Telephone support method, storage medium and apparatus

• US 20050047576A1
• Filed: 02/26/2004
• Published: 03/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Kato, Junichi, Hidesawa, Shigeru
• Granted Patent: US 6,999,578 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/215.10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5238 with waiting time or load prediction arrangements

Abstract

A support reception unit issues a reception number in response to an application for support from a client and notifies the client of the reception number and a guidance for a call connection. A wait state management unit allocates into a queue the reception number sent from a call connection by telephone, holds the call connection and notifies the client, for display, of a current wait state and wait time points increased as a wait time elapses, until a support client becomes available for response. When the support client has become available for response, a support start unit confirms start of support for the client and, as a result of a confirmation response, connects by an extension the held call connection to the support client. A support end unit adds the wait time points to be accumulated and stores them at the point of time when the call connection with the supporter is terminated.

Claims

1. A telephone support method comprising:

a support reception step issuing a reception number in response to an application for support from a user terminal and notifying the user terminal of the reception number and a guidance for a call connection;

a wait state management step notifying the user terminal of wait information indicating a current wait state and of wait time points increased as a wait time elapses until a support terminal becomes available for response;

a support start step connecting to an extension a call connection held at the support terminal when the support terminal becomes available for response; and

a support end step adding the wait time points to past wait time points and storing the sum.

2. The telephone support method according to claim 1, wherein

the support reception step includes, if the user is a registered member based on the application for support, issuing a reception number and notifying the user terminal of the reception number and the guidance for call connection, and, if the user is not a registered member, notifying the user terminal of a guide to admission.

3. The telephone support method according to claim 1, wherein

the support reception step includes notifying, as the guidance for the call connection, the user terminal of a telephone number for the standard telephone and an IP address for an IP telephone of a support site.

4. The telephone support method according to claim 1, wherein

the wait state management step includes notifying the user terminal of a current wait order or of wait time that remains before the start of support.

5. The telephone support method according to claim 1, wherein

the support start step includes, when the support terminal becomes available for response, sending selection information on a plurality of support terminals to the user terminal and connecting to an extension the call connection held at a support site specified by a selection response from the user terminal.

6. The telephone support method according to claim 5, wherein

the support start step includes, when the support terminal becomes available for response, sending to the user terminal, for selection, selection information including names, years of experience and comments of supporters at a plurality of support terminals.

7. The telephone support method according to claim 1, further comprising;

a reconnection management step, when the call connection with the user terminal held in a wait state is disconnected, continuing to notify the user terminal, for display, of wait information indicating the current wait state and wait time points increased as the wait time elapses, and requesting the user terminal to make a call reconnection at the timing immediately before start of support.

8. The telephone support method according to claim 7, wherein

the reconnection management step includes, when a call reconnection by telephone is not yet made at the support start time after requesting the user terminal to make the call reconnection, canceling the wait state when the elapsed time from the support start time exceeds a predefined time period.

9. The telephone support method according to claim 7, wherein

the support reception step includes:

verifying whether the user is a registered member or not by searching a member database with user information from the application for support; and

if the user is a registered member, issuing a reception number and notifying the user of the reception number and a guidance for a call connection, and, if the user is not a registered member, notifying the user of a guide to admission.

10. The telephone support method according to claim 7, wherein

the support reception step includes notifying, as the guidance for the call connection, the user terminal of a telephone number for the standard telephone and an IP address for an IP telephone of a support site.

11. The telephone support method according to claim 7, wherein

the wait state management step includes notifying the user terminal of a current wait order or of a wait time that remains before the start of support.

12. The telephone support method according to claim 7, wherein

the support start step includes, when the support terminal becomes available for response, sending selection information on a plurality of support terminals to the user terminal and connecting to an extension the call connection held at a support site specified by a selection response from the user terminal.

13. The telephone support method according to claim 12, wherein

the support start step includes, when the support terminal becomes available for response, sending to the user terminal, for selection, selection information including names, years of experience and comments of supporters at a plurality of support terminals.

14. A computer-readable storage medium which store a program allowing a computer to execute:

a support reception step issuing a reception number in response to an application for support from a user terminal and notifying the user terminal of the reception number and a guidance for a call connection;

a wait state management step notifying the user terminal of wait information indicating a current wait state and of wait time points increased as a wait time elapses until a support terminal becomes available for response;

a support start step connecting to an extension a call connection held at the support terminal when the support terminal becomes available for response; and

a support end step adding the wait time points to past wait time points and storing the sum.

15. The storage medium according to claim 14, further comprising;

a reconnection management step, when the call connection with the user terminal held in a wait state is disconnected, continuing to notify the user terminal, for display, of wait information indicating the current wait state and wait time points increased as the wait time elapses, and requesting the user terminal to make a call reconnection at the timing immediately before start of support.

16. The storage medium according to claim 15, wherein

the reconnection management step includes, when a call reconnection by telephone is not yet made at the support start time after requesting the user terminal to make the call reconnection, canceling the wait state when the elapsed time from the support start time exceeds a predefined time period.

17. A telephone support apparatus comprising:

a support reception unit issuing a reception number in response to an application for support from a user terminal and notifying, the user terminal of the reception number and a guidance for a call connection;

a wait state management unit notifying the user terminal of wait information indicating a current wait state and of wait time points increased as a wait time elapses until a support terminal becomes available for response;

a support start unit connecting to an extension a call connection held at the support terminal when the support terminal becomes available for response; and

a support end unit adding the wait time points to past wait time points and storing the sum.

18. The telephone support apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising;

a reconnection management unit, when the call connection with the user terminal held in a wait state is disconnected, continuing to notify the user terminal, for display, of wait information indicating the current wait state and wait time points increased as the wait time elapses, and requesting the user terminal to make a call reconnection at the timing immediately before start of support.

19. The telephone support apparatus according to claim 18, wherein

the reconnection management unit, when a call reconnection by telephone is not yet made at the support start time after requesting the user terminal to make the call reconnection, cancels the wait state when the elapsed time from the support start time exceeds a predefined time period.