Systems and methods for collecting error data to troubleshoot product errors

The disclosed computer-implemented method for collecting error data to troubleshoot product errors may include (1) monitoring Internet searches submitted by a user of a computing device to a search engine executing within a browser installed on the computing device, (2) identifying, while monitoring the Internet searches, a search including a description of an error in a product installed on the computing device, (3) in response to identifying the search, automatically enabling debug logging for the product on the computing device, and (4) maintaining an event log including information collected from the debug logging that may be used to diagnose the error. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

BACKGROUND

After a program is released to the public, the program will inevitably generate some errors. If a user is presented with such an error while he is using the program, he may first attempt the remediate the error himself. For example, the user's first recourse may be to search the Internet for solutions. If the user is unable to find a solution on his own, he may then contact a support team for help troubleshooting the error. The support team will often ask the user for some kind of error history and attempt to solve the problem based on the history.

If the information obtained from the user's response is insufficient to solve the problem, the support team may, in some cases, ask the user to enable debug logging for the product to obtain more detailed information. Unfortunately, this back and forth may be tedious, time consuming, and labor intensive. Accordingly, the instant disclosure identifies a need for improved systems and methods for quickly obtaining the necessary background information to respond to program errors experienced by users.

SUMMARY

As will be described in greater detail below, the instant disclosure describes various systems and methods for collecting error data to troubleshoot product errors. In one example, a computer-implemented method for collecting error data to troubleshoot product errors may include (1) monitoring Internet searches submitted by a user of the computing device to a search engine executing within a browser installed on the computing device, (2) identifying, while monitoring the Internet searches, a search including a description of an error in a product installed on the computing device, (3) in response to identifying the search, automatically enabling debug logging for the product on the computing device, and (4) maintaining an event log including information collected from the debug logging that may be used to diagnose the error.

In some examples, the browser may include a browser extension. This browser extension may operate as part of a service associated with the product. In these examples, the browser extension may perform one or more of the steps in the method. For example, the browser extension may perform the monitoring and identifying steps.

In one embodiment, identifying the search may include determining that one or more search terms within the search describe the error. In an additional or alternative example, identifying the search may include determining that one or more websites identified by the search engine include troubleshooting material relating to the error.

In some examples, enabling debug logging may include enabling logging event information for the product while the product is executing. In one embodiment, enabling debug logging may include modifying a product registry setting. In this embodiment, the modifying of the product registry setting may be automatically triggered when the search is identified.

In some embodiments, the product may include a group of components. In these embodiments, enabling debug logging may include enabling debug logging for only a subset of the components. In some such embodiments, the disclosed method may further include determining, based on the description identified in the search, that the error corresponds to a particular component within the components. In these embodiments, enabling debug logging for the subset of the components may include enabling debug logging for the particular component.

In some examples, the disclosed method may further include disabling debug logging after (1) a predetermined amount of time lapses, (2) a predetermined amount of data is collected, and/or (3) the product stops executing on the computing device. In one example, the disclosed method may further include uploading the event log to (1) a server associated with the product and/or (2) an additional computing device of an additional user who provides troubleshooting support for the product.

In some examples, the disclosed method may further include relaying information collected from the search to a web portal. In these examples, the web portal may, upon detecting that the user has logged into the web portal, automatically enable debug mode for a user session initiated by the user logging into the web portal. In one example, the web portal may enable debug mode based on having received the information collected from the search. Additionally or alternatively, the web portal may enable debug mode based on a search history of the user.

In some embodiments, a version of the product installed on the computing device may not include debug capabilities. In these examples, the method may further include (1) determining that the version of the product installed on the computing device does not include debug capabilities, (2) querying a server associated with the product for a version of the product that includes debug capabilities, and (3) receiving, from the server, the version of the product that includes debug capabilities. In these examples, enabling debug logging may include (1) installing the version of the product that includes debug capabilities on the computing device and (2) enabling debug logging for the version of the product that includes debug capabilities.

