HK1212481B - System, method, apparatus, and computer program product for providing mobile device support services - Google Patents

Description

Systems, methods, devices, and computer program products for providing mobile device support services

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/620,795, filed on April 5, 2012, entitled System, Method, Apparatus, and Computer Program Product for Providing Mobile Device Support Services, and U.S. Non-Provisional Application No. 13/841,306, filed on March 15, 2013, entitled System, Method, Apparatus, and Computer Program Product for Providing Mobile Device Support Services. These applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Technical Field

Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to computer technology and, more particularly, to systems, methods, devices, and computer program products for providing mobile device support services.

Background Art

As computing technology continues to rapidly advance, the use of mobile computing devices has become ubiquitous among consumers of virtually all socioeconomic categories. Today's mobile computing devices (including smartphones, tablet computing devices, etc.) possess capabilities and performance previously available only on the most powerful personal computers. In particular, many mobile computing platforms, such as Apple iOS®, Android®, Windows® Phone, Blackberry®, etc., now enable users to install a variety of applications on their mobile devices. While in some cases, these applications can be organized and managed through application repositories, the quality and integrity review of applications available from application repositories may not fully guarantee the security and interoperability of mobile applications. Furthermore, in many cases, users may download and install applications on their mobile devices from sources other than the organized application repositories. As such, the quality and relative security of using certain mobile applications is questionable.

Furthermore, as mobile computing devices approach the same processing power and performance as personal computers, the phenomenon of taking a factory-new device that performs as advertised and then turning it into a poorly performing device is becoming increasingly common. In this regard, a user may download too many poorly performing or malicious applications and render their previously working device seemingly faulty. As another example, a user may install a combination of incompatible applications, potentially severely impacting device performance. Consequently, there is an emerging trend for mobile device owners to report hardware faults on their devices when none actually exist.

Manufacturers, carriers, mobile network operators, retailers, wholesalers, and other industry providers often bear the financial and customer satisfaction burden caused by the returns of mobile devices with "no fault found," or NFF. In most cases, while the customer is still covered by warranty, extended warranty, insurance, etc., the device is replaced with a new or refurbished device, even though any hardware faults and problems experienced by the consumer that were solely caused by one or more applications installed on the device no longer exist. In North America and Europe alone, this problem is estimated to cost almost a billion dollars. The excessive cost of NFF returns results in lower profit margins for industry providers and increased costs to consumers for mobile devices and mobile device services because industry providers pass the cost of NFF returns on to consumers.

Summary of the Invention

Provided herein are systems, methods, devices, and computer program products for providing mobile device support services. In this regard, certain exemplary embodiments reduce the occurrence of NFF returns by diagnosing non-hardware problems that affect mobile device performance and providing solutions thereto. Certain exemplary embodiments additionally facilitate the diagnosis of hardware problems and provide suggested solutions thereto. The systems of certain such exemplary embodiments include a mobile device support device configured to provide remote monitoring and/or diagnosis for mobile devices. Similarly, the mobile device support device provided by certain exemplary embodiments provides proactive device monitoring to provide mobile device users with advance notification and solutions for potential problems identified on their mobile devices. Additionally or alternatively, the mobile device support device of certain exemplary embodiments provides a portal that users can access to facilitate the diagnosis of problems encountered by their mobile devices.

Certain exemplary embodiments provide a mobile application that can be implemented on a mobile device. The mobile application of certain exemplary embodiments provides a standalone application that is configured to diagnose and provide solutions to issues potentially affecting the performance of a mobile device. Additionally or alternatively, the mobile application of certain exemplary embodiments is configured to operate in conjunction with a mobile device support device by monitoring the performance of the mobile device and transmitting the monitored data to the mobile device support device to facilitate remote analysis and diagnosis of any issues potentially affecting the performance of the mobile device.

Certain exemplary embodiments further provide for the identification and escalation of problems that cannot be easily diagnosed and/or cannot be easily resolved and/or may require physical device repair without involving a customer service representative. In this regard, such exemplary embodiments may facilitate the escalation of support issues to a customer service center so that a human expert who may be better able to resolve the issue can assist the mobile device user. Thus, certain exemplary embodiments utilize a combination of remote diagnostic tools, a knowledge base, and customer service experts that all work in concert. The system of such exemplary embodiments provides an intelligent engine that is capable of automatically identifying device performance issues and/or determining the cause of a consumer's complaint about the behavior and performance of their device, and automatically repairing the device when possible, avoiding the need for the consumer to return a device that is perceived to be faulty. When it is not possible to automatically repair a device using self-service tools, the system of certain exemplary embodiments will make a recommendation to the user to escalate the session to a human expert who is potentially better able to resolve the issue.

Certain exemplary embodiments also provide backup and restore functionality for mobile devices. In this regard, certain exemplary embodiments provide a mobile device support device configured to maintain a record of applications installed on a mobile device and facilitate restoration of the mobile device to a last known operating condition based on the record and/or configuration of a new or replacement mobile device acquired by a user using the record of applications installed on the user's mobile device. In addition to installing/reinstalling applications, the backup and restore functionality provided by certain such exemplary embodiments further provides for restoration of modifications made to applications by a user subsequent to the original application download and/or application configuration settings and/or device configuration settings made by the user.

Certain exemplary embodiments further provide a destruction process that can be triggered to lock and/or erase the memory of a lost or stolen mobile device. Thus, such exemplary embodiments facilitate protection against theft or misuse of personal data by unauthorized third parties who gain access to a lost or stolen device.

The above summary is provided merely for the purpose of outlining certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention and thereby providing a basic understanding of certain aspects of the present invention. Therefore, it will be appreciated that the above exemplary embodiments are merely examples and should not be construed as narrowing the scope or spirit of the present disclosure in any way. It will be appreciated that the scope of the present disclosure encompasses many potential embodiments, some of which will be further described below in addition to those summarized here.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Having thus generally described embodiments of the present invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and in which:

FIG1 illustrates a system for providing mobile device support services according to certain exemplary embodiments;

FIG2 illustrates a block diagram of a mobile device support device according to certain exemplary embodiments;

FIG3 illustrates a block diagram of a mobile device according to certain exemplary embodiments;

FIG4 illustrates an exemplary diagnostic alert interface that may be provided according to certain exemplary embodiments;

FIG5 illustrates an exemplary diagnostic and solution user interface that may be provided according to certain exemplary embodiments;

FIG6 illustrates an exemplary user interface for enabling a user to access device support services in accordance with certain exemplary embodiments;

7-10 illustrate exemplary user interfaces for a mobile device support portal provided in accordance with certain exemplary embodiments;

FIG11 illustrates a flow chart according to an exemplary method for providing mobile device support services, according to certain exemplary embodiments;

FIG. 12 illustrates a flow chart according to an exemplary method for performing device diagnostics, according to certain exemplary embodiments; and

13 illustrates a flow chart according to an exemplary method for providing backup and restore services, according to certain exemplary embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Certain embodiments of the present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all, embodiments of the invention are shown. Indeed, various embodiments of the invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable statutory requirements. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

As used herein, the terms "data," "content," "information," and similar terms are used interchangeably to refer to data capable of being captured, sent, received, displayed, and/or stored in accordance with various exemplary embodiments. Accordingly, the use of any such terms should not be construed as limiting the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Further, when a computing device is described herein as receiving data from another computing device, it will be appreciated that the data may be received directly from the other computing device or may be received indirectly via one or more intermediate computing devices, such as, for example, one or more servers, repeaters, routers, network access points, base stations, and the like. Similarly, when a computing device is described herein as sending data to another computing device, it will be appreciated that the data may be sent directly to the other computing device or may be sent indirectly via one or more intermediate computing devices, such as, for example, one or more servers, repeaters, routers, network access points, base stations, and the like.

System Overview

FIG1 illustrates a system 100 for providing mobile device support services according to certain exemplary embodiments. It will be appreciated that system 100 and the illustrations in the other figures are each provided as examples of one or more embodiments and should not be construed as narrowing the scope or spirit of the present disclosure in any way. In this regard, the scope of the present disclosure encompasses many potential embodiments in addition to those shown and described herein. Similarly, while FIG1 illustrates one example of a configuration of a system for providing mobile device support services, many other configurations may also be used to implement embodiments of the present invention.

The system 100 may include a mobile device support device 102, which may be configured to provide mobile device support services to one or more mobile devices 104 via a network 106 according to one or more exemplary embodiments disclosed herein. The mobile device support device 102 may include one or more servers, a server cluster, one or more network nodes, a cloud computing infrastructure, one or more desktop computers, one or more laptop computers, some combination thereof, or the like.

1 , the system 100 may include one or more mobile devices 104. While three such mobile devices 104 are illustrated in FIG1 , it will be appreciated that this illustration is by way of example and not limitation, as the system 100 may include additional or fewer mobile devices 104. The mobile devices 104 may be embodied as any mobile computing device, such as, by way of non-limiting example, a cellular telephone, a smartphone, a mobile communication device, a tablet computing device, a digital camera/camcorder, a mobile audio/video player, a mobile digital video recorder, any combination thereof, or the like.

In various exemplary embodiments, the mobile device 104 can be configured to connect to the network 106 via a variety of wireless and/or wired connections. For example, the mobile device 104 can be configured to access the network 106 via a cellular connection, a wireless local area network connection, an Ethernet connection, etc. Likewise, the network 106 can include a wired network, a wireless network (e.g., a cellular network, a wireless local area network, a wireless wide area network, some combination thereof, etc.), or a combination thereof, and in some exemplary embodiments includes at least a portion of the Internet.

In certain exemplary embodiments, the mobile device support device 102 and the mobile device 104 may be configured to communicate with each other over the network 106 in accordance with one or more exemplary embodiments to facilitate provision of mobile device support services by the mobile device support device 102 to the mobile device 104. The mobile device support device 102 may be maintained, for example, by a wireless carrier, a mobile device manufacturer, a mobile device warranty provider, a mobile device insurance provider, and/or other entity that may provide support services to mobile device users.

