SYSTEM, METHOD, APPARATUS, AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM FOR PROVIDING MOBILE DEVICE SUPPORT SERVICES - Patent application

Abstract

A method for providing mobile device support services is provided. A method may include monitoring a mobile device status. The method may include performing device diagnostics based at least in part on the captured device status data to identify potential impairments that may affect the functionality of the mobile device. Corresponding systems, apparatus, and computer program products are also provided.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0002] Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to computer technology, and more particularly to systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program products for providing mobile device support services. [Background technology]

[0002] As computing technology continues to advance rapidly, the use of mobile computing devices has become virtually ubiquitous among consumers of all socio-economic classes. Today's mobile computing devices, including smartphones, tablet computing devices, and the like, possess power and capabilities that were previously available only on the most powerful personal computers. Many mobile computing platforms, including Apple iOS®, Android®, Windows® Phone, and Blackberry®, among others, now allow users to install a variety of applications on their mobile devices. In some cases, these applications may be curated through application stores, but a review of the quality and integrity of applications available from application stores may not be able to fully guarantee the security and interoperability of mobile applications. Furthermore, in many cases, users may download and install applications on their mobile devices from sources other than curated application stores. As such, some mobile applications have quality and relative security issues when used.

[0003] In addition, as mobile computing devices approach the same processing power and capabilities as personal computers, it is becoming more and more common for users to receive a device fresh from the factory that works as advertised only to have it turn into a poorly performing device. In this regard, users may load too many misbehaving or malicious applications, turning their already functioning properly device into one that appears to be malfunctioning. As another example, users may install a combination of applications that are incompatible with each other such that the device's performance is seriously affected. This has resulted in a trend of mobile device owners reporting malfunctions in their device's hardware when there is no malfunction at all.

[0004] Manufacturers, carriers, mobile network operators, retailers, wholesalers, and other players in the industry often bear financial and customer satisfaction burdens as a result of "No Fault Found" or NFF mobile device returns. Even though in most cases there is no hardware failure and the problem experienced by the consumer is solely the result of installing an application on the device, the customer must replace the device with a new or manufacturer refurbished device when covered by a warranty, extended warranty, insurance, or the like. In North America and Europe alone, the cost of this problem is estimated to be close to $1 billion. This prohibitive cost of the NFF return problem reduces the profit margins of players in the industry and causes higher consumer costs for mobile devices and mobile device services as players in the industry pass on the cost of NFF returns to consumers. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Provided herein are systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program products for providing mobile device support services. In this regard, some exemplary embodiments reduce the occurrence of NFF returns by diagnosing non-hardware problems that affect the performance of a mobile device and providing solutions thereto. Some exemplary embodiments additionally facilitate diagnosis and provide suggested solutions to hardware problems. The system of some such exemplary embodiments comprises a mobile device support apparatus configured to perform remote monitoring and / or diagnosis on a mobile device. As such, the mobile device support apparatus implemented by some exemplary embodiments performs preventative device monitoring and proactively notifies a mobile device user of potential problems identified on the mobile device and provides solutions thereto. Additionally or alternatively, the mobile device support apparatus of some exemplary embodiments comprises a portal that a user can access to facilitate diagnosis of problems encountered with the mobile device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In some exemplary embodiments, a mobile application is provided that can be implemented on a mobile device. The mobile application of some exemplary embodiments provides a standalone application configured to diagnose and suggest solutions to problems potentially affecting the performance of the mobile device. Additionally or alternatively, the mobile application of some exemplary embodiments is configured to interface with a mobile device support apparatus by monitoring the performance of the mobile device and transmitting monitoring data to the mobile device support apparatus to facilitate remote analysis and diagnosis of problems potentially affecting the performance of the mobile device.

[0007] In some exemplary embodiments, the system further serves to identify and escalate issues that cannot be easily diagnosed and / or resolved without involving a customer service representative and / or that may require physical device repair. In this regard, such exemplary embodiments may facilitate escalation of support issues to a customer service center so that experts who may be more capable of resolving the issue can assist the mobile device user. Thus, in some exemplary embodiments, a combination of remote diagnostic tools, knowledge bases, and customer service experts all working in concert is utilized. The system of such exemplary embodiments provides an intelligent engine capable of automatically identifying device performance issues and / or identifying the cause of consumer complaints regarding device behavior and performance and automatically repairing the device, if possible, eliminating the need for the consumer to return the perceived faulty device. In cases where it is not possible to automatically repair the device using the self-help tools, the system of some exemplary embodiments recommends escalating the session to an expert who is potentially more capable of resolving the issue.

[0008] Some exemplary embodiments may also provide backup and restore functionality for the mobile device. In this regard, some exemplary embodiments provide a mobile device support apparatus configured to maintain a record of applications installed on the mobile device, facilitate restoration of the mobile device to a last known operating state based on the record, and / or configure a new or replacement mobile device acquired by a user using the record of applications installed on the user's mobile device. The backup and restore functionality provided by some such exemplary embodiments additionally restores modifications made by a user after an original application download and / or application configuration settings made by a user, and / or device configuration settings made by a user in addition to installing / reinstalling an application.

[0009] Some exemplary embodiments additionally provide a destruction process that can be triggered to lock and / or erase the memory of a lost or stolen mobile device. Thus, such exemplary embodiments facilitate protection of personal data from theft or misuse by unauthorized third parties who may acquire the lost or stolen device.

[0010] The above summary is merely provided for the purpose of summarizing some exemplary embodiments of the present invention to enable a basic understanding of some aspects of the present invention. It will therefore be understood that the exemplary embodiments described above are merely examples and should not be construed as narrowing the scope or spirit of the present disclosure in any way. It will be understood that the scope of the present disclosure encompasses many potential embodiments, some of which are further described below in addition to those outlined herein.

[0011] Embodiments of the present invention are described in general terms and with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates a system for providing mobile device support services in accordance with some example embodiments. [Diagram 2] 1 is a block diagram of a mobile device support apparatus according to some exemplary embodiments. [Diagram 3] 1 is a block diagram of a mobile device according to some exemplary embodiments. [Figure 4] 1 is a diagram of an example diagnostic alert interface that may be implemented by some example embodiments. [Diagram 5] 1A-1C are diagrams of example diagnostic and solution user interfaces that may be implemented by some example embodiments. [Figure 6] 4A-4C are diagrams of example user interfaces for allowing users to access device support services according to some example embodiments. [Figure 7] 1 is an illustration of an example user interface for a mobile device support portal provided by some example embodiments. [Figure 8] 1 is an illustration of an example user interface for a mobile device support portal provided by some example embodiments. [Figure 9] 1 is an illustration of an example user interface for a mobile device support portal provided by some example embodiments. [Figure 10] 1 is an illustration of an example user interface for a mobile device support portal provided by some example embodiments. [Figure 11] 5 is a flowchart according to an example method for providing mobile device support services according to some example embodiments. [Figure 12] 5 is a flow chart according to an example method for performing device diagnostics according to some example embodiments. [Figure 13] 4 is a flow chart according to an example method for providing backup and restore services according to some example embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Certain embodiments of the present invention will now be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all, embodiments of the present invention are shown. Indeed, various embodiments of the present invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein, but rather, these embodiments will be implemented so that this disclosure satisfies applicable legal requirements. Like reference numbers refer to like elements throughout.

[0014] As used herein, the terms "data," "content," "information," and similar terms may be used interchangeably to refer to data that may be captured, received, displayed, and / or stored by various exemplary embodiments. Thus, use of such terms should not be deemed to limit the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Additionally, where a computing device is described herein as receiving data from another computing device, it will be understood that the data may be received directly from the other computing device or indirectly through one or more intermediate computing devices, such as, for example, one or more servers, relays, routers, network access points, base stations, and / or the like. Similarly, where a computing device is described herein as transmitting data to another computing device, it will be understood that the data may be transmitted directly to the other computing device or indirectly through one or more intermediate computing devices, such as, for example, one or more servers, relays, routers, network access points, base stations, and / or the like.

[0015] System Overview FIG. 1 illustrates a system 100 for providing mobile device support services according to some exemplary embodiments. It will be understood that the system 100, as well as the other illustrated figures, are each presented as an example of one embodiment and should not be construed as narrowing the scope or spirit of the present disclosure in any way. In this regard, the scope of the present disclosure encompasses many potential embodiments in addition to those illustrated and described herein. As such, while FIG. 1 illustrates an example configuration of a system for providing mobile device support services, numerous other configurations may also be used to implement embodiments of the present invention.

[0016] The system 100 may comprise a mobile device support apparatus 102 that may be configured to provide mobile device support services to one or more mobile devices 104 over a network 106 in accordance with one or more example embodiments disclosed herein. The mobile device support apparatus 102 may comprise one or more servers, a server cluster, one or more network nodes, a cloud computing infrastructure, one or more desktop computers, one or more laptop computers, any combination thereof, or the like.

[0017] As illustrated in Figure 1, the system 100 may include one or more mobile devices 104. Although three such mobile devices 104 are illustrated in Figure 1, it will be understood that this illustration is by way of example and not by way of limitation, and that the system 100 may include more or fewer mobile devices 104. The mobile devices 104 may be embodied as mobile computing devices, such as, but not limited to, a mobile phone, a smartphone, a mobile communication device, a tablet computing device, a digital camera / camcorder, a mobile audio / video player, a mobile digital video recorder, any combination thereof, or the like.