In one embodiment, a system for implementing the above-described method may include (1) a monitoring module, stored in memory, that (i) monitors Internet searches submitted by a user of the computing device to a search engine executing within a browser installed on the computing device and (ii) identifies, while monitoring the Internet searches, a search including a description of an error in a product installed on the computing device, (2) an enabling module, stored in memory, that, in response to the monitoring module identifying the search, automatically enables debug logging for the product on the computing device, (3) a maintaining module, stored in memory, that maintains an event log including information collected from the debug logging that may be used to diagnose the error, and (4) at least one physical processor configured to execute the monitoring module, the enabling module, and the maintaining module.

In some examples, the above-described method may be encoded as computer-readable instructions on a non-transitory computer-readable medium. For example, a computer-readable medium may include one or more computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computing device, may cause the computing device to (1) monitor Internet searches submitted by a user of the computing device to a search engine executing within a browser installed on the computing device, (2) identify, while monitoring the Internet searches, a search including a description of an error in a product installed on the computing device, (3) in response to identifying the search, automatically enable debug logging for the product on the computing device, and (4) maintain an event log including information collected from the debug logging that may be used to diagnose the error.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

The present disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods for collecting error data to troubleshoot product errors. As will be explained in greater detail below, the disclosed systems and methods may reduce the amount of time required to troubleshoot an error occurring within a product by (1) anticipating that a user may benefit from a debug log for the product and (2) automatically enabling debug logging for the product (i.e., without the human manually enabling debug logging).

In some examples, the disclosed systems and methods may anticipate that the user may benefit from a debug log based on an Internet search of the user. For example, the disclosed systems and methods may determine that the user is searching the Internet for solutions to a product error and this determination may trigger enabling debug logging for the product. Thus, as will be described in greater detail below, by initiating debug logging in response to identifying Internet searches directed at troubleshooting product errors (e.g., instead of waiting for a human to manually initiate debug logging), the disclosed systems and methods may accelerate the troubleshooting process.

The following will provide, with reference toFIGS. 1-2, detailed descriptions of exemplary systems for collecting error data to troubleshoot product errors. Detailed descriptions of corresponding computer-implemented methods will also be provided in connection withFIGS. 3 and 4. In addition, detailed descriptions of an exemplary computing system and network architecture capable of implementing one or more of the embodiments described herein will be provided in connection withFIGS. 5 and 6, respectively.

FIG. 1is a block diagram of exemplary system100for collecting error data to troubleshoot product errors. As illustrated in this figure, exemplary system100may include one or more modules102for performing one or more tasks. For example, and as will be explained in greater detail below, exemplary system100may include a monitoring module104that monitors Internet searches submitted by a user of the computing device to a search engine executing within a browser installed on the computing device. In some examples, monitoring module104may identify, while monitoring the Internet searches, a search that includes a description of an error in a product installed on the computing device. Exemplary system100may also include an enabling module106that enables debug logging for the product on the computing device. Exemplary system100may additionally include a maintaining module108that maintains an event log that includes information collected from the debug logging that may be used to diagnose the error. Although illustrated as separate elements, one or more of modules102inFIG. 1may represent portions of a single module or application.

As illustrated inFIG. 1, exemplary system100may also include one or more databases, such as database120. In one example, database120may be configured to store an event log122. Database120may represent portions of a single database or computing device or a plurality of databases or computing devices. For example, database120may represent a portion of computing device202and/or server206inFIG. 2, computing system510inFIG. 5, and/or portions of exemplary network architecture600inFIG. 6. Alternatively, database120inFIG. 1may represent one or more physically separate devices capable of being accessed by a computing device, such as server206inFIG. 2, computing system510inFIG. 5, and/or portions of exemplary network architecture600inFIG. 6.

Exemplary system100inFIG. 1may be implemented in a variety of ways. For example, all or a portion of exemplary system100may represent portions of exemplary system200inFIG. 2. As shown inFIG. 2, system200may include a computing device202in communication with a server206via a network204. In one example, computing device202may be programmed with one or more of modules102and/or may store all or a portion of the data in database120. Additionally or alternatively, server206may be programmed with one or more of modules102and/or may store all or a portion of the data in database120.

In one embodiment, one or more of modules102fromFIG. 1may, when executed by at least one processor of computing device202and/or server206, enable computing device202and/or server206to collect error data to troubleshoot product errors. For example, and as will be described in greater detail below, monitoring module104may monitor Internet searches submitted by a user of computing device202to a search engine210executing within a browser208installed on computing device202. Monitoring module104may then identify, while monitoring the Internet searches, a search212including a description of an error in a product214installed on computing device202. In response, enabling module106may enable debug logging for product214on computing device202. Maintaining module108may then maintain an event log122including information collected from the debug logging that may be used to diagnose the error.

