Methods and apparatus for technical and customer support for industrial cleaning devices

A method for providing an interactive user interface for technical assistance for a device, the method comprising:

• causing a display of a user computing entity to provide an interactive user interface
• receiving input indicating user selection of a technical support option via the interactive user interface;
• responsive to receiving input indicating user selection of a help option:
• initiating a help communication session;
• and
• at least one of:
• (a) responsive to receiving input indicating user selection, via the interactive user interface, of a training option:
• causing training image data to be captured via an image capture device associated with the user computing entity, the image data associated with the device;
• and
• causing display of first animated instructions and the training image data via the interactive user interface, the first animated instructions displayed over the training image data such that at least a portion of the first animated instructions that relate to at least a portion of the device is displayed over the training image data associated with the portion of the device, the first animated instructions configured to guide a user through a first maintenance task associated with the device;
• or
• (b) responsive to receiving input indicating user selection, via the interactive user interface, of a troubleshooting option:
• causing troubleshooting image data associated with the device to be captured via the image capture device associated with the user computing entity;
• based at least in part on the troubleshooting image data, determining the status of one or more indicators associated with the device;
• based at least in part on the status of the one or more indicators, identifying a second maintenance task for the device;
• and
• causing display of second animated instructions and the troubleshooting image data via the interactive user interface, the second animated instructions displayed over the troubleshooting image data such that at least a portion of the second animated instructions that relate to at least a portion of the device is displayed over the troubleshooting image data associated with the portion of the device, the second animated instructions configured to guide the user through the a second maintenance task associated with the device.

A computer program product for providing an interactive user interface for technical assistance for an industrial cleaning device, the computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

• an executable portion configured to cause a user computing entity executing the executable portion to provide an interactive user interface;
• an executable portion configured to receive input indicating user selection, via the interactive user interface, of a technical support option;
• an executable portion configured to, in response to receiving input indicating user selection of a help option, initiate a help communication session;
• and
• at least one of:
• an executable portion configured to, responsive to receiving input indicating user selection, via the interactive user interface, of a training option, cause training image data to be captured, the training image data associated with the industrial cleaning device, and cause display of first animated instructions and the training image data via the interactive user interface, the first animated instructions displayed over the training image data such that at least a portion of the first animated instructions that relate to at least a portion of the industrial cleaning device is displayed over the training image data associated with the portion of the industrial cleaning device, the first animated instructions configured to guide a user through a first maintenance task associated with the industrial cleaning device;
• or
• an executable portion configured to, responsive to receiving input indicating user selection of a troubleshooting option, cause troubleshooting image data associated with the industrial cleaning device to be captured;
• based at least in part on the troubleshooting image data, determine the status of one or more indicators associated with the industrial cleaning device, based at least in part on the status of the one or more indicators, identify a second maintenance task for the industrial cleaning device, and causing display of second animated instructions and the troubleshooting image data via the interactive user interface, the second animated instructions displayed over the troubleshooting image data such that at least a portion of the second animated instructions that relate to at least a portion of the industrial cleaning device is displayed over the troubleshooting image data associated with the portion of the industrial cleaning device, the second animated instructions configured to guide the user through the second maintenance task associated with the industrial cleaning device.

A system for providing a user interface for technical assistance for an industrial cleaning device, the system comprising:

• a user computing entity comprising:
• at least one processor configured to:
• cause diagnostic image data associated with the industrial cleaning device to be captured;
• based at least in part on the diagnostic image data, determine a status of the industrial cleaning device;
• cause the capture of task image data associated with the performance of at least one step of a maintenance task associated with an industrial cleaning device;
• and
• provide at least a portion of the task image data and the status of the industrial cleaning device to a remote help system;
• and
• the help system comprising one or more processors configured to:
• receive the at least a portion of the task image data and the status;
• and
• cause display of the at least a portion of the task image data via the interactive user interface,
• wherein the help system is remotely located with respect to the user computing entity.

A system for providing an interactive user interface for technical assistance for an industrial cleaning device, the system comprising:

• a help system comprising one or more processors configured to:
• receive a status associated with the industrial cleaning device;
• cause help image data to be captured;
• provide at least a portion of the help image data to a remote user computing entity;
• and
• cause display of animated instructions for performing at least one step of a maintenance task associated with the industrial cleaning device at the remote user computing entity, the animated instructions selected based at least in part on the status;
• and
• the remote user computing entity comprising:
• a display configured to provide the interactive user interface
• at least one processor configured to:
• cause device image data associated with the industrial cleaning device to be captured;
• based at least in part on the device image data, determine the status of the industrial cleaning device;
• provide the status to the help system;
• and
• cause simultaneous display of at least a portion of the help image data, the animated instructions, and at least a portion of the device image data via the interactive user interface, the animated instructions and the at least a portion of the help image data displayed over the device image data such that at least a portion of the animated instructions that relate to at least a portion of the industrial cleaning device is displayed over the device image data associated with the portion of the industrial cleaning device, the animated instructions configured to guide a user through the maintenance task associated with the industrial cleaning device;
• wherein the help system is remotely located with respect to the remote user computing entity.