JPH1063682A - Method and system for presenting guidance information of product - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To let a user easily grasp how to use a product or the state of a fault by inputting a product name and a type number according to an instruction from the side of a data base and displaying a method for using the product, method for dealing with the fault or the place of a service center through multimedia information. SOLUTION: A manual data base 9 is composed of a user information storage area, equipment operating method information storage area, service center information storage area and map information storage area. A client, who desires to know the guidance of the product or the method for dealing with the fault of the product, performs access through a public line 8 to the manual data base 9 while using a personal computer 1 owned at home, inputs the product name and the type number according to the instruction from the side of the data base 9 and performs retrieval so that the guidance information of the desired product or the method for dealing with the fault of the product can be provided by the multimedia of animation, characters and sounds or the like.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and system for presenting guidance information of a product, and more particularly, to a method of converting a user's instruction manual of a home electronic product into multimedia and computerized so that the user can easily search for it. The present invention relates to a method and system for presenting guidance information of a product, which can be easily known how to use, and is suitable for use in coping with a trouble.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, guidance information of various electronic products is stored in an instruction manual printed on a booklet or a VTR.
In general, the contents of the explanation of the handling are provided together with the video information on a tape for use.

[0003]

The above-mentioned instruction manuals for products and tapes for VTRs should be kept in such a way that if the use of the equipment becomes unclear, it can be referred to immediately when the equipment fails. Although it is necessary to keep it, it is often the case that it has been lost and cannot cope with a failure of the device. In the case of instructions printed on paper,
Since it is difficult to represent the movement, sound, display state, display change, and the like of the device, there is a problem that sufficient information cannot be provided to the user.

[0004] Further, in the above-mentioned product instruction manual and VTR tape, information such as a service center to be contacted in the event of product failure is information at the time of product sale, and subsequent updates such as changes may be made. If it is not possible, and if the product has failed or the operation method is unknown, how the user solved it,
There is a problem in that the message cannot inform the side of information such as which part has failed, and the manufacturer cannot grasp such information.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problem of presenting the product instruction information on the product instruction manual and VTR tape, and to convert the description of the handling into multimedia using moving images, voices, etc., and to provide communication lines and the like. , The user can easily understand the usage of the product, the state of the failure, etc., and the user does not need to keep the operation manual, An object of the present invention is to provide a method and system for presenting guidance information of a product that can be updated.

[0006] Another object of the present invention is to enable the manufacturer to maintain the contents of a product even after the product has been sold, and to obtain information for each product from user access information to product guidance information. It is possible to grasp the user's interest, parts with many failures, parts where operation is difficult to understand, etc., and to feed back this information to subsequent product development. An object of the present invention is to provide a method and system for presenting guidance information of a product that can be used as an aid for specifically explaining the product even when there is no such information.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided a method and system for presenting guidance information of a product, wherein a database of the guidance information of a digitized product is obtained and the guidance information of the product is obtained by searching the database. In accordance with the instructions from the database side, product name,
This is achieved by inputting a model number and displaying the method of using the product, the method of responding to the product failure, the location of the service center, and the like using multimedia information such as moving images, characters, and sounds.

The object is to input the product name and model number, select a product genre, select a product type within the selected product genre, and further input a product name and model number of the selected product. This is achieved by allowing the user to make a selection or by directly inputting the product name and model number based on specific model number information.

The object of the present invention is that, when the product name and the model number are inputted, information on a photograph / image of the product and guidance information are used as a method of using the product, a method of responding to a product failure, and maintenance. This is achieved by displaying a menu for selecting a method and notes and allowing the user to select guidance information.

[0010] The object of the present invention is to, when a method of using a product is selected as one of the pieces of guidance information, display an operation unit of the product to be operated by using an operation unit in the displayed photograph / image information. Is displayed as a different display from the others, and the movement according to the operation is shown to explain the method of use.

[0011] The object of the present invention is to display a menu for selecting and inputting at least one content of a failure when one of the guidance information is selected as a method for dealing with the failure, and to display a cause of the inputted failure. In addition, by displaying the situation of the corresponding failure with an image, and by selecting the method of responding to the failure, an error number displayed on the product when the product fails is input.

