Apparatus and method for managing user chat experiences with businesses

• US 10,205,687 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2016
• Issued: 02/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Getabl, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Getabl, Inc.
• Inventors: Beslic, Milenko, Slater, Mark, Young, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Strange, Aaron N
• Application Number:
  US15/362,958
• Publication Number:
  US 20170099326A1
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1818 Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/02 using automatic reactions or user delegation, e.g. automatic replies or chatbot-generated messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/043 using or handling presence information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q

Abstract

A computer-implemented method of managing a chat experience of a user desiring to chat with a selected one of a plurality of businesses or chat hosts utilizes in various aspects a chat management server running computer processes for communicating with user devices. In another aspect, a computer-implemented method of providing a chat experience to a user having a user device and desiring to chat with a selected one of a plurality of businesses utilizes computer processes running on the user device. Corresponding embodiments similarly provide an apparatus performing any of the foregoing methods. Other corresponding embodiments similarly provide a computer readable medium storing instructions, which when loaded into a computer, perform processes corresponding to any of the foregoing methods.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of conducting a transaction between a user and a selected one of a plurality of businesses, the method utilizing a chat management server running computer processes comprising:

receiving a search signal over a first network from a device, under control of the user, to indicate that the user device is running a process configured to support a managed chat session and including data characterizing criteria for a business with which the user seeks to chat;

identifying a set of businesses meeting the criteria;

transmitting to the device the set of businesses for display on the user'"'"'s device;

receiving over the first network a request message originated by the user on the device to enter a chat channel configured for conducting a transaction and established for a selected one of the set of businesses; and

in response to receiving the request message;

subscribing the user device to the chat channel configured for conducting the desired transaction for the selected one of the set of businesses, and

executing, on the chat management server, a robot application to (1) manage the chat session to solicit and obtain information, over the chat channel, from the user on the user device for the desired transaction, at least some of the information being provided by user entry of data in an interface including a set of fields, and (2) complete a task, using the obtained information, regarding the desired transaction with the selected business.

2. A method according to claim 1, the computer processes further comprising associating a duration for the channel, and if the chat channel has not been previously closed by a party to the chat, then closing the chat channel effective as of the end of the duration.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the duration is established according to a user-specified default.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the request message originated by the user on the device to enter the chat channel has been issued responsive to a user selection, made graphically on a display of the device, of the selected business.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the data characterizing criteria for a business with which the user seeks to chat have resulted from a search initiated by the user.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the search has resulted by user selection of one of a set of pre-defined categories.

7. A method according to claim 4, wherein the data characterizing criteria for a business with which the user seeks to chat have resulted from selection by the user to cause display of favorites saved by the user.

8. A method according to claim 4, wherein the data characterizing criteria for a business with which the user seeks to chat have resulted from selection by the user to cause display of businesses recently accessed by the user for purposes of chat.

9. A method according to claim 1, the computer processes further comprising:

receiving, in the search signal, data indicating an approximate location of the device; and

identifying the set of businesses based, at least in part, on the approximate location.

10. A method according to claim 1, the computer processes further comprising:

storing chat content of the chat channel and archiving the content in a chat database in association with an identifier for the selected business and for the user.

11. A method according to claim 10, the computer processes further comprising storing, in the chat database, chat metadata with the chat content.

12. A method according to claim 1, the computer processes further comprising prior to receiving a search signal, receiving over the first network from the user'"'"'s device a request and credentials for authentication of the user, determining if the credentials are valid, and if so, logging in the user device.

13. A method according to claim 12, the computer processes further comprising:

repeating each of the foregoing processes at least once so as to subscribe the user device to at least one additional chat channel for another business selected by the user, so that the user device may be simultaneously subscribed to a plurality of chat channels.

14. A method according to claim 1, the computer processes further comprising, upon subscribing the user device to the chat channel, identifying the user in accordance with criteria established by the user.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the criteria are global and apply to all businesses with which the user engages in chat.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein the criteria are specified by the user as applicable to the selected one of the businesses.

17. A method according to claim 1, wherein executing the robot application occurs automatically immediately after the user device has been subscribed to the chat channel.

18. A method according to claim 1, wherein executing the robot application occurs when a business user of the selected business manually invokes an installed application.

19. A method according to claim 1, wherein executing the robot application occurs when triggered automatically by a response by the user in the course of chat.