System and method for routing and managing service requests

• US 20050108021A1
• Filed: 07/31/2003
• Published: 05/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewitt Associates LLC (Alight, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewitt Associates LLC (Alight, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jones, Richard, Clarke, Peter, Anderson, Greg, Montgomery, Jim, Unterberger, Steve, Groenestijn, Berry
• Application Number:
  US10/631,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20050108021A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5054 Automatic deployment of services triggered by the service manager, e.g. service implementation by automatic configuration of network components

Abstract

The disclosure presents a method for routing and managing service requests. A service request is received from a service requester, and a determination is made as to which of a plurality of service-providing nodes the service request should be transmitted. The service request is transmitted to the determined service-providing node. The service request may comprise one or more attributes describing the service request, and the determination as to which of the service-providing nodes the service request is transmitted may be based on the value of the one or more service request attributes. The service request may be divided into portions, each portion transmitted to a service-providing node. Information received from a service-providing node may enable an evaluation of whether and why a service request was not fulfilled.

Claims

1. A method for managing service requests, the method comprising the steps of:

providing for receiving a service request from a service requestor;

providing for determining which of a plurality of service-providing nodes to transmit the service request to; and

,

providing for transmitting the service request to at least one of the plurality of service-providing nodes.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing for formatting the service request into a predetermined service request format.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing for assigning a unique service request identifier to the service request.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing for determining whether the service request contains information required for the fulfillment of the service request.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of:

providing for transmitting the service request to the service requestor if the service request does not contain information required for the fulfillment of the service request.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing for determining whether fulfillment of the service request requires transmitting the service request to more than one of the plurality of service-providing nodes.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

providing for dividing the service request into a plurality of portions; and

,

providing for transmitting each of the plurality of portions of the service request to a separate one of the plurality of service-providing nodes.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

providing for receiving fulfillment information from at least one of the plurality of service-providing nodes; and

,

providing for assembling the fulfillment information received from the at least one of the plurality of service-providing nodes.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing for receiving fulfillment information from one of the plurality of service-providing nodes.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing for determining whether the service request has been fulfilled.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

providing for transmitting the service request to a service-providing node upon a determination that a deficiency has been overcome or is no longer relevant.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

providing for notifying the service requestor whether the service request has been fulfilled.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

providing for determining why the service request was not fulfilled; and

,

providing for transmitting to the service requestor results of why the service request was not fulfilled.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing for monitoring the status of the service request.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of:

providing for receiving a request from a service requestor for the status of the service request; and

,

providing for transmitting the status of the service request to a service requester.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing for retrievably storing information related to the service request.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the service request comprises at least one attribute, further comprising the steps of:

providing for evaluating the service request based on the value of the at least one attribute; and

,

providing for proposing a response to the service request based on the evaluation of the service request.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing for determining which of the plurality of nodes to transmit the service request to is dependent on at least one of:

a requestor location, a service-providing node location, a location of provider resources, a language of the requester, a service request language, a subject matter of the service request, time the service request is received, time required for fulfillment of the service request, confidentiality of the service request, identify of the requestor, number of requestors.

6. The method of Claim I, further comprising the step of:

providing for determining whether fulfillment of the service request requires authorization from an authorization provider.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

providing for transmitting the service request to an authorization provider.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

providing for receiving an authorization from an authorization provider.

22. A method for managing service requests, the method comprising the steps of:

providing for receiving a service request from a service requester, the service request having at least one attribute;

providing for evaluating the service request based on the value of the at least one attribute; and

,

providing for proposing a response to the service request based on the evaluation of the service request.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of:

providing for formatting the service request into a predetermined service request format.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of:

providing for assigning a unique service request identifier to the service request.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of:

providing for determining whether the service request contains information required for the fulfillment of the service request.

26. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of:

providing for transmitting the service request to the service requestor if the service request does not contain information required for the fulfillment of the service request.

27. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of:

providing for determining whether fulfillment of the service request requires authorization from an authorization provider.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of:

providing for transmitting the service request to an authorization provider.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of:

providing for receiving an authorization from an authorization provider.

30. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of:

providing for determining whether fulfillment of the service request requires transmitting the service request to more than one of the plurality of service-providing nodes.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising the steps of:

providing for dividing the service request into a plurality of portions; and

,

providing for transmitting each of the plurality of portions of the service request to a separate one of the plurality of service-providing nodes.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising the steps of:

providing for receiving fulfillment information from at least one of the plurality of service-providing nodes; and

,

providing for assembling the fulfillment information received from the at least one of the plurality of service-providing nodes.

33. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of:

providing for receiving fulfillment information from one of the plurality of service-providing nodes.

34. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of:

providing for determining whether the service request has been fulfilled.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising the step of:

providing for transmitting the service request to a service-providing node upon a determination that a deficiency has been overcome or is no longer relevant.

36. The method of claim 34, further comprising the step of:

providing for notifying the service requestor whether the service request has been fulfilled.

37. The method of claim 34, further comprising the steps of:

providing for determining why the service request was not fulfilled; and

,

providing for transmitting to the service requestor results of why the service request was not fulfilled.

38. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of:

providing for monitoring the status of the service request.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising the steps of:

providing for receiving a request from a service requestor for the status of the service request; and

,

providing for transmitting the status of the service request to a service requester.

40. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of:

providing for retrievably storing information related to the service request.

41. The method of claim 22, wherein the proposed response is dependent on at least one of:

a requester location, a service-providing node location, a location of provider resources, a language of the requestor, a service request language, a subject matter of the service request, time the service request is received, time required for fulfillment of the service request, confidentiality of the service request, identify of the requester, number of requesters.

42. A system for managing service requests, comprising:

a processor for executing an application; and

,

a memory in communication with the processor;

wherein the application comprises;

a first code segment for receiving a service request from a service requester;

a second code segment for determining which of a plurality of service-providing nodes to transmit the service request to; and

,

a third code segment for transmitting the service request to at least one of the plurality of service-providing nodes.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the application further comprises:

a fourth code segment for formatting the service request into a predetermined service request format.

44. The system of claim 42, wherein the application further comprises:

a fourth code segment for assigning a unique service request identifier to the service request.

45. The system of claim 42, wherein the application further comprises:

a fourth code segment for determining whether the service request contains information required for the fulfillment of the service request.

46. The system of claim 42, wherein the application further comprises:

a fifth code segment for transmitting the service request to the service requestor if the service request does not contain information required for the fulfillment of the service request.

47. The system of claim 42, wherein the application further comprises:

a fourth code segment for determining whether fulfillment of the service request requires authorization from an authorization provider.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the application further comprises:

a fifth code segment for transmitting the service request to an authorization provider.

49. The system of claim 47, wherein the application further comprises:

a fifth code segment for receiving an authorization from an authorization provider.

50. The system of claim 42, wherein the application further comprises:

a fourth code segment for determining whether fulfillment of the service request requires transmitting the service request to more than one of the plurality of service-providing nodes.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the application further comprises:

a fifth code segment for dividing the service request into a plurality of portions; and

,

a sixth code segment for transmitting each of the plurality of portions of the service request to a separate one of the plurality of service-providing nodes.

52. The system of claim 50, wherein the application further comprises:

a fifth code segment for receiving fulfillment information from at least one of the plurality of service-providing nodes; and

,

a sixth code segment for assembling the fulfillment information received from the at least one of the plurality of service-providing nodes.

53. The system of claim 42, wherein the application further comprises:

a fourth code segment for receiving fulfillment information from one of the plurality of service-providing nodes.

54. The system of claim 42, wherein the application further comprises:

a fourth code segment for determining whether the service request has been fulfilled.

56. The system of claim 54, wherein the application further comprises:

a fifth code segment for transmitting the service request to a service-providing node upon a determination that a deficiency has been overcome or is no longer relevant.

57. The system of claim 54, wherein the application further comprises:

a fifth code segment for notifying the service requester whether the service request has been fulfilled.

58. The system of claim 54, wherein the application further comprises:

a fifth code segment for determining why the service request was not fulfilled; and

,

a sixth code segment for transmitting to the service requestor results of why the service request was not fulfilled.

59. The system of claim 42, wherein the application further comprises:

a fourth code segment for monitoring the status of the service request.

60. The system of claim 59, wherein the application further comprises:

a fifth code segment for receiving a request from a service requestor for the status of the service request; and

,

a sixth code segment for transmitting the status of the service request to a service requestor.