[0012] Further, the object is to display information such as the location of a service center together with a map when a result indicating that the failure cannot be corrected is input by the guidance information on the response method for the failure. This is achieved by displaying important precautions in using the product when the product name and model number are input.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of a method and a system for presenting guidance information of a product according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of a product guidance information presentation system according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a personal computer, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a data configuration. 1 and 2, 1 is a personal computer, 2 is a display, 3 is a modem, 4
Is a CDROM drive, 5 is a hard disk, 6 is a keyboard, 7 is a mouse, 8 is a public line network, 9 is an instruction manual database, 10 is a service center, a store, 11 is a CPU, 12 is a storage device, and 13 is input / output. Interface.

As shown in FIG. 1, the system for presenting and displaying product guidance information according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a personal computer 1 having a modem 3 and a display 2 and an operation manual database 9 for providing product guidance information. Are connected to the public line network 8. The instruction manual database 9 is created by a company creating instruction manuals for all of its products, and can be accessed from a dealer who sells products and a service center 10 which performs repairs and the like. Is connected to a service center and a store 10 via a communication line. Note that the service center and the store 10 may be connected to the public network 8.

The personal computer 1 has a CD ROM drive 4, a hard disk 5, a keyboard 6, a mouse 7 in addition to the above.
Etc. are connected. The CDROM drive 4 is a CD that stores the instruction information attached to the product when the product is purchased.
The hard disk 5 is used to view guidance information using a ROM, and the hard disk 5 is used to update data such as guidance information and service center contact information updated after the purchase of the product, and to an instruction manual database 9 that is constantly updated and managed.
Used to capture and hold from. The above-described CDROM drive may be a DVDROM drive or the like, and the hard disk 5 is a DVDRA drive.
It may be replaced with M, MO, or the like.

The personal computer 1 has an operation manual database 9
CPU that controls the whole system such as access to the system
An input / output interface 1 for holding an interface between a peripheral device 11 and a storage device 12 which holds a program necessary for control and is also used as a work area;
And 3.

The data in the instruction manual database 9 is
It is structured and held as shown in FIG. That is, the instruction manual database 9 includes a user information storage area, a device operation method information storage area, a service center information storage area, and a map information storage area. The user information storage area stores a large number of pieces of user information, and each piece of user information includes a name, an address, a telephone number, a purchased product, a purchase date, a data reference history, and the like.
The device operation method information storage area stores data indicating the operation method of various devices, a method of coping with a failure, and the like for each model. Also, the service center information storage area stores the center name, location,
It stores data such as telephone numbers, product names, and holidays. Further, the map information storage area stores a map indicating the location of the service center.

A customer who wants to know product guidance information or a method of responding to a product failure accesses the instruction manual database 9 via the public line 8 using the personal computer 1 owned at home. By inputting the product name and model number in accordance with the instructions from the database and performing a search, the guidance information of the desired product and the method of responding to the product failure can be obtained from the multimedia information such as moving images, characters, and voices. be able to.

Incidentally, the operation manual database 9 may be arranged such that each company opens a homepage on the Internet or the like and holds it there.

4 to 8 are flowcharts showing an operation procedure and an example of a display screen according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a diagram showing details of an example of a display screen in the flow. Hereinafter, an operation method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to these drawings. In each step of the flow,
The figure number showing the details of the display screen example is attached.

(1) Product guidance information or
A user who wants to know how to respond to a product failure accesses the instruction manual database 9 via the public line network 8 using the personal computer 1 at home, or a company homepage opened on the Internet. Access the database. As a result, an initial screen on which a title such as "Electronic Serviceman Trouble Assistant" is displayed is displayed on the display 2 (step 401).

(2) When the execution key is input while looking at the displayed initial screen, a menu of all product genres of the company and input by model is displayed (step 40).
2).

(3) When the user selects and instructs one of the product genres displayed in step 402 with a mouse or the like, a menu of product types within the product genre is displayed. When one of the displayed product types is selected, a menu with the product name and model number of the product of that type is displayed (steps 403 and 404).

(4) The user selects and instructs the guidance information or the model number of the product for which the user wants to know how to deal with the product failure from the menu displayed in step 404. As a result, a photograph or image showing the shape of the designated product (here, the LCD video camera is designated), how to use it, how to care,
A menu is displayed as to whether the user wants to know the information on the coping method for the failure and the precautions in use (step 40).
5).

In the display screens of the above-mentioned steps 402 to 404, there is a menu for inputting a model or a model number. If this menu is selected and a model or a model number is input from a keyboard or the like, , Step 4
04, or skip to the screen of step 405. Further, a photograph or an image showing the shape of the designated product is always displayed as necessary during the subsequent operation.

