IP Library Granted Patent US 10,045,170
Granted Patent B2
US 10,045,170 · App. 15/350,075 · Granted Aug 7, 2018

Remote user support tool

Inventors: Zhongliang Hu (Espoo, FI); Teemu Tanila (Espoo, FI); Mikko Kohvakka (Espoo, FI)
Assignee: ABB Technology Oy
H04W4/18H04M1/72522H04M1/72572
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,045,170
App. No.
15/350,075
Granted
Aug 7, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

To provide as data rate independent user experience as possible for remote service, function descriptions are associated with identifiers, and a function plan transmitted between a service center and a user apparatus comprises the identifiers but the function plan outputted in the user apparatus comprises the function descriptions.

Claims (68)

1. A computerized method comprising:

maintaining in a memory of a user apparatus at least one set of associations, an association in a set of associations associating an identifier of a function to a function description of the function, the identifier being unambiguous within the set of associations;

receiving, by the user apparatus, from a first apparatus, other than the user apparatus, a function plan comprising one or more identifiers of corresponding one or more functions;

converting, by the user apparatus, an identifier of a function in the function plan received to a corresponding function description of the function, by using a set of associations amongst the at least one set of associations in the memory of the user apparatus; and

outputting, by the user apparatus, the function description of the function to a user of the user apparatus.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the function plan is received for a second apparatus, other than the user apparatus and the first apparatus, and the method further comprises:

maintaining in the memory of the user apparatus at least one set of translation associations, a translation association providing means to translate a function description to one or more operations executable by the second apparatus;

translating, by using the translation associations, in response to receiving a user input indicating a selection of a function description, the function description to corresponding one or more operations executable by the second apparatus; and

causing the second apparatus to execute the one or more operations.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

checking, whether or not the user input indicated approval of the function description; and

performing the causing only in response to the user input indicating approval.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

performing the translating only in response to the user input indicating approval.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

collecting processing information on function descriptions of functions corresponding to the one or more identifiers of corresponding one or more functions in the function plan received; and

sending processing information associated with a corresponding identifier to the first apparatus.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

sending from the user apparatus to the first apparatus a request for the function plan; and

receiving in the user apparatus from the first apparatus the function plan as a response to the request.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving in the first apparatus a request for the function plan for the second apparatus from the user apparatus; and

causing the sending in response to the request.

8. A computerized method comprising:

receiving, by a first apparatus, as a user input, one or more function description selections for a second apparatus, other than the first apparatus;

retrieving, by the first apparatus, from a memory at least one set of associations, an association in a set of associations associating an identifier of a function to a function description of the function, the identifier being unambiguous within the set of associations;

converting the one or more function description selections into corresponding identifiers of functions according to the one or more function description selections;

adding, by the first apparatus, the one or more identifiers of corresponding one or more functions to a function plan for the second apparatus; and

causing sending the function plan comprising the identifiers of functions from the first apparatus to a user apparatus, other than the second apparatus.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein a function description comprises one or more functions and the method further comprises:

receiving the one or more function description selections as separate functions; and

converting the functions to the one or more function descriptions.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

receiving in the first apparatus from the user apparatus information relating to the function plan, the information comprising one or more identifiers of corresponding functions associated with corresponding processing information;

converting the one or more identifiers of the corresponding functions to corresponding one or more function descriptions of the corresponding functions; and

outputting the one or more function description of the corresponding functions with corresponding processing information received.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable program storage medium with a computer program product comprising program instructions which, when run on a computing apparatus comprising in a memory at least one set of associations, an association in a set of associations associating an identifier of a function to a function description of the function, the identifier being unambiguous within the set of associations, causes the computing apparatus to convert an identifier of a function in a received function plan comprising one or more identifiers of corresponding functions to a corresponding function description of the function, by using a set of associations in the memory, and to output the function description to a user of the user apparatus.