61. The system of claim 42, wherein the application further comprises:

a fourth code segment for retrievably storing information related to the service request.

62. The system of claim 42, wherein the service request comprises at least one attribute, the application further comprising:

a fourth code segment for evaluating the service request based on the value of the at least one attribute; and

,

a fifth code segment for proposing a response to the service request based on the evaluation of the service request.

63. The system of claim 42, wherein the outcome of the second code segment is dependent on at least one of:

a requestor location, a service-providing node location, a location of provider resources, a language of the requestor, a service request language, a subject matter of the service request, time the service request is received, time required for fulfillment of the service request, confidentiality of the service request, identify of the requestor, number of requesters.

64. A system for managing service requests, comprising:

a processor for executing an application; and

,

a memory in communication with the processor,

wherein the application comprises;

a first code segment for receiving a service request from a service requestor, the service request having at least one attribute;

a second code segment for evaluating the service request based on the value of the at least one attribute; and

,

a third code segment for proposing a response to the service request based on the evaluation of the service request.

65. The system of claim 64, wherein the application further comprises:

a fourth code segment for formatting the service request into a predetermined service request format.

66. The system of claim 64, wherein the application further comprises:

a fourth code segment for assigning a unique service request identifier to the service request.

67. The system of claim 64, wherein the application further comprises:

a fourth code segment for determining whether the service request contains information required for the fulfillment of the service request.

68. The system of claim 64, wherein the application further comprises:

a fourth code segment for transmitting the service request to the service requestor if the service request does not contain information required for the fulfillment of the service request.

69. The system of claim 64, wherein the application further comprises:

a fourth code segment for determining whether fulfillment of the service request requires authorization from an authorization provider.

70. The system of claim 64, wherein the application further comprises:

a fourth code segment for transmitting the service request to an authorization provider.

71. The system of claim 64, wherein the application further comprises:

a fourth code segment for receiving an authorization from an authorization provider.

72. The system of claim 64, wherein the application further comprises:

a fourth code segment for determining whether fulfillment of the service request requires transmitting the service request to more than one of the plurality of service-providing nodes.

73. The system of claim 72, wherein the application further comprises:

a fifth code segment for dividing the service request into a plurality of portions; and

,

a sixth code segment for providing for transmitting each of the plurality of portions of the service request to a separate one of the plurality of service-providing nodes.

74. The system of claim 72, wherein the application further comprises:

a fifth code segment for receiving fulfillment information from at least one of the plurality of service-providing nodes; and

,

a sixth code segment providing for assembling the fulfillment information received from the at least one of the plurality of service-providing nodes.

75. The system of claim 64, wherein the application further comprises:

a fourth code segment for receiving fulfillment information from one of the plurality of service-providing nodes.

76. The system of claim 64, wherein the application further comprises:

a fourth code segment for determining whether the service request has been fulfilled.

77. The system of claim 76, wherein the application further comprises:

a fifth code segment for transmitting the service request to a service-providing node upon a determination that a deficiency has been overcome or is no longer relevant.

78. The system of claim 76, wherein the application further comprises:

a fifth code segment for notifying the service requestor whether the service request has been fulfilled.

79. The system of claim 64, wherein the application further comprises:

a fifth code segment for determining why the service request was not fulfilled; and

,

a sixth code segment for transmitting to the service requestor results of why the service request was not fulfilled.

80. The system of claim 64, wherein the application further comprises:

a fourth code segment for monitoring the status of the service request.

81. The system of claim 80, wherein the application further comprises:

a fifth code segment for receiving a request from a service requestor for the status of the service request; and

,

a sixth code segment for transmitting the status of the service request to a service requestor.

82. The system of claim 64, wherein the application further comprises:

a fourth code segment for retrievably storing information related to the service request.

83. The system of claim 64, wherein the application further comprises:

a fourth code segment for

84. The system of claim 64, wherein the step wherein the outcome of the second code segment is dependent on at least one of:

a requester location, a service-providing node location, a location of provider resources, a language of the requester, a service request language, a subject matter of the service request, time the service request is received, time required for fulfillment of the service request, confidentiality of the service request, identify of the requester, number of requesters.