Telephone customer support utility

Claim 3

The method of claim 1, wherein the step of encoding comprises encoding the operational status into modulated tone carrier (MTC) format.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1, wherein the step of encoding comprises encoding the operational status into dual tone multifrequency (DTMF) format.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 further comprising: providing the remote support computer with a display; and displaying the operational status of the customer's computer on the display.

Claim 6

A customer support utility for providing diagnostic support of a customer computer using a standard telephone handset to communicate over a telecommunications network with a remote support computer, the customer support utility comprising: an encoder electrically connected to the customer computer for encoding an operational status thereof in a manner capable of producing audible tones indicative of such operational status; a speaker electrically connected to said customer computer for producing the audible tones; a telephone handset proximate to the speaker for communicating the audible tones over the telecommunications network to the remote support computer; a receiver electrically connected to the remote support computer for receiving the audible tones communicated over the telecommunications network; and a decoder electrically connected to the receiver for decoding the received audible tones into data representing the operational status of the customer computer wherein the receiver comprises a microphone electrically connected to a sound card, wherein the microphone receives the audible tones transmitted by the telephone and the sound card generates at least one file comprising the data representative of the operational status of the customer computer.

Claim 7

A customer support utility for providing diagnostic support of a customer computer using a standard telephone handset to communicate over a telecommunications network with a remote support computer, the customer support utility comprising: an encoder electrically connected to the customer computer for encoding an operational status thereof in a manner capable of producing audible tones indicative of such operational status; a speaker electrically connected to said customer computer for producing the audible tones; a telephone handset proximate to the speaker for communicating the audible tones over the telecommunications network to the remote support computer; a receiver electrically connected to the remote support computer for receiving the audible tones communicated over the telecommunications network; and a decoder electrically connected to the receiver for decoding the received audible tones into data representing the operational status of the customer computer wherein the receiver comprises a microphone electrically connected to a sound card, wherein the microphone receives the audible tones transmitted by the telephone and the sound card generates at least one file comprising the data representative of the operational status of the customer computer.

Claim 8

The customer support utility of claim 5, wherein the encoder comprises software stored in a memory of the customer computer and executed by a processor of the customer computer.

Claim 9

The customer support utility of claim 5, wherein the decoder comprises software stored in a memory of the remote support computer and executed by a processor of the remote support computer.

Claim 10

The customer support utility of claim 5, wherein the receiver comprises a modem.

Claim 11

The customer support utility of claim 5, further comprising a display electrically connected to the remote support computer for displaying the data representative of the operational status of the customer computer.

Claim 12

A customer support utility for providing diagnostic support of an electrical device, which device includes circuitry for recording the operational status of the device, wherein the utility uses a standard telephone handset to communicate over a telecommunications network with a remote support computer, the customer support utility comprising: means electrically connected to the electrical device for encoding an operational status thereof in a manner capable of producing audible tones indicative of such operational status; means electrically connected to said electrical device for producing the audible tones; means proximate to the means for producing the audible tones speaker for communicating the audible tones over the telecommunications network to the remote support computer; means electrically connected to the remote support computer for receiving the audible tones communicated over the telecommunications network; and means electrically connected to the means for receiving for decoding the received audible tones into data representing the operational status of the electrical device to enable appropriate diagnostic functions to be determined with the remote support computer wherein the means for receiving comprises a microphone electrically connected to a sound card, wherein the microphone receives the audible tones transmitted by the telephone and the sound card generates at least one file comprising the data representative of the operational status of the electrical device.

Claim 13

A customer support utility for providing diagnostic support of an electrical device, which device includes circuitry for recording the operational status of the device, wherein the utility uses a standard telephone handset to communicate over a telecommunications network with a remote support computer, the customer support utility comprising: means electrically connected to the electrical device for encoding an operational status thereof in a manner capable of producing audible tones indicative of such operational status; means electrically connected to said electrical device for producing the audible tones; means proximate to the means for producing the audible tones speaker for communicating the audible tones over the telecommunications network to the remote support computer; means electrically connected to the remote support computer for receiving the audible tones communicated over the telecommunications network; and means electrically connected to the means for receiving for decoding the received audible tones into data representing the operational status of the electrical device to enable appropriate diagnostic functions to be determined with the remote support computer wherein the means for receiving comprises a microphone electrically connected to a sound card, wherein the microphone receives the audible tones transmitted by the telephone and the sound card generates at least one file comprising the data representative of the operational status of the electrical device.

Claim 14

The customer support utility of claim 10, wherein the means for encoding comprises software stored in a memory of the electrical device and executed by a processor of the electrical device.

Claim 15

The customer support utility of claim 10, wherein the means for decoding comprises software stored in a memory of the remote support computer and executed by a processor of the remote support computer.

Claim 16

The customer support utility of claim 10, wherein the means for receiving comprises a modem.

Claim 17

The customer support utility of claim 10, further comprising means electrically connected to the remote support computer for displaying the data representative of the operational status of the electrical device.

Claim 18

The customer support utility of claim 10 wherein the audible tones are generated in a modulated tone carrier (MTC) format.

Claim 19

The customer support utility of claim 10 wherein the audible tones are generated in a dual tone multifrequency (DTMF) format.