Computing device202generally represents any type or form of computing device capable of reading computer-executable instructions. Examples of computing device202include, without limitation, laptops, tablets, desktops, servers, cellular phones, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), multimedia players, embedded systems, wearable devices (e.g., smart watches, smart glasses, etc.), gaming consoles, combinations of one or more of the same, exemplary computing system510inFIG. 5, or any other suitable computing device.

Server206generally represents any type or form of computing device that is capable of assisting in troubleshooting product errors. Examples of server206include, without limitation, application servers and database servers configured to provide various database services and/or run certain software applications. In some examples, server206may provide one or more services to computing device202. In one such example, server206may provide services to computing device202via a product, such as product214, and/or a browser extension. In some embodiments, the services provided by server206may include one or more security-related services (e.g., an anti-malware service, a data-loss-protection service, an encryption service, etc.). In some examples, computing device202may be configured to transmit troubleshooting information to server206(e.g., if product214produces an error).

Product214generally represents any type or form of application installed on computing device202. As used herein, the term “application” refers to any computer program that causes a computing system, such as computing device202, to perform useful tasks. In some examples, product214may represent, without limitation, a software application, a device driver, an application plug-in, an operating system function, and/or any other set of computer-executable code. In some examples, product214may represent an application developed and/or managed by a service that manages server206.

Browser208generally represents any type or form of application that locates, retrieves, and/or presents content (such as a webpage, an image, or a video) on the Internet and/or on a private network. In some examples, browser208may present a search engine210to the user. In one embodiment, browser208may include a browser extension capable of monitoring Internet activity conducted via browser208. In some such embodiments, the browser extension and product214may both operate as part of a same service.

Search engine210generally represents any type or form of application that searches for and/or identifies content in a database. In one example, search engine210may search for and/or identify content on the Internet. In this example, search engine210may search for and/or identify webpages. In some examples, search engine210may search for content that relates to keywords submitted by a user (e.g., via a peripheral auxiliary device such as a keyboard) in a search, such as search212.

Event log122generally represents any type or form of data structure (e.g., a text file) that maintains troubleshooting information for a program. In some examples, this information may be obtained as a result of debug logging. Information maintained by event log122may include, without limitation, data and time stamp information, build number information, operating system version information, and/or error information. In some examples, event log122may maintain event information.

As used herein, the term “event” refers to any action or occurrence that is recognized and/or handled by product214. In some examples, an event may be initiated by input received from the user (e.g., via a keystroke from a keyboard coupled to computing device202and/or a mouse click from a mouse coupled to computing device202). To give a specific example, the user may, via a mouse click, select a graphical user interface element displayed by product214that is labeled “scan my system for malware.” In this specific example, the user's selection may invoke a series of functions within product214that accomplish the task initiated by the user (i.e., scanning the user's system for malware). In this specific example, an event may represent the full flow of execution triggered by the user's selection. In some examples, this flow of execution may serve as an audit trail that may be used to understand the activity of product214and to diagnose problems.

FIG. 3is a flow diagram of an exemplary computer-implemented method300for collecting error data to troubleshoot product errors. The steps shown inFIG. 3may be performed by any suitable computer-executable code and/or computing system. In some embodiments, the steps shown inFIG. 3may be performed by one or more of the components of system100inFIG. 1, system200inFIG. 2, computing system510inFIG. 5, and/or portions of exemplary network architecture600inFIG. 6.

As illustrated inFIG. 3, at step302, one or more of the systems described herein may monitor Internet searches submitted by a user of a computing device to a search engine executing within a browser installed on the computing device. For example, monitoring module104may, as part of computing device202inFIG. 2, monitor Internet searches submitted by a user of computing device202to search engine210executing within browser208installed on computing device202.

