Program and method for supporting inquiries from server to operator
First Claim
1. A program product that helps service processes receive instructions from an operator, the program product causing a computer system to perform a process comprising the steps of:
- (a) storing an inquiry to the operator in an inquiry buffer, upon issuance thereof from a service process;
(b) retrieving the inquiry pending in the inquiry buffer and sending the retrieved inquiry to the first client over a network, in response to a first delivery request from a first client;
(c) forwarding a reply received from the first client to the service process, as well as storing the received reply and corresponding inquiry as a log record in a log memory; and
(d) retrieving log records from the log memory and sending the retrieved log records to a second client on the network, in response to a second delivery request from the second client.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An inquiry, support program that helps a server receive instructions from an operator, reducing the possibilities for the operator to return a wrong response. When a service process issues an inquiry to the operator, the server stores the inquiry in an inquiry buffer (step S1). The server receives a first delivery request from a first client on the network, which causes the inquiry pending in the inquiry buffer to be retrieved and sent to the first client over the network (step S2). At the first client, the operator answers the inquiry. Upon receipt of the reply from the first client, the server passes it to the requesting service process, as well as storing the original inquiry and corresponding reply in a log memory (step S3). When a second delivery request is received from a second client on the network, the server retrieves log records from the log memory and sends them to the requesting second client (step S4).
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A program product that helps service processes receive instructions from an operator, the program product causing a computer system to perform a process comprising the steps of:
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(a) storing an inquiry to the operator in an inquiry buffer, upon issuance thereof from a service process;
(b) retrieving the inquiry pending in the inquiry buffer and sending the retrieved inquiry to the first client over a network, in response to a first delivery request from a first client;
(c) forwarding a reply received from the first client to the service process, as well as storing the received reply and corresponding inquiry as a log record in a log memory; and
(d) retrieving log records from the log memory and sending the retrieved log records to a second client on the network, in response to a second delivery request from the second client. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method that helps service processes receive instructions from an operator, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) storing an inquiry to the operator in an inquiry buffer, upon issuance thereof from a service process;
(b) retrieving the inquiry pending in the inquiry buffer and sending the retrieved inquiry to the first client over a network, in response to a first delivery request from a first client;
(c) forwarding a reply received from the first client to the service process, as well as storing the received reply and corresponding inquiry as a log record in a log memory; and
(d) retrieving log records from the log memory and sending the retrieved log records to a second client on the network, in response to a second delivery request from the second client.
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15. An apparatus that helps service processes receive instructions from an operator, comprising:
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an inquiry buffer that stores inquiries;
a log memory that stores records of past inquiries and corresponding replies;
an inquiry receiver that receives an inquiry from the service processes and stores the received inquiry in said inquiry buffer;
an inquiry message sender, responsive to a first delivery request from a first client, which retrieves the inquiry pending in said inquiry buffer and sends the retrieved inquiry to the first client over a network;
a reply message receiver, responsive to a reply received from the first client, which forwards the received reply to the service process, as well as storing the received reply and corresponding inquiry as a log record in said log memory; and
a log record sender responsive to a second delivery request from a second client on the network, which retrieves log records from said log memory and sends the retrieved log records to the second client.
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16. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program that helps service processes receive instructions from an operator, the program causing a computer system to perform a process comprising the steps of:
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(a) storing an inquiry to the operator in an inquiry buffer, upon issuance thereof from a service process;
(b) retrieving the inquiry pending in the inquiry buffer and sending the retrieved inquiry to the first client over a network, in response to a first delivery request from a first client;
(c) forwarding a reply received from the first client to the service process, as well as storing the received reply and corresponding inquiry as a log record in a log memory; and
(d) retrieving log records from the log memory and sending the retrieved log records to a second client on the network, in response to a second delivery request from the second client.
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17. An apparatus that helps service processes receive instructions from an operator, comprising:
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inquiry buffer means for storing inquiries;
log memory means for storing records of past inquiries and corresponding replies;
inquiry receiving means for receiving an inquiry from the service processes and stores the received inquiry in said inquiry buffer means;
inquiry message sending means, responsive to a first delivery request from a first client, for retrieving the inquiry pending in said inquiry buffer means and sending the retrieved inquiry to the first client over a network;
reply message receiving means, responsive to a reply received from the first client, for forwarding the received reply to the service process and storing the received reply and corresponding inquiry as a log record in said log memory means; and
log record sending means, responsive to a second delivery request from a second client on the network, for retrieving log records from said log memory means and sending the retrieved log records to the second client.
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Specification