The system 100 of certain exemplary embodiments may include one or more user terminals 108. The user terminals 108 may include any computing device that can be used to communicate with the mobile device support device 102 via the network 106. In this regard, in certain exemplary embodiments, the user terminals 108 may be used to access websites and/or other support portals that may be remotely delivered to the user terminals 108 by the mobile device support device 102 of certain exemplary embodiments via the network 106 to enable users to access support services for the mobile devices 104. By way of non-limiting example, the user terminals 108 may include desktop computers, laptop computers, mobile devices, workstations, and the like.

In certain exemplary embodiments, the system 100 may further include a customer service center device 110. The customer service center device may include any computing device or multiple computing devices that may be used by wireless carriers, mobile device manufacturers, mobile device warranty providers, mobile device insurance providers, and/or other entities to facilitate the provision of real-time customer service to mobile device users. By way of example, the customer service center device 110 may be implemented at a call center or other support center that may be staffed by one or more customer service representatives who may communicate with mobile device users via telephone calls, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), web chat, text chat, email, video calls, and/or other communication technologies that may be used to facilitate communication between mobile device users and customer service representatives.

In certain embodiments that include a customer service center device 110, the mobile device support device 102 can be configured to communicate with the customer service center device 110, such as via the network 106. As another example, in certain exemplary embodiments, the mobile device support device 102 and the customer service center device 110 can be co-located on a common computing device or group of computing devices, such that the mobile device support device 102 and the customer service center device 110 can communicate directly with each other. In embodiments that include a customer service center device 110, the mobile device support device 102 can be configured to communicate with the customer service center device 110 to escalate a device support session to a human customer service representative, provide a record of previously collected device diagnostics for the mobile device 104 to the customer service center device 110 so that it can be accessed by the customer service representative during a live device support session, etc. The customer service center device 110 of certain exemplary embodiments can also be configured to communicate with the mobile device 104 and/or the user terminal 108 to facilitate communication between a customer service representative and a mobile device user during a live device support session.

FIG2 illustrates a block diagram of a mobile device support device 102 according to certain exemplary embodiments. However, it should be noted that the components, devices, or elements shown and described below in FIG2 may not be mandatory, and therefore may be omitted in certain embodiments. In addition, certain embodiments may include further or different components, devices, or elements than those shown and described below in FIG2.

Referring now to FIG. 2 , mobile device support device 102 may include or otherwise communicate with processing circuitry 210, which may be configured to perform actions in accordance with one or more exemplary embodiments disclosed herein. In this regard, processing circuitry 210 may be configured to execute and/or control the performance of one or more functions of mobile device support device 102 in accordance with various exemplary embodiments, and thus may provide a means for performing functions of mobile device support device 102 in accordance with various exemplary embodiments. According to one or more exemplary embodiments, processing circuitry 210 may be configured to perform data processing, application execution, and/or other processing and management services. In certain embodiments, mobile device support device 102 or one or more portions or components thereof (such as processing circuitry 210) may be embodied as or include a chip or chipset. In other words, mobile device support device 102 or processing circuitry 210 may include one or more physical packages (e.g., chips) comprising materials, components, and/or wires on a structural assembly (e.g., a substrate). This structural assembly may provide physical strength, size savings, and/or electrical interaction limitations for the component circuitry included thereon. Therefore, in certain cases, mobile device support device 102 or processing circuitry 210 may be configured to implement embodiments of the present invention on a single chip, or as a single "system on a chip." Likewise, in some cases, a chip or chipset may constitute a means for performing one or more operations for providing the functionality described herein.

In certain exemplary embodiments, processing circuitry 120 may include a processor 212, and in certain embodiments, such as shown in FIG2 , may further include a memory 214. Processing circuitry 210 may communicate with or otherwise control a communication interface 218 and/or a support service controller 220. Likewise, processing circuitry 210 may be embodied as a circuit chip (e.g., an integrated circuit chip) configured (e.g., having hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software) to perform the operations described herein.

Processor 212 can be embodied in many different ways. For example, processor 212 can be embodied as one or more of various processing devices, such as a microprocessor or other processing element, a coprocessor, a controller, or various other computing or processing devices including integrated circuits, such as ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits), FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays), and the like. Although illustrated as a single processor, it will be appreciated that processor 212 may include multiple processors. These multiple processors can be in operative communication with each other and can be collectively configured to perform one or more functions of mobile device support device 102 as described herein. These multiple processors can be embodied on a single computing device or distributed across multiple computing devices that are collectively configured to function as mobile device support device 102. In certain exemplary embodiments, processor 212 can be configured to execute instructions stored in memory 214 or otherwise accessible to processor 212. Similarly, whether configured by hardware or a combination of hardware and software, processor 212 may represent an entity (e.g., physically embodied in circuitry—in the form of processing circuitry 210) capable of performing operations in accordance with embodiments of the present invention while configured accordingly. Thus, for example, when the processor 212 is embodied as an ASIC, FPGA, etc., the processor 212 may be specifically hardware-configured to perform the operations described herein. Alternatively, as another example, when the processor 212 is embodied as an executor of software instructions, the instructions may specifically configure the processor 212 to perform one or more operations described herein.

In certain exemplary embodiments, memory 214 may include one or more non-transitory memory devices, such as volatile and/or non-volatile memory that may be fixed or removable. In this regard, memory 214 may include non-transitory computer-readable storage media. It will be appreciated that while memory 214 is illustrated as a single memory, memory 214 may include multiple memories. These multiple memories may be embodied on a single computing device or distributed across multiple computing devices that are collectively configured to function as mobile device support device 102. Memory 214 may be configured to store information, data, applications, instructions, and the like to enable mobile device support device 102 to perform various functions according to one or more exemplary embodiments. For example, memory 214 may be configured to cache input data for processing by processor 212. Additionally or alternatively, memory 214 may be configured to store instructions for execution by processor 212. As another alternative, memory 214 may include one or more databases that may store various files, content, or data sets. Among the contents of memory 214, applications may be stored for execution by processor 212 to perform functions associated with each corresponding application. In some cases, the memory 214 may be in communication with one or more of the processor 212 , the communication interface 218 , or the support services controller 220 via one or more buses to transfer information between components of the mobile device support device 102 .

The communication interface 218 may include one or more interface mechanisms for enabling communication with other devices and/or networks. In some cases, the communication interface 218 may be any device, such as a device or circuit embodied in hardware or a combination of hardware and software, configured to receive and/or transmit data from/to a network and/or any other device or module in communication with the processing circuitry 210. For example, the communication interface 218 may be configured to enable the mobile device support device 102 to communicate with one or more mobile devices 104, one or more user terminals 108, customer service center equipment 110, and/or other computing devices via the network 106. Thus, the communication interface 218 may include, for example, an antenna (or multiple antennas) and supporting hardware and/or software to enable communication with a wireless communication network (e.g., a wireless local area network, a cellular network, etc.) via cable, digital subscriber line (DSL), universal serial bus (USB), Ethernet, or other methods, and/or a communication modem or other hardware/software for supporting communication.

In certain exemplary embodiments, the processor 212 (or processing circuit 210) may be embodied as, include, or control a support service controller 220. Likewise, the support service controller 220 may be embodied as various means, such as circuitry, hardware, a computer program product including computer-readable program instructions stored on a computer-readable medium (e.g., memory 214) and executed by a processing device (e.g., processor 212), or some combination thereof. The support service controller 220 may be capable of communicating with one or more of the memory 214 or the communication interface 218 to access, receive, and/or transmit data that may be required to perform one or more of the functions of the support service controller 220 as described herein.

FIG3 illustrates a block diagram of a mobile device 104 according to certain exemplary embodiments. However, it should be noted that the components, devices, or elements shown and described below in FIG3 may not be mandatory, and therefore, some may be omitted in certain embodiments. In addition, certain embodiments may include additional or different components, devices, or elements than those shown and described below in FIG3.

Referring now to FIG. 3 , mobile device 104 may include or otherwise communicate with processing circuitry 310 , which may be configured to perform actions in accordance with one or more exemplary embodiments disclosed herein. In this regard, processing circuitry 310 may be configured to execute and/or control the performance of one or more functions of mobile device 104 in accordance with various exemplary embodiments, and thus may provide a means for performing functions of mobile device 104 in accordance with various exemplary embodiments. According to one or more exemplary embodiments, processing circuitry 310 may be configured to perform data processing, application execution, and/or other processing and management services. In certain embodiments, mobile device 104 or one or more portions or components thereof (such as processing circuitry 310) may be embodied as or include a chip or chipset. In other words, mobile device 104 or processing circuitry 310 may include one or more physical packages (e.g., chips) comprising materials, components, and/or wires on a structural assembly (e.g., a substrate). This structural assembly may provide physical strength, size savings, and/or electrical interaction limitations for the component circuitry included thereon. Thus, in certain cases, mobile device 104 or processing circuitry 310 may be configured to implement embodiments of the present invention on a single chip, or as a single "system on a chip." Likewise, in some cases, a chip or chipset may constitute a means for performing one or more operations for providing the functionality described herein.

In some exemplary embodiments, processing circuitry 310 may include a processor 312, and in some embodiments, such as shown in FIG3 , may further include a memory 314. Processing circuitry 310 may communicate with or otherwise control a user interface 316, a communication interface 318, and/or a mobile application controller 320. Likewise, processing circuitry 310 may be embodied as a circuit chip (e.g., an integrated circuit chip) configured (e.g., using hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software) to perform the operations described herein.

The processor 312 can be embodied in many different ways. For example, the processor 312 can be embodied as one or more of various processing devices, such as a microprocessor or other processing element, a coprocessor, a controller, or various other computing or processing devices including integrated circuits, such as ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits), FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays), and the like. Although illustrated as a single processor, it will be appreciated that the processor 312 may include multiple processors. These multiple processors can be in operative communication with each other and can be collectively configured to perform one or more functions of the mobile device 104 as described herein. In certain exemplary embodiments, the processor 312 can be configured to execute instructions stored in the memory 314 or otherwise accessible to the processor 312. Similarly, whether configured by hardware or a combination of hardware and software, the processor 312 can represent an entity (e.g., physically embodied as circuitry—in the form of processing circuitry 310) capable of performing operations in accordance with embodiments of the present invention while being configured accordingly. Thus, for example, when the processor 312 is embodied as an ASIC, FPGA, or the like, the processor 312 can be specifically hardware-configured to perform the operations described herein. Alternatively, as another example, when the processor 312 is embodied as an executor of software instructions, the instructions may specifically configure the processor 312 to perform one or more operations described herein.

