Communication System Self-Test for Support Issue Resolution

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Solution Overview

Problem

Customer support communications often involve time-consuming and frustrating initial questioning processes, especially for customers with rare or difficult-to-resolve issues, as agents lack initial information about the problems.

Innovation Solution

An electronic communication system that automatically performs self-tests on devices before connecting a communication, providing test results to users and support agents, allowing for efficient issue resolution by detecting issues and presenting information or taking actions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If agents ask preliminary questions to determine the cause of an issue, then they can gather information about the problem, but the communication becomes time-consuming and frustrating for customers

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation about the problemVSAvoidcommunication time

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs self-tests on customer devices before the support agent begins troubleshooting. Test messages are automatically sent to various components (modem, router, network interface) to detect issues in advance, so that when the customer contacts support, information about the problem is already available, eliminating the need for lengthy preliminary questioning

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The customer's device automatically performs self-diagnostics by receiving and responding to test messages without human intervention. The device tests its own components and generates diagnostic information, serving itself rather than requiring the agent to gather information through questioning

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Adaptability or versatility

If agents start with general troubleshooting questions, then they can address common issues, but customers with rare or difficult issues experience unnecessary frustration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to handle different issue typesVSAvoidcustomer experience

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs comprehensive self-tests covering multiple device components before support contact. This preliminary diagnostic action provides specific information about the nature of the issue, allowing agents to immediately address the actual problem rather than starting with general troubleshooting procedures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of the agent asking questions to determine the problem, the system inverts the approach by automatically detecting and reporting the problem before the customer even contacts support. The information flow is reversed: rather than customer→agent questioning, it becomes system→customer diagnostic data

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentEP3585092B1Communication method and system including built-in self test

Publication Date: 2022.04.06 MITEL CORP

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AI summary

A method and system for automatically generating and sending a test message to one or more apparatus associated with a user are disclosed. The test messages can be pushed to the one or more apparatus and a response received from the one or more apparatus prior to connecting a communication between two devices.