Sales services system

A method for providing a period of trial use of a touch screen electronic device to a user and providing sales support services to the user, in which the device sends screen display information to a server so that it can present the display information to a human or software with artificial intelligence, for helping the customer to learn how to use the device, through cursor activities on the touch screen of electronic device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an electronic device1with a touch screen2.

The device1may be supplied to a user for trial use, for a short period, say,7days, after the device1being sold to the user. Within that trial use period, the user may return the device1for a full refund, if the performance is not satisfactory,

Whenever the device1is switched on, it will automatically record the duration of switch-on time into its memory in a confidential manner, and if it has been switched on a number of times, it will add all the durations of the switched on time it has recorded together, to obtain a sum, and further compare the sum with a predetermined limit X, says, 2 hours, and once the sum reaches the predetermined limit, the device1will further record down the date and time of the predetermined limit being reached. The date will be the date of commencement of the trial use period (during which the above-mentioned refund request may be entertained unconditionally), or alternatively warranty period (unconditional refund request no longer entertained, only maintenance service may be offered).

In this way, a user is provided with a short period time for inspection of the functionality of device1, without triggering the commencement of the trial use period, or warranty period, before the user is actually prepared to use device1, or even to buy device1. In an alternative embodiment, if the device1is a portable one, the device1will not record the duration of switched on time, when the device1detects that it is connected electrically with charger or a computer, says, by means of a cable, by sensing that an voltage is applied to its electrical contacts accessible externally which may be a charging port, a USB port, or alternatively, device1authenticates the identity of the computer, by requesting the computer to provide it a piece confidential information through the USB connection, such as encryption by the computer of a random number provided by device1, and device1will check the correctness of the result by doing the encryption on its own, and if the result is correct, then the device1will determined that it itself is connected to a computer.

In this way, the duration will not be added into the sum, so that a user may have some extra time to try out device1, before normal usage, for the sake of flexibility.

Furthermore, the device1may also monitor the amount of its memory storage being used up by a user and trigger the commencement of the trial use period, or warranty period automatically once the memory being used up reaches or exceeds a predetermined limit Y, even though the above-mentioned sum of switched on durations is below the above-mentioned predetermined limit X. Specifically, whenever a file which may be a music file, a movie file, an application program, is transferred into the memory storage of device1, device1will determine if the total amount of memory being used up for storing all such files, reaches or exceeds the predetermined limit Y. If the limit Y is reached or exceeded, then device1will record the date and time that the limit Y is reached or exceeded, which will be used as the date of commencement of the trial use period, or warranty period. Or alternatively, before transferring a file to its memory, device1will determine if the transfer will cause the total amount of memory being used up for storing all such files, reaches or exceeds the predetermined limit Y, if so, then device1will alert the user of device1by displaying a message for this purpose on touch screen2, and perform the transfer unless obtain a confirmation on the transfer from the user.

The device1will calculate itself the date that the trial use period or warranty period will expire by adding a predetermined number of days to the recorded date of commencement, and the device1will display the recorded date and time of commencement, as well as the expiration date on touch screen2, upon receiving a specific command, or when a user taps a particular button.

And, once the device1is being connected to Internet, it will automatically send the recorded date of commencement of the trial use period, or warranty period, and calculated expiration dates for trial use period, or warranty period, as well as an serial number and model number stored in device1and for identifying device1, directly or indirectly to the seller of device1in a confidential manner, by sending the same to, says, an email address of the seller which being stored in the memory of the device1.

Then, a server3of the seller will receive the email and will store the information in the email received from device1, together with any other information related to device1, such as history of device1including maintenance information such as date and result of quality control check, date of first shipping out of factory, and date and reason of returning to factory, if any (which may be supplied to the server3by means of keyboard entry by a human), into a record associated with the device and the record will be made available for to be downloaded through internet at a predetermined URL (uniform resource locator).

Alternatively, device1will not respond to any user command to perform any function, before it is activated for normal use, except that it may be connected to the server3, through Internet, for the activation. Once so connected and requested by a user for the activation, device1will send its serial number and model number to server3, and server3will record the serial number and model number, and use the date of receipt of the serial number and model number as the date of commencement of the trial use period, or warranty period, for device1, and also send a command, in a confidential manner, to device1to authorize it to become fully functional. However, in order for a potential customer to have an opportunity of testing the functionality of device1, before making a purchase decision, when the device1detected that it is connected electrically with charger or a computer, says, by means of a cable etc., by techniques as mentioned above.

Or, device1will perform any function as commanded by a user and is fully functional, however, it will refuse to do so if it detects its memory has been used in storing files of its user(s) reaches a predetermined limit Y, unless it is activated. Additionally, a limit Z may be imposed on the total time for testing, in the manner as disclosed above, if the total time accumulated reaches the limit Z, the device1will not respond to any user command to perform any function, unless it is activated.

