Patent ID: 7254550

Claim:
An interactive communication system enabling a lay person to record and communicate operating conditions and symptoms of equipment when an abnormal mode of operation is experienced to skilled service personnel, to enable said service personnel to thereafter perform service on said equipment in accordance with said operating symptoms to diagnose and correct said abnormal mode, comprising: a sensor array associated with said equipment; said sensor array providing a plurality of outputs indicative of a plurality of operating conditions of said equipment that occur as said lay person operates said equipment; memory means associated with said equipment; first control means responsive to an action by said lay person; actuation of said first control means by said lay person operating to cause said plurality of outputs of said sensor array to be stored in said memory means associated with said equipment when said lay person actuates said first control means in response to said lay person experiencing an abnormal mode of operation of said equipment; a query generator at a service site for generating a symptom-related query; a presentation device for receiving said symptom-related query and for presenting said symptom-related query to said lay person; second control means responsive to an action by said lay person in response to said symptom-related query; and said second control means being operable to provide a content of said memory means to said service site for analysis by said service personnel.