[0018] In various exemplary embodiments, the mobile device 104 can be configured to connect to the network 106 through various wireless and / or wired connections. For example, the mobile device 104 may be configured to access the network 106 through a cellular connection, a wireless local area network connection, an Ethernet connection, and / or the like. As such, the network 106 may consist of a wired network, a wireless network (e.g., a cellular network, a wireless local area network, a wireless wide area network, any combination thereof, or the like), or a combination thereof, and in some exemplary embodiments, includes at least a portion of the Internet.

[0019] In some demonstrative embodiments, the mobile device support apparatus 102 and the mobile device 104 may be configured to communicate with one another over the network 106 in accordance with one or more demonstrative embodiments to facilitate the provision of mobile device support services by the mobile device support apparatus 102 to the mobile device 104. The mobile device support apparatus 102 may be maintained, for example, by a wireless carrier, a mobile device manufacturer, a mobile device warranty company, a mobile device insurance company, and / or other entity that may provide support services to mobile device users.

[0020] The system 100 of some exemplary embodiments may include one or more user terminals 108. The user terminals 108 may comprise computing devices that may be used to communicate with the mobile device support apparatus 102 over the network 106. In this regard, in some exemplary embodiments, the user terminals 108 may be used to access websites and / or other support portals that may be remotely delivered to the user terminals 108 by the mobile device support apparatus 102 of some exemplary embodiments over the network 106 to enable the user to access support services for the mobile device 104. In non-limiting examples, the user terminals 108 may comprise desktop computers, laptop computers, mobile devices, workstations, or the like.

[0021] In some exemplary embodiments, the system 100 may additionally comprise a customer service center apparatus 110. The customer service center apparatus may comprise a computing device or multiple computing devices that may be used by wireless carriers, mobile device manufacturers, mobile device guarantee companies, mobile device insurance companies, and / or other entities to facilitate providing live customer service to mobile device users. For example, the customer service center apparatus 110 may be implemented in a call center or other support center that may be staffed with one or more customer service representatives that may communicate with mobile device users via telephone, voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), web chat, text chat, email, video telephony, and / or other communication technologies that may be used to facilitate communication between the mobile device users and the customer service representatives.

[0022] In some embodiments that include a customer service center apparatus 110, the mobile device support apparatus 102 may be configured to communicate with the customer service center apparatus 110, such as through the network 106. As another example, in some exemplary embodiments, the mobile device support apparatus 102 and the customer service center apparatus 110 may be co-located on a common computing device or group of computing devices, such that the mobile device support apparatus 102 and the customer service center apparatus 110 may communicate directly with one another. In embodiments that include a customer service center apparatus 110, the mobile device support apparatus 102 may be configured to communicate with the customer service center apparatus 110 to escalate a device support session to a customer service representative, to send records of already collected device diagnostics for the mobile device 104 to the customer service center apparatus 110 for access through the customer service representative during a live device support session, and / or the like. The customer service center equipment 110 of some example embodiments may be further configured to communicate with the mobile device 104 and / or the user terminal 108 to facilitate communication between a customer service representative and a mobile device user during a live device support session.

[0023] 2 illustrates a block diagram of a mobile device support apparatus 102 according to some exemplary embodiments. However, it should be noted that the components, devices, or elements illustrated and described with respect to FIG. 2 below are not required and thus may be omitted in some embodiments. In addition, some embodiments may include additional or different components, devices, or elements than those illustrated and described with respect to FIG.

[0024] 2, the mobile device support apparatus 102 may comprise a processing circuit 210 that may be configured to perform actions or communicate in any other manner in accordance with one or more exemplary embodiments disclosed herein. In this regard, the processing circuit 210 may be configured to perform one or more functions of the mobile device support apparatus 102 and / or control the execution of one or more functions in accordance with various exemplary embodiments, and thus may comprise a means for performing the functions of the mobile device support apparatus 102 in accordance with various exemplary embodiments. The processing circuit 210 may be configured to perform data processing, application execution, and / or other processing and management services in accordance with one or more exemplary embodiments. In some examples, the mobile device support apparatus 102 or a portion or part thereof, such as the processing circuit 210, may be embodied as or comprise a chip or chipset. In other words, the mobile device support apparatus 102 or the processing circuit 210 may comprise one or more physical packages (e.g., chips) that include materials, components, and / or wiring on a structural assembly (e.g., a baseboard). The structural assembly may impose physical strength, size maintenance, and / or electrical interaction limitations on the component circuits involved. Thus, the mobile device support equipment 102 or processing circuitry 210 may be configured to implement an embodiment of the present invention on a single chip, or as a single "system on a chip." As such, in some cases, the chip or chipset may constitute a means for performing one or more operations that implement the functionality described herein.

[0025] 2, the processing circuitry 210 may comprise a processor 212 and may further comprise a memory 214. The processing circuitry 210 may be in communication with or in any other manner controlled by a communications interface 218 and / or a support services controller 220. As such, the processing circuitry 210 may be embodied as a circuit chip (e.g., an integrated circuit chip) configured (e.g., by hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software) to perform the operations described herein.

[0026] The processor 212 may be embodied in many different ways. For example, the processor 212 may be embodied as one or more of a variety of processing means, such as a microprocessor or other processing element, a co-processor, a controller, or a processing device including an integrated circuit, such as, for example, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or the like. Although illustrated as a single processor, it will be understood that the processor 212 may be comprised of multiple processors. The multiple processors may be in operative communication with each other and may be collectively configured to perform one or more functions of the mobile device support apparatus 102 as described herein. The multiple processors may be embodied in a single computing device or distributed among multiple computing devices collectively configured to function as the mobile device support apparatus 102. In some exemplary embodiments, the processor 212 may be configured to execute instructions stored in the memory 214 or in any other manner accessible to the processor 212. As such, whether configured by hardware or a combination of hardware and software, processor 212 may represent an entity (e.g., physically embodied in a circuit, in the form of processing circuit 210) that, when appropriately configured, can perform operations in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. Thus, for example, if processor 212 is embodied as an ASIC, FPGA, or the like, processor 212 may be hardware that is specifically configured to perform the operations described herein. Alternatively, as another example, if processor 212 is embodied as executing software instructions, these instructions may specifically configure processor 212 to perform one or more operations described herein.

[0027] In some exemplary embodiments, the memory 214 may include one or more non-transitory memory devices, such as, for example, volatile and / or non-volatile memory, which may be either fixed or removable. In this regard, the memory 214 may comprise a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. Although the memory 214 is illustrated as a single memory, it will be understood that the memory 214 may comprise multiple memories. The multiple memories may be embodied in a single computing device or distributed among multiple computing devices collectively configured to function as the mobile device support apparatus 102. The memory 214 may be configured to store information, data, applications, instructions, and / or the like to enable the mobile device support apparatus 102 to perform various functions according to one or more exemplary embodiments. For example, the memory 214 may be configured to buffer input data for processing by the processor 212. Additionally or alternatively, the memory 214 may be configured to store instructions for execution by the processor 212. As yet another alternative, the memory 214 may contain one or more databases that may store various files, content, or data sets. Among the contents of the memory 214, applications may be stored for execution by the processor 212 to perform functions associated with each application. In some cases, the memory 214 may communicate with one or more of the processor 212, the communications interface 218, or the support services controller 220 over a bus to pass information between components of the mobile device support apparatus 102.

[0028] The communication interface 218 may comprise one or more interface mechanisms for enabling communication with other devices and / or networks. In some cases, the communication interface 218 may be a means, such as a device or circuit embodied in either hardware or a combination of hardware and software, configured to receive and / or transmit data to and from a network and / or other devices or modules in communication with the processing circuit 210. For example, the communication interface 218 may be configured to enable the mobile device support apparatus 102 to communicate with the mobile device 104, the user terminal 108, the customer service center apparatus 110, and / or other computing devices over the network 106. Thus, the communication interface 218 may comprise, for example, an antenna (or multiple antennas) and supporting hardware and / or software to enable communication with a wireless communication network (e.g., a wireless local area network, a cellular network, and / or the like), and / or a communication modem or other hardware / software to support communication via cable, digital subscriber line (DSL), universal serial bus (USB), Ethernet, or other methods.

[0029] In some demonstrative embodiments, the processor 212 (or processing circuitry 210) may be embodied as or comprised in, or controlled in any other manner by, a support services controller 220. As such, the support services controller 220 may be embodied as various means, such as a circuit, hardware, a computer program product comprised of computer readable program instructions stored on a computer readable medium (e.g., memory 214) and executed by a processing device (e.g., processor 212), or any combination thereof. The support services controller 220 may be capable of communicating with one or more of the memory 214 or the communication interface 218 to access, receive, and / or transmit data as necessary to perform one or more of the functions of the support services controller 220 as described herein.

[0030] 3 illustrates a block diagram of a mobile device 104 according to some exemplary embodiments. However, it should be noted that the components, devices, or elements illustrated and described with respect to FIG. 3 below are not required and thus may be omitted in some embodiments. In addition, some embodiments may include additional or different components, devices, or elements than those illustrated and described with respect to FIG.