In certain exemplary embodiments, the memory 314 may include one or more non-transitory memory devices, such as, for example, volatile and/or non-volatile memory that may be fixed or removable. In this regard, the memory 314 may include a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. It will be appreciated that although the memory 314 is illustrated as a single memory, the memory 314 may include multiple memories. The memory 314 may be configured to store information, data, applications, instructions, etc. to enable the mobile device 104 to perform various functions according to one or more exemplary embodiments. For example, the memory 314 may be configured to cache input data for processing by the processor 312. Additionally or alternatively, the memory 314 may be configured to store instructions for execution by the processor 312. As another alternative, the memory 314 may include one or more databases that may store a variety of files, content, or data sets. Among the contents of the memory 314, applications may be stored for execution by the processor 312 to perform functions associated with each respective application. In some cases, memory 314 may be in communication with one or more of processor 312 , user interface 316 , communication interface 318 , or mobile application controller 320 via one or more buses to transfer information between components of mobile device 104 .

The user interface 316 can communicate with the processing circuit 310 to receive an indication of a user input at the user interface 316 and/or provide an audible, visual, mechanical, or other output to the user. Likewise, the user interface 316 can include, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, a joystick, a display, a touch screen display, a microphone, a speaker, and/or other input/output mechanisms. Likewise, the user interface 316 can, in certain exemplary embodiments, provide a means for a user to access and interact with mobile device support services provided by the mobile device support device 102 according to various exemplary embodiments.

The communication interface 318 may include one or more interface mechanisms for enabling communication with other devices and/or networks. In some cases, the communication interface 318 may be any device, such as a device or circuit embodied in hardware or a combination of hardware and software, that is configured to receive and/or transmit data from/to a network and/or any other device or module in communication with the processing circuitry 310. For example, the communication interface 318 may be configured to enable the mobile device 104 to communicate with the mobile device support device 102 and/or other computing devices via the network 106. Thus, the communication interface 318 may include, for example, an antenna (or multiple antennas) and supporting hardware and/or software to enable communication with a wireless communication network (e.g., a wireless local area network, a cellular network, etc.) and/or a communication modem or other hardware/software for supporting communication via cable, digital subscriber line (DSL), universal serial bus (USB), Ethernet, or other methods.

In certain exemplary embodiments, processor 312 (or processing circuitry 310) may be embodied as, include, or otherwise control mobile application controller 320. Similarly, mobile application controller 320 may be embodied as various means, such as circuitry, hardware, a computer program product including computer-readable program instructions stored on a computer-readable medium (e.g., memory 314) and executed by a processing device (e.g., processor 312), or some combination thereof. Mobile application controller 320 may be capable of communicating with one or more of memory 314, user interface 316, or communication interface 318 to access, receive, and/or transmit data that may be required to perform one or more of the functions of mobile application controller 320 as described herein. According to certain exemplary embodiments, mobile application controller 320 may provide means for implementing and controlling the functions of a mobile application that may be configured to provide mobile device support services, run diagnostics on mobile device 104, and/or interact with mobile device support device 102 and/or customer service center device 110 according to various exemplary embodiments.

Having now generally described various embodiments of the system 100, mobile device support services that may be provided by the system 100 will now be described in accordance with various exemplary embodiments.

Diagnostic and repair services

Certain exemplary embodiments provide mobile device diagnostic and repair services that facilitate a reduction in the occurrence of NFF returns. According to various exemplary embodiments, these services may be provided, for example, by the mobile device support device 102 under the control of the support service controller 220, by a mobile application operating under the control of the mobile application controller 320, and/or some combination thereof.

In some exemplary embodiments, a user may register or opt-in to receive mobile device support services, such as may be provided in accordance with some exemplary embodiments. Registration in some exemplary embodiments may, for example, include proactive user action to register via a web portal, such as may be provided by the mobile device support device 102 and accessible via the mobile device 104 and/or via the user terminal 108, registration via a mobile application implementable on the mobile device 104, etc. As another example, in some exemplary embodiments, registration may occur automatically in response to user enrollment in a device protection plan for the mobile device 104, purchase of a device warranty for the mobile device 104, purchase of the mobile device 104, etc.

In certain embodiments, registration information may be provided by a user and/or otherwise determined during the registration process, such as by the support services controller 220 and/or the mobile application controller 320. This registration information may include information that enables and/or otherwise configures the provision of device support services (such as diagnostic and repair services) according to various exemplary embodiments. For example, the registration information may include information about the mobile device 104, such as the manufacturer of the mobile device 104, the model of the mobile device 104, the operating system running on the mobile device 104, and the like. Additionally or alternatively, the registration information may include user consent for performing one or more services, such as monitoring the status of the mobile device 104 and collecting status data captured by the monitoring. The registration information may additionally or alternatively include configuration settings for managing the provision of device support services. The support services controller 220 and/or the mobile application controller 320 may be configured to determine the registration information and to provide one or more device support services disclosed herein based on the registration information. The user may be enabled to update the registration information at a later time, such as to manage configuration settings and/or permissions for the provision of device support services after registration.

In certain exemplary embodiments, the mobile application controller 320 may be configured to monitor the status of the mobile device 104 to collect device status data related to the status of the mobile device 104. This monitoring may be performed, for example, periodically, on an ongoing basis, aperiodically, according to a schedule, on demand, and the like. In this regard, the mobile application controller 320 may be configured to proactively and/or automatically monitor the status of the mobile device 104 and/or may be configured to monitor the status of the mobile device 104 on demand in response to a user request. In certain exemplary embodiments, the monitoring performed by the mobile application controller 320 may be performed under the control and/or with the assistance of the mobile device support device 102. The monitoring may be performed, for example, with the assistance of one or more sensors implemented on the mobile device 104 and/or otherwise queried by the mobile device 104. By way of non-limiting example, these sensors may include a touch screen sensor, a key actuation sensor (e.g., for a keypad/keyboard), a global positioning system (GPS) sensor, an accelerometer, a battery level sensor, a battery capacitance sensor, a battery temperature sensor, a network signal strength sensor, and the like.

In certain exemplary embodiments, monitoring of the status of the mobile device 104 may be performed based on configuration settings that may be user-configured and/or automatically defined (such as during user device registration for a supported service). For example, the configuration settings may define one or more types of device status data to be captured during the monitoring process. In this regard, in certain exemplary embodiments, monitoring may be tailored to capture only the specified device status data. As another example, the configuration settings may direct the timing of status monitoring, the frequency of status monitoring, and the like. In certain exemplary embodiments, monitoring may be configured automatically, such as through heuristic analysis and/or based on user-defined configuration settings, to occur during periods of low utilization of the mobile device 104, such as at night. In this regard, by avoiding performing device monitoring concurrently with user utilization of the mobile device and/or during periods when device resources may be available for use by other applications, potential strain on device resources or conflicts with their use during periods when the mobile device 104 is being utilized may be reduced or even eliminated. In certain exemplary embodiments, monitoring may be configured to be performed during periods in which the mobile device 104 is connected to an external power source, such as when a battery of the mobile device 104 may be charging and/or when a threshold amount of power remains in the battery that may power the mobile device 104 in certain exemplary embodiments.

In various exemplary embodiments, a variety of device state data may be captured by monitoring the state of the mobile device 104. As one example, an application profile may be determined, which may include applications installed on the mobile device 104, configuration settings for the installed applications, processor and/or memory usage of the installed applications, crash logs, execution and/or usage data, and the like. In this regard, the application profile may provide a snapshot of the applications installed on the mobile device 104 and/or their state at a given point in time. In certain exemplary embodiments, a series of application profiles may be determined over time, and those application profiles may be maintained, such as in memory 214 and/or in storage 314. This series of application profiles may be used to facilitate device diagnostics, thereby identifying newly installed applications, modified application settings, and the like that may have affected device performance. As another example, the application profile may be used to facilitate restoration of the mobile device to a last known working or other previous state, as further described below in accordance with certain exemplary embodiments.

In certain exemplary embodiments, device state data that may be captured through monitoring of device state may include data regarding hardware implemented on mobile device 104. For example, information regarding hardware usage, such as memory usage, processor usage, and the like, may be captured, by way of non-limiting example. Hardware usage data may include one or more snapshots illustrating hardware usage at one or more points in time and/or usage trends illustrating usage over a period of time. As another example, captured state information may include information regarding power consumption, battery usage, batteries, battery discharge rates, and the like, which may define, for example, the instantaneous rate of power consumption, the instantaneous rate of battery discharge, the rate of power consumption over time, the rate of battery discharge over time, and the like. As another example, information regarding hardware health may be captured, such as information regarding the health of a battery, storage device, device sensors, accelerometers, global positioning service sensors, and/or other hardware that may be implemented on mobile device 104. Information regarding hardware health may include, for example, hardware test results that provide information indicative of hardware health.

According to certain exemplary embodiments, the captured device state data may additionally or alternatively include information regarding device settings, system log contents, application log contents, and/or other data elements. As another example, the captured device state data may include information regarding the use of the mobile device 104. For example, according to certain exemplary embodiments, device state monitoring may capture information regarding network utilization (e.g., utilization of the network 106), call history information, text message history information, data regarding the amount of data transferred over time, and the like.