Monitoring module104may monitor a user's Internet searches in a variety of ways. UsingFIG. 4as a specific example, monitoring module104may monitor search212submitted by a user (e.g., via input to a peripheral auxiliary device such as a keyboard) into a search input box400displayed in a graphical user interface of search engine210within browser208. In one example, monitoring module104may monitor all Internet activity conducted via browser208. In this example, monitoring module104may monitor Internet searches as part of monitoring all of the Internet activity occurring via browser208. In another example, monitoring module104may only monitor Internet searches.

In some examples, monitoring module104may monitor the user's Internet searches by identifying and analyzing various aspects of the Internet searches. For example, monitoring module104may identify search terms within search212. In this example, monitoring module104may then analyze the search terms to determine whether the search terms describe an error occurring in product214and/or describe a request for help resolving an error occurring in product214, as will be described in greater detail below in connection with step304.

In another example, monitoring module104may identify websites listed by search engine210in response to search engine210receiving search212. In this example, monitoring module104may then analyze the list of websites to determine whether one or more of the websites relate to troubleshooting errors occurring in product214, as will be described in greater detail below in connection with step304.

In some examples, monitoring module104may operate as part of a browser extension. As used herein the term “browser extension” generally refers to a plug-in and/or a toolbar that extends the functionality of a browser, such as browser208. In these examples, one of the functions provided by the browser extension may include monitoring Internet searches. In some examples, the browser extension may increase the security of computing device202(e.g., by providing website authentication, protection against phishing, login and password saving, encryption, etc.). In some examples, the browser extension may function as part of a service (e.g., a security service) that is also associated with product214. For example, computing device202may have initially received both the browser extension and product214as part of a same installation package.

Returning toFIG. 3, at step304, one or more of the systems described herein may identify, while monitoring the Internet searches, a search including a description of an error in a product installed on the computing device. For example, monitoring module104may, as part of computing device202inFIG. 2, identify, while monitoring the user's Internet searches, search212including a description of an error in product214installed on computing device202.

Monitoring module104may identify search212in a variety of ways. In one embodiment, monitoring module104may be screening for searches that are directed at troubleshooting an error. In some examples, monitoring module104may be screening for searches relating to product errors occurring in any product. In other examples, monitoring module104may be specifically screening for searches relating to product errors occurring in a particular product (such as product214). In this embodiment, monitoring module104may identify search212, as a result of screening for searches directed at troubleshooting an error, based on determining that search212relates to a product error.

Monitoring module104may determine that search212relates to a product error in a variety of ways. In one example, monitoring module104may determine that search212relates to a product error by determining that one or more search terms within search212describe a product error. For example, monitoring module104may determine that search terms within search212include (1) an identifier (e.g., a name) of product214, an identifier of a component of product214, and/or an identifier of an entity associated with product214, and (2) a description of an error.

To give a specific example, monitoring module104may identify the words “SYMANTEC ENDPOINT PROTECTION installs, but no green dot/no server communication” within search212. In this specific example, monitoring module104may determine that search212describes a product error because keywords include (1) an identifier of a product (i.e., “SYMANTEC ENDPOINT PROTECTION”) and (2) a description of an error (i.e., “installs, but no green dot/no server communication”).

In additional or alternative examples, monitoring module104may determine that search212relates to a product error by determining that one or more websites listed by search engine210, in response to search engine210receiving search212, include troubleshooting material relating to a product error. In these examples, monitoring module104may determine that the websites include troubleshooting material based on information collected from a browser extension running within browser208.

At step306, one or more of the systems described herein may, in response to identifying a search, enable debug logging for the product on the computing device. For example, enabling module106may, as part of computing device202inFIG. 2and in response to monitoring module104identifying search212, enable debug logging for product214on computing device202.

As used herein, the “debug logging” generally refers to recording any type or form of troubleshooting information for product214(e.g., while product214is executing) in a data structure, such as an event log. In some examples, debug logging may refer to recording event information for product214. In some examples, product214may be configured to have debug logging disabled (e.g., by default) unless a system and/or user enables debug logging.

Enabling module106may enable debug logging in a variety of ways. In some examples, enabling module106may enable debug logging by modifying a product registry setting. For example, enabling module106may modify a portion of a product registry setting that reads “debuglog_off” such that the portion of the product registry setting instead reads “debuglog_on.” In these examples, the modifying of the product registry setting may be automatically triggered when search212is identified. For example, enabling module106may be configured to automatically modify the product registry setting in response to monitoring module104determining that search212is directed at troubleshooting a product error.