(5) In step 405, when a usage is selected from a menu of information to be known, a menu of preparation, shooting, viewing, recording, and mastering is displayed as a usage menu (step 406).

(6) When the preparation menu is selected in step 406, menus for connection of the power supply, cassette setting, and liquid crystal adjustment, which are menus related to the preparation, are displayed. When photographing / viewing / recording is selected, A menu for shooting, viewing, and recording is displayed. When the user selects “manage”, a menu for taking a small object, shooting with a title, and returning to a desired scene is displayed (steps 407 to 407). 409).

(7) Assuming that the adjustment of the liquid crystal has been selected in step 407, the subsequent operation will be described. When the liquid crystal adjustment is selected, the title of the liquid crystal screen adjustment is displayed. Here, by inputting the execution key,
Guidance is sequentially displayed in accordance with the operation procedure, operation parts such as buttons for operating the displayed device are highlighted and displayed by changing colors, and the reaction of the device according to the operation is displayed. At the end of the guide of all the operation procedures, a list of the operation procedures is displayed, and the guidance for adjusting the liquid crystal screen ends (steps 410 to 41).
3).

(8) If the user wants to see all the operations again on the screen of step 413, the user can view the guidance from step 410 by pointing to the title section, and select and instruct how to display the usage on the display screen. If the display of the menu is instructed to be selected, the screen can return to the screen of step 405.

When another menu is selected in step 407, or when a menu for taking, watching, recording, or mastering is selected in step 406, and a further desired menu is selected in steps 408 and 409. Is not shown in the flow, but the guidance information about the selected request
It is displayed in the same manner as in the case of 413.

(9) In step 405, when care is selected from the menu of the information to be known, each menu of the care menu is displayed as a menu of the care method, that is, a view at a time, a view by time, and the like (step 41).
4).

(10) In the step 414, if “view all” is selected, a screen example is not shown, but a general method of care is introduced. Further, when "view by time" is selected, menus of monthly care, annual care, and care when used for a long time are displayed as a menu of the care method for each time (step 415). , 41
6).

(11) Further, in step 414, when the maintenance menu is selected, as the maintenance menu,
When cleaning and storing the main unit, each menu for cleaning the head is displayed. Here, for example, if maintenance of the head is selected, a head maintenance method is introduced (steps 417, 418).

Although not shown, the aforementioned step 417 is performed.
Then, if a menu for maintenance or storage of the main body is selected, a method of maintenance corresponding to each menu is introduced. In step 416, monthly maintenance, annual maintenance, Or, if care for long use is selected, care methods corresponding to each menu will be introduced.

(12) In step 405, is a failure from the menu of information to be known? When the menu is selected, it first indicates the type of power failure, turns off immediately when the power is turned on, turns on or off the LCD screen when the power is turned on, turns off the power in the middle, and consumes the battery quickly A menu with a short usage time is displayed, and menus for recording, playback, television reception, editing, and the like are selectably displayed as other menus indicating the failure status (step 419).

(13) It is assumed that one of the menus indicating the other failure status, that is, recording in this case, is selected in step 419. In this case, a menu that indicates the type of failure that occurs during recording, that the recording is not started even if the start / stop button is pressed, that the camera is out of focus, and that the power has been turned off if the recording has been paused is displayed (step 420). .

(14) In step 420, it is assumed that the image is out of focus but selected. Then, as an out-of-focus situation, are you shooting a subject for which autofocus does not work? Are you shooting something whitish?
And the like and a solution to the inquiry are displayed in characters, and a typical screen example in that case is displayed. If the user has taken such a situation and has been resolved by performing the displayed solution,
When the "yes" button displayed on the screen is instructed, the process ends. When the user designates the “No” button displayed on the screen, an inquiry about another cause of the failure, a solution, and the like are sequentially displayed (steps 421 to 423).

When the user inputs the return key in steps 4121 to 423, the process returns to step 420, and the operation can be performed again from the selection of the fault during the recording.

(15) When the inquiry about the cause of the failure for all the failures and the instruction of the solution method are completed, and the operation up to step 423 fails to resolve the failure and "No" is input, the service center for repair is The user is instructed to bring in the device, the user is instructed to bring the device in, and a map indicating the location of the service center is displayed (step 424).

Although not shown, if at step 419 one of the menus indicating the type of fault relating to the power supply is selected, a method for dealing with those faults is determined at step 421.
424. Step 4
In 19, if a failure in another situation is selected, the type of failure in the warp situation is displayed as a menu, and a method for dealing with those failures is indicated in the same manner as in steps 420 to 424.