[0031] 3, the mobile device 104 may comprise a processing circuit 310 that may be configured to perform actions or communicate in any other manner in accordance with one or more exemplary embodiments disclosed herein. In this regard, the processing circuit 310 may be configured to perform one or more functions of the mobile device 104 and / or control the execution of one or more functions in accordance with various exemplary embodiments, and thus may comprise a means for performing the functions of the mobile device 104 in accordance with various exemplary embodiments. The processing circuit 310 may be configured to perform data processing, application execution, and / or other processing and management services in accordance with one or more exemplary embodiments. In some examples, the mobile device 104 or a portion or component thereof, such as the processing circuit 310, may be embodied as or comprise a chip or chipset. In other words, the mobile device 104 or the processing circuit 310 may comprise one or more physical packages (e.g., chips) that include materials, components, and / or wiring on a structural assembly (e.g., baseboard). The structural assembly may impose physical strength, size maintenance, and / or electrical interaction limitations on the component circuits contained therein. Thus, the mobile device 104 or processing circuitry 310 may be configured to implement an embodiment of the present invention on a single chip, or as a single “system on a chip.” As such, in some cases, a chip or chipset may constitute a means for performing one or more operations that implement the functions described herein.

[0032] In some demonstrative embodiments, the processing circuitry 310 may comprise a processor 312 and, in some embodiments as illustrated in FIG. 3, may further comprise a memory 314. The processing circuitry 310 may communicate with or in any other manner control a user interface 316, a communication interface 318, and / or a mobile application controller 320. As such, the processing circuitry 310 may be embodied as a circuit chip (e.g., an integrated circuit chip) configured (e.g., by hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software) to perform the operations described herein.

[0033] The processor 312 may be embodied in many different ways. For example, the processor 312 may be embodied as one or more of a variety of processing means, such as a microprocessor or other processing element, a co-processor, a controller, or a processing device including an integrated circuit, such as, for example, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or the like. Although illustrated as a single processor, it will be understood that the processor 312 may be comprised of multiple processors. The multiple processors may be in operative communication with one another and may be collectively configured to perform one or more functions of the mobile device 104 as described herein. In some exemplary embodiments, the processor 312 may be configured to execute instructions stored in the memory 314 or in any other manner accessible to the processor 312. As such, whether configured by hardware or a combination of hardware and software, the processor 312 may represent an entity (e.g., physically embodied in a circuit, in the form of a processing circuit 310) that, when appropriately configured, is capable of performing operations in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. Thus, for example, if processor 312 is embodied as an ASIC, FPGA, or the like, processor 312 may be hardware that is specifically configured to perform the operations described herein, or, as another example, if processor 312 is embodied as executing software instructions, these instructions may specifically configure processor 312 to perform one or more operations described herein.

[0034] In some exemplary embodiments, the memory 314 may include one or more non-transitory memory devices, such as, for example, volatile and / or non-volatile memory, which may be either fixed or removable. In this regard, the memory 314 may comprise a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. Although the memory 314 is illustrated as a single memory, it will be understood that the memory 314 may comprise multiple memories. The memory 314 may be configured to store information, data, applications, instructions, and / or the like to enable the mobile device 104 to perform various functions according to one or more exemplary embodiments. For example, the memory 314 may be configured to buffer input data for processing by the processor 312. Additionally or alternatively, the memory 314 may be configured to store instructions for execution by the processor 312. As yet another alternative, the memory 314 may contain one or more databases that may store various files, content, or data sets. Among the contents of the memory 314, applications may be stored for execution by the processor 312, thereby performing functions associated with the respective applications. In some cases, the memory 314 may communicate with one or more of the processor 312, the user interface 316, the communication interface 318, or the mobile application controller 320 through a bus to pass information between components of the mobile device 104.

[0035] The user interface 316 may be in communication with the processing circuit 310 to receive indications indicative of user input at the user interface 316 and / or provide audio, visual, mechanical, or other output to the user. As such, the user interface 316 may comprise, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, a joystick, a display, a touch screen display, a microphone, a speaker, and / or other input / output mechanisms. As such, the user interface 316, in some exemplary embodiments, provides a means for a user to access and interact with the mobile device support services provided by the mobile device support apparatus 102 according to various exemplary embodiments.

[0036] The communication interface 318 may comprise one or more interface mechanisms for enabling communication with other devices and / or networks. In some cases, the communication interface 318 may be a means, such as a device or circuit embodied in either hardware or a combination of hardware and software, configured to receive and / or transmit data to and from a network and / or other devices or modules in communication with the processing circuit 310. For example, the communication interface 318 may be configured to enable the mobile device 104 to communicate with the mobile device support equipment 102 and / or other computing devices over the network 106. Thus, the communication interface 318 may comprise, for example, an antenna (or multiple antennas) and supporting hardware and / or software for enabling communication with a wireless communication network (e.g., a wireless local area network, a cellular network, and / or the like), and / or a communications modem or other hardware / software for supporting communication via cable, digital subscriber line (DSL), universal serial bus (USB), Ethernet, or other methods.

[0037] In some demonstrative embodiments, the processor 312 (or processing circuitry 310) may be embodied as or comprised in, or controlled in any other manner by, a mobile application controller 320. As such, the mobile application controller 320 may be embodied as various means, such as a circuit, hardware, a computer program product comprised of computer readable program instructions stored on a computer readable medium (e.g., memory 314) and executed by a processing device (e.g., processor 312), or any combination thereof. The mobile application controller 320 may be capable of communicating with one or more of the memory 314, the user interface 316, or the communication interface 318 to access, receive, and / or transmit data as necessary to perform one or more of the functions of the mobile application controller 320 as described herein. According to some exemplary embodiments, the mobile application controller 320 may provide a means for implementing and controlling functionality of mobile applications that may be configured to provide mobile device support services, perform diagnostic functions on the mobile device 104, and / or interact with the mobile device support equipment 102 and / or the customer service center equipment 110, according to various exemplary embodiments.

[0038] Now that several embodiments of the system 100 have been generally described, mobile device support services that may be provided by the system 100 will be described according to several example embodiments.

[0039] Diagnostic and Repair Services Some demonstrative embodiments provide mobile device diagnostic and repair services that facilitate reducing the occurrence of NFF returns. According to various demonstrative embodiments, these services may be provided, for example, by the mobile device support apparatus 102 under the control of the support services controller 220, by mobile applications operating under the control of the mobile application controller 320, and / or by any combination thereof.

[0040] In some exemplary embodiments, a user may register or select to receive mobile device support services, such as may be provided by some exemplary embodiments. Registration in some exemplary embodiments may comprise a proactive user action, such as, for example, registering through a web portal provided by the mobile device support apparatus 102 and accessible through the mobile device 104 and / or through the user terminal 108, registering through a mobile application that may be implemented on the mobile device 104, and / or the like. As another example, in some exemplary embodiments, registration may be performed automatically in response to a user registering a device protection plan for the mobile device 104, purchasing a device warranty for the mobile device 104, purchasing the mobile device 104, and / or the like.

[0041] In some examples, the registration information may be provided by a user during a registration method, such as by the support services controller 220 and / or the mobile application controller 320, and / or may be provided in any other manner. The registration information may comprise information enabling the provision of device support services, such as diagnostic and repair services, according to various exemplary embodiments, and / or configured in any other manner. The registration information may include information about the mobile device 104, such as, for example, the manufacturer name of the mobile device 104, the model of the mobile device 104, the operating system running on the mobile device 104, and / or the like. Additionally or alternatively, the registration information may comprise user consent information for the performance of one or more services, such as monitoring the status of the mobile device 104, collecting status data captured through the monitoring, and / or the like. The registration information may additionally or alternatively comprise configuration setting information that governs the provision of device support services. The support services controller 220 and / or the mobile application controller 320 may be configured to determine the registration information and to provide one or more device support services disclosed herein according to the registration information. A user may be permitted to later update registration information following registration, such as configuration settings and / or permissions that may govern the provision of device support services.

[0042] In some exemplary embodiments, the mobile application controller 320 may be configured to monitor the status of the mobile device 104 to collect device status data relating to the status of the mobile device 104. The monitoring may be performed, for example, periodically, on-going, aperiodically, according to a schedule, on-demand, and / or the like. In this regard, the mobile application controller 320 may be configured to automatically proactively monitor the status of the mobile device 104 and / or to monitor the status of the mobile device 104 on-demand in response to a user request. In some exemplary embodiments, the monitoring by the mobile application controller 320 may be performed under the control of and / or with the assistance of the mobile device support apparatus 102. The monitoring may be performed, for example, with the assistance of one or more sensors implemented on the mobile device 104 and / or interrogated in any other manner by the mobile device 104. By way of non-limiting example, such sensors may include touch screen sensors, key actuation sensors (e.g., for a keypad / keyboard), Global Positioning System (GPS) sensors, accelerometers, battery level sensors, battery capacitance sensors, battery temperature sensors, network signal strength sensors, and / or the like.

[0043] In some exemplary embodiments, monitoring of the status of the mobile device 104 may be performed according to configuration settings, which may be user-configured and / or automatically defined, such as upon registration with a device support service. For example, the configuration settings may define the type of device status data that is captured in the course of monitoring. In this regard, in some exemplary embodiments, the monitoring may be tailored to capture only specified device status data. As another example, the configuration settings may guide the timing of status monitoring, the frequency of status monitoring, and / or the like. In some exemplary embodiments, the monitoring may be configured to be performed during periods of low utilization of the mobile device 104, such as overnight, automatically, such as through heuristic analysis, and / or according to user-defined configuration settings. In this regard, potential distortions or conflicts on utilization of device resources during periods when the mobile device 104 is utilized may also be reduced or eliminated by avoiding performing device monitoring simultaneously with utilization by the user of the mobile device and / or during periods when device resources may be used by other applications. In some demonstrative embodiments, the monitoring may be configured to occur while the mobile device 104 is connected to an external power source, such as when the battery of the mobile device 104 is charging and / or when there is at least a threshold amount of power remaining in the battery that can power the mobile device 104 of some demonstrative embodiments.