12. A user apparatus comprising at least one processor; and one memory including computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the user apparatus at least to:

maintain in the memory at least one set of associations, an association in a set of associations associating an identifier of a function to a function description of the function, the identifier being unambiguous within the set of associations;

convert an identifier of a function in a received function plan, the function plan comprising one or more identifiers of corresponding one or more functions, to a corresponding function description of a corresponding function, by using a set of associations in the memory; and

output the function description of the function to a user of the user apparatus.

13. The user apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the at least one memory and the instructions are configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to:

maintain in the memory at least one set of translation associations, a translation association providing means to translate a function description of a function in a function plan for first apparatuses to one or more operations executable by a first apparatus;

translate, by using the translation associations, in response to receiving a user input indicating a selection of a function description, the function description to corresponding one or more operations executable by the first apparatus; and

cause the first apparatus to execute the one or more operations.

14. The user apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the at least one memory and the instructions are configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to:

collect processing information on function descriptions of functions corresponding to the one or more identifiers of corresponding functions in the function plan; and

send processing information of a function associated with a corresponding identifier of the function to a second apparatus wherefrom the function plan was received.

15. A remote service apparatus comprising at least one processor; and one memory including computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the remote service apparatus at least to:

retrieve from the memory at least one set of associations, an association in a set of associations associating an identifier of a function to a function description of the function, the identifier being unambiguous within the set of associations;

convert one or more function description selections, received as a user input for at least one first apparatus, into corresponding identifiers of functions;

add the one or more identifiers of corresponding one or more functions to a function plan for the at least one first apparatus; and

cause sending the function plan comprising the one or more identifiers of the corresponding one or more functions to a user apparatus, other than the first apparatus.

16. The remote service apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the at least one memory and the instructions are configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the remote service apparatus to:

convert, in response to receiving from the user apparatus information relating to the function plan, the information comprising one or more identifiers of functions associated with corresponding processing information, the one or more identifiers of the functions to corresponding one or more function descriptions of the corresponding functions; and

output the one or more function description of the corresponding functions with the corresponding processing information received.

17. A system comprising at least:

one service center comprising memory and at least one first apparatus;

one site comprising at least one second apparatus;

one or more communications networks between the service center and the site; and

a mobile user apparatus configured to establish a connection to the service center via at least one of the one or more communications networks and, when located on the site, a local connection to the second apparatus,

wherein

the first apparatus is configured to receive, as a user input, one or more function description selections for the second apparatus; to retrieve from the memory in the service center at least one set of associations, an association in a set of associations associating an identifier of a function to a function description of the function, the identifier being unambiguous within the set of associations; convert the one or more function description selections into corresponding identifiers of corresponding functions; to add the one or more identifiers of the corresponding functions to a function plan for the second apparatus; and to store the function plan comprising the identifiers of the corresponding functions to the memory in the service center to be forwarded to the user apparatus;

the user apparatus is further configured to maintain in a memory at least one set of associations, an association in a set of associations associating an identifier of a function to a first apparatus function description of the function; to receive from the service center a function plan comprising one or more identifiers of the functions; convert an identifier of a function in the function plan to a corresponding function description of the function, by using a set of associations in the memory; and to output the function description of the function to a user of the user apparatus.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein

the service center is further configured to send the function plan comprising the identifiers of corresponding functions in response to a request for the function plan from the user apparatus; and

the user apparatus is further configured to send to the service center the request for the function plan; and to receive the function plan as a response to the request.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the function plan is for remote maintenance of the second apparatus, and the second apparatus is a drive connectable to the mobile apparatus via a terminal device.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 28, 2018
From: ABB TECHNOLOGY OY
To: ABB SCHWEIZ AG
Reel/Frame 046957/0780 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 26, 2017
From: HU, ZHONGLIANG; TANILA, TEEMU; KOHVAKKA, MIKKO
To: ABB TECHNOLOGY OY
Reel/Frame 042812/0146 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 15194420 · Nov 13, 2015 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170142563A1 · May 18, 2017