In some exemplary embodiments, the captured device state data may be at least temporarily maintained locally on the mobile device 104, such as in memory 314. Additionally or alternatively, in some exemplary embodiments, at least a portion of the captured device state data for the mobile device 104 may be transmitted to the mobile device support device 102, where it may be maintained in memory 214. In some exemplary embodiments, the device state data transmitted to the mobile device support device 102 may be pre-processed to remove personal data and/or other sensitive data, such as data that may specifically identify a user. In embodiments where the device state data is maintained at the mobile device support device 102, the device state data may be maintained in a record (such as a database) in association with each mobile device 104 from which the data was captured, the device user, and/or other identifiers that may be used to facilitate association of the device state data with the device and/or device user.

In embodiments where the captured device state is transmitted to the mobile device support device 102, the device state data may be transmitted according to configuration settings, which may define time periods during which the data is sent to the mobile device support device 102. For example, the device state data may be provided to the mobile device support device 102 during periods of low utilization of the mobile device 104, such as at night. As another example, the device state data may be provided to the mobile device support device 102 during periods when the mobile device 104 is connected to an external power source, such as when the battery of the mobile device 104 may be charging and/or when there is at least a threshold amount of power remaining in the battery that can power the mobile device 104 in certain exemplary embodiments. As another example, the device state data may be provided to the mobile device support device 102 during periods of low utilization of the network 106, thereby managing the data load on the network 106. As another example, in embodiments where the operator of the network 106 may be responsible for data transmission, the device state data may be provided to the mobile device support device 102 during periods of lower data rates.

In certain exemplary embodiments, such as embodiments in which a user registers to receive device support services, periodic messages indicate the type of device status data captured through monitoring to ensure that the user is aware of and agrees to the capture settings. The periodic messages may include a re-select option so that the user can confirm his or her consent and/or may provide an option to adjust configuration settings to adjust the status monitoring and device status data capture settings to his or her preferences.

In certain exemplary embodiments, the captured device status data may be used to perform device diagnostics for the mobile device 104 to identify potential faults that may affect the mobile device 104. Device diagnostics may be used, for example, to determine predicted faults that have a non-zero probability of affecting the device in the future or current faults that may have already affected the device. In certain exemplary embodiments, diagnostics may be performed entirely on the mobile device 104, such as by an application executing under the control of the mobile application controller 320. Additionally or alternatively, in certain exemplary embodiments, device diagnostics may be performed by the support services controller 220 through the execution of remote diagnostics on the mobile device 104 and/or based at least in part on device status data for the mobile device 104 that may be provided by the mobile device 104 to the mobile device support device 102. As another example, in certain exemplary embodiments, device diagnostics may be performed both onboard the mobile device 104 and on the mobile device support device 102.

When performing device diagnostics, the collected device status data may be analyzed using a variety of analytical techniques, heuristic techniques, and the like. In certain exemplary embodiments, device diagnostics may be performed based on a knowledge base, such as may be stored on and/or otherwise accessible to the mobile device support device 102 and/or the mobile device 104. In certain exemplary embodiments, device diagnostics may be performed based on device status data, fault history data, and/or other data collected by the mobile device support device 102 from multiple mobile devices. In this regard, certain exemplary embodiments identify trending issues, such as poorly performing and malicious applications, frequently crashing applications, frequently encountered application-device incompatibilities, conflicts between applications, and the like. Therefore, in certain exemplary embodiments, the support service controller 220 may be configured to aggregate device status data collected from multiple mobile devices and analyze the collected data to identify trends for use when performing device diagnostics on a particular mobile device 104. In this regard, certain exemplary embodiments may provide intelligent learning capabilities to enable improved diagnostics based on the device status data collected from the mobile devices in the system 100 and the diagnostics performed thereon. Thus, device diagnostics may be performed based on individual device data sets and/or aggregated data to identify potential failures, such as trending issues, poorly performing applications, malicious applications (eg, "malware"), conflicting applications, and the like.

According to another exemplary embodiment, one or more fault profiles may be determined based on the collected device status data. Each of the fault profiles may, for example, include information about the device configuration, such as installed applications, device settings, usage characteristics, etc., which is determined to cause or increase the probability of causing one or more device faults, such as based on the aggregated data discussed above. Therefore, such fault profiles may additionally include statistical information, such as the probability that a particular device configuration and/or a particular aspect of the device configuration will cause one or more specific faults. These fault profiles may be stored, for example, in a record, such as a database. Therefore, according to an exemplary embodiment employing such fault profiles, a potential fault may be determined for a particular mobile device based at least in part on a comparison between device status data received from the mobile device and one or more fault profiles. According to another exemplary embodiment, a potential fault may be determined for a particular mobile device based at least in part on a comparison between one or more application profiles for the mobile device and one or more fault profiles.

In certain exemplary embodiments, device diagnostics may be performed based, at least in part, on one or more characteristics associated with the mobile device 104. For example, the diagnostics may take into account the device type (e.g., device manufacturer, device model, etc.), the device operating system (e.g., operating system type, operating system version, etc.), and/or other device characteristics in the performance of the device diagnostics. In this regard, in certain exemplary embodiments, device diagnostics tailored to the specific characteristics of the mobile device 104 may be performed. In embodiments where device diagnostics are performed using device states aggregated from multiple devices and/or a knowledge base, the device diagnostics may be performed based on data associated with devices having the same or at least substantially similar characteristics.

According to various exemplary embodiments, a variety of potential faults can be identified through the performance of device diagnostics. For example, applications loaded on a mobile device that contribute to the observation of poor device performance and behavior can be identified. In this regard, certain exemplary embodiments can identify applications that consume excessive resources, such as network bandwidth, messaging, processing resources, memory resources, file system resources, etc. over time. Additionally or alternatively, certain exemplary embodiments can identify applications with a proven history of instability, such as can be determined by scanning system logs for errors/exceptions and/or can be determined to frequently crash and/or require frequent restarts. As another example, poorly performing applications can be identified based at least in part on the application of a rules engine to identify applications that exhibit unexpected behavior. As another example, resource access history, resource access permissions and/or resource access requests can be analyzed to identify applications that have access to unsafe resources and/or resources that the application should not have access to. As another example, conflicting applications can be identified via any of the operations discussed directly above and additionally or alternatively based on a comparison of changes between two consecutive application profiles as discussed below.

According to certain exemplary embodiments, indicia of various application characteristics may be determined for applications loaded on a mobile device. For example, indicia of security characteristics of an application may be determined, such as whether the application attempts to access root-level commands or can write to external storage. As another example, indicia of confidentiality characteristics of an application may also or alternatively be determined, such as whether the application can access a user's contacts or can upload log information. As another example, indicia of performance characteristics of an application may be determined, such as the application's memory requirements or whether the application runs one or more processes or services upon startup. These indicia may include, for example, scores, ratings, etc., and according to exemplary embodiments, may be provided to the mobile device.

In certain exemplary embodiments, identification of malware or other poorly behaving applications may be accomplished, for example, based on a comparison of changes between two consecutive application profiles captured for a mobile device (e.g., an application profile captured before a problem was observed and an application profile captured after the problem was observed). In certain exemplary embodiments, system logs and/or application logs may be analyzed to identify applications that frequently crash, have memory leaks, and/or cause other problems. In embodiments where aggregated data from multiple mobile devices is utilized to perform device diagnostics, diagnostics performed based on data sets for individual devices may be corroborated and/or compared against other devices running one or more of the same applications to determine whether the application is causing performance issues or other malfunctions on the device. In certain exemplary embodiments, hardware failures may be identified, such as may require physical repair or replacement of the mobile device or a component thereof.

In certain exemplary embodiments, in instances where a potential fault is identified from the performance of device diagnostics on the mobile device 104, an indication of the identified fault may be provided to the user of the mobile device 104. As an example, an alert notification, such as a graphical notification and/or an audible notification, indicating the identified fault may be provided via the user interface 316, such as under the direction of the support services controller 220 and/or the mobile application controller 320. Examples of alert notifications that may be provided via the mobile device application are illustrated in Figures 4, 5, and 10, described further below. Additionally or alternatively, an alert indicating the identified fault may be provided to the user via a web portal, which may be provided by the mobile device support device 102 and accessible to the user via the mobile device 104 and/or the user terminal 108. Examples of alerts that may be provided via the web portal are illustrated in Figures 9 and 10, described further below.

In certain exemplary embodiments, the support services controller 220 and/or the mobile application controller 320 may be configured to determine a solution, such as a potential solution, for the identified fault. As will be appreciated, the determined solution may vary based on the type of fault identified. For example, one solution may include removing a malicious or incompatible application that may be affecting device performance. As another example, a solution may include installing an application or application update that may patch or otherwise resolve the problem. As another example, in cases where the fault may not be easily resolved through remote repair or user action, the suggested solution may include instructing the user to return the device to the place of purchase or service center for repair or replacement.

According to an exemplary embodiment, a solution may be determined based at least in part on solution implementation result information. This solution implementation result may include, for example, information regarding whether implementing a particular solution resulted in resolving one or more faults. Similar to device status data, solution implementation results received from multiple mobile devices may be aggregated, and this aggregated data may be used in device diagnosis and/or solution determination. Thus, one or more solutions may be determined based at least in part on the collected device status data. According to another exemplary embodiment, one or more fault profiles may be determined based on the solution implementation result information received from one or more mobile devices. Each of these fault profiles may include, for example, information regarding device configuration, such as installed applications, device settings, usage characteristics, etc., which is determined, for example, based on the aggregated data discussed above, to cause or increase the probability of causing one or more device faults. Thus, such fault profiles may additionally include statistical information, such as the probability that a particular device configuration and/or particular aspects of the device configuration will cause one or more specific faults. These fault profiles may be stored, for example, in a record, such as a database. Thus, according to exemplary embodiments employing such fault profiles, potential faults may be determined for a particular device based at least in part on a comparison between device status data received from a mobile device and one or more fault distributions. According to another exemplary embodiment, a potential fault may be determined for a particular device based at least in part on a comparison between one or more application profiles and one or more fault profiles for the mobile device.

