Patent ID: 8639638

Claim:
A method for resolving a problem detected in a data processing machine operated by a user, said method comprising the steps of: establishing a chat link between the user and an agent associated with a service support system for enabling a conversation between the user and the agent, wherein the conversation comprises successive messages sent over the chat link between the user and the agent; analyzing one or more initial messages sent from the user to the agent over the chat link, to generate a goal associated with said detected problem; applying the goal and a state of the data processing system as inputs to an artificial intelligence (AI) planning component; operating the AI planning component in response to the goal to produce an initial set of actions intended to achieve the goal; analyzing messages sent from the user to the agent over the chat link subsequent to the initial messages; responsive to said analysis of said subsequent messages, selectively changing the initial set of actions to an updated set of actions, for use in achieving the goal; selectively operating said service support system to execute the updated set of actions to achieve the goal, wherein achieving the goal results in resolving the problem detected in the data processing machine; and responsive to executing the updated set of actions to achieve that goal, observing state changes in the data processing system during execution of corrective services, and estimate the distance of the machine state from the intended goal.