In some embodiments, product214, as installed on computing device202, may not include debug capabilities. In these embodiments, enabling module106may receive and install a different version of product214from server206that includes debug capabilities. For example, enabling module106may, in response to monitoring module104identifying search212, (1) determine that the version of product214installed on computing device202does not include debug capabilities and (2) query server206for the different version of product214that does include debug capabilities.

In some examples, product214may include multiple components. For example, if product214represents a security product, the components may include an antivirus component, an antispyware component, a group update provider component, a communications component, a driver component, etc. In these examples, enabling module106may enable debug logging for only a subset of the components. For example, enabling module106may (1) determine, based on the description identified in search212, that the error corresponds to a particular component of product214and (2) only enable debug logging for the particular component of product214.

In some embodiments, enabling module106may automatically disable debug logging at some moment in time after debug logging is enabled. In one example, enabling module108may disable debug logging after a predetermined amount of time lapses (e.g., an hour, twenty minutes, a day, etc.). In another example, enabling module106may disable debug logging after a predetermined amount of data is collected. For example, enabling module108may disable debug logging after an event log (such as event log122) reaches a certain size. To give a specific example, if the size of event log122is limited to 256 KB, enabling module108may disable debug logging after the size of event log122reaches 256 KB. In another example, enabling module106may disable debug logging when product214stops executing. For example, enabling module108may disable debug logging when product214is closed (e.g., by the user) and/or computing device202shuts down.

In addition or as an alternative to enabling debug logging for product214, enabling module106may (e.g., in response to monitoring module104identifying search212) relay information collected from search212to a webpage. In one example, enabling module106may relay the collected information to a web portal managed by server206. As used herein, the term “web portal” generally refers to any type or form of online web service that offers one or more resources and/or services that may be accessed from a browser-capable device.

To give a specific example, if search212includes the search terms “Norton IDSafe portal does not list my vault values,” enabling module106may, in response to monitoring module104identifying these search terms, transmit certain information to the Norton IDSafe portal. For example, enabling module106may transmit (1) user information describing the user and (2) information describing the error potentially being experienced by the user. In some examples, the information describing the error may be general (e.g., that the user is experiencing difficulty with the Norton IDSafe portal). In other examples, the information describing the error may specifically describe the problem described in search212(i.e., that Norton IDSafe portal is not listing the user's vault values).

In some examples, the user may log into the web portal after enabling module106has transmitted information collected from search212to the web portal. In these examples, the web portal may automatically enable debug mode (e.g., for resources offered by the web portal) for the duration of a user session initiated when the user logged into the web portal. In one embodiment, the web portal may enable debug mode in response to having previously received the collected information from enabling module106. Additionally or alternatively, the web portal may enable debug mode based on a search history of the user. For example, the web portal may enable debug mode if the user has experienced difficulty with resources offered by the web portal in the past and/or if the user has previously attempted to troubleshoot the same error described in search212.

In some examples, the web portal may enable debug mode by sending the user a debug version of one or more webpages accessed during the user session (e.g., instead of sending the user a normal version of the webpages). In one embodiment, the debug version of the webpages may be laden with web beacons. As used herein, the term “web beacon” generally refers to any type or form of object embedded in a webpage that monitors the behavior of a user visiting the webpage.

At step308, one or more of the systems described herein may maintain an event log including information collected from debug logging that may be used to diagnose an error. For example, maintaining module108may, as part of computing device202inFIG. 2, maintain event log122that may be used to diagnose an error in product214.

Maintaining module108may maintain event log122in a variety of locations. In one example, maintaining module108may maintain event log122in a program data directory of product214. In another example, maintaining module108may maintain event log122in an installation directory of product214.

In some examples, event log122may include a record of event information for events that are triggered by a user applying various troubleshooting solutions to product214(e.g., troubleshooting solutions obtained by the user as a result of search212). In these examples, the disclosed systems and methods may capture information relating to how product214responds to the user's troubleshooting attempts—information that may not otherwise have been recorded had debug logging not been automatically enabled in response to monitoring module104identifying search212.

