message and the snapshots to a user machine, a system server, or a web site; and
selectively transmitting the alert message and the snapshots via a network to the user machine, the system server, or the web site based upon the determining.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the recording step includes caching the indication of the event in real-time.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the recording step includes saving an identification of the networked appliance with status information concerning the networked appliance.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the transmitting step includes posting a page to the user machine providing the alert message to the user machine and saving the indication of the event.
5. The method of claim 4 , further including providing with the page a link to the system server or the web site for permitting transmission of the indication of the event from the user machine to the system server or the web site.
6. The method of claim 1 , further including:
recording a plurality of indications of events relating to the networked appliance; and selecting a set of the plurality of indications of events for transmission with the alert message.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the selecting step includes saving the set in a hidden file associated with the alert message.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the recording step includes determining which events to detect based upon a type of the networked appliance.
9. An apparatus for gathering data and providing messages concerning a networked appliance, comprising:
a detect module for detecting an occurrence of an event relating to the networked appliance;
a record module for recording an indication of the event;
a determine module for determining whether the event is associated with an alert message;
a capture module for capturing snapshots of a plurality of events associated with the event resulting in the alert message;
a determine module for determining whether to send the alert message and the snapshots to a user machine, a system server, or a web site; and
a transmit module for selectively transmitting the alert message and the snapshots via a network to the user machine, the system server, or the web site based upon the determining.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the record module includes a module for caching the indicating of the event in real-time.
11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the record module includes a module for saving an identification of the networked appliance with status information concerning the networked appliance.
12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the transmit module includes a module for posting a page to the user machine providing the alert message to the user machine and saving the indication of the event.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 , further including a module for providing with the page a link to the system server or the web site for permitting transmission of the indication of the event from the user machine to the system server or the web site.
14. The apparatus of claim 9 , further including:
a module for recording a plurality of indications of events relating to the networked appliance; and
a select module for selecting a set of the plurality of indications of events for transmission with the alert message.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the select module includes a module for saving the set in a hidden file associated with the alert message.
16. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the record module includes a module for determining which events to detect based upon a type of the networked appliance.
17. A method for gathering data and providing messages concerning a networked appliance, comprising:
detecting a plurality of occurrences of events relating to the networked appliance;
recording indications of the plurality of events;
determining that at least one of the events is associated with an alert message;
capturing snapshots of the plurality of events associated with the event resulting in the alert message;
selecting a set of the snapshots based upon the at least one events;
determining whether to send the alert message and the snapshots to a user machine, a system server, or a web site; and
transmitting the alert message and the snapshots via a network to the user machine, the system server, or the web site.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein the transmitting step includes transmitting a page including the alert message and a link to the system server or the web site.
19. The method of claim 18 , further including providing within the page a section for selection by a user to submit the alert message to the system server or the web site.
20. The method of claim 17 , further including formatting the set of indications into a file associated with the alert message.