EP0965949A2

EP0965949A2 - Method for inputting/displaying service information of electronic device

Info

Publication number: EP0965949A2
Application number: EP99304325A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Joon-Kee Hong
Original assignee: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
Current assignee: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
Priority date: 1998-06-13
Filing date: 1999-06-03
Publication date: 1999-12-22
Also published as: EP0965949A3; CN1239245A; KR20000001741A; KR100275696B1; JP2000056886A

Abstract

A method for inputtinq/displaying warranty related service information, in particular, a method for inputting/displayinq service information concerning the date of the first use of an electronic device after purchase for verifying a warranty period of the electronic device. When an electronic device is used for the first time after being purchased, the date information necessary for verifying the warranty period is input and stored, thereby settling disputes concerning warranty periods. Also, the cost for repairing products for which the warranty periods has already elapsed can be greatly reduced.

Description

The present invention relates to a method for inputting and displaying data related to the service of an electronic device, and more particularly, to a method for inputting and displaying information concerning the date of the first use of an electronic device after purchase for verifying the warranty period of the electronic device.
In the event that an abnormality occurs in product quality within a predetermined warranty period, a supplier will customarily repair the defective product or replace the same with a new one free of charge.
In servicing the defective product, in order to check whether the product is actually within its warranty period, a label or tag is fixed on a written guarantee or an outer surface of the product and the purchase date of the product is written thereon by vendors. However, vendors seldom write the purchase date on the written guarantee, label or tag. Also, even when vendors write the purchase date, customers may often lose the written guarantee, label or tag indicating the purchase date.
Even if the warranty period has elapsed, some customers intentionally discard the written guarantee and request free servicing, and this often occurs.
Most Korean domestic suppliers of electronic appliances and products render a two-year warranty period. Also, since customers seldom hold the written guarantee, it is a customary practice to grant a 30-month warranty period from the manufacturing date. However, even if the 30-month warranty period has elapsed, in order to avoid a dispute with customers insisting on inordinate demands, free servicing is customarily rendered. Therefore, the suppliers are considerably burdened with additional servicing expenses. Also, in determining the warranty period, disputes with customers frequently occur, which adversely affects customer care.
With a view to solve or reduce the above problems, it is an aim of embodiments of the present invention to provide a method for inputting/displaying service information of an electronic device, by which the electronic device is normally operated only by inputting the date and time of using the product for the first time after purchasing the product and storing the input data.
According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for inputting/displaying service information of an electronic device, the method including the steps of (a) determining whether a predetermined command is input to a controller of the electronic device for the first time, (b) if it is determined in step (a) that the predetermined command is input, displaying a service information menu for inputting service information, (c) determining whether the service information containing information concerning at least the current date is input to the service information menu, and; (d) if it is determined in step (c) that the service information is input, storing the service information in a memory.
Preferably the predetermined command is a power-on command input in a standby mode.
The service information input determination in step (c) is preferably performed by determining whether a command for storing the service information is input or not.
The method may further comprise the step of:
if the command for storing the service information is input in a state where the information concerning the current date is not input, displaying a message requesting to write the information concerning the current date.
The memory is preferably a nonvolatile flash memory by which the data stored therein is not lost even if power supply is interrupted.
The method may further comprise the step of: if a predetermined command for displaying the service information is input, displaying the service information stored in the memory.
The program of the controller is preferably set such that out of the service information stored in the memory, the date information indicating the first use date of the product cannot be changed.
Preferably, the program of the controller is set such that the service information stored in the memory can be changed by inputting a predetermined password.
For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how embodiments of the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an electronic device to which a method for inputting/displaying service information of an electronic device according to the present invention is applied; and
Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method for inputting/displaying service information of an electronic device according to the present invention.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an electronic device to which a method for inputting/displaying service information of an electronic device according to the present invention is applied.
As shown in Figure 1, an electronic device to which a method for inputting/displaying service information of an electronic device according to the present invention is applied includes a controller 11, a memory 12, a signal processor 13, a display 14 and a key input portion 15.
Now, a method for inputting and displaying service information of an electronic device according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 2.
In step 201, an initial value is set. That, is, in order to prevent a user from arbitrarily changing service information, N representing a counted value for the number of setting service information values is set to "0" and a password M which allows a product supplier such as a serviceman to change or add service information is set to a specific value "XX".
In step 202, in order to check whether a user has input service information after purchasing the product, it is determined whether or not N equals "0".
In step 203, if it is determined in step 202 that N equals to "0", it is determined whether or not a user's key input command is input to the controller 11. In this case, the command corresponds to a first input command in using the product, that is, a command by "Power On" key input. The first input command may differ depending on the kind of product. In other words, in step 203, it is determined whether there is a key command input for operating the product for the first time after the user purchased the product.