In some cases, a solution may be automatically executed to remedy the fault. For example, in certain exemplary embodiments, the identified malware may be automatically removed from the mobile device 104. Additionally or alternatively, the user may be prompted with a list of one or more identified solutions and may be asked to confirm that the user wishes to execute the identified solution. For example, a mobile application operating under the control of the mobile application controller 320 may prompt the user with the identified solution via the user interface 316 and provide the user with the option of implementing the solution. As another example, the user may choose to implement the identified solution via a web portal interface provided by the mobile device support device 102 of certain exemplary embodiments.

FIG4 illustrates an exemplary diagnostic alert interface that may be provided according to certain exemplary embodiments. In this regard, FIG4 illustrates an exemplary user interface that may be provided on a user's mobile device 104 that indicates device diagnostic results according to certain exemplary embodiments. However, it will be appreciated that the exemplary user interfaces shown in FIG4 and those shown in FIG5-10 are each provided by way of example and not limitation. In this regard, embodiments disclosed herein may provide user interfaces with alternative selections, arrangements, and/or elements presented that are comparable to those shown in the exemplary user interface screen captures of FIG4-10.

Referring to FIG4 , the presentation of device diagnostic results may include an indication 402 of an alert regarding a potential fault identified by the performance of device diagnostics. A user may choose to view and investigate the alert, such as by touching indication 402 in an embodiment where a user interface is illustrated on a touchscreen display. At this point, the user may be presented with more details regarding the identified potential fault and/or proposed solutions for the identified fault. The user interface may also provide a summary of the items analyzed by the performance of device diagnostics, as well as an indication of whether the item passed the diagnosis (e.g., a checkmark, a textual description of the result, and/or other indication) or failed (e.g., an "X," a textual description of the result, and/or other indication). In the example of FIG4 , indications 404 and 406 indicate that the health of "Device 1" and "Device 2," respectively, is "Good." It will be appreciated that "Device 1" and "Device 2" may each include any device that can be implemented on a mobile device, including a processor, a storage device, a universal serial bus port, a network adapter, and the like. Exemplary indication 408 indicates the strength of the network connection (e.g., "Medium"). Exemplary indication 410 indicates the remaining power level in the battery (e.g., "70").

FIG5 illustrates an exemplary diagnostic and solution user interface that may be provided according to certain exemplary embodiments. In this regard, FIG5 illustrates an exemplary user interface that may be provided on a user's mobile device 104. The exemplary user interface of FIG5 includes an indication 502 of an alert regarding a potential fault identified through the performance of device diagnostics. The user may choose to view and investigate the alert, such as by touching indication 402 in embodiments where the user interface is illustrated on a touchscreen display. At this point, the user may be presented with more details regarding the identified potential fault and/or proposed solutions for the identified fault. The exemplary user interface of FIG5 may also include support information to enable the user to resolve issues or faults, such as those identified through the performance of device diagnostics. In the example of FIG5 , support information is provided to enable the user to establish a Wi-Fi connection. This support information may include an instructional video 504. For example, the video 504 may be provided by the mobile device support device 102 to the user's mobile device via the network 106, such as by streaming. The support information may also include instructions 506 that provide step-by-step instructions for resolving the problem.

FIG6 illustrates an exemplary user interface for enabling a user to access device support services according to certain exemplary embodiments. The user interface of FIG6 may be provided, for example, by a mobile application that may be implemented on the mobile device 104 and/or accessible via a network interface provided by the mobile device support device 102. The exemplary user interface of FIG6 may include a form 602 that enables a user to enter a question or help topic. In response to the entry of a user query in form 602, the support services controller 220 and/or the mobile application controller 320 may be configured to search a knowledge base and/or perform device diagnostics to provide information and/or solutions in response to the user query.

As discussed, in certain exemplary embodiments, the mobile device support device 102 may be configured to provide a mobile device support portal, such as a web portal, accessible by the mobile device 104 and/or the user terminal 108, such as via a web browser, a mobile browser application (e.g., a Wireless Application Protocol browser), etc. In certain exemplary embodiments, the portal may be viewable on the mobile device 104 via a dedicated client application. The portal may provide notifications of unresolved issues, such as unresolved alerts regarding faults that may have been diagnosed on the user's mobile device 104. For example, in certain exemplary embodiments, the user may be notified of unresolved issues upon accessing or logging into the portal. The portal of certain exemplary embodiments may provide recommended solutions to identified unresolved issues. In certain cases, the solutions may include instructions that the user may use to manually correct the fault. Additionally or alternatively, in certain cases, the solutions may include recommendations that, when selected, automatically resolve the fault.

In certain exemplary embodiments, the portal may provide users with customized content for a personalized session tailored to the user and their one or more mobile devices. The portal of certain exemplary embodiments may enable users to invoke diagnostics, obtain a device health check, check the status of previously identified issues, command the system to automatically load software, request a backup of the mobile device, remotely control the mobile device, and/or perform other support services. The support services controller 220 may accordingly be configured to communicate with the mobile device 104 and cause operations to be performed thereon based on user commands received via the portal. Operations performed based on user commands received via the portal may, for example, be performed by a client application implemented on the mobile device 104, which may operate under the control of the mobile application controller 320. In this regard, the mobile device 104 may be synchronized with the portal via the client application implemented on the mobile device. Thus, an end user may be able to control and interrogate their mobile device 104 via the portal.

The portal may further provide users with the ability to register or otherwise opt-in to receive various support services and/or adjust configuration settings for support services. For example, a user may elect to receive proactive notifications of various device error/warning/information conditions that may necessitate user intervention.

Figures 7-10 illustrate exemplary user interfaces for a mobile device support portal provided according to certain exemplary embodiments. As shown in Figure 7, the portal can provide a user with device support and troubleshooting information, including device setup information, device operation information, etc., which can be tailored to the user's specific mobile device.

In certain exemplary embodiments, the portal may provide an interface for a user and/or an authorized customer service representative to review the applications installed on their device. This interface may include an indication of the threat level of the installed applications (e.g., low security risk, medium security risk, high security risk, etc.). The threat level may be determined, for example, based on known characteristics of the application, the resource access permissions granted to the application, whether the application's developer is trustworthy, and/or other factors. Additionally or alternatively, the portal may provide an interface for a user to designate specific applications as denied, blacklisted, or otherwise prevented from being installed on their device and/or to cause installed applications to be uninstalled from their device. In this regard, FIG8 illustrates an interface with a list of applications and status indicators, such as "Installed," "Blocked," "High Security Risk," "Medium Security Risk," or other status indications. For example, "Blocked" applications may include applications that can be blocked from a mobile device by a user or other entity. "Installed" applications may include installed applications that do not pose a security risk. Applications marked as "High/Medium/Low Security Risk" may be installed applications that are known or determined to present a certain degree of security risk.

In certain exemplary embodiments, the portal may include a log of device events, such as may be collected over a period of time by monitoring device status. This log may be accessible to the user and/or authorized customer service representatives. As shown in the example of FIG9 , the event log may include information about the type of event (e.g., a setting change, an installed application, a forced device reboot, etc.), along with any available event details and/or a time/date at which the event occurred.

As shown in FIG10 , in certain exemplary embodiments, a portal may provide an interface accessible to a user and/or an authorized customer service representative indicating device alarms that may have been identified through device diagnostics. The alarms may include indications of identified blacklisted applications, rejected applications, and/or other issues that may be causing a malfunction on a mobile device. The user may also be able to review solutions to the identified malfunctions and choose to implement them. In certain exemplary embodiments, the user may be proactively notified of identified malfunctions and/or other alarms on the user's mobile device, and additional details about the alarms may be accessed via the portal.

In certain exemplary embodiments, if a solution to a fault or other problem cannot be identified, the system 100 may provide an escalation to a contact center device so that the user can interact with a customer service representative. For example, in the event that a solution to the identified fault or other problem cannot be automatically determined, the support service controller 220 and/or the mobile application controller 320 may be configured to trigger an escalation to a customer service center device. Triggering the escalation may include automatically connecting the user to a customer service representative, scheduling a reservation for a support session with the customer service representative, and/or sending a request to the customer service center device 110 for a customer service representative to contact the user.

According to various exemplary embodiments, any of a variety of communication technologies can be used to facilitate communication between a mobile device user and a customer service representative for an escalated support session. For example, a VoIP session, a public switched telephone network (PSTN) voice session, a web chat session, a text chat session, an email communication, a video call, and/or other communication technologies can be used to facilitate communication between a mobile device user and a customer service representative.

Certain embodiments employ reservation protocols to ensure that users do not have to wait for a customer service representative and that another task is not assigned to the reserved customer service representative. For example, in certain exemplary embodiments in which a reservation is scheduled for a customer service representative, the user's mobile device 104 may be configured to initiate a conversation (chat, voice, etc.) with the customer service center in response to the reservation. This contact may be intelligently routed to the reserved customer service representative. As another example, the user may select the contact method by which the customer service representative will contact the user based on the reservation. In this regard, the reservation may specify a contact time and/or a contact method, such as a designated phone number or contact method (e.g., chat, voice, email, etc.).

In certain embodiments where conversations are intelligently routed to reserved customer service representatives, telephone calls or other communications initiated by mobile device 104, such as under the control of a mobile application implementable on the mobile device, can be automatically routed directly to the reserved customer service representative. In this regard, known information regarding the user's identity, unresolved issue, device profile information, and the like can be utilized without requiring the user to participate in a screening process, such as an interactive voice response (IVR) screening process, which might otherwise be used to determine the user's identity, details regarding the unresolved issue, and the like before routing the user to a live customer service representative. For example, computer telephony can be used to communicate details to customer service center device 110 to facilitate servicing the user's issue without necessitating a screening process. In certain exemplary embodiments, a call initiated from mobile device 104 to a customer service representative can be directly connected without the user even experiencing a "ring" period before being connected.

In certain exemplary embodiments, the mobile device support device 102 and/or the customer service center device 110 may be configured to select a customer service representative suitable for resolving the problem. In this regard, a customer service representative experienced in resolving the problem in question or at least problems of a similar nature may be intelligently selected.