In examples where enabling module106only enables debug logging for one or more components of product214(as described above in connection with step306), maintaining module108may maintain an event log that logs only events occurring within the components for which debug logging has been enabled. For example, if enabling module106enables debug logging for a communications component of product214, event log122may include a record of events occurring within the communications component of product214while product214is executing, but may not include a record of events occurring within other components of product214.

In some embodiments, maintaining module108may upload event log122to a troubleshooting location. For example, maintaining module108may upload event log122to a server associated with product214(e.g., server206). In another example, maintaining module108may upload product214to an additional computing device. For example, maintaining module108may upload product214to an additional computing device of a product engineer who provides troubleshooting support for the product.

In one example, maintaining module108may upload event log122automatically (e.g., once event log122reaches a certain size and/or a certain event is detected). In another example, maintaining module108may upload event log122in response to receiving user input instructing maintaining module108to perform the upload.

As explained above, the disclosed systems and methods may enable automatically creating a debug log for use in troubleshooting product errors. In some examples, the disclosed systems and methods may automatically create the debug log in response to identifying (e.g., via a browser toolbar) certain Internet searches submitted by a user. For example, the disclosed systems and methods may enable debug logging if a user submits an Internet search that indicates that the user is trying to troubleshoot a problem encountered by an instance of a product.

By automatically switching the product into debug mode when such an Internet search is identified, the disclosed systems and methods may automatically collect detailed information relating to a problem before the user requests and/or otherwise initiates obtaining the information. This information may then be available for the user (and/or a support staff engineer assisting the user) to use in troubleshooting the problem.

In some examples, the debug logging may collect information describing how the product responds as the user performs different troubleshooting actions (e.g., troubleshooting actions the user reads about from webpages obtained as a result of an Internet search). In one example, the user may (e.g., after performing the Internet search) contact product support staff for help (e.g., using a telephone or instant messaging application). In this example, the debug log may be immediately ready and available for the support staff engineer to examine as soon as the user contacts the support staff engineer. Making an immediately available debug log may be beneficial (1) because it expedites the time required to troubleshoot the problem and (2) because it reduces the amount of labor required by the user.

Thus, the disclosed systems and methods may be especially useful if a user (1) searches the Internet for solutions to a product error and (2) later calls a support staff engineer for help addressing the product error. In such an instance, the disclosed systems and methods may allow the support staff engineer to obtain the debug log created automatically by the disclosed systems and methods without the support staff engineer having to ask the user to give a history of the error or manually switch the product into debug mode.

In certain embodiments, exemplary computing system510may also include one or more components or elements in addition to processor514and system memory516. For example, as illustrated inFIG. 5, computing system510may include a memory controller518, an Input/Output (I/O) controller520, and a communication interface522, each of which may be interconnected via a communication infrastructure512. Communication infrastructure512generally represents any type or form of infrastructure capable of facilitating communication between one or more components of a computing device. Examples of communication infrastructure512include, without limitation, a communication bus (such as an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA), Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI), PCI Express (PCIe), or similar bus) and a network.

Communication interface522broadly represents any type or form of communication device or adapter capable of facilitating communication between exemplary computing system510and one or more additional devices. For example, in certain embodiments communication interface522may facilitate communication between computing system510and a private or public network including additional computing systems. Examples of communication interface522include, without limitation, a wired network interface (such as a network interface card), a wireless network interface (such as a wireless network interface card), a modem, and any other suitable interface.

In at least one embodiment, communication interface522may provide a direct connection to a remote server via a direct link to a network, such as the Internet. Communication interface522may also indirectly provide such a connection through, for example, a local area network (such as an Ethernet network), a personal area network, a telephone or cable network, a cellular telephone connection, a satellite data connection, or any other suitable connection.

In certain embodiments, communication interface522may also represent a host adapter configured to facilitate communication between computing system510and one or more additional network or storage devices via an external bus or communications channel. Examples of host adapters include, without limitation, Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) host adapters, Universal Serial Bus (USB) host adapters, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1394 host adapters, Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA), Parallel ATA (PATA), Serial ATA (SATA), and External SATA (eSATA) host adapters, Fibre Channel interface adapters, Ethernet adapters, or the like. Communication interface522may also allow computing system510to engage in distributed or remote computing. For example, communication interface522may receive instructions from a remote device or send instructions to a remote device for execution.