In step 204, if it is determined in step 203 that N is not "0" since the user has already input service information, it is determined whether or not the same password M as the initially set value is input, from purpose of changing or adding service information at the supplier's end. In this case, if no password is input or the password is different from the initially set value, the procedure is terminated without displaying a menu concerning the service information.
Alternatively, a specific key used by repair services, which is also called a factory key, and which is installed by special input means at service centers or suppliers (and which is not available to product users themselves as it is not present in the key input portion 15 of a user's product) may be considered to be the corresponding password so that a command by the factory key input has the same effect as a valid input password.
In step 205, if it is determined in step 203 that a command is input to the controller 11, service information menu related data stored in the memory 12 is read by the controller 11 and converted into character signals using the signal processor 13 to output the same to the display 14. Then, the display 14 displays the service information menu using various display means such as a CRT or an LCD. Here, the service information menu includes at least an item for inputting data concerning purchase date (or installation date).
In step 206, the information corresponding to the items of the displayed service information menu is input by a user through the key input portion 15.
In step 207, after the user inputs the corresponding information to an input part of the service information menu, it is determined whether or not a command for storing the input data of service information is input to the controller 11 through the key input portion 15.
In step 208, if it is determined in step 207 that the storage command is input to the controller 11, it is determined whether or not from the service information menu, date information concerning the purchase date (or installation date) is input or not. This is because it is meaningless to input service information other than the date information for identifying a warranty period among items of the service information menu.
In step 209, if it is determined in step 208 that the date information concerning the purchase date (or installation date) is not input, a warning message indicating that the date information must be input at a user's end is displayed.
In step 210, if it is determined in step 208 that the date information is input, the displayed service information menu is turned off.
In step 211, a counted value of the number of setting service information values is increased by 1. This informs the number of setting service information values and allows the information of the corresponding counted value in step 202 to be utilized for preventing the user from arbitrarily changing the service information once the service information is input after purchasing the product.
In step 212, the data concerning the corresponding service information input by the user is stored in the memory 12. Here, the memory 12 is a nonvolatile flash memory. That is to say, the data stored therein is not lost even if the power supply is interrupted.
Through the above-described steps, it has been described that the service information cannot be arbitrarily displayed once the service information is input by the user. However, modification can be effected such that a key for displaying service information, called a factory mode key, is installed in input means, the corresponding service information stored in the memory 12 is displayed in the case when the factory mode key is input, and the controller 11 is programmed such that the initially input date information concerning the purchase date (or installation date) cannot be changed.
Through the above-described steps, a product can be used properly only by inputting and storing the information in connection with the use of the product, in particular, the information concerning the date when the product is used for the first time after the product is purchased. Additionally, once the service information is input, the user cannot arbitrarily change the input service information. Therefore, if a problem occurs in the quality of the product, it is possible to know exactly whether the product is still covered by the warranty period.
As described above, according to the present invention, when an electronic device is used for the first time after being purchased, the date information necessary for verifying a warranty period is input and stored, thereby settling disputes concerning warranty periods. Also, the cost for repairing products for which the warranty period has already elapsed can be greatly reduced.
The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.
All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.
Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.
The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extend to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

A method for inputting/displaying service information of an electronic device comprising the steps of:

(a) determining whether a predetermined command is input to a controller of the electronic device for the first time;

(b) if it is determined in step (a) that the predetermined command is input, displaying a service information menu for inputting service information;

(c) determining whether the service information containing information concerning at least the current date is input to the service information menu; and

(d) if it is determined in step (c) that the service information is input, storing the service information in a memory.
The method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined command is a power-on command input in a standby mode.
The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the service information input determination in step (c) is performed by determining whether a command for storing the service information is input or not.
The method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, further comprising the step of:

if the command for storing the service information is input in a state where the information concerning the current date is not input, displaying a message requesting to write the information concerning the current date.
The method according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein the memory is a nonvolatile flash memory by which the data stored therein is not lost even if power supply is interrupted.
The method according to any preceding claim, further comprise the step of: if a predetermined command for displaying the service information is input, displaying the service information stored in the memory.
The method according to any preceding claim, wherein the program of the controller is set such that out of the service information stored in the memory, the date information indicating the first use date of the product cannot be changed.
The method according to any preceding claim, wherein the program of the controller is set such that the service information stored in the memory can be changed by inputting a predetermined password.