In certain exemplary embodiments, the support services controller 220 and/or the mobile application controller 320 may be configured to assess factors beyond those for which a solution to an identified fault or other problem may not be automatically determined when assessing whether to escalate the problem to a customer service representative. For example, factors such as the cost of the escalation as opposed to the cost of simply ordering the user to return his or her device for a replacement, the nature of the problem, the likelihood that a customer service representative can resolve the problem, and/or other factors may be considered.

In certain exemplary embodiments, a customer service representative may have access to captured device status data, session data regarding automated attempts to resolve the issue in question, device diagnostic data, and/or other data that may be captured according to various exemplary embodiments. For example, this data may be provided by mobile device support device 102 to customer service center device 110 and/or may otherwise be accessible to customer service center device 110. Thus, a customer service representative may use this data to assist in the support session. In this regard, this data may be used to relieve the user from the burden of having to explain the issue and to avoid repeating previously unsuccessful attempted solutions.

Certain exemplary embodiments may utilize captured device status information to assess the health of the mobile device 104 (including the device's history) for the purpose of making a competitive offer to repurchase the mobile device (e.g., asset recovery). This assessment may be performed, for example, by and/or with the assistance of one or more of the support services controller 220 or the mobile application controller 320. Given the known health of the device, an entity such as the device manufacturer, wireless service provider, insurance provider, warranty provider, or other entity may be enabled to make an "on the spot" offer to the user. Thus, the offer may be based on a priori knowledge of the device's health, rather than requiring payment to be made contingent upon the mobile device satisfying a post-return inspection. Furthermore, offers that may typically be constrained to a limited actuarial time window within which a device may be deemed to have a defined level of health may be extended beyond the defined actuarial time window, allowing offers to be made outside of that window based on knowledge of the mobile device's health. Thus, for example, if a device is known to be healthy 180 days after purchase, a customer may be able to purchase device insurance, despite the normal limitation of accepting the insurance offer within 90 days of device purchase.

In certain exemplary embodiments, the support services controller 220 and/or the mobile application controller 320 may be configured to use the captured device state information to evaluate wireless voice and/or data usage. The support services controller 220 and/or the mobile application controller 320 may be further configured to determine and make recommendations regarding wireless data plans available from various compatible carriers based on the evaluation of wireless voice and/or data usage. For example, if the system determines that a user has demonstrated consistently high data usage with very low voice usage (e.g., where a VoIP dialer is preferred over a carrier's schedule), the system may recommend a switch to another carrier that offers a preferential rate with lower voice schedules and higher data rates/permits. In certain such exemplary embodiments, a portal that may be provided by the mobile device support device may aggregate offers for multiple voice and data plans from one or more carriers and may provide one or more recommended plans based on the evaluation of historical voice and/or data usage.

Referring now to FIG. 11 , FIG. 11 illustrates a flowchart according to an exemplary method for providing mobile device support services, in accordance with certain exemplary embodiments. In this regard, FIG. 11 illustrates operations that may be performed at and/or by mobile device support device 102 and/or mobile device 104. The operations shown in and described with respect to FIG. 11 may, for example, be performed by one or more of processing circuitry 210, processor 212, memory 214, communication interface 218, support services controller 220, processing circuitry 310, processor 312, memory 314, user interface 316, communication interface 318, or mobile application controller 320, with the assistance and/or control thereof. Operation 1100 may include receiving a registration for a mobile device support service. Processing circuitry 210, processor 212, memory 214, communication interface 218, support services controller 220, processing circuitry 310, processor 312, memory 314, user interface 316, communication interface 318, and/or mobile application controller 320, for example, may provide means for performing operation 1100. Operation 1110 may include determining registration information. The registration information may be provided as part of the registration and/or may be determined or otherwise inferred from the registration. In this regard, the registration information may include configuration settings for the mobile device support service, information about the type of mobile device for which the support service is to be provided, and the like. Processing circuitry 210, processor 212, memory 214, communication interface 218, support services controller 220, processing circuitry 310, processor 312, memory 314, user interface 316, communication interface 318, and/or mobile application controller 320 may, for example, provide means for performing operation 1110. Operation 1120 may include providing the mobile device support service based on the determined registration information. Processing circuitry 210, processor 212, memory 214, communication interface 218, support services controller 220, processing circuitry 310, processor 312, memory 314, user interface 316, communication interface 318, and/or mobile application controller 320 may, for example, provide means for performing operation 1120.

FIG12 illustrates a flowchart according to an exemplary method for performing device diagnostics, in accordance with certain exemplary embodiments. In this regard, FIG12 illustrates operations that may be performed at and/or by mobile device support device 102 and/or mobile device 104. The operations shown in and described with respect to FIG12 may, for example, be performed by one or more of processing circuitry 210, processor 212, memory 214, communication interface 218, support services controller 220, processing circuitry 310, processor 312, memory 314, user interface 316, communication interface 318, or mobile application controller 320, with the assistance and/or control thereof. Operation 1200 may include monitoring a mobile device status. Processing circuitry 210, processor 212, memory 214, communication interface 218, support services controller 220, processing circuitry 310, processor 312, memory 314, communication interface 318, and/or mobile application controller 320, for example, may provide means for performing operation 1200. Operation 1210 may include performing device diagnostics based at least in part on the captured device state data to identify potential faults that may affect the functionality of the mobile device. Processing circuitry 210, processor 212, memory 214, communication interface 218, support services controller 220, processing circuitry 310, processor 312, memory 314, communication interface 318, and/or mobile application controller 320, for example, may provide means for performing operation 1210.

In the event that a fault is identified in operation 1210, the method of FIG. 12 may optionally further include operations 1220, 1225, 1230, and/or 1235. Operation 1220 may include providing an indication of the identified fault. This indication may be provided, for example, via a user interface of a user's mobile device and/or via a mobile device support portal. Processing circuitry 210, processor 212, memory 214, communication interface 218, support services controller 220, processing circuitry 310, processor 312, memory 314, user interface 316, communication interface 318, and/or mobile application controller 320, for example, may provide means for performing operation 1220. Operation 1225 may include receiving information regarding solution implementation results. As discussed above, solution implementation results may include, for example, information regarding the success of one or more solutions in resolving a given fault. Operation 1230 may include determining a solution for the identified fault. In some cases, the determined solution may be automatically executed. Alternatively, the determined solution may be provided for user review and approval prior to execution. Operation 1235 may include determining a probability that implementing the solution will resolve one or more of the identified faults. According to certain exemplary embodiments, determining a solution (operation 1230) may involve using this probability information, such as by determining the solution with the highest probability of resolving a given fault. According to another exemplary embodiment, this probability information may be provided to a user, such as in conjunction with providing the determined solution to the user for review and approval. For example, the probability information may be updated as additional solution implementation results are received. Alternatively, if the solution requires user action, such as where the determined solution requires returning the mobile device for return or replacement, instructions for implementing the solution may be provided to the user. Processing circuitry 210, processor 212, memory 214, communication interface 218, support services controller 220, processing circuitry 310, processor 312, memory 314, user interface 316, communication interface 318, and/or mobile application controller 320 may, for example, provide means for performing operations 1225, 1230, and 1235.

Backup and recovery services

Certain exemplary embodiments also provide backup and restore services for mobile devices. Specifically, the support services controller 220 can be configured to maintain a backup record of applications and/or other data installed on the mobile device 104. This record can be determined based on an application profile, which can be captured based on monitoring the status of the mobile device 104, according to one or more of the aforementioned embodiments.

In some exemplary embodiments, backup can be an ongoing process that can back up applications and/or other data installed on the mobile device 104 on an ongoing basis. In this regard, in some exemplary embodiments, monitoring can be performed continuously (e.g., as a background process), periodically, aperiodically, etc. to capture information about applications and/or other data installed on the device, updates or changes since a previous monitoring cycle, and/or other information that can be captured to facilitate the backup and restore services provided by some exemplary embodiments. Additionally or alternatively, in some exemplary embodiments, monitoring and backup can be performed on demand.

Device state information that can be captured through monitoring according to certain exemplary embodiments can be used to provide interception of activity, updates, device changes, storage of new data, etc. on the device as a background process that can be substantially transparent to the user. Changes can be recorded and can be used for the purpose of obtaining a recovery backup record for the mobile device. The user can opt into the backup service, such as through a registration process. For example, registration and configuration of the backup process can be performed via a mobile device service portal that can be provided by the mobile device support device 102. Additionally or alternatively, the backup can be an on-demand process, such as can be initiated in response to a user request, such as before the user discards the old device for a new or replacement device.

In certain exemplary embodiments, a user may be able to configure the types of data that may be backed up. For example, a user may select whether to back up applications, application configuration settings, device configuration settings, contacts, photos, videos, documents, and/or other types of data that may be installed or otherwise stored on a mobile device.

In the event that a user wishes to restore a backup record to a mobile device, the user may request that the backup record, which may be maintained by the mobile device support device 102, be restored to a designated mobile device 104. This request may be implemented, for example, via a mobile application, which may operate under the control of the mobile application controller 320. As another example, the user may use a mobile device, user terminal 108, or other computing device to access a mobile device support portal, which may be provided by the mobile device support device 102, and submit a request to restore the backup record via the portal. In response to the request, the support service controller 220 and/or the mobile application controller 320 may be configured to restore the backup record to the mobile device 104.

In certain exemplary embodiments, the application or service portal session may allow the user to proceed through an automated auto-reinstall/restore process. In this regard, in certain exemplary embodiments, the user may be directed through an automated auto-reinstall/restore process on the mobile device, which may include, for example, the restoration of applications (settings, preferences, changes to the user's base/original downloaded applications over time), sensitive information such as user identification names and passwords, and/or other data. In certain exemplary embodiments, the user may be connected to a customer service representative, help desk, etc. via the customer service center device 110 so that the user can be provided with assistance in participating in the recovery process.

According to various exemplary embodiments, restoration of backup records can be used for a variety of purposes. As an example, backup records can be used to facilitate restoration of a mobile device to a last known working condition. Thus, for example, when a user's mobile device is inoperable due to a malfunction, such as may be determined according to the embodiments disclosed herein, the user can use the backup record to restore the mobile device to a previous condition, excluding destructive or malicious applications, data, or programs. Additionally or alternatively, the backup record can be used to restore a copy of the device state of a lost, stolen, or inoperable mobile device to a new or replacement mobile device. Thus, when a user is deemed suitable for an upgrade, the backup record can be used to copy the old device state onto the new device.

