A system, a device, a computer program product and a method for allocating resources to users

• US 20030039350A1
• Filed: 08/23/2002
• Published: 02/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lo-Q PLC
• Original Assignee: Q-Wise AB
• Inventors: Holmen, Dick
• Granted Patent: US 7,046,790 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/265.09
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 11/00 Arrangements, systems or apparatus for checking, e.g. the occurrence of a condition, not provided for elsewhere
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2011/02 related to amusement parks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2011/04 related to queuing systems

Abstract

The invention relates to a system (100) for allocating service resources to users (20) thereof, which service resources are intended to be provided at least one service point (10) for service at one or more associated operator positions. The system comprises at least one user terminal (30) arranged for two-way communication with the device (13) via a first and/or a second communication network and at least one device (13) for managing at least one queue and queue information. The first communication network comprises a node for the reception and transmission of messages and the second communication network comprises a server, for example a Web server (18). The invention also relates to the device (13), a computer program, a computer program product and a method.

Claims

1. System (100) for allocating service resources to users (20) thereof, such as customers, which service resources are intended to be provided at at least one service point (10) for service at one or more associated operator positions, which system (100) comprises:

at least one device (13) for managing at least one queue and information about the queue, queue information, such as notification message, most recently served number, estimated waiting time, number of people waiting, type of service, and means of obtaining a queue number;

at least one user terminal (30) arranged for two-way communication with the device (13);

characterized in that;

the device (13) and the user terminal (30) is connectable to a first communication network, such as a mobile phone network, and a second communication network, such as the Internet, connected together via at least one gateway (50), where the first network comprises a node, for example a Short Message Service Centre (60), for the reception and transmission of messages, for example text messages, intended for the device (13) or the user terminal (30) and where the second network comprises a server, for example a Web server (18), where the device (13) is adapted to communicate with the server and with the node, so that the queue information can be made generally available and can be transmitted to the user terminal (30) via both the first communication network and the second communication network and the device can respond to calls from the user terminal (30) by means of messages, for example text messages.

2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the user terminal (30) is a portable terminal, such as a mobile phone, a communicator or the like.

3. System according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the device (13) is arranged to publish the queue information on a web page on the Internet via the server.

4. System according to any of claims 1-3, characterized in that the device (13) is arranged to communicate by means of a WAP server.

5. System according to any of claims 1-4, characterized by a queue information device (12), for example one which displays queue information and/or a system where a person can be allocated a turn number and obtain a queue ticket.

6. System according to claim 5, characterized in that the device (13) and the queue information device (12) are adapted to communicate with each other via a third communication network in the form of a wireless LAN.

7. System according to claim 6, characterized in that the device (13) and the user terminal (30) comprise means for communicating directly with each other via the third communication network without the involvement of the first communication network and the second communication network.

8. Device (13) arranged to manage at least one queue and information about the queue, queue information, such as the most recently served number and number of people waiting, and means of obtaining a queue number, characterized in that the device (13) is connectable to at least one first communication network (40), for example a mobile phone network, and a second communication network (40), for example the Internet, connected together via at least one gateway (50), where the first network comprises a node, for example a Short Message Service Centre (60), for the reception and transmission of messages, for example text messages, to and from the device (13) or a user terminal (30), and where the second network comprises a server, for example a Web server (18), where the device (13) is adapted to communicate with the Web server and with the node, so that the queue information can be made generally available and can be transmitted to the user terminal (30) via both the first communication network and the second communication network and the device can respond to calls from the user terminal (30) by means of messages, for example text messages.

9. Device (13) according to claim 8, characterized in that the device (13) is arranged to publish the queue information on a web page on the Internet via the server.

10. Device according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the device (13) is adapted to communicate with a queue information device (12), for example one which displays queue information and/or a system where a person can be allocated a turn number and obtain a queue ticket, via a third communication network in the form of a wireless LAN.

11. Computer program for use in connection with a device (13) according to any of claims 8-10, comprising machine-readable code means (82d) for causing the device (13) to

manage at least one queue and information about this, queue information, such as most recently served number and number of people waiting, and means of obtaining a queue number and

making the queue information generally available and transmitting this to at least one user terminal (30);

and also machine-readable code means (82d) to enable the device (13) to

communicate with a node, such as a Short Message Service Centre (60), for a reception and transmission of messages, for example text messages, arranged in a first communication network (40) connected to a second communication network via a gateway (50), and

communicate with a server, for example a Web server, comprised in the second communication network.

12. Computer program according to claim 11, comprising machine-readable code means (82d) for enabling the device to communicate with a queue information device (12), for example one which displays queue information and/or a system where a person can be allocated a turn number and obtain a queue ticket, via a third communication network in the form of a wireless LAN.

13. Computer program product comprising a recording medium (82c) which can be read off by a computer, and a computer program according to claim 11, where the machine-readable code means (82d) for the computer program is recorded on the recording medium (82c).

14. Method for allocating service resources to users (20) thereof, which service resources are intended to be provided at a service point (10) for serving one or more associated operator positions, which method comprises the stages of:

from at least one user terminal (30) belonging to a user, calling a device (13) arranged to manage at least one queue and queue information, such as most recently served number, number of people waiting, queue identity, and means of obtaining a queue number, in which a unique terminal identity (id_c) is given by sending a message, for example via SMS, WAP, UMTS or GPRS, to the effect that it is wished to send queue information to the user terminal (30) with the unique terminal identity (id_c);

sending required queue information via a node, such as a Short Message Service Centre (60), for a reception and transmission of messages, for example text messages, comprised in a first network, and/or via a server, for example a Web server (18), comprised in a second communication network, which is connected to the first communication network via a gateway (50),

obtaining information for the user terminal about the number currently being served (n_t), number of people waiting (n_w) and queue identity (id_s);

accepting a turn number or specifying a desired queue number (n_r) or a desired estimated waiting time (t_r).

15. Method according to claim 14, characterized in that queue status messages are sent repeatedly to a group which has active electronic queue numbers with the queue identity (id_s).

16. Method according to claim 14 or 15, characterized by the stage of:

exchanging information between the device (13) and a queue information device (12) via a third network in the form of a wireless LAN.

17. Method according to any of claims 14-16, characterized by the stage of:

checking a distance between the device (13) and/or the service point (10) and the user terminal (30) with the unique terminal identity (id_c).

18. Method according to claim 17, characterized by the stages of:

checking whether the distance is less than a predetermined distance, changing the communication between the device (13) and the user terminal (30) so that it takes place only via the third communication network instead of via the first and the second communication networks (40) when the distance is less than the predetermined distance.

19. Method according to claim 17, characterized by the stages of:

determining the time when the queue information is to be sent out from the 30 device (13) to the user terminal (30) on the basis of the distance, in such a way that user terminals (30) at a shorter distance from the service point (10) or one of the associated operator positions, receive the queue information later than if the distance is longer than the shorter distance.