System and method for providing direct, context-sensitive customer support in an interactive television system

• US 20040244056A1
• Filed: 02/21/2001
• Published: 12/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Digeo Incorporated (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Digeo Broadband Incorporated
• Inventors: Tomsen, Mai-Ian, Lorenz, Kim E.
• Application Number:
  US09/789,917
• Publication Number:
  US 20040244056A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/135
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/254 Management at additional data server, e.g. shopping server, rights management server arrangements for maintenance or administration in data networks H04L41/00; network services using third party service providers H04L67/53
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

In response to a customer pressing a specifically-designated button, the customer is placed in communication with a customer support center associated with the content currently being displayed by the customer'"'"'s interactive television system. The interactive television system receives the request for customer support, identifies a support center associated with the content, and establishes a two-way communication channel between the support center and the customer. The two-way communication channel may support audio, video, text, and other data exchanges. The two-way communication channel may be used to transmit a copy of the currently displayed content to the support center. The two-way communication channel may also be used to allow receive commands, such as key presses, mouse events, etc., from a support technician. The commands may be performed by the interactive television system as though they were initiated by the user.

Claims

1. A method for providing context-sensitive customer support in an interactive television system, the method comprising:

receiving from a user a request for customer support;

identifying a support center related to content being displayed by the interactive television system;

establishing a two-way communication channel between the interactive television system and the support center; and

transmitting to the support center a copy of the content being displayed by the interactive television system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying at the support center the copy of the content received from the interactive television system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is received in response to a single user action.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the single user action comprises activation of a specifically-designated button on a remote control device for the interactive television system.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the single user action comprises activation of a specifically-designated control displayed on a user interface for the interactive television system.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

visually indicating when customer support is available for the content being displayed by the interactive television system.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein visually indicating comprises:

displaying an icon on a user interface for the interactive television system.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a command from the support center; and

executing the command within the interactive television system as though the command originated from the user.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the command comprises one of a mouse event, a keystroke, a menu selection, and a button press.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the content being displayed includes a support center identifier, and wherein identifying comprises:

reading the support center identifier from the displayed content.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the support center identifier comprises a network address.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the network address comprises one of a uniform resource locator (URL), an Internet protocol (IP) address, a telephone number, and a media access control (MAC) address.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive television system comprises a microphone for capturing an audio signal for transmission to the support center and a speaker for generating audible output from an audio signal received from the support center.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the microphone is integrated with a remote control device for the interactive television system.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the microphone is integrated with a set top box for the interactive television system.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the speaker is integrated with a remote control device for the interactive television system.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the speaker is integrated with one of a set top box and a television for the interactive television system.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive television system comprises a video camera for capturing a video signal for transmission to the support center.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the video camera is integrated with a remote control device for the interactive television system.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the video camera is integrated with a set top box for the interactive television system.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing comprises:

establishing a text-based, instant messaging session between the interactive television system and the support center.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing comprises:

sending a support request to an intermediate network node;

reserving a communication channel at the intermediate network node, wherein the communication channel is configured to permit two-way communication between the user and the support center; and

notifying the interactive television system and the support center of the reserved communication channel.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the intermediate network node comprises a head-end of a broadband communication network.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the intermediate network node comprises a central office (CO) of a telephone network.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the communication channel comprises a Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) channel.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein reserving comprises:

selecting an available MPEG channel for use as the communication channel;

updating a private indexing table to indicate the selected MPEG channel; and

sending the private indexing table to the support center and the interactive television system.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing comprises:

displaying on the interactive television system a status indication pertaining to the support request.

28. The method of claim 23 wherein the status indication comprises at least one of:

an indication of a wait time;

an indication of the user'"'"'s priority in a support queue;

an indication of a number of users in a support queue; and

an indication of a number of support technicians servicing customer support requests.

29. A system for providing context-sensitive customer support comprising:

a remote control device for an interactive television system configured to detect a user request for customer support; and

a set top box for the interactive television system configured to identify a support center related to content being displayed by the interactive television system, establish a two-way communication channel between the user and the support center, and transmit to the support center a copy of the content being displayed by the interactive television system.

30. The system of claim 29, further comprising:

a display device at the support center configured to display the copy of the content received from the interactive television system.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the user request for customer support comprises a single user action.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the single user action comprises activation of a specifically-designated button of the remote control device to request customer support.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the single user action comprises activation of a specifically-designated control displayed on a user interface for the interactive television system.

34. The system of claim 29, wherein the set top box is further configured to display a visual indication when customer support is available for the content being displayed by the interactive television system.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the visual indication comprises an icon displayed on a user interface for the interactive television system.

36. The system of claim 29, wherein the set top box is further configured to receive a command from the support center and to execute the command as though the command originated from the user.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the command is one of a mouse event, a keystroke, a menu selection, and a button press.

38. The system of claim 29, wherein the content being displayed includes a support center identifier, and wherein the set top box is further configured to read the support center identifier from the content being displayed.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the support center identifier comprises a network address.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the network address is one of a uniform resource locator (URL), an Internet protocol (IP) address, a telephone number, and a media access control (MAC) address.

41. The system of claim 29, wherein the remote control device comprises a microphone for capturing an audio signal for transmission to the support center and a speaker for generating audible output from an audio signal received from the support center.

42. The system of claim 29, wherein the set top box comprises a microphone for capturing an audio signal for transmission to the support center.

43. The system of claim 29, wherein the remote control device comprises a video camera for capturing a video signal for transmission to the support center.

44. The system of claim 29, wherein the set top box comprises a video camera for capturing a video signal for transmission to the support center.

45. The system of claim 29, wherein the set top box is further configured to establish a text-based, instant messaging session with the support center.

46. The system of claim 29, wherein the set top box is further configured to send a support request to an intermediate network node and receive therefrom an indication of a reserved communication channel for communication between the interactive television system and the support center.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the intermediate network node comprises a head-end of a cable network.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the intermediate network node comprises a central office (CO) of a telephone network.

49. The system of claim 46, wherein the communication channel comprises an Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) channel.

50. The system of claim 29, wherein the set top box is further configured to receive notification of a reserved communication channel from an intermediate network node.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the notification of a reserved communication channel comprises a private indexing table.

52. The system of claim 29, wherein the set top box is further configured to display on a display device associated with the interactive television system a status indication pertaining to the support request.

53. The system of claim 52, wherein the status indication comprises at least one of:

an indication of a wait time;

an indication of a number of users waiting for a customer support request to be serviced;

an indication of the user'"'"'s priority in a support queue;

an indication of a number of users in a support queue; and

an indication of a number of support technicians servicing customer support requests.