In certain exemplary embodiments, the backup and restore service may extend beyond the reinstallation of previously installed applications. For example, in addition to installing/reinstalling applications, certain exemplary embodiments also provide for the restoration of customizations, add-ons, and/or other modifications made to applications by a user subsequent to the original application download and/or application configuration settings made by the user, device configuration settings made by the user, and the like.

Furthermore, in certain exemplary embodiments, actions taken by applications can be monitored so that modifications made by personnel to those actions can be backed up. For example, an application can store files and/or other data in a location local to the application space. Certain exemplary embodiments can monitor the data stored by an application and thus back up the stored data and its storage location. Thus, data that may be stored in a location unique to a particular application can be backed up without requiring advance notification of the underlying file structure.

For example, a user may download and install an application that enables the user to animate still images. The user may import photos and use the application to animate the photos and add voiceovers to the animated photos so that the photos appear to be animated and speaking. The animated photos may be stored by the application in a location local to the application. In addition to applications, the backup and restore service provided by certain exemplary embodiments may also back up and restore animated photos, rather than just restoring applications.

As another example, a user may download and install a gaming application. The game may track the user's high scores, which may be stored in a local space within the application. Certain exemplary embodiments may provide for backup and restore of the user's high scores and the application itself.

As another example, a user may download and install a magazine application that enables the user to read magazines on his or her mobile device. In addition to the magazine application itself, certain exemplary embodiments also provide backup and recovery of the user's magazine subscriptions, bookmarks, and other settings.

Certain exemplary embodiments further provide for mobile wallet backup and restoration. Mobile wallet backup and restoration may include the backup and restoration of the mobile wallet application, mobile wallet contents, secure element provisioning, certificates, associated contact information, and the like, thereby allowing a restored mobile wallet to become authenticated/certified, provisioned, and usable. Certain such exemplary embodiments enable the restoration of near-field communication (NFC)-enabled mobile wallets. Similarly, the backup and restore services of such exemplary embodiments can eliminate otherwise labor-intensive processes by quickly restoring the mobile wallet and saving the user the effort of re-performing the labor-intensive certification and authentication process. In certain exemplary embodiments, mobile wallet reinstallation/restoration, certification, and re-provisioning of the mobile wallet can be automated steps, thus being automatically completed on behalf of the user with minimal behind-the-scenes intervention. As another example, mobile wallet restoration can be a user-facilitated process, thus providing the user with step-by-step instructions, a phone number, or other means of contact through which the user can contact a customer service representative for assistance, and the like.

Certain exemplary embodiments that provide backup and restoration of mobile wallets eliminate the need for users to remember the steps required to fully reinstall the mobile wallet and the necessary contacts required to make the mobile wallet fully operational for desired transactions. Depending on the mobile wallet provider, it may be necessary to contact the mobile operator, the mobile wallet provider, the financial institution, the trusted service manager that provides the secure element (e.g., an NFC secure element), and/or other parties to fully enable mobile wallet functionality. Certain exemplary embodiments reduce the burden on users by contacting the appropriate entities to facilitate re-provisioning the device's secure element to restore the mobile wallet. For example, certain exemplary embodiments track the entities that need to be contacted to restore the mobile wallet and contact the appropriate entities automatically, semi-automatically, and/or at the user's direction.

Referring now to FIG. 13 , FIG. 13 illustrates a flow chart of an exemplary method for providing backup and restore services according to certain exemplary embodiments. In this regard, FIG. 13 illustrates operations that may be performed at and/or by mobile device support device 102 and/or mobile device 104. The operations shown in and described with respect to FIG. 13 may, for example, be performed by one or more of processing circuitry 210, processor 212, memory 214, communication interface 218, support services controller 220, processing circuitry 310, processor 312, memory 314, user interface 316, communication interface 318, or mobile application controller 320, with the assistance and/or control thereof. Operation 1300 may include maintaining a backup record of applications and/or other data installed on the mobile device. In certain exemplary embodiments, operation 1300 may include maintaining a backup record by executing a monitoring process that monitors device changes. The monitoring process may be performed continuously, periodically, aperiodically, as needed, and the like. Processing circuitry 210, processor 212, memory 214, communication interface 218, support services controller 220, processing circuitry 310, processor 312, memory 314, user interface 316, communication interface 318, and/or mobile application controller 320, for example, may provide means for performing operation 1300. Operation 1310 may include receiving a request to restore a backup record to a mobile device. The request may be to restore the backup record to the mobile device from which the backup record was obtained, or to restore the backup record to another mobile device, such as a new or replacement device. Processing circuitry 210, processor 212, memory 214, communication interface 218, support services controller 220, processing circuitry 310, processor 312, memory 314, user interface 316, communication interface 318, and/or mobile application controller 320, for example, may provide means for performing operation 1310. Operation 1320 may include restoring the backup record in response to the request. In certain exemplary embodiments, operation 1320 may be fully automated. Additionally or alternatively, in certain exemplary embodiments, operation 1320 may include providing a guided recovery process for the user. Processing circuitry 210, processor 212, memory 214, communication interface 218, support services controller 220, processing circuitry 310, processor 312, memory 314, user interface 316, communication interface 318, and/or mobile application controller 320, for example, may provide means for performing operation 1320.

Data destruction services

Certain exemplary embodiments additionally provide a destruction process that can be triggered to lock and/or erase the memory of a mobile device, such as a lost or stolen mobile device, a mobile device being exchanged for an upgrade, a mobile device being sold, etc. The destruction of data can be performed, for example, by and/or under the control of the support services controller 220 and/or the mobile application controller 320.

In certain exemplary embodiments, the mobile device support device 102 may provide a mobile device support portal that enables a user to trigger remote data destruction on their mobile device. For example, a user may access the portal, such as via the user terminal 108 or even directly via the mobile device 104 from which data is to be wiped. In certain embodiments, the mobile device 104 may be synchronized with the portal so that the mobile device support device 102 can wipe or otherwise destroy information stored on the device. Additionally or alternatively, the mobile device support device 102 may send a signaling transmission over the network 106 that may trigger the mobile device to execute a destruction process to destroy data stored on the mobile device.

Additionally or alternatively, in certain exemplary embodiments, the destruction process may be triggered directly via the mobile device 104, such as via the user interface 316. In this regard, the user may trigger the destruction process, which may be executed directly on the mobile device.

Certain exemplary embodiments facilitate data destruction for lost or stolen devices, even if the device is unreachable by the mobile device support device 102 via the network 106. For example, if the mobile device 104 is not active or receiving a signal when a user attempts to remotely destroy data stored on the device, the user can choose to have the data erased the next time the device is powered on, provided a specified passcode is not provided. Similarly, the destruction process can be executed in response to a predefined number of failures by the user (e.g., a potentially malicious user who has found or stolen the device) to enter the correct passcode during the next device power-on.

In certain exemplary embodiments, the mobile application controller 320 may be configured to autonomously destroy data stored on the device in response to predefined criteria indicating that the device has been lost or stolen. For example, if a passcode is required to unlock or activate the mobile device and an incorrect passcode is entered a predefined number of times, the mobile application controller 320 may destroy the data stored on the device even in the absence of a command received from the mobile device support device 102 or another device via the network 106. As another example, the mobile application controller 320 may be configured to perform the destruction process after a predefined period of inactivity (e.g., a predefined number of days of inactivity).

The destruction process of certain exemplary embodiments can wipe clean and destroy personal information that may be stored on the device (e.g., photos, text messages, pictures, music, contacts, financial account information, etc.). Data can be erased from any and all memory partitions of the mobile device, whether hidden or open to third parties who may handle the device while it is in transit for return, refurbishment, sale, or in the hands of an unintended individual. The destruction process of certain exemplary embodiments can render memory chips, secure digital (SD) cards, and/or other storage mechanisms useless or unrecoverable. In this regard, rather than clearing the memory in a manner that still allows data to be extracted based on the data remaining in the memory, certain exemplary embodiments render the memory, chip, SD card, etc. completely inaccessible and/or unreadable. For example, certain exemplary embodiments "burn" or "incinerate" the memory, making it impossible for anyone to extract any data remnants. Thus, users can avoid leaving traces of private data that could later be accessed by unauthorized individuals.

in conclusion

Figures 12-14 each illustrate a flowchart of a system, method, and computer program product according to certain exemplary embodiments. It will be understood that each block of the flowcharts, as well as combinations of blocks in the flowcharts, can be implemented using various means, such as hardware and/or computer program products, including one or more computer-readable media having computer-readable program instructions stored thereon. For example, one or more procedures described herein may be embodied using computer program instructions of a computer program product. In this regard, one or more computer program products embodying the procedures described herein may include one or more memory devices of a computing device (e.g., memory 214 and/or memory 314) storing instructions executable by a processor in the computing device (e.g., processor 212 and/or processor 312). In certain exemplary embodiments, the computer program instructions of one or more computer program products embodying the procedures described above may be stored by storage devices of multiple computing devices. As will be appreciated, any such computer program product can be loaded onto a computer or other programmable device (e.g., mobile device support device 102, mobile device 104, and/or other device) to produce a machine, such that the computer program product, including instructions executed on the computer or other programmable device, creates a means for implementing the functions specified in one or more flowchart blocks. Furthermore, the computer program product may include one or more computer-readable memories on which computer program instructions may be stored, such that the one or more computer-readable memories can direct a computer or other programmable device to operate in a specific manner, such that the computer program product may include an article of manufacture that implements the functions specified in one or more flowchart blocks. The computer program instructions of the one or more computer program products may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable device (e.g., mobile device 104 and/or other devices) to cause a series of operations to be performed on the computer or other programmable device to produce a computer-implemented process, such that the instructions executed on the computer or other programmable device implement the functions specified in one or more flowchart blocks.

