Method and apparatus for initiating support request from mobile station

• US 20070153081A1
• Filed: 12/29/2005
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Peter Manchev
• Original Assignee: Peter Manchev
• Inventors: Manchev, Peter
• Application Number:
  US11/306,485
• Publication Number:
  US 20070153081A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.10
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19621 Portable camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32765 Initiating a communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32767 in response to a user operation, e.g. actuating a switch H04N1/32769 and H04N1/32771 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3212 of data relating to a job, e.g. communication, capture or filing of an image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3225 of data relating to an image, a page or a document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3253 Position information, e.g. geographical position at time of capture, GPS data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 Transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Method and apparatus for initiating support request from mobile station by providing a digital image generated at the mobile station to a support center. The digital image is created upon pressing a preconfigured key combination and could be stored on the mobile station. Signals representative of the created digital image is automatically sent to the support center after confirmation from the mobile station operator. Once received at the support center, the digital image is stored for evidentiary purposes. After that the mobile station operator have to contact the support center in order to complete the support initiation process by providing information regarding his support request and asking that the support center use already received digital image as evidence for this support request. If the mobile station operator does not contact the support center within contractually predetermined time period, the support request is considered abandoned. This invention could be used to create new insurance products and services.

Claims

1. A method and apparatus for initiating support request from mobile station by providing a digital image, or a series of digital images, generated at the mobile station to a support center, said apparatus comprising:

a digital image creator, said digital image creator creates the digital image responsive to the reception of the indications of support request;

a digital image signal generator coupled to receive indications of the digital image created by said digital image creator, said digital image signal generator for generating a digital image signal for transmission to the support center.

2. The digital image, or a series of digital images, is created by the apparatus of claim 1 upon pressing a preconfigured key combination by the user actuator.

3. Signals representative of the created digital image of claim 2 are automatically sent to the support center after confirmation from the mobile station operator.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the call is initiated to initiate support request and wherein said digital image signal generator generates the digital image signal for transmission to the support center.

5. In the method of claim 1, a combination with the support center of further apparatus for operating upon the digital image signal generated by said digital image signal generator, said further apparatus comprising:

a detector coupled to receive indications of the digital image signal subsequent to transmission of the digital image signal to the support center;

said detector for detecting values of the digital signal;

an image capturer coupled to said detector, said image capturer for capturing a visual image responsive to the values of the digital image signal detected by said detector.

6. The further apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a display device coupled to said image capturer, said display device for displaying at the support center the visual image captured by said image capturer.

7. The further apparatus of claim 5 wherein said image capturer comprises a storage device at which the values of the digital image signal detected by said detector are stored.

8. The further apparatus of claim 7 wherein the mobile station is further operable to send other information to the support center and wherein said detector is further operable to detect values of the other information.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the storage device forming said image capturer further stores the values of the other information.

10. Once the support center receives the digital image, or a series of digital images, the mobile station operator have to contact the support center in order to complete the support initiation process by providing information regarding his support request and confirming that the support center use already received digital image as evidence for this support request.

11. A method for initiating support request from mobile station by providing a digital image to a support center to which a user of a mobile station having a transmit portion and a user actuator selectably initiates a support request from mobile station by providing a digital image, or a series of digital images, generated at the mobile station to a support center, said method comprising:

creating a digital image responsive to actuation of the user actuator;

automatically generating a digital image signal responsive to the digital image created during said operation of creating; and

automatically transmitting, from the transmit position, the digital image signal created during said operation of generating to the support center.