Linking Software Users Sharing Common Traits

• US 20100287109A1
• Filed: 05/08/2009
• Published: 11/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Li, Juan Jenny, Weiss, David Mandel
• Application Number:
  US12/463,128
• Publication Number:
  US 20100287109A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/319
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3664 Environments for testing or debugging software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

A method for the establishing of connections between software users based on a pattern of use and/or a characteristic of content related to the users and the software. The interaction of a software user with the software is monitored and a characteristic of content related to the user and the software is determined. When the user needs customer support, he or she is routed to a fellow user of the same software who is capable of providing help. The helping user is selected based on the way in which the first user interacts with the software and/or the characteristic of content related to the first user and the software.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

initiating a telecommunications session between a user and at least one member of a social networking group;

wherein the social networking group is selected from a plurality of social networking groups based, at least in part, on a feature of a software application invoked by a user of the software application.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting from the plurality of social networking groups is also based, at least in part, on an estimate of the user'"'"'s proficiency with the software application.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting from the plurality of social networking groups is also based, at least in part, on a characteristic of content related to the user and the software application.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the content is computer-readable source code and the characteristic of the content is a code metric of the source code.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein content is computer-readable source code and the characteristic of the content is the nature of the source code causing the user difficulty.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the content is a sequence of actions taken by the first user in playing a computer game.

7. A method comprising:

initiating a telecommunications session based, at least in part, on a characteristic of content related to a user and a software application, wherein the characteristic is related to a skill level of a user.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the user is added to a social networking group based on the characteristic.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the user telecommunications session is between the user and another member of the social networking group.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the content is computer-readable source code and the characteristic of the content is a code metric of the source code.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the content is a sequence of actions taken by the first user in playing a computer game.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein initiating the telecommunications session is based, at least in part, on which features of a software application are invoked by the user.

13. The method of claim 8 comprising optionally removing the user from the social networking group when the user is not working with the software application.

14. The method of claim 7 wherein initiating the telecommunications session is based, at least in part, on an assessment of the user'"'"'s proficiency of the software application.

15. The method of claim 7 wherein content is computer-readable source code and the characteristic of the content is the nature of the source code causing the user difficulty.

16. A method comprising:

receiving an assessment of the complexity of content associated with a software tool and a first user; and

initiating a telecommunications session between the first user and a second user who has been determined to be capable of working with content of similar complexity.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the assessment of the proficiency of the first user is based, at least in part, on which features of the software application are invoked by the user.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the content is computer-readable source code and the assessment of its complexity is based on a metric of the source code.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the content is a sequence of actions taken by the first user in playing a computer game.

17. The method of 16 comprising:

receiving an assessment of the proficiency of a first user in using the software tool; and

wherein the second user is determined to be capable of working with content of similar complexity.