(16) In step 405, when the menu of precautions for use is selected from the menu of information to be known, the precautions for safety, precautions for storage, and precautions for use A menu for attention and seeing is displayed, and if one of them is selected, the corresponding attention is explained by video, characters, and audio such as a movie (steps 425 and 426).

According to the above-described embodiment of the present invention, the description of the handling of various products can be provided in the form of multimedia using moving images, voices, and the like. The user can easily understand the response method and the like, and the user can know the information without having to keep the instruction manual. You can know the location of the service station.

According to the above-described embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to compare the state of the actual device with the state of the device displayed on the screen while operating the actual device at hand. Therefore, the user can make a more accurate determination of the explanation.

Although the above-described embodiment of the present invention has been described as being used by a user who has purchased a product to know an instruction manual and a method for dealing with a failure, the present invention is applied to a case where a user who wants to purchase a product from now will use it. It can also be used to know the usability, functions, etc. of the product. Further, even when the product is not in stock at a store or the like, it can be used to specifically explain the usability, function, and the like of the product to the customer.

Next, some modifications that can be made to the above-described embodiment of the present invention will be described.

According to the present invention, by operating (instructing with a mouse or the like) an operation button on an image of a device in the display screen of the above-mentioned usage, for example, the display screen in step 406, the operation can be performed in the display screen. The corresponding operation can be simulated and shown. Also, if the operation is performed on the actual device at hand, the same result as the simulation can be seen on the actual device. If the result is different from the simulation result,
The user can know the abnormality of the device.

Further, according to the present invention, as explained in FIG.
Since the user information can be stored in the database, when the location of the service center is presented to the user in step 424, the user can be notified of the service center closest to the user. Also,
The service center can provide the user with a service such as urging maintenance in accordance with the elapsed time from the time of purchase. Further, a repair cost estimation button is displayed in the screen of step 424 for notifying the location of the service center, and when the user designates this button, information on the operation of seeing a response method to the failure up to that time is displayed by the service center. To request a repair quote online for the failure.

Further, according to the present invention, buttons for returning to the previous menu, returning to the previous menu, etc. are displayed on the screen displayed by each of the above-described operations, and when these are instructed, the screen returns to the predetermined screen. The operation from there can be performed again.

Further, the present invention provides the above-described step 419.
Is it a malfunction? It is possible to designate a plurality of failure situations on the screen of (1). As a result, it is possible to promptly instruct a method for dealing with a complex failure. When this screen is displayed, an error number displayed on the device at the time of failure can be input. As a result, it is possible to input a specific failure state even for a failure that cannot be easily determined only by the failure state, and it is possible to promptly instruct a response method.

According to the present invention, important precautions in use are always displayed on the screen next to the initial screen or the screen at the beginning of the explanation of how to use, for example, as shown in FIG. You can do so. This is important in order to prevent accidents and the like caused by products.

Further, according to the present invention, it is possible for a company to collect a usage method referred to by a user, a countermeasure for a failure, and the like via a network. Even after the sale of the product, it is possible to maintain the contents of the product, and to grasp the interest of the user for each product, the portion with many failures, the portion where the operation is difficult to understand, and the like. Information can be fed back to subsequent guidance information updates and product development.

[0053]

As described above, according to the present invention, the user is provided with an explanation of the handling by providing the handling explanation on an information recording medium or the like through a communication line by converting the multimedia into a moving image, a sound, or the like. Without having to keep the
It is possible to make it easy for the user to understand how to use the product, the state of failure, etc., and if there is a change in the repair request destination etc., update them appropriately and provide the user with the correct information. I can let you know.

Further, according to the present invention, even after the product has been sold, the manufacturer can maintain the contents of the product, and the information of the user's access to the guidance information of the product can be used for each product. It is possible to ascertain the level of interest of the user, the part with many failures, the part where the operation is difficult to understand, and the like, and these information can be fed back to the subsequent updating of guidance information and product development. Furthermore, even if there is no actual product in stock at a retailer,
It can be used as an aid to specifically explain the product.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a product guidance information presentation system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a personal computer.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a data configuration.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure and an example of a display screen according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure and an example of a display screen according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure and an example of a display screen according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure and an example of a display screen according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure and an example of a display screen according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing details of an example of a display screen in a flow.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing details of an example of a display screen in a flow.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating details of an example of a display screen in a flow.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing details of an example of a display screen in a flow.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating details of an example of a display screen in a flow.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing details of an example of a display screen in a flow.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Personal computer 2 Display 3 Modem 4 CDROM drive 5 Hard disk 6 Keyboard 7 Mouse 8 Public line network 9 Instruction manual database 10 Service center, dealer 11 CPU 12 Storage device 13 I / O interface