[0044] In various exemplary embodiments, various device status data may be captured through monitoring of the status of the mobile device 104. As one example, an application profile may be determined, which may include applications installed on the mobile device 104, configuration settings for the installed applications, processor and / or memory usage in the installed applications, crash logs, execution and / or utilization data, and / or the like. In this regard, the application profile may provide a snapshot of the applications installed on the mobile device 104 and / or their state at a given point in time. In some exemplary embodiments, a set of application profiles may be determined over time, which application profiles may be retained in memory 214 and / or memory 314, etc. This set of application profiles may be used to facilitate device diagnostics, such as identifying newly installed applications, modified application settings, and / or the like that may be affecting device performance. As another example, the application profile may be used to facilitate restoration of the mobile device to a last known operational or other prior state, as described further herein below in accordance with some exemplary embodiments.

[0045] In some exemplary embodiments, device status data that may be captured through device status monitoring may consist of data regarding hardware implemented on the mobile device 104. For example, by way of non-limiting example, information regarding hardware utilization may be captured, such as memory utilization, processor utilization, and / or the like. Hardware utilization data may include hardware usage snapshots indicating utilization at one or more points in time and / or usage trends indicating utilization over a period of time. As a further example, the status information captured may include information regarding power consumption, battery utilization, batteries, battery discharge rates, and / or the like, which may define, for example, instantaneous power consumption rates, instantaneous battery discharge rates, power consumption rates over a period of time, battery discharge rates over a period of time, and / or the like. As another example, information regarding the health of the hardware may be captured, such as information regarding the health of batteries, memory devices, device sensors, accelerometers, global positioning service sensors, and / or other hardware that may be implemented on the mobile device 104. Information regarding the health of the hardware may include, for example, hardware test results that may provide information indicative of the health of the hardware.

[0046] According to some demonstrative embodiments, the captured device status data may additionally or alternatively include information regarding device settings, system log content, application log content, and / or other data elements. As yet another example, the captured device status data may include information regarding usage of the mobile device 104. For example, information regarding network utilization (e.g., utilization of the network 106), call history information, text message history information, data regarding the amount of data transferred over a period of time, and / or the like may be captured through device status monitoring according to some demonstrative embodiments.

[0047] In some exemplary embodiments, the captured device status data may be at least temporarily retained locally on the mobile device 104, such as in memory 314. Additionally or alternatively, in some exemplary embodiments, at least a portion of the captured device status data for the mobile device 104 may be transmitted to the mobile device support apparatus 102, where it may be retained in memory 214. The device status data transmitted to the mobile device support apparatus 102 may, in some exemplary embodiments, be pre-processed to eliminate personal and / or other sensitive data that may identify a user. In embodiments in which the device status data is retained on the mobile device support apparatus 102, the device status data may be retained in a record, such as a database, in association with the respective mobile device 104 from which the data was captured, the device user, and / or other identifiers that may be used to facilitate correlating the device status data with the device and / or device user.

[0048] In embodiments in which the captured device status data is transmitted to the mobile device support apparatus 102, the device status data may be forwarded according to configuration settings that define the period during which the data is sent to the mobile device support apparatus 102. For example, the device status data may be sent to the mobile device support apparatus 102 during periods of reduced utilization of the mobile device 104, such as overnight. As another example, the device status data may be sent to the mobile device support apparatus 102 during periods when the mobile device 104 is connected to an external power resource, such as when the battery of the mobile device 104 is charging and / or when there is at least a threshold amount of power remaining in the battery that can power the mobile device 104 of some exemplary embodiments. As yet a further example, the device status data may be sent to the mobile device support apparatus 102 during periods of low utilization of the network 106 to manage the data load on the network 106. As yet another example, in embodiments in which the carrier of the network 106 may charge for data transfers, the device status data may be sent to the mobile device support apparatus 102 during periods of low data transfer rates.

[0049] In some exemplary embodiments, such as those in which a user registers to receive device support services, periodic messages ensure that the user is aware of and consents to the capture settings by indicating the types of device status data captured through monitoring. The periodic messages may include an option for the user to re-opt-in to reaffirm their consent and / or provide an option to adjust configuration settings to tailor the status monitoring and device status data capture settings to their preferences.

[0050] In some exemplary embodiments, the captured device status data may be used to perform device diagnostics on the mobile device 104 to identify potential faults that may affect the mobile device 104. The device diagnostics may be used, for example, to determine predicted faults that have a non-zero probability of affecting the device in the future or current faults that may already be affecting the device. In some exemplary embodiments, the diagnostics may be performed entirely on the mobile application 104, such as by an application running under the control of the mobile application controller 320. Additionally or alternatively, in some exemplary embodiments, the device diagnostics may be performed by the support services controller 220 through performing remote diagnostics on the mobile device 104 and / or based at least in part on device status data for the mobile device 104 that may be provided by the mobile device 104 to the mobile device support apparatus 102. By way of yet further example, in some exemplary embodiments, the device diagnostics may be performed both on-board the mobile device 104 and on the mobile device support apparatus 102.

[0051] In performing device diagnostics, various analysis techniques, heuristics, and / or the like may be used to analyze the collected device status data. In some exemplary embodiments, device diagnostics may be performed based on a knowledge base, such as stored on the mobile device support apparatus 102 and / or the mobile device 104 and / or accessible in any other manner. In some exemplary embodiments, device diagnostics may be performed based on device status data, fault history data, and / or other data that may be collected by the mobile device support apparatus 102 from multiple mobile devices. In this regard, some exemplary embodiments may identify trending issues, such as misbehaving and malicious applications, applications that frequently crash, frequent application / device incompatibility issues, conflicts between applications, and / or the like. Thus, in some exemplary embodiments, the support services controller 220 may be configured to aggregate device status data collected from multiple mobile devices and analyze the collected data to identify trends that may be used when performing device diagnostics on a particular mobile device 104. In this regard, some exemplary embodiments provide intelligent learning capabilities that enable improved diagnostics based on device status data collected from mobile devices in system 100 and results of diagnostics performed on mobile devices in system 100. Thus, device diagnostics may be performed based on individual device data sets and / or aggregated data to identify potential faults such as trending issues, misbehaving applications, malicious applications (e.g., "malware"), conflicting applications, and / or the like.

[0052] According to another exemplary embodiment, one or more failure profiles may be determined based on the collected device status data. Each of the failure profiles may comprise information about device configurations, such as installed applications, device settings, usage characteristics, or the like, that are determined to cause or increase the probability of causing one or more device failures, such as based on the aggregated data described above. Such failure profiles may thus additionally include statistical information, such as the probability that a particular device configuration or a particular aspect of a device configuration will cause one or more particular failures. These failure profiles may be stored in a record, such as, for example, a database. Thus, according to an exemplary embodiment using such failure profiles, a potential failure may be determined for a particular mobile device based at least in part on a comparison of device status data received from the mobile device to the one or more failure profiles. According to a further exemplary embodiment, a potential failure may be determined for a particular mobile device based at least in part on a comparison of one or more application profiles for the mobile device to the one or more failure profiles.

[0053] In some demonstrative embodiments, device diagnostics may be performed based at least in part on one or more characteristics associated with the mobile device 104. For example, the diagnostics may take into account the device type (e.g., device manufacturer, device model, and / or the like), device operating system (e.g., operating system type, operating system version, and / or the like), and / or other device characteristics that may factor into the performance of the device diagnostics. In this regard, in some demonstrative embodiments, device diagnostics tailored to the particular characteristics of the mobile device 104 may be performed. In embodiments in which device status data aggregated from multiple devices and / or knowledge base data is used to perform device diagnostics, device diagnostics may be performed based on data relating to devices having the same, or at least substantially similar, characteristics.

[0054] Various potential faults may be identified through the performance of device diagnostics according to various exemplary embodiments. For example, applications loaded on a mobile device that are associated with observations of degrading device performance and misbehaving may be identified. In this regard, in some exemplary embodiments, applications that consume excessive resources over time, such as network bandwidth, messaging, processing resources, memory resources, file system resources, and / or the like, may be identified. Additionally or alternatively, in some exemplary embodiments, applications that have a history of demonstrating instability, as may be determined by scanning system logs for errors / exceptions, and / or that frequently crash and / or require frequent restarts, may be identified. As yet a further example, poorly performing applications may be identified based at least in part on application of a rules engine that identifies applications exhibiting undesirable behavior. As yet another example, resource access history, resource access permissions, and / or resource access requests may be analyzed to identify applications that may be accessing unsafe resources and / or resources that the application should not be accessing. As a further example, conflicting applications may be identified through any of the operations described immediately above, as well as, in addition to or in the alternative, based on a comparison of changes between two sets of application profiles, as described below.

[0055] According to some exemplary embodiments, indicia indicative of various application characteristics may be determined for applications loaded on a mobile device. For example, indicia indicative of security characteristics of the application may be determined, such as whether the application attempts to access root level commands or can write to external storage. As another example, indicia indicative of privacy characteristics of the application may also or alternatively be determined, such as whether the application can access a user's contacts or upload log information. As yet another example, indicia indicative of performance characteristics of the application may be determined, such as the memory requirements of the application, or whether the application runs one or more processors or services upon launch. These indicia may comprise, for example, a score, a rating, or the like, and may be sent to the mobile device according to exemplary embodiments.

