Patent ID: 7890318
Filing Date: 2011-02-15
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method for troubleshooting a problem with a device, comprising: with a computing device, acquiring device data for the device, the device data including device configuration data; receiving a user's query concerning a device in a natural language; presenting possible refinements to at least a portion of the user's query for defining a problem statement; providing a diagnostic model of the device, the diagnostic model being defined as a hierarchical structure in which a plurality of nodes of the structure each represent a concept related to the device or to a class of devices to which the device belongs, each of a plurality of the problem statements in the knowledge base being linked to a selected one or more of the concepts represented in the hierarchical structure; linking, with the computing device, acquired device configuration data to at least one of the problem statements and candidate solutions through the diagnostic model of the device; and presenting candidate solutions that are associated with the defined problem statement in a knowledge base, at least one of the presentation of possible refinements and the presentation of candidate solutions being informed by acquired device data that is linked through the diagnostic model of the device to at least one of the problem statements and candidate solutions.