Technical support system

• US 20030088451A1
• Filed: 11/02/2001
• Published: 05/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Ueno, Toshio
• Application Number:
  US10/002,743
• Publication Number:
  US 20030088451A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A technical support system includes an SIP section which provides web pages as an information input and output interface, a KB section which stores various claim reports and solutions related to the reports, and a CH section which registers in the KB section a new claim report in which at least a claim title is structured as a combination of predetermined items of definition information on the basis of a claim content input to a client web page, and manages the registered new claim report as an unsolved claim requiring an answer from the engineer. Particularly, the CH section is configured to determine an engineer who is to take charge of a supporting task for preparing a solution to the new claim report, based on ranks of importance of supporting tasks already assigned to engineers of a division-in-charge, and progress states of the supporting tasks.

Claims

1. A technical support system comprising:

a service information portal section which provides web pages as an information input and output interface;

a knowledge base section which stores various claim reports and solutions answered by engineers with respect to the claim reports; and

a claim handling section which registers in said knowledge base section a new claim report in which at least a claim title is structured as a combination of predetermined items of definition information on the basis of a claim content input to a client web page, and manages the registered new claim report as an unsolved claim requiring an answer from the engineer;

wherein the claim handling section is configured to determine an engineer who is to take charge of a supporting task for preparing a solution to the new claim report, based on ranks of importance of supporting tasks already assigned to engineers of a division-in-charge, and progress states of the supporting tasks.

2. The technical support system according to claim 1, wherein said claim handling section includes a supporting task table which holds records of the engineers each obtained as numeric value data by combining the ranks of importance of supporting tasks assigned before registration of the new claim report and the progress states of the supporting tasks with a predetermined weighting, and a selecting section which makes selection of the engineers by comparing the numeric value data of the records held in said supporting task table.

3. The technical support system according to claim 2, wherein said claim handling section further includes an engineer information table which holds records of the engineers including at least one item selected from a schedule after the registration of the new claim report, a product designed as experience, the number of years of experience, the number of supporting tasks, a responsible unit, and a technical field, and said selecting section is configured to switch said supporting task table to said engineer information table upon increase in the number of newly-registered claim reports, and to make selection of the engineers with reference to a content of said engineer information table.

4. The technical support system according to claim 1, wherein said claim handling section further includes an assignment update section which selects the next prospective engineer when assignment of the supporting task is not accepted by the previously selected engineer.

5. A technical support method using a knowledge base section which stores various claim reports and related solutions, said method comprising:

a step of providing web pages as an information input and output interface;

a step of registering in said knowledge base section a new claim report in which at least a claim title is structured as a combination of predetermined items of definition information on the basis of a claim content input to a client web page, and managing the registered new claim report as an unsolved claim requiring an answer from the engineer; and

a step of determining an engineer who is to take charge of a supporting task for preparing a solution to the new claim report, based on ranks of importance of supporting tasks already assigned to engineers of a division-in-charge, and progress states of the supporting tasks.

6. The technical support method according to claim 5, wherein said engineer determining step is configured to use a supporting task table which holds records of the engineers each obtained as numeric value data by combining the ranks of importance of supporting tasks assigned before registration of the new claim report and the progress states of the supporting tasks with a predetermined weighting, and to make selection of the engineers by comparing the numeric value data of the records held in said supporting task table.

7. The technical support method according to claim 6, wherein said engineer determining step is configured to use an engineer information table which holds records of the engineers including at least one item selected from a schedule after the registration of the new claim report, a product designed as experience, the number of years of experience, the number of supporting tasks, a responsible unit, and a technical field, instead of said supporting task table upon increase in the number of newly-registered claim reports, and to make selection of the engineers with reference to a content of said engineer information table.

8. The technical support method according to claim 5, wherein said engineer determining step further configured to select the next prospective engineer when assignment of the supporting task is not accepted by the previously selected engineer.

9. A recording medium having a program recorded for a technical support system server including a claim handling section which registers in a knowledge base section a new claim report in which at least a claim title is structured as a combination of predetermined items of definition information on the basis of a claim content input to a client web page, and manages the registered new claim report as an unsolved claim requiring an answer from the engineer, said program being executable for causing said claim handling section to perform a process of confirming ranks of importance of supporting tasks already assigned to engineers of a division-in-charge and progress states of the supporting tasks, and determining an engineer who is to take charge of a supporting task for preparing a solution to the new claim report, based on the ranks of importance of supporting tasks and the progress states of the supporting tasks.

10. The recording medium according to claim 9, wherein said program is configured such that said claim handling section performs a process of using a supporting task table which holds records of the engineers each obtained as numeric value data by combining the ranks of importance of supporting tasks assigned before registration of the new claim report and the progress states of the supporting tasks with a predetermined weighting, and making selection of the engineers by comparing the numeric value data of the records held in said supporting task table.

11. The recording medium according to claim 10, wherein said program is configured such that said claim handling section performs a process of using an engineer information table which holds records of the engineers including at least one item selected from a schedule after the registration of the new claim report, a product designed as experience, the number of years of experience, the number of supporting tasks, a responsible unit, and a technical field, and said selecting section, instead of said supporting task table upon increase in the number of newly-registered claim reports, and making selection of the engineers with reference to a content of said engineer information table.

12. The recording medium according to claim 9, wherein said program is configured such that said claim handling section performs a process of selecting the next prospective engineer when assignment of the supporting task is not accepted by the previously selected engineer.