[0056] In some exemplary embodiments, malware or other misbehaving applications may be identified based on, for example, a comparison of changes between two sets of application profiles captured for a mobile device (e.g., an application profile captured before a problem is observed and an application profile captured after a problem is observed). In some exemplary embodiments, system and / or application logs may be analyzed to identify applications that frequently crash, have memory leaks, and / or cause other problems. In embodiments that utilize aggregated data from multiple mobile devices to perform device diagnostics, diagnostics performed based on the data set for an individual device may be verified and / or compared against other devices running the same application to determine whether the application is causing performance issues or other failures on the device. In some exemplary embodiments, hardware failures may be identified that require physical repair or replacement of the mobile device or parts thereof.

[0057] In some exemplary embodiments, if a potential fault is identified from the execution of device diagnostics on the mobile device 104, an indication may be provided to the user of the mobile device 104 indicating the identified fault. As an example, an alert notification, such as a graphical and / or audio notification, indicating the identified fault may be sent through the user interface 316, such as under the direction of the support services controller 220 and / or the mobile application controller 320. Examples of alert notifications that may be sent through a mobile device application are shown in Figures 4, 5, and 10, which are further described below. Additionally or alternatively, an alert indicating the identified fault may be provided to the user through a web portal that may be provided by the mobile device support apparatus 102 and accessible to the user through the mobile device 104 and / or the user terminal 108. Examples of alerts that may be sent through a web portal are shown in Figures 9 and 10, which are further described below.

[0058] In some demonstrative embodiments, the support services controller 220 and / or the mobile application controller 320 may be configured to determine a solution, e.g., a potential solution, for the identified fault. As will be appreciated, the determined solution may vary based on the type of fault identified. For example, the solution may consist of removing a malicious or incompatible application that may be affecting the performance of the device. As another example, the solution may consist of installing an application or application update that may provide a patch for the problem or resolve the problem in any other manner. As yet a further example, in cases where the fault cannot be easily resolved through remote repair or user action, the proposed solution may consist of instructing the user to return the device to a retailer or service center for repair or replacement.

[0059] According to an exemplary embodiment, a solution may be determined based at least in part on the solution implementation result information. The solution implementation result may include, for example, information on whether implementing a particular solution has resolved one or more faults. The solution implementation results received from a plurality of mobile devices may be aggregated, similar to the device status data, and the aggregated data may be used in device diagnosis and / or solution determination. Thus, one or more solutions may be determined based at least in part on the collected device status data. According to another exemplary embodiment, one or more fault profiles may be determined based on the solution implementation result information received from one or more mobile devices. Each of the fault profiles may comprise information on device configurations, such as installed applications, device settings, utilization characteristics, or the like, that have been determined to cause or increase the probability of causing one or more device faults, such as based on the aggregated data described above. Thus, such fault profiles may additionally include statistical information, such as the probability that a particular device configuration or a particular aspect of a device configuration causes one or more particular faults. These fault profiles may be stored in records, such as in a database, for example. Thus, in accordance with example embodiments using such failure profiles, potential failures may be determined for a particular mobile device based at least in part on a comparison of device status data received from the mobile device to the one or more failure profiles. According to further example embodiments, potential failures may be determined for a particular mobile device based at least in part on a comparison of one or more application profiles for the mobile device to the one or more failure profiles.

[0060] In some cases, the solutions may be automatically executed to correct the fault. For example, the identified malware may be removed from the mobile device 104 in some exemplary embodiments. Additionally or alternatively, the user may be prompted with a list of one or more identified solutions and asked to confirm that the user wants the identified solutions to be executed. For example, a mobile application operating under the control of the mobile application controller 320 may prompt the user with the identified solutions through the user interface 316 and present the user with the option to implement the solutions. As another example, the user may select to implement the identified solutions through a web portal interface that may be provided by the mobile device support apparatus 102 of some exemplary embodiments.

[0061] FIG. 4 is an illustration of an example diagnostic alert interface that may be implemented according to some example embodiments. In this regard, FIG. 4 is an illustration of an example user interface that may be presented on a user's mobile device 104 showing device diagnostic results according to some example embodiments. However, it will be understood that the example user interfaces illustrated in FIG. 4, as well as those illustrated in FIGS. 5-10, respectively, are provided by way of example and not by way of limitation. In this regard, embodiments disclosed herein may comprise user interfaces having alternative selections, arrangements, and / or displays of elements compared to those shown in the screen captures of the example user interfaces of FIGS. 4-10.

[0062] With reference to FIG. 4, the display of device diagnostic results may include an indicator 402 indicating an alert related to a potential fault identified through the execution of device diagnostics. A user may view the alert and select to investigate the alert, such as by touching the indicator 402 in an embodiment in which the user interface is illustrated on a touch screen display. In this regard, the user is presented with details regarding the identified potential fault and / or a proposed solution for the identified fault. The user interface may additionally present a summary of the items analyzed through the execution of device diagnostics along with an indication of whether the items passed (e.g., a check mark, a textual description of the results, and / or other indicator) or failed (e.g., an X, a textual description of the results, and / or other indicator) the diagnostics. In the example of FIG. 4, indicators 404 and 406 indicate that the health status of "Device1" and "Device2", respectively, is "good". "Device1" and "Device2" may each comprise devices that may be implemented in a mobile device, including a processor, a memory device, a Universal Serial Bus port, a network adapter, and / or the like. An example indicator 408 indicates the network connection strength (e.g., "medium"), and an example indicator 410 indicates the battery charge remaining (e.g., "70%").

[0063] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary diagnostics and solutions user interface that may be implemented according to some exemplary embodiments. In this regard, FIG. 5 is a diagram of an exemplary user interface that may be presented on a user's mobile device 104. The exemplary user interface of FIG. 5 includes an indication 502 of an alert related to a potential fault identified through the execution of device diagnostics. The user may view the alert and select to investigate the alert, such as by touching the indication 402 in an embodiment in which the user interface is illustrated on a touch screen display. In this regard, the user is presented with details regarding the identified potential fault and / or a proposed solution for the identified fault. The exemplary user interface of FIG. 5 may also include support information to enable a user to resolve a problem or fault, such as may have been identified through the execution of device diagnostics. In the example of FIG. 5, support information is provided to enable a user to set up a Wi-Fi connection. This support information may include an instructional video 504. The video 504 may be provided by the mobile device support apparatus 102 over the network 106 to the user's mobile device, such as by streaming, for example. The support information also includes instructions 506, which may provide step-by-step instructions for resolving the problem.

[0064] FIG. 6 illustrates an example user interface for allowing a user to access device support services according to some example embodiments. The user interface of FIG. 6 may be provided by a mobile application that may be implemented on the mobile device 104 and / or accessed through a web interface that may be provided by the mobile device support apparatus 102, for example. The example user interface of FIG. 6 may comprise a form 602 that allows a user to enter a question or help topic. In response to entering a user query in the form 602, the support services controller 220 and / or the mobile application controller 320 may be configured to search a knowledge base and / or perform device diagnostics to provide information and / or a solution in response to the user query.

[0065] As described, in some exemplary embodiments, the mobile device support apparatus 102 may be configured to provide a mobile device support portal, such as a web portal, accessible by the mobile device 104 and / or the user terminal 108, such as through a web browser, a mobile browser application (e.g., a wireless application protocol browser), and / or the like. In some exemplary embodiments, the portal may be viewable on the mobile device 104 through a dedicated client application. The portal may provide notifications of open issues, such as open alerts for possible faults diagnosed on the user's mobile device 104. For example, in some exemplary embodiments, a user may be notified of open issues after arriving or logging into the portal. The portal of some exemplary embodiments may provide recommended solutions to identified open issues. In some cases, the solutions may consist of instructions that the user can use to manually fix the fault. Additionally or alternatively, in some cases, the solutions may consist of recommendations that, when selected, may automatically resolve the fault.

[0066] In some exemplary embodiments, the portal may provide the user with customized content for the session that is personalized to the user and the user's mobile device. The portal of some exemplary embodiments may enable the user to invoke diagnostic functions, perform device health checks, check the status of previously identified problems, command the system to automatically load software, request a backup of the mobile device, remotely control the mobile device, and / or perform other support services. The support services controller 220 may be suitably configured to communicate with the mobile device 104 and cause operations to be performed on the mobile device 104 according to user commands received through the portal. Operations performed according to user commands received through the portal may be performed by a client application that may be implemented on the mobile device 104, which may operate under the control of the mobile application controller 320, for example. In this regard, the mobile device 104 may be in lock-step with the portal through a client application that may be implemented on the mobile device. Thus, end users may be able to control and query their mobile devices 104 through the portal.

[0067] Additionally, the portal may enable users to subscribe to or provide opt-ins to and / or adjust configuration settings for various support services. For example, a user may choose to receive proactive notification of various device error / warning / information scenarios that may require user intervention.

[0068] 7-10 illustrate example user interfaces for a mobile device support portal implemented in accordance with some example embodiments. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the portal can provide a user with device support and troubleshooting information, including device setup information, device operation information, and / or the like, that can be tailored to the user's particular mobile device.