As illustrated inFIG. 5, exemplary computing system510may also include at least one input device528coupled to communication infrastructure512via an input interface530. Input device528generally represents any type or form of input device capable of providing input, either computer or human generated, to exemplary computing system510. Examples of input device528include, without limitation, a keyboard, a pointing device, a speech recognition device, or any other input device.

Many other devices or subsystems may be connected to computing system510. Conversely, all of the components and devices illustrated inFIG. 5need not be present to practice the embodiments described and/or illustrated herein. The devices and subsystems referenced above may also be interconnected in different ways from that shown inFIG. 5. Computing system510may also employ any number of software, firmware, and/or hardware configurations. For example, one or more of the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein may be encoded as a computer program (also referred to as computer software, software applications, computer-readable instructions, or computer control logic) on a computer-readable medium.

FIG. 6is a block diagram of an exemplary network architecture600in which client systems610,620, and630and servers640and645may be coupled to a network650. As detailed above, all or a portion of network architecture600may perform and/or be a means for performing, either alone or in combination with other elements, one or more of the steps disclosed herein (such as one or more of the steps illustrated inFIG. 3). All or a portion of network architecture600may also be used to perform and/or be a means for performing other steps and features set forth in the instant disclosure.

Client systems610,620, and630generally represent any type or form of computing device or system, such as exemplary computing system510inFIG. 5. Similarly, servers640and645generally represent computing devices or systems, such as application servers or database servers, configured to provide various database services and/or run certain software applications. Network650generally represents any telecommunication or computer network including, for example, an intranet, a WAN, a LAN, a PAN, or the Internet. In one example, client systems610,620, and/or630and/or servers640and/or645may include all or a portion of system100fromFIG. 1.

As illustrated inFIG. 6, one or more storage devices660(1)-(N) may be directly attached to server640. Similarly, one or more storage devices670(1)-(N) may be directly attached to server645. Storage devices660(1)-(N) and storage devices670(1)-(N) generally represent any type or form of storage device or medium capable of storing data and/or other computer-readable instructions. In certain embodiments, storage devices660(1)-(N) and storage devices670(1)-(N) may represent Network-Attached Storage (NAS) devices configured to communicate with servers640and645using various protocols, such as Network File System (NFS), Server Message Block (SMB), or Common Internet File System (CIFS).

As detailed above, computing system510and/or one or more components of network architecture600may perform and/or be a means for performing, either alone or in combination with other elements, one or more steps of an exemplary method for collecting error data to troubleshoot product errors.

According to various embodiments, all or a portion of exemplary system100inFIG. 1may be implemented within a virtual environment. For example, the modules and/or data described herein may reside and/or execute within a virtual machine. As used herein, the term “virtual machine” generally refers to any operating system environment that is abstracted from computing hardware by a virtual machine manager (e.g., a hypervisor).

In some examples, all or a portion of exemplary system100inFIG. 1may represent portions of a mobile computing environment. Mobile computing environments may be implemented by a wide range of mobile computing devices, including mobile phones, tablet computers, e-book readers, personal digital assistants, wearable computing devices (e.g., computing devices with a head-mounted display, smartwatches, etc.), and the like.

In some examples, mobile computing environments may have one or more distinct features, including, for example, reliance on battery power, presenting only one foreground application at any given time, remote management features, touchscreen features, location and movement data (e.g., provided by Global Positioning Systems, gyroscopes, accelerometers, etc.), restricted platforms that restrict modifications to system-level configurations and/or that limit the ability of third-party software to inspect the behavior of other applications, controls to restrict the installation of applications (e.g., to only originate from approved application stores), etc. Various functions described herein may be provided for a mobile computing environment and/or may interact with a mobile computing environment.

In addition, one or more of the modules described herein may transform data, physical devices, and/or representations of physical devices from one form to another. For example, one or more of the modules recited herein may (1) receive input from a peripheral auxiliary device coupled to a user's computer, (2) transform the input into an Internet search, and (3) use the Internet search as the basis for switching a product into debug mode. Additionally or alternatively, one or more of the modules recited herein may transform a processor, volatile memory, non-volatile memory, and/or any other portion of a physical computing device from one form to another by executing on the computing device, storing data on the computing device, and/or otherwise interacting with the computing device.