This application makes claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7xc2xa7119 and 120 from an application for A COMPUTER SYSTEM HAVING A MEMORY RECORDED WITH SYSTEM INFORMATION, A REPAIRING SYSTEM AND A REPAIRING METHOD THEREFOR earlier filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on Mar. 20, 1996 and there duly assigned Serial No. 7582/1996.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a computer including a memory having system information stored therein, a repair system and a repair method therefor, using a computer communication network. More particularly this invention relates to a computer, the particular system information stored on a memory of the computer during the manufacture of the computer, and the use of that stored system information in repair of the computer system by transferring the stored system information to a host computer of a service center via a computer communication network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Nowadays, as the computer system is generally used in almost all fields of society and the mass production of computers has been introduced in the industry. Therefore, the subsequent maintenance of the computer is indispensable in the computer sales market. In this circumstance, it is my belief that a technique for repairing the computer via a computer communication network is suggested as an useful and prompt technique to reduce the cost of maintaining the computer.
In earlier repair techniques, a host computer having programs or requiring information for repair of a used computer is connected to the computer requiring repair via first and second modems and a telephone line extending between the modems. If the user""s computer has a problem, the user connects the user computer with the host computer in the service center via the first and second modems and the telephone line. The user computer sends the problem information via the second modem on the request of the host computer. The host computer receives the problem information via the first modem and analyzes the problem and then transfers repair information or repair programs to the user""s computer. In this system however, the user must send the information regarding the user""s computer system to the host computer to enable a proper repair. I have noticed that unfortunately, the user often does not know the essential particulars of the system information, such as the type of video card, the type, size and capacity of the hard disk, the size of the random access memory (RAM), and type of central processing unit (CPU), among other items of information about the user""s computer. I have noticed that this makes the proper repair of the computer difficult and sometimes makes the repair of the computer via a computer communication network impossible.
Representative exemplars of efforts in the art to design systems for repair of malfunctioning computers include U.S. Pat. No. 5,488,454 to Fukada et al., entitled Control Of Equipment And Of Communication With Plural Units Of Equipment, U.S. Pat. No. 5,022,028 to Edmonds et al., entitled Software Verification Apparatus, U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,711 to Shiramizu, entitled Diagnosing Apparatus Capable Of Readily Diagnosing Failures Of A Computer System, U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,306 to Greer, entitled Test Interface Circuit Which Generates Different Interface Control Signals For Different Target Computers Responding To Control Signals From Host Computer, U.S. Pat. No. 4,760,330 to Lias Jr., entitled Test System With Shared Test Instruments, U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,758 to De Kelaita et al., entitled Computer Testing Arrangement, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,733,587 to Lloyd et al., entitled Universal Buffer Interface For Computer Controlled Test Systems. I have found that these efforts do not provide effective systems.
A principle object of the present invention is to provide an improved computer system.
It is another object to provide a computer system capable of transferring system information and other particulars of the computer automatically on the request of a host computer via a computer communication network.
It is still another object to provide an improved repair system using the computer system described below on a computer communication network.
It is a further object to provide an improved repair method of the computer by using a second memory for transferring system information and other particulars of the malfunctioning computer via a computer communication network.
According to the present invention, the computer system may be constructed with a central processing unit(CPU) for processing application programs; a read only memory(ROM) for storing programs which initialize and test the computer system when the computer system is turned on; a second memory for storing system information; a monitor for displaying information which is manipulated by the programs; and a modem for transferring the system information to a host computer on a request of the host computer via a communication network.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a repair system for the computer comprises a user""s computer including a memory having system information stored therein and a first modem connected to said user""s computer for transferring the system information. In addition, the system includes a second modem connected to said first modem for receiving the system information, and a host computer connected to said second modem for analyzing conditions of said user""s computer and for sending a system repair program to said user""s computer according to the system information. The repair program includes test programs for testing the user""s computer and helpful repair information regarding the problem with the user""s computer.
One significant advantage of the present invention is that the user""s computer system allows a host computer to automatically know the system information particulars thereof
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a repair method for a computer system includes the steps of connecting a user""s computer with a host computer via a computer communication network; transferring system information stored in a memory of the user""s computer from the user""s computer to the host computer on the request of the host computer; transferring repair programs according to the system information from the host computer to the user""s computer; and repairing the user""s computer with the repair program.