[0069] In some exemplary embodiments, the portal may include an interface for users and / or authorized customer service representatives to review applications installed on their devices. The interface may include an indicator indicating a threat level of the installed application (e.g., low security risk, medium security risk, high security risk, or the like). The threat level may be determined based on, for example, known characteristics of the application, resource access permissions granted to the application, whether the developer of the application is trustworthy, and / or other factors. Additionally or alternatively, the portal may provide an interface for users to designate certain applications as failed, blacklisted, or otherwise, to prevent the designated applications from being installed on their devices, and / or to have the installed applications uninstalled from their devices. In this regard, FIG. 8 is an illustration of an interface showing a list of applications along with a status indicator, such as "Installed," "Blocked," "High Security Risk," "Medium Security Risk," or other status indicator. For example, a "Blocked" application may comprise an application that may be blocked from a mobile device by a user or other entity. "Installed" applications may consist of installed applications that do not pose a security risk. Applications labeled "High / Medium / Low Security Risk" may be installed applications that are known or determined to present a level of security risk.

[0070] In some example embodiments, the portal may include a log of device events, such as may have been collected through monitoring device status over a period of time. This log may be accessible to users and / or authorized customer service representatives. As shown in the example of FIG. 9, the event log may include information about the event type (e.g., configuration changes, installed applications, forced device reboots, and / or the like), along with available event details and the date and time the logged event occurred.

[0071] As illustrated in FIG. 10, in some exemplary embodiments, the portal may include an interface accessible to a user and / or authorized customer service representatives that indicates device alerts that may have been identified through device diagnostics. These alerts may include indicators indicating identified blacklisted applications, rejected applications, and / or other issues that may be causing failures on the mobile device. The user may additionally choose to review solutions to the identified failures and have the solutions implemented. In some exemplary embodiments, the user may be proactively notified of identified failures and / or other alerts on their mobile device while additional details regarding the alerts are accessible through the portal.

[0072] In some demonstrative embodiments, if a solution to a fault or other problem cannot be identified, the system 100 can perform an escalation to a contact center to allow the user to interact with a customer service representative. For example, the support services controller 220 and / or the mobile application controller 320 can be configured to trigger an escalation to a customer service center device if it is determined that a solution to an identified fault or other problem cannot be automatically determined. Triggering an escalation can include automatically connecting the user to a customer service representative, scheduling an appointment for a support session with the customer service representative, and / or sending a request to the customer service center device 110 to have a customer service representative contact the user.

[0073] According to various exemplary embodiments, various communication technologies may be used to facilitate communication between the mobile device user and the customer service representative for the escalated support session. By way of example, a VoIP session, a public switched telephone network (PSTN) voice session, a web chat session, a text chat session, email communication, video telephony, and / or other communication technologies may be used to facilitate communication between the mobile device user and the customer service representative.

[0074] In some embodiments, a reservation protocol is used to ensure that the user does not have to wait for a customer service representative and that the reserved customer service representative is not assigned to another task. For example, in some exemplary embodiments where an appointment is scheduled for a customer service representative, the user's mobile device 104 may be configured to initiate a session (chat, voice, etc.) with the customer service center that responded to the appointment. The contact is routed to the reserved customer service representative in an intelligent manner. As another example, the user may select the contact method that the customer service representative will use to contact the user pursuant to the appointment. In this regard, the appointment may specify a contact time and / or contact method, such as a designated phone number or contact method (e.g., chat, voice, email, etc.).

[0075] In some embodiments where a session is routed to a reserved customer service representative in an intelligent manner, such as under the control of a mobile application that may be implemented on the mobile device, a call or other communication that may be originated from the mobile device 104 may be automatically routed directly to the reserved customer service representative. In this regard, known information regarding the user identity, the open problem, device profile information, and / or the like may be utilized without the user being involved in a screening process, such as an interactive voice response (IVR) screening process, which may also be used in any other manner to determine the user identity, details regarding the open problem, and / or the like before routing the user to a live customer service representative. For example, computer telephony may be used to inform the customer service center equipment 110 of the details to facilitate handling the user's issue without the need for a screening process. In some exemplary embodiments, a call initiated from the mobile device 104 to a customer service representative may be directly connected without the user having entered a "ringing" period prior to connection.

[0076] In some exemplary embodiments, the mobile device support apparatus 102 and / or the customer service center apparatus 110 may be configured to select an appropriate customer service representative to resolve the problem. In this regard, customer service representatives who have experience resolving unresolved problems, or problems of at least a similar nature, may be selected in an intelligent manner.

[0077] In some demonstrative embodiments, the support services controller 220 and / or the mobile application controller 320 may be configured to evaluate factors other than determining that a solution to an identified fault or other problem cannot be automatically determined when evaluating whether to escalate the problem to a customer service representative. For example, the cost of escalation as opposed to the cost of simply instructing the user to return their device for replacement, the nature of the problem, the likelihood that a customer service representative will be able to resolve the problem, and / or other factors may be considered.

[0078] In some exemplary embodiments, a customer service representative may have access to captured device status data, session data related to automated attempts to resolve outstanding faults, device diagnostic data, and / or other data that may be captured according to various exemplary embodiments. For example, the data may be sent by the mobile device support equipment 102 to the customer service center equipment 110 and / or may be otherwise accessible to the customer service center equipment 110. The customer service representative may thus use this data to assist in the support session. In this regard, the data may be used so that the user is not burdened with having to explain the problem and avoid repeating previously attempted solutions that were unsuccessful.

[0079] In some demonstrative embodiments, the captured device status information may be used to evaluate the health of the mobile device 104 (including the device's history) with the goal of making a lower price offer to buy back the mobile device (e.g., asset restoration). This evaluation may be performed by and / or with the assistance of one or more of the support services controller 220 or the mobile application controller 320. Given the known health status of the device, an entity, such as the device manufacturer, wireless service provider, insurance company, warranty company, or other entity, may make an "on-the-spot" offer to the user. Thus, the offer may not be contingent on payment being contingent on the mobile device passing a return inspection, but rather may be based on a priori knowledge of the device's health status. Additionally, offers that may be generally tied to a limited actuarial time frame within which a device may be estimated to have a defined level of health status may be extended beyond the predetermined actuarial time frame such that offers are available outside of the time frame based on knowledge of the mobile device's health status. So, for example, if a device is known to be in good condition for 180 days after purchase, a customer may be able to purchase device insurance even though there is usually a restriction that insurance offers must be accepted within 90 days of device purchase.

[0080] In some exemplary embodiments, the support services controller 220 and / or the mobile application controller 320 may be configured to evaluate wireless voice and / or data usage using the captured device status information. The support services controller 220 and / or the mobile application controller 320 may be further configured to determine and make recommendations regarding available wireless data plans from various compatible carriers based on the evaluation of wireless voice and / or data usage. For example, if the system determines that the user habitually exhibits high data usage and very low voice usage (e.g., when a VoIP dialer takes precedence over the carrier's time), the system may suggest transitioning to another carrier that offers preferential rates for shorter voice talk time and higher data rates / quotas. In some such exemplary embodiments, a portal that may be provided by the mobile device support apparatus may aggregate subscriptions for various voice and data plans from one or more carriers and present recommended plans based on the evaluation of past voice and / or data usage.

[0081] Referring now to FIG. 11, FIG. 11 illustrates a flow chart according to an example method for providing mobile device support services according to some example embodiments. In this regard, FIG. 11 illustrates operations that may be performed in and / or by the mobile device support apparatus 102 and / or the mobile device 104. The operations illustrated in and described with respect to FIG. 11 may be performed with the assistance of and / or under the control of one or more of the processing circuit 210, the processor 212, the memory 214, the communication interface 218, the support services controller 220, the processing circuit 310, the processor 312, the memory 314, the user interface 316, the communication interface 318, or the mobile application controller 320, for example. Operation 1100 may comprise receiving a registration for a mobile device support service. The processing circuit 210, the processor 212, the memory 214, the communication interface 218, the support services controller 220, the processing circuit 310, the processor 312, the memory 314, the user interface 316, the communication interface 318, and / or the mobile application controller 320 may, for example, constitute a means for performing the operation 1100. The operation 1110 may comprise determining registration information. The registration information may be provided as part of the registration and / or determined from the registration or inferred in any other manner from the registration. In this regard, the registration information may comprise configuration settings for the mobile device support service, information regarding the type of mobile device for which the support service is to be provided, and / or the like. The processing circuit 210, the processor 212, the memory 214, the communication interface 218, the support services controller 220, the processing circuit 310, the processor 312, the memory 314, the user interface 316, the communication interface 318, and / or the mobile application controller 320 may, for example, constitute a means for performing the operation 1110.Operation 1120 may comprise providing the mobile device support services in accordance with the determined registration information. The processing circuit 210, the processor 212, the memory 214, the communication interface 218, the support services controller 220, the processing circuit 310, the processor 312, the memory 314, the user interface 316, the communication interface 318, and / or the mobile application controller 320 may constitute a means for performing operation 1120, for example.

[0082] FIG. 12 illustrates a flow chart according to an example method for performing device diagnostics according to some example embodiments. In this regard, FIG. 12 illustrates operations that may be performed in and / or by the mobile device support apparatus 102 and / or the mobile device 104. The operations illustrated in and described with respect to FIG. 12 may be performed with the assistance of and / or under the control of one or more of the processing circuit 210, the processor 212, the memory 214, the communication interface 218, the support services controller 220, the processing circuit 310, the processor 312, the memory 314, the user interface 316, the communication interface 318, or the mobile application controller 320, for example. Operation 1200 may comprise monitoring a mobile device status. The processing circuit 210, the processor 212, the memory 214, the communication interface 218, the support services controller 220, the processing circuit 310, the processor 312, the memory 314, the communication interface 318, and / or the mobile application controller 320 may, for example, constitute a means for performing operation 1200. Operation 1210 may comprise performing device diagnostics based at least in part on the captured device status data to identify potential faults that may affect the functionality of the mobile device. The processing circuit 210, the processor 212, the memory 214, the communication interface 218, the support services controller 220, the processing circuit 310, the processor 312, the memory 314, the communication interface 318, and / or the mobile application controller 320 may, for example, constitute a means for performing operation 1210.