Claims (18)

[Claims] 1. A method for presenting guidance information of a product in which guidance information of a digitized product is made into a database and obtained by searching the guidance information of the product, a product name and a model number are input in accordance with an instruction from the database side. Steps, how to use the product, how to respond to product failure, location of service center, etc., video,
A method for presenting guidance information of a product, wherein the guidance information is displayed by multimedia information such as characters and voices. 2. The input of the product name and the model number includes a step of selecting a product genre, a step of selecting a type of a product in the selected product genre, and a step of selecting a product name and a model number of the selected product. 2. The method for presenting guidance information of a product according to claim 1, wherein the method is performed by: 3. The product guidance information presentation method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of directly inputting the product name and model number based on specific model number information. 4. When the product name and model number are entered, information on the product by photos and images, and guidance information, such as how to use the product, how to deal with product failure, how to care, and notes 4. A method for presenting guidance information of a product according to claim 1, further comprising a step of displaying a menu for selecting a product. 5. When a method of using a product is selected as one of the pieces of guidance information, an operation unit of a product to be operated is different from an operation unit in information displayed by a displayed photograph or image. 5. The method for presenting guidance information of a product according to claim 4, wherein the method of use is described as a display, and the usage according to the operation is shown. 6. A menu for prompting the user to select and input at least one content of a failure when one of the guidance information is selected as a method of dealing with the failure as one of the guidance information, and displays and responds to the cause of the inputted failure. 5. The method for presenting guidance information of a product according to claim 4, wherein the status of the failure is shown by an image. 7. The product guidance information presentation method according to claim 6, wherein an error number displayed on the product at the time of product failure is input instead of selecting a method of handling the failure. 8. The system according to claim 6, wherein information indicating the location of the service center and the like is displayed together with a map when a result indicating that the failure cannot be corrected is input from the guidance information on the response method for the failure. How to present product guidance information. 9. The product according to claim 1, wherein when the product name and the model number are inputted, important precautions on use of the product are displayed. How to present guidance information. 10. A product guidance information presentation system which digitizes product guidance information of a product and obtains the product guidance information by retrieving the database. In a product guidance information presentation system, a product name,
The video, the means to input the model number, the usage of the product, the response to the product failure, the location of the service center, etc.
Means for displaying with multimedia information such as characters and voices, a guidance information presentation system for products. 11. A means for selecting a product genre for inputting the product name and model number, a means for selecting a type of product in the selected product genre, a product name and model number of the selected product 11. The product guidance information presentation system according to claim 10, further comprising: means for selecting a product. 12. The product guidance information presentation system according to claim 10, further comprising means for directly inputting the product name and model number based on specific model number information. 13. When the product name and the model number are entered, information on the product, such as photos and images, and guidance information, such as how to use the product, how to deal with product failure, how to care, and notes 13. The product guidance information presentation system according to claim 10, further comprising: means for displaying a menu for selecting a menu; and means for selecting one of the menus. 14. When a method of using a product is selected as one of the pieces of guidance information, an operation unit of a product to be operated is different from an operation unit in information displayed by a displayed photograph or image. 14. The product guidance information presentation system according to claim 13, comprising: means for displaying as a display; and display means for showing a movement according to an operation. 15. A means for displaying a menu for selecting and inputting at least one content of a failure when a response method to a failure is selected as one of the guidance information, and displaying a cause of the input failure. 14. The product guidance information presentation system according to claim 13, further comprising: display means for displaying a corresponding failure status by an image. 16. The product guidance information presentation system according to claim 15, further comprising means for inputting an error number displayed on the product when the product fails, instead of selecting a method of dealing with the failure. 17. A means for inputting a result indicating that the failure cannot be corrected based on the guidance information on a method for responding to the failure, and a means for displaying information such as the location of the service center together with a map when the result is input. 17. The product guidance information presentation system according to claim 15, wherein the system is provided. 18. The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising means for displaying important precautions on use of the product when the product name and the model number are inputted. Product guidance information presentation system.