Therefore, the blocks of the flowchart support combinations of means for performing the specified functions and combinations of operations for performing the specified functions. It will also be understood that one or more blocks of the flowchart and combinations of blocks in the flowchart can be implemented by a computer system based on dedicated hardware that performs the specified functions or a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

Those skilled in the art will therefore appreciate that the exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide substantial technical contributions to the prior art and, in particular, address the technical problem of how to accurately and intuitively analyze and resolve malfunctions associated with mobile devices. Furthermore, the exemplary embodiments may provide further technical advantages, such as improving device performance, reliability, and stability by providing intuitive tools for resolving potential device malfunctions.

Those skilled in the art who have benefited from the teachings set forth in the foregoing description and the associated drawings will appreciate that many modifications and other embodiments of the invention set forth herein will be appreciated. Therefore, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and that such modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. In addition, although the foregoing description and the associated drawings have described exemplary embodiments in the context of certain exemplary combinations of elements and/or functions, it will be appreciated that different combinations of elements and/or functions may be provided by alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In this regard, for example, it is also conceivable that combinations of elements and/or functions different from those explicitly described above may be set forth in certain appended claims. Although specific terms may be employed herein, they are merely used in a general and descriptive sense rather than for the purpose of limitation.

Claims (51)

1. A method for providing mobile device support services, comprising: Receive device status data from the mobile device; Receive device status data from multiple other mobile devices; Aggregate device status data received from multiple other mobile devices; The plurality of other mobile devices are determined based at least in part on aggregated device status data, the plurality of fault profiles including statistical information relating to the probability that a particular device configuration may cause one or more particular faults; Identify one or more potential faults related to the mobile device, at least in part, based on device status data and the one or more fault profiles; and Information about one or more potential faults related to the mobile device is provided to the mobile device through at least the following actions: Receive device status data from the mobile device via a first network connection; and Device status data is received from at least one other mobile device via a second network connection that is not the first network connection. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more potential faults include at least one predicted fault. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more potential faults include at least one current fault. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more potential faults include at least one predicted fault and at least one current fault. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more potential faults include two or more conflicting applications. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the one or more potential faults includes determining at least one application profile. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one application profile includes a first application profile determined at a first time, the method further includes determining at least a second application profile determined at a second time, and wherein identifying the one or more potential faults includes comparing the first and second application profiles. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the information regarding the one or more potential faults includes information regarding a comparison between the performance indicators of the mobile device and one or more benchmark performance indicators. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the information regarding the one or more potential faults includes information regarding applications installed on the device. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the information about the application installed on the device includes one or more of the following: an identifier of the application installed on the mobile device, configuration settings for the installed application, processor usage data of the installed application, memory usage data of the installed application, crash logs of the installed application, execution data of the installed application, or usage data of the installed application. 11. The method of claim 9, wherein the information about the application installed on the device includes one or more tags of one or more application features, said one or more application features including one or more of the following: security features, privacy features, or performance features. 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the device status data includes one or more of the following: Hardware usage data, device settings information, system log content, application log content, device ID, installed application information, device application data, or device sensor data. 13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network connection is a cellular network connection. 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the second network connection is a wireless local area network connection. 15. The method of claim 1, further comprising: The device status data received from the mobile device is compared with the one or more fault profiles. 16. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining one or more solutions to one or more potential faults based at least in part on one or more potential faults. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the information regarding the one or more potential faults includes at least one indication of the one or more solutions. 18. The method of claim 16, wherein the device status data received from the plurality of other mobile devices includes information about the solution implementation results. 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising determining the probability of success for at least one of the solutions based at least in part on information regarding the outcome of the solution implementation. 20. The method of claim 16, further comprising causing at least one of the one or more solutions to be executed automatically. 21. The method of claim 16, further comprising receiving an indication of selecting at least one of the one or more solutions and, in response, prompting the execution of the solution. 22. The method of claim 16, further comprising facilitating the provision of one or more solutions via a web portal. 23. The method of claim 1, further comprising prompting a mobile device to display information about the one or more potential faults. 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the information is displayed via a web portal accessible by a mobile device. 25. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an upgrade request. 26. The method of claim 25, further comprising providing remote control of the mobile device after receiving an upgrade request. 27. The method of claim 26, wherein remote control of the mobile device is provided via a web portal. 28. The method of claim 1, further comprising: The application profile of a mobile device is determined, at least in part, based on device status data. 29. The method of claim 28, wherein The application profile for the mobile device includes: One or more applications installed on a mobile device; Configuration settings for one or more applications installed on the mobile device; Resource usage of one or more applications installed on the mobile device; The one or more fault profiles include: One or more applications installed on multiple other mobile devices; One or more configuration settings for one or more applications installed on multiple other mobile devices: Resource usage of one or more applications installed on multiple other mobile devices; and The identification of one or more potential faults related to mobile devices is based at least in part on device status data, application profiles, and one or more fault profiles. 30. The method of claim 1, further comprising: causing information about one or more potential faults to be displayed on a mobile device. 31. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying one or more potential faults related to the mobile device includes employing intelligent learning capabilities to perform device diagnostics. 32. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including program code instructions, said at least one memory and program code instructions being configured to direct the apparatus, using said at least one processor, at least: Receive device status data from the mobile device; The application profile of the mobile device is determined at least in part based on the device status data, and the application profile includes: One or more applications installed on a mobile device; Configuration settings for one or more applications installed on a mobile device; and Resource usage by one or more applications installed on a mobile device; Receive aggregated device status data from multiple other mobile devices; One or more fault profiles of the plurality of other mobile devices are determined, at least in part, based on aggregated device status data, the one or more fault profiles including: One or more applications installed on multiple other mobile devices; One or more configuration settings for one or more applications installed on multiple other mobile devices; Resource usage of one or more applications installed on multiple other mobile devices; and Statistical information relating to the probability that a particular equipment configuration may cause one or more specific failures; One or more potential faults related to the mobile device are identified, at least in part, based on device status data, application profiles, and one or more fault profiles, wherein the one or more potential faults include predicted faults with a non-zero probability of affecting the mobile device in the future; and This prompts information about one or more potential malfunctions related to the mobile device to be provided to the mobile device; The device is configured as follows: Receive device status data from the mobile device via a first network connection; and Device status data is received from at least one other mobile device via a second network connection that is not the first network connection. 33. The device of claim 32, wherein the one or more potential faults include at least one current fault. 34. The device of claim 32, wherein the one or more potential faults include two or more conflicting applications. 35. The device of claim 32, wherein the at least one application profile includes a first application profile determined at a first time, the at least one memory and program code instructions are further configured to: use the at least one processor to instruct the device to determine at least a second application profile determined at a second time, and wherein determining the one or more potential faults includes comparing the first and second application profiles. 36. The device of claim 32, wherein the information regarding the one or more potential faults includes information representing a comparison between a performance indicator of the mobile device and one or more benchmark performance indicators. 37. The device of claim 32, wherein the information regarding the one or more potential faults includes information regarding applications installed on the device. 38. The device of claim 37, wherein the information regarding the application installed on the device includes one or more of the following: an identifier of the application installed on the mobile device, configuration settings for the installed application, processor usage data of the installed application, memory usage data of the installed application, crash logs of the installed application, execution data of the installed application, or usage data of the installed application. 39. The device of claim 37, wherein the information regarding an application installed on the device includes one or more tags of one or more application features, said one or more application features including one or more of the following: security features, privacy features, or performance features. 40. The device of claim 32, wherein the device status data includes one or more of the following: Hardware usage data, device settings information, system log content, application log content, device ID, information on installed applications, device application data, or device sensor data. 41. The device of claim 32, wherein the device is further guided to determine one or more solutions to one or more potential faults based at least in part on one or more potential faults. 42. The device of claim 41, wherein the information regarding the one or more potential faults includes at least one indication of the one or more solutions. 43. The device of claim 41, wherein the aggregated device status data received from the plurality of other mobile devices includes information about the solution implementation results. 44. The device of claim 43, wherein the device is further instructed to determine the probability of success for at least one of the solutions based at least in part on information about the results of achieving the solution. 45. The device of claim 41, wherein the device is further instructed to cause at least one of the one or more solutions to be executed automatically. 46. The device of claim 41, wherein the device is further instructed to receive an instruction to select at least one of the one or more solutions and, in response, to cause execution of the solution. 47. The device of claim 46, wherein the device is further instructed to facilitate the provision of one or more solutions via a network portal. 48. A system for providing mobile device support services, comprising: A mobile device includes at least one first processor and at least one first memory including first program code instructions, said at least one first memory and the first program code instructions being configured to use said at least one first processor to direct the mobile device to at least: Collect device status data. Send device status data. Receive information about one or more potential malfunctions related to the mobile device, and This prompts the display of information regarding the one or more potential faults; A mobile device support device includes at least one second processor and at least one second memory including second program code instructions, said at least one second memory and the second program code instructions being configured to use said at least one second processor to direct the mobile device support device to at least: Receive device status data from the mobile device. Receive aggregated device status data from multiple other mobile devices; At least in part, based on aggregated device status data, one or more fault profiles of the plurality of other mobile devices are determined, the one or more fault profiles including statistical information relating to the probability that a particular device configuration may cause one or more particular faults; Identify one or more potential faults related to the mobile device, at least in part, based on device status data and the one or more fault profiles. The information regarding one or more potential faults related to the mobile device is provided to the mobile device, wherein the mobile device support device is configured to: Receive device status data from the mobile device via a first network connection; and Device status data is received from at least one other mobile device via a second network connection that is not the first network connection. 49. The system of claim 48, wherein the first network connection includes a direct connection between the mobile device and the mobile device supporting the device. 50. The system of claim 49, wherein the second network connection includes an indirect connection between the at least one other mobile device and the mobile device supporting device. 51. The system of claim 48, wherein the mobile device is further instructed to support the device in determining one or more solutions to one or more potential faults at least in part based on the one or more potential faults, and further wherein information about the one or more potential faults includes at least one indication of the one or more solutions.