[0083] If a fault is identified in operation 1210, the method of FIG. 12 may further optionally include operations 1220, 1225, 1230, and / or 1235. Operation 1220 may comprise sending an indication of the identified fault. The indication may be sent, for example, through a user interface of the user's mobile device and / or through a mobile device support portal. The processing circuit 210, the processor 212, the memory 214, the communication interface 218, the support services controller 220, the processing circuit 310, the processor 312, the memory 314, the user interface 316, the communication interface 318, and / or the mobile application controller 320 may, for example, constitute a means for performing operation 1220. Operation 1225 may comprise receiving information regarding a solution implementation result. As described above, the solution implementation result may, for example, comprise information regarding whether one or more solutions were successful in resolving a given fault. Operation 1230 may comprise determining a solution for the identified fault. In some cases, the determined solution may be automatically implemented. Alternatively, the determined solution may be presented for review and approval by a user before being implemented. Operation 1235 may consist of determining a probability that implementing the solution will resolve one or more of the identified obstacles. According to some exemplary embodiments, determining a solution (operation 1230) may involve using probability information, such as by determining a solution with the highest probability of resolving a given obstacle. According to another exemplary embodiment, the probability information may be presented to a user, such as in conjunction with presenting the determined solution to the user for review and approval. This probability information may be updated, for example, as additional solution implementation results are received.As yet a further alternative, if the determined solution requires user action, such as returning the mobile device for return or exchange, instructions for performing the solution may be sent to the user. The processing circuit 210, the processor 212, the memory 214, the communication interface 218, the support services controller 220, the processing circuit 310, the processor 312, the memory 314, the user interface 316, the communication interface 318, and / or the mobile application controller 320 may constitute a means for performing operations 1225, 1230, and 1235, for example.

[0084] Backup and Restore Services Some example embodiments may also provide backup and restore services for mobile devices. In particular, the support services controller 220 may be configured to maintain a backup record of applications and / or other data installed on the mobile device 104. This record may be determined based on application profiles, which may be populated, for example, based on monitoring the status of the mobile device 104 according to one or more previously described embodiments.

[0085] In some exemplary embodiments, backup is an on-the-fly process that may back up applications and / or other data installed on the mobile device 104 while it is running. In this regard, monitoring, in some exemplary embodiments, may be performed continuously (e.g., as a background process), periodically, aperiodically, and / or in a similar manner to capture information regarding applications and / or other data installed on the device, updates or changes since the last monitoring cycle, and / or other information that may be captured to facilitate the backup and restore services provided by some exemplary embodiments. Additionally or alternatively, in some exemplary embodiments, monitoring and backup may be performed on an on-demand basis.

[0086] Device status information that may be captured through monitoring according to some exemplary embodiments may be used to intercept activity on the device, updates, device changes, storage of new data, and / or the like as a background process that may be substantially transparent to the user. Changes may be noted and utilized to obtain a restore backup record for the mobile device. A user may opt into the backup service, such as through a registration process. Registration and configuration of the backup process may be performed through a mobile device service portal, which may be provided, for example, by the mobile device support appliance 102. Additionally or alternatively, backup may be an on-demand process that may be initiated in response to a user request, such as before a user discards an old device for a new or replacement device.

[0087] In some exemplary embodiments, a user may be able to configure the types of data that can be backed up. For example, a user may select whether to back up applications, application configuration settings, device configuration settings, contacts, photos, videos, documents, and / or other types of data that may be installed or otherwise stored on the mobile device.

[0088] If a user desires to restore a backup record to a mobile device, the user may request that the backup record, which may be maintained by the mobile device support apparatus 102, be restored to a specified mobile device 104. The request may be made, for example, through a mobile application, which may operate under the control of the mobile application controller 320. As another example, the user may use a mobile device, user terminal 108, or other computing device to access a mobile device support portal, which may be provided by the mobile device support apparatus 102, and submit a request to restore the backup record through the portal. In response to the request, the support services controller 220 and / or the mobile application controller 320 may be configured to restore the backup record to the mobile device 104.

[0089] In some exemplary embodiments, an application or service portal dialog may guide the user through an automated self-reinstallation / restore process. In this regard, in some exemplary embodiments, the user may guide the user through an automated self-reinstallation / restore of the mobile device, which may include, for example, application restoration (with settings, preferences, changes made to the user's base / original downloaded applications over time), sensitive information such as user identification and password, and / or other data. In some exemplary embodiments, the user may be connected to a customer service representative, help desk, or the like, such as through a customer service center device 110, so that the user may receive assistance in engaging in the restore process.

[0090] Restoring a backup record may be used for various purposes according to various exemplary embodiments. As an example, a backup record may be used to facilitate restoring a mobile device to its last known operational state. Thus, for example, when a user's mobile device becomes inoperable due to a failure as may be determined by an embodiment disclosed herein, the user may use the backup record to restore the mobile device to its previous state, but excluding any destructive or malicious applications, data, or programs. Additionally or alternatively, the backup record may be used to restore a replica of the device state of a lost, stolen, or inoperable mobile device to a new or replacement mobile device. Thus, if a user is deemed eligible for an upgrade, the backup record may be used to replicate the original device state to the new device.

[0091] In some exemplary embodiments, backup and restore services go beyond reinstalling an already installed application, for example, in some exemplary embodiments, in addition to installing / reinstalling an application, restoring customizations, add-ons, and / or other modifications made by a user after the original application download and / or application configuration settings made by the user, device configuration settings made by the user, and / or the like.

[0092] Additionally, in some exemplary embodiments, actions performed by applications may be monitored so that modifications made concomitant with those actions are backed up. For example, an application may save files and / or other data to a location that is local to the application space. In some exemplary embodiments, applications that are saving data may be monitored and the stored data may be backed up appropriately along with its storage location. Thus, data that may be stored in locations specific to a particular application may be backed up without prior knowledge of the underlying file structure.

[0093] For example, a user may download and install an application that allows the user to animate still images. The user may import photos and use the application to animate the photos and overlay audio onto the animated photos to make the photos appear as if they are animated and talking. The animated photos may be stored by the application in a location that is local to the application. The backup and restore services provided by some exemplary embodiments do not simply restore applications, but can also back up and restore animated photos in addition to applications.

[0094] As a further example, a user may download and install a gaming application. The game may track the user's high scores, which may be stored in a space local to the application. In some exemplary embodiments, backup and restore of the user's high scores may be performed along with the application itself.

[0095] As another example, a user may download and install a magazine application that allows the user to read magazines on their mobile device. In some exemplary embodiments, the magazine application itself may be backed up and restored along with the user's magazine subscriptions, bookmarks, and other settings.

[0096] Some example embodiments further provide for backup and restoration of the mobile wallet. Backup and restoration of the mobile wallet may include backup and restoration of the mobile wallet content, secure element provisioning, and the like. The backup and restore service of such exemplary embodiments may include backup and restore of mobile wallets, credentials, associated contact information, and / or the like, so that a restored mobile wallet may be authenticated / credentialed, provisioned, and enabled for use. Some such exemplary embodiments enable the restoration of Near Field Communication (NFC) enabled mobile wallets. As such, the backup and restore service of such exemplary embodiments may eliminate an otherwise labor-intensive process by quickly restoring a mobile wallet and preventing a user from having to go through the labor-intensive credentialing and authentication process again. In some exemplary embodiments, performing a reinstallation / restore of a mobile wallet, credentials, and re-provisioning of the mobile wallet are automated steps and are performed automatically on behalf of the user with little or no involvement behind the scenes. As another example, mobile wallet restoration is a user-friendly process, where the user may be presented with step-by-step instructions, a phone number or other contact means to use if the user wishes to contact a customer service representative for assistance, and / or the like.

[0097] Some exemplary embodiments of mobile wallet backup and restore eliminate the need for a user to remember the steps required to fully reinstall a mobile wallet, and in any other way, contact individual companies to make the mobile wallet fully functional for desired transactions. In this regard, depending on the mobile wallet company, a mobile carrier, a mobile wallet company, a financial institution, a trusted service manager providing a secure element (e.g., an NFC secure element), and / or other parties may need to be contacted in order to make the mobile wallet fully functional. Some exemplary embodiments reduce the burden on the user by facilitating contacting the appropriate entities to reprovision the secure element of the device and restore the mobile wallet. In this regard, for example, some exemplary embodiments track the entities that need to be contacted in order to restore the mobile wallet and contact the appropriate entities automatically, semi-automatically, and / or under the direction of the user.