Further, the device1may make use of the Global Positioning System (“GPS”) installed inside it to determine the position of itself and allow the testing to be performed at a specific location only, such as a retail shop responsible for selling device1or the location it is first time charged which may be the home of a buyer, by checking the present location of device1determined with that of the retail shop pre-installed in device1's memory or the location device1is first time charged (which is obtained by device1itself when it is firstly charged, by using GPS), and allow the testing only if the checking result is positive.

And, instead of device1itself, server3may be used for monitoring, recording the duration time of testing, checking if the total testing time accumulated exceeds a limit and stopping further testing by issuing a specific command signal to device1if the limit exceeded, and the device1has to be connected to server3, via Internet, by a specific application program S in the manner as disclosed below, in order that server3can issue another specific command signal to device3for allowing the testing to be performed.

And, if a specific application program S of the device1is caused to be executed by a user, the application program S will automatically communicate with the server3by using the predetermined URL, through Internet and send the serial number and model number of the device1to the server3in a confidential manner (for e.g., by encryption, to as to prevent unauthorized use of the server3's service), and the server3in response, will send to device1the above record. The program S will display information in the record, together with the sum of switched on durations of device1as mentioned above and stored in the memory of device1itself, on touch screen2. The sum is displayed in day, hour, minute, second format and constantly updated. Providing maintenance history to a potential buyer of the device can give him an insight into what has happened to the device, before making a purchase decision.

After verifying that the serial number is valid or the serial number is not belongs to a product which sales is not supported by server3, for reasons such as it is sold by a seller not related to server3, the server3will also grant the user of device1access to a customer service representative, to handle his enquiry request.

Specifically, server3will activate the computer of a customer service representative to display a record to inform what product electronic device1is (e.g., a “smart phone”) and if the device is purchased and who buys it (“Mr. Tse”) etc., refer toFIG. 1. The customer service representative's computer is a slave terminal of the server3, under control of the server3.

In handling the user's enquiry request, the server3assigns a priority for the user's enquiry request, among requests from other users, basing on the status of sales of the device1, that is, “sold”, “in trial period”, “in maintenance period”, etc. The enquiry request will be granted a highest priority if the device is not “sold”, or “in trial period”, a lower priority if “in maintenance period” and the lowest priority if “maintenance period has expired”. The server3will assign customer service representatives to handle enquiry requests according to their priorities, those enquiries with higher priorities will be assigned with a customer service representative, and when no customer service representative is available, an enquiry request will be handled by the server3itself by using artificial intelligent software, detail will be explained herein below.

The specific application program S in device1will send information of screen display of touch screen2of device1, to the server3, so that the server3can cause the representative's computer screen to display an exact image4of the screen display of device1and update the image4from time to time, please refer toFIG. 1. And, if program S receives a specific command from a user, it will put device1under the control of the server3.

Specifically, when the server3detects the customer service representative moves the cursor into the image4of screen display, it will immediate send information of the cursor position in the image4, to program S, so as to cause program S to create a cursor on the touch screen2of device1, at a position corresponding to the position of the customer service representative's cursor in the image4. Further, under the control of the server3, program S will move the cursor it created on touch screen2of device1, in accordance with any movement of the customer service representative's cursor in the image4. Still further, if the customer service representative clicks the left button of the computer's mouse, the server3will respond by sending a command signal to program S to highlight the cursor by, says, changing the colour of the cursor. After having highlighted the cursor for a short period of time, says,2seconds, the server3will also cause program S to send a signal to the operation system of device1which is a signal equivalent to that the operation system of device1would receive if a user taps the touch screen2with a finger at the position of the cursor. By way of example only, if the customer service representative moves his cursor to icon of App A on the image4, and left clicks the mouse, he will cause App A which is an application program, to be executed in device1, as according to the design of device1, App A will be executed when a user taps its icon on touch screen2. In this way, the customer service representative can show a user of device1, how to use different functions of the device1, by cursor activities, and the user can understand from the cursor activities he has seen, that what finger movements on the touch screen2of device1that he has to do in order to cause device1to perform the same functions. Verbal communication between the user and the representative takes place simultaneously, by transmitting digitized voice messages via the Internet connection between device1and the server3.

And, if after a cursor has been caused to present in the image4of the customer service representative's computer screen and a corresponding cursor displayed on the touch screen2of device1, the server3detects the customer service representative touches a specific key on keyboard, the server3will create two highlighted cursors at the position of the original cursor, in the manner as mentioned above. Then, server3will move the two cursors apart from each other, at a speed corresponding to the speed the customer service representative moves his mouse and one cursor will move in according to the direction of the movement of the mouse whereas the other cursor will be in an opposite direction. And, as in the manner mentioned above, program S will keep sending signals to the operation system of device1which is equivalent to that the operation system would receive if a user touches the touch screen2with two fingers at the position of the two highlighted cursors and follows the movements of the two cursors with his two fingers, thereby, simulating a multi-touch gesture of two moving apart fingers on a touch screen.

