Rapid data access

• US 10,477,014 B1
• Filed: 09/12/2018
• Issued: 11/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Original Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Inventors: Smith, Eric J., TenEyck, Jr., John McChesney, Yarbrough, Gregory, Jayapalan, Vijay
• Primary Examiner(s): Addy, Thjuan K
• Application Number:
  US16/129,097
• Time in Patent Office: 426 Days
• Field of Search: 37926601, 37926602, 37926505, 37926511, 37926501
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1834 implemented based on peer-to-peer networks, e.g. gnutella p2p communication protocols H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45562 Creating, deleting, cloning virtual machine instances
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45595 Network integration; Enabling network access in virtual machine instances
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45558 Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0643 Hash functions, e.g. MD5, SHA, HMAC or f9 MAC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3239 involving non-keyed hash functions, e.g. modification detection codes [MDCs], MD5, SHA or RIPEMD
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/50 using hash chains, e.g. blockchains or hash trees
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5125 with remote located operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5133 Operator terminal details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet

Abstract

A method includes in response to receiving identification information from a caller, selecting a virtual machine from a plurality of virtual machines, the virtual machine configured to generate a virtual user interface for an application executing on the virtual machine. The method includes populating the virtual user interface with information about the caller based on the received identification information. The method includes sharing the virtual user interface with an application executing on a computer of a customer service representative. The method includes connecting the caller with the customer service representative.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of coordinating callers with customer service representatives, the method comprising:

in response to receiving identification information from a caller, selecting a virtual machine from a plurality of virtual machines, the virtual machine configured to generate a virtual user interface for an application executing on the virtual machine;

obtaining additional information about the caller using the received identification information;

populating the virtual user interface with the additional information about the caller;

responsive to receiving an indication that a customer service representative is available for connecting with the caller, sharing the virtual user interface with an application executing on a computer of the customer service representative, wherein sharing the virtual user interface with the application causes the additional information to be displayed on a display device of the computer of the customer service representative; and

connecting the caller with the customer service representative via an audio communication channel.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the virtual user interface is populated prior to sharing the virtual user interface with the application.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to disconnecting the caller from the customer service representative, ceasing sharing of the virtual user interface with the application.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining a pool of virtual machines, wherein the number of virtual machines in the pool is determined, at least in part, on an expected number of callers.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising increasing the number of virtual machines in the pool based on an increase in a number of callers.

6. A non-transitory computer storage medium encoded with computer program instructions that when executed by one or more computers cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:

in response to receiving identification information from a caller, selecting a virtual machine from a plurality of virtual machines, the virtual machine configured to generate a virtual user interface for an application executing on the virtual machine;

obtaining additional information about the caller using the received identification information;

populating the virtual user interface with the additional information about the caller;

responsive to receiving an indication that a customer service representative is available for connecting with the caller, sharing the virtual user interface with an application executing on a computer of the customer service representative, wherein sharing the virtual user interface with the application causes the additional information to be displayed on a display device of the computer of the customer service representative; and

connecting the caller with the customer service representative via an audio communication channel.

7. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 6, wherein the virtual user interface is populated prior to sharing the virtual user interface with the application.

8. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 6, wherein the operations further comprise, in response to disconnecting the caller from the customer service representative, ceasing sharing of the virtual user interface with the application.

9. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 6, wherein the operations further comprise maintaining a pool of virtual machines, wherein the number of virtual machines in the pool is determined, at least in part, on an expected number of callers.

10. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise increasing the number of virtual machines in the pool based on an increase in a number of callers.

11. A system comprising:

one or more computers and one or more storage devices storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more computers, to cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising;

in response to receiving identification information from a caller, selecting a virtual machine from a plurality of virtual machines, the virtual machine configured to generate a virtual user interface for an application executing on the virtual machine;

obtaining additional information about the caller using the received identification information;

populating the virtual user interface with the additional information about the caller;

responsive to receiving an indication that a customer service representative is available for connecting with the caller, sharing the virtual user interface with an application executing on a computer of a customer service representative, wherein sharing the virtual user interface with the application causes the additional information to be displayed on a display device of the computer of the customer service representative; and

connecting the caller with the customer service representative via an audio communication channel.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the virtual user interface is populated prior to sharing the virtual user interface with the application.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise, in response to disconnecting the caller from the customer service representative, ceasing sharing of the virtual user interface with the application.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise maintaining a pool of virtual machines, wherein the number of virtual machines in the pool is determined, at least in part, on an expected number of callers.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise increasing the number of virtual machines in the pool based on an increase in a number of callers.