[0098] Referring now to FIG. 13, FIG. 13 illustrates a flow chart according to an example method for providing backup and restore services according to some example embodiments. In this regard, FIG. 13 illustrates operations that may be performed in and / or by the mobile device support apparatus 102 and / or the mobile device 104. The operations illustrated in and described with respect to FIG. 13 may be performed with the assistance of and / or under the control of one or more of the processing circuit 210, the processor 212, the memory 214, the communication interface 218, the support services controller 220, the processing circuit 310, the processor 312, the memory 314, the user interface 316, the communication interface 318, or the mobile application controller 320, for example. The operation 1300 may comprise maintaining a backup record of applications and / or other data installed on the mobile device. In some example embodiments, the operation 1300 may comprise maintaining the backup record through execution of a monitoring function that may monitor changes to the device. The monitoring function may be performed continuously, periodically, aperiodically, on-demand, and / or the like. The processing circuit 210, the processor 212, the memory 214, the communication interface 218, the support services controller 220, the processing circuit 310, the processor 312, the memory 314, the user interface 316, the communication interface 318, and / or the mobile application controller 320 may, for example, comprise a means for performing the operation 1300. The operation 1310 may comprise receiving a request to restore the backup records to the mobile device. The request may be a request to restore the backup records to the mobile device from which the backup records were obtained or a request to restore the backup records to another mobile device, such as a new or replacement device.The processing circuit 210, the processor 212, the memory 214, the communication interface 218, the support services controller 220, the processing circuit 310, the processor 312, the memory 314, the user interface 316, the communication interface 318, and / or the mobile application controller 320 may, for example, constitute a means for performing the operation 1310. The operation 1320 may comprise restoring the backup records in response to a request. In some exemplary embodiments, the operation 1320 may be fully automated. Additionally or alternatively, in some exemplary embodiments, the operation 1320 may comprise facilitating a user through a guided restore process. The processing circuit 210, the processor 212, the memory 214, the communication interface 218, the support services controller 220, the processing circuit 310, the processor 312, the memory 314, the user interface 316, the communication interface 318, and / or the mobile application controller 320 may, for example, constitute a means for performing the operation 1320.

[0099] Data Destruction Services Some demonstrative embodiments may additionally provide a destruction function that may be triggered to lock and / or erase memory of a mobile device, such as a lost or stolen mobile device, a mobile device to be replaced for an upgrade, a mobile device to be sold, and / or the like. The destruction of data may be performed by or under the control of the support services controller 220 and / or the mobile application controller 320.

[0100] In some exemplary embodiments, the mobile device support apparatus 102 may configure a mobile device support portal that may enable a user to trigger remote destruction of data on their mobile device. For example, a user may access the portal through a user terminal 108, or even directly through the mobile device 104 from which data is to be erased. In some examples, the mobile device 104 may be synchronized with the portal such that the mobile device support apparatus 102 may wipe or otherwise destroy information stored on the device. Additionally or alternatively, the mobile device support apparatus 102 may send a signal transmission over the network 106 that may trigger the mobile device to execute a destruction process function to destroy data stored on the mobile device.

[0101] Additionally or alternatively, in some exemplary embodiments, the destructive process function may be triggered directly by the mobile device 104, such as through the user interface 316. In this regard, a user may trigger a destructive process function that may be executed directly on the mobile device.

[0102] Some exemplary embodiments facilitate data destruction for lost or stolen devices even when the device is not reachable on the network 106 by the mobile device support apparatus 102. For example, if the mobile device 104 is inactive or not receiving a signal when a user attempts to remotely destroy data stored on the device, the user may choose to have the data erased the next time the device is booted if the specified passcode is not provided. As such, the destruction process may be performed in response to a predetermined number of failures by a user (e.g., a potentially malicious user who has found or stolen the device) to enter the correct passcode upon the next device boot.

[0103] In some exemplary embodiments, the Mobile Application Controller 320 may be configured to autonomously destroy data stored on the device in response to predetermined criteria indicating that the device has been lost or stolen. For example, if a passcode is required to unlock or activate the mobile device and an incorrect passcode has been entered a predetermined number of times, the Mobile Application Controller 320 may destroy data stored on the device even without receiving a command from the Mobile Device Support Apparatus 102 or other devices over the network 106. As another example, the Mobile Application Controller 320 may be configured to execute the destruction process after a predetermined period of inactivity (e.g., a predetermined number of days of inactivity).

[0104] The destruction process function of some exemplary embodiments can wipe and destroy personal information (e.g., photos, text messages, images, music, contacts, account information, and / or the like) that may be stored on the device. Data may be wiped from any memory partitions of the mobile device, whether hidden or exposed from third parties that may handle the device while in transit for return, refurbishment, being sold, or in the hands of undesirable persons. The destruction process of some exemplary embodiments can render memory chips, secure digital (SD) cards, and / or other storage mechanisms useless and unrepairable. In this regard, rather than purging the memory in such a way that data may be extracted intact based on data residues left in the memory, some exemplary embodiments render the memory, chips, SD cards, and / or the like completely inaccessible and / or unreadable. For example, some exemplary embodiments "shock" or "burn" the memory to prevent anyone from extracting data residues. Thus, the user can avoid leaving behind traces of private data that may be accessed later by unauthorized persons.

[0105] conclusion 12-14 respectively show flowcharts of systems, methods, and computer program products according to some exemplary embodiments. It will be appreciated that each block of the flowchart, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart, may be implemented by various means, such as hardware and / or a computer program product consisting of one or more computer readable media having computer readable program instructions stored thereon. For example, one or more of the procedures described herein may be embodied by computer program instructions of a computer program product. In this regard, a computer program product embodying the procedures described herein may consist of one or more memory devices (e.g., memory 214 and / or memory 314) of a computing device that store instructions executable by a processor (e.g., by processor 212 and / or processor 312) in the computing device. In some exemplary embodiments, computer program instructions of a computer program product embodying the procedures described above may be stored by memory devices of multiple computing devices. As will be appreciated, such computer program products can be loaded onto a computer or other programmable apparatus (e.g., the mobile device support apparatus 102, the mobile device 104, and / or other apparatus) to generate a machine, whereby the computer program product, including instructions that execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus, forms a means for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart blocks. Moreover, a computer program product may comprise one or more computer readable memories in which computer program instructions may be stored such that the one or more computer readable memories can direct a computer or other programmable apparatus to function in a particular manner, and thus the computer program product may comprise an article of manufacture that implements the functions specified in the flowchart blocks.The computer program instructions of the one or more computer program products can be loaded onto a computer or other programmable apparatus (e.g., the mobile device 104 and / or other apparatus) such that a series of operations are performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to generate computer-implemented processing functions such that the instructions executing on the computer or other programmable apparatus implement the functions specified in the flowchart blocks.

[0106] Thus, the blocks of the flowcharts support combinations of means for performing the specified functions and combinations of operations for performing the specified functions. It will also be understood that one or more blocks of the flowcharts, and combinations of blocks within the flowcharts, may be implemented by a dedicated hardware-based computer system that performs the specified functions, or a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0107] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a substantial technical contribution over the prior art, and in particular solve a technical problem, namely, how to analyze and address faults associated with mobile devices, in a precise and intuitive manner. Furthermore, the exemplary embodiments may provide additional technical advantages, such as improving device performance, reliability, and stability by providing intuitive tools for addressing potential device faults.

[0108] Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention described herein will be apparent to one skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings set forth in the foregoing description and the associated drawings. It will therefore be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, while the foregoing description and the associated drawings describe exemplary embodiments in the context of certain illustrative combinations of elements and / or functions, it will be understood that different combinations of elements and / or functions may be realized by alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In this regard, for example, combinations of elements and / or functions different from those explicitly described above are also contemplated, as set forth in some of the appended claims. Although specific terms are used herein, these terms are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and are not intended to be limiting.

Claims

1. 1. A computer-implemented method comprising: presenting on a display a portal interface including information associated with a current fault detected with a current configuration of a user device, the current fault including a fault with one or more applications installed on the user device; receiving input from a user via the portal interface; generating, via a processor of a support device, computer-executable instructions configured to automatically modify the current configuration of the user device based on the input from the user via the portal interface, the modifying the current configuration configured to resolve the current failure detected with respect to the user device; transmitting the computer executable instructions to the user device to resolve the current fault detected with respect to the user device; The method includes:

2. the display is located on a second device remote from the user device; The method of claim 1.

3. The support device includes the display. The method of claim 1.

4. The user devices include a first user device; the portal interface includes a plurality of applications for each of a plurality of user devices associated with a particular user; the plurality of user devices includes at least the first user device, The method of claim 1.

5. The portal interface includes a status indicator associated with the plurality of applications of each of the plurality of user devices, the status indicator being based at least in part on an aggregated data set determined based on similar device characteristics among the plurality of user devices. The method according to claim 4.

6. the portal interface further includes an event log representing a plurality of events determined at least in part based on device status data associated with the user device. The method of claim 1.

7. the event log further including a timestamp corresponding to each event; The method according to claim 6.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the information associated with the current fault detected with respect to a current configuration of the user device includes one or more alerts associated with at least one of a software function of the user device and a hardware function of the user device. The method of claim 1.

9. receiving a help topic or question provided by the user via the input from the user; generating a response to the help topic or question; presenting said response in said portal interface; The method of claim 1 further comprising:

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising: performing device diagnostics to detect the current fault associated with the user device. The method of claim 1.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising: transmitting the computer-executable instructions to the user device to resolve the current fault detected with respect to the user device, the computer-executable instructions comprising: automatically executing a particular solution of the one or more potential solutions on the user device. The method of claim 1.

12. The one or more potential solutions include blocking the one or more applications installed on the user device. The method of claim 11.

13. the portal interface includes a plurality of interface elements, each interface element corresponding to a particular application of the plurality of applications; each particular interface element includes a diagnostic status associated with the particular application corresponding to the particular interface element; The method according to claim 4.

14. An apparatus comprising one or more processors and one or more non-transitory memories storing computer instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to perform a method according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

15. A computer program product comprising one or more non-transitory computer readable media having stored thereon a computer program, the computer program configuring the computer program product, upon execution by one or more processors, to perform a method according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

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