Alternatively, the customer service representative may use a computer with a touch screen, to move the cursor on touch screen2of device1, by touching with his finger(s) on the image4shown on his own touch screen. Specifically, when the server3detects the image4is touched it will send a signal indicating the position being touch on the image4to program S, program S will create a highlighted cursor on the touch screen2of device1, at a corresponding position and send a signal to the operation system of device1which is a signal equivalent to that the operation system of device1would receive if a user of device1taps touch screen2with a finger at the position of the cursor, in the manner as described above.

In a second embodiment, the customer service representative does not teach the user how to use device1, rather, the server3is equipped with software with artificial intelligence to perform at least a part of the job the customer service representative would have to do. Specifically, the customer service representative talks with the user of device1via Internet to find out what is the problem the user has in using device1, or the server3receives verbal instruction directly from user, which may be in form of digitized voice message sent via the Internet connection between server3and device1. Server3will determine the meaning of the voice message through speech recognition and artificial intelligence techniques. The customer service representative/the server3will then select one out of a plurality of demonstration programs, for demonstrating to the user how to use a particular function of device1. When the selected demonstration program is executed, it will receive the image of screen display of device1from program S, and recognize from the image, by pattern recognition, the icon A representing an application program, says program A, responsible for that particular function and obtain the position of the icon A in display of device1. Then, the selected demonstration program will cause program S in device1to create a cursor on touch screen2of device1, at a location remotely from icon A initially, then cause the cursor to move to the position of or in close proximity to icon A and further then, highlight the cursor and then wait for a fraction of a second to a few seconds, says,2seconds, then, send a signal to the operation system which is a signal equivalent to that the operation system of device1would receive if a user taps touch screen2with a finger at the position of the cursor.

It should be noted that highlighting the cursor in this way can better attract the attention of the user.

Alternatively, it may well be icon A itself, rather than the cursor, is being highlighted, further, in this case, the creation and movement of cursor to icon A, may be omitted.

In an alternative embodiment, the operation system of device1as mentioned above is also for creating cursor and the image of icons of application programs on touch screen2. And, the selected demonstration program as mentioned above causes the program S to send a specific command signal to the operation system, so as to receive the position of the icons in the touch screen2of device1from the operation system. Further, the operation system is also responsible for creating a virtual keyboard on the touch screen2, and the operation system will also supply the positions of the keys in the keyboard to the program S. Program S will send the positions received to the selected demonstration program to facilitate the selected demonstration program to cause the operation system to create and move a cursor to a particular icon/key and cause the cursor be highlighted and generate a signal to the operation system equivalent to that the operation system would receive if a user touches the icon/key, in the manner as disclosed above.

Alternatively, the selected demonstration program does not obtain the positions of the icons or keys from the operation system at all, rather it causes program S to send commands to the operation system to specify the position of a cursor in related to a particular icon or key on touch screen2, such a command may be in the form of, “create a cursor at a position plus or minus (+/−) N pixels distance vertically and plus or minus (+/−) M pixels distance horizontally from a particular icon or key”, herein N, M are integers and “pixel” is used as basic unit of distance measurement on touch screen2.

And, after the cursor is created, the selected demonstration program moves the cursor in the manner as mentioned above by issuing similar commands with values of M and N therein being changed.

Still further, the selected demonstration program may simply issue a signal to the operation system identifying icon A, and then operation system will generate the above-mentioned command signals itself automatically, to itself, without relying on the selected demonstration program, for creating, moving and highlighting the cursor.

It should be note that, the manner of creation of cursor on touch screen2by the server3as taught herein above is merely for the purpose of showing the user how to use his finger(s) to touch the touch screen2and there is no cursor originally on touch screen2and when device1is in normal use, the device1is to be controlled by finger touching the touch screen2, and no cursor will be shown on touch screen2. Note that the present invention is equally usable on touch screen devices which support mouses and display cursors.

After program A is executed, the selected demonstration program will further demonstrate how to use the program A by causing further similar cursor activities on the touch screen2of device1. By way of example, suppose that program A is for writing notes, with4major functions, namely as, a) creating a new file or opening an existing file; b) writing messages into the file; c) saving and closing the file; d) deleting the file. And, if the instructions received from the user as mentioned above, is a request for a demonstration of writing a file, then the demonstration program will cause program S to create a new file, write some words into the new file; and then close and delete the file, in device1. However, as only one function, that is, “writing into a file” is requested by the user to be demonstrated, the demonstration program will perform the other functions not requested to be demonstrated, but have to be performed in order that the requested function can be demonstrated, that is, “creating a new file”, “closing and deleting the file”, at its full pace. For example, when the demonstration program has to actuate a soft or virtual button created by program A on touch screen2, the demonstration program will directly cause program S to send a signal to program A which is a signal equivalent to that program A would receive if a user taps the soft or virtual button, without any cursor activities, or at least the unnecessary cursor activities and other related activities such as highlighting the cursor, may be performed at a greater speed or in a shorter time, than that performed for the function required by user to demonstrate.

It should be noted that the above embodiments are given by way of example only, and it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.