System and method for guided printer servicing

A computerized method for troubleshooting a printer, the method comprising the steps of:

• obtaining a photograph of the printer with a mobile computer portable electronic device having a camera and a processor in communication with a database containing data indicative of known printer problems;
• deriving diagnostic data of the printer from the photograph;
• comparing the diagnostic data of the printer with the data indicative of known printer problems;
• and
• identifying a potential printer problem based on the comparison between the diagnostic data of the printer and the data indicative of known printer problems.

A system for servicing a printer having a plurality of moving parts using a portable electronic mobile computer device, the system comprising:

• a diagnostic database having known printer problem information matched with likely solutions having servicing instructions;
• a camera in operative communication with the diagnostic database;
• and
• a set of downloadable computer executable instructions to configure the portable electronic device to:
• display a sequence of printer troubleshooting instructions for the user to perform;
• derive diagnostic data from an image of the printer obtained with the camera;
• and
• transmit the diagnostic data to the diagnostic database;
• wherein the diagnostic database is configured to identify a most likely solution based on the diagnostic data transmitted from the portable electronic device.