IP Library Patent Application 11251163
Patent Application
App. No. 11/251,163

Messages with forum assistance

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
11/251,163
Abstract

Embodiments of messages with forum assistance are presented herein.

Claims (27)

1 . A method comprising:

encountering an error in operation of a client device; and

outputting an error message that includes a forum link that is selectable to navigate to a forum which relates to the error.

2 . A method as described in claim 1 , wherein the navigation to the forum is performed over a network.

3 . A method as described in claim 1 , wherein the navigation to the forum is performed by using text included in the error message as a search term to locate one or more posts in the forum which relate to the text.

4 . A method as described in claim 1 , wherein the navigation to the forum is performed by:

navigating to a page which contains preconfigured search results that are sorted into a plurality of error categories;

locating at least one said error category that corresponds to the error; and

finding posts which are referenced by the at least one said error category.

5 . A method as described in claim 1 , wherein the error is encountered in an execution of a software resource on the client device.

6 . A method as described in claim 1 , wherein the error is encountered in operation of a hardware resource of the client device.

7 . A method as described in claim 1 , wherein the forum that relates to the error is filtered from a plurality of other forums based on relative helpfulness of postings of respective said forums, one to another, as indicated by user feedback relating to the respective postings.

8 . A method as described in claim 1 , wherein the forum that relates to the error is filtered from a plurality of other forums based on relative completeness of postings of the respective forums, one to another, as indicated by user feedback relating to one or more said forums.

9 . A method as described in claim 1 , further comprising outputting information obtained from at least one said forum and information which relates to the error which is stored locally on the client device.

10 . A method comprising:

in response to selection of a forum link, searching one or more forums using text taken from a user interface having the forum link; and

outputting results of the search.

11 . A method as described in claim 10 , wherein the results of the search include posts from at least one said forum.

12 . A method as described in claim 10 , further comprising filtering the results of the search based on helpfulness of postings as indicated by user feedback.

13 . A method as described in claim 10 , further comprising filtering the results of the search based on completeness of postings as indicated by user feedback.

14 . A method as described in claim 10 , wherein the searching further includes using additional data not taken from the user interface when performing the search, in which, the additional data describes a source which output the user interface.

15 . One or more computer readable media comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct a computer to output a message and includes a link that is selectable to navigate over a network to a forum having information related to the message, in which, the forum is located using text taken from the message.

16 . One or more computer readable media as described in claim 15 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further configure the computer to automatically insert text included in the error message into a post at the forum.

17 . One or more computer readable media as described in claim 15 , wherein the message is an error message.

18 . One or more computer readable media as described in claim 17 , wherein the error relates to operation of a hardware or software resource of the computer.

19 . One or more computer readable media as described in claim 15 , wherein the link is a hyperlink.

20 . One or more computer readable media as described in claim 15 , wherein the information is provided via a plurality of postings created by a plurality of users when accessing the forum over the network.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 15, 2015
From: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
To: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 034766/0509 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 3, 2005
From: STARBUCK, BRYAN T.; WEED, DONALD C.
To: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 016978/0010 →