CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE REQUEST SYSTEM USING SMART DEVICE

• US 20130254304A1
• Filed: 07/12/2012
• Published: 09/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics LLC (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics LLC (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: VAN NEST, Nancy Lee, HALL, Stewart E., RASBAND, Paul Brent, RELIHAN, Timothy J., SALCEDO, David M., LEON, Gustavo
• Granted Patent: US 9,053,506 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/103 Workflow collaboration or project management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0617 Representative agent
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/043 using or handling presence information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A method and computer for responding to an assistance request message. An assistance request message from a requester mobile device associated with a requester is received at a response computer. The assistance request message includes at least one input parameter. A responder is determined, from multiple potential responders, to respond to the assistance request message. The responder is associated with responder data corresponding to the at least one input parameter. An availability inquiry message to a responder device associated with the responder is transmitted. A response to the availability inquiry message is received from the responder device. When the response to the availability inquiry message indicates that the responder is available to respond to the assistance request message, the requester mobile device is notified that the responder is available.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a response computer, an assistance request message from a requester mobile device associated with a requester, the assistance request message including at least one input parameter;

determining a responder, from a plurality of responders, to respond to the assistance request message, the responder being associated with responder data corresponding to the at least one input parameter;

transmitting an availability inquiry message to a responder device associated with the responder;

receiving a response to the availability inquiry message from the responder device; and

when the response to the availability inquiry message indicates that the responder is available to respond to the assistance request message, notifying the requester mobile device that the responder is available.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one input parameter is associated with one of a tag, an item, the responder and the requester.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one input parameter includes a location associated with the requester.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one input parameter includes at least one of a responder identification, an item identification and a requester identification.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the responder parameter includes at least one of a responder current task, a responder recent work load and a responder training.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the responder parameter is one of a plurality of responder parameters, each of the plurality of responder parameters being assigned a different one of a plurality of relevance values, and wherein the determining is based at least in part on the relevance value assigned to each of the plurality of responder parameters.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing a requester mobile device application to execute on the requester mobile device upon the requester entering a predetermined area.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one input parameter in the assistance request message includes tag data.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein in response to receiving the response to the availability inquiry message from the responder mobile device indicating that the responder is available, transmitting to the responder mobile device a requester profile.

10. A computer, comprising:

a receiver, the receiver configured to receive an assistance request message from a requester mobile device associated with a requester, the assistance request message including at least one input parameter;

a processor in communication with the receiver, the processor configured to determine a responder, from a plurality of responders, to respond to the assistance request message, the responder being associated with responder data corresponding to the at least one input parameter;

a transmitter in communication with the receiver and the processor, the transmitter configured to transmit an availability inquiry message to a responder device associated with the responder;

the receiver configured to receive a response to the availability inquiry message from the responder device; and

when the response to the availability inquiry message indicates that the responder is available to respond to the assistance request message, the transmitter transmits a notification to the requester mobile device indicating that the responder is available.

11. The computer of claim 10, wherein the at least one input parameter includes a location associated with the requester.

12. The computer of claim 10, wherein the at least one input parameter includes at least one of a responder identification, an item identification and a requester identification.

13. The computer of claim 10, wherein the responder parameter includes at least one of a responder current task, a responder recent work load and a responder training.

14. The computer of claim 10, wherein the responder parameter is one of a plurality of responder parameters, each of the plurality of responder parameters being assigned a different one of a plurality of relevance values, and wherein the processor determines the responder based at least in part on the relevance value assigned to each of the plurality of responder parameters.

15. The computer of claim 10, wherein when the response to the availability inquiry message indicates that the responder is unavailable:

the processor is further configured to determine, from the plurality of responders, another responder to respond to the assistance request message.

16. The computer of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to trigger execution of a requester mobile device application on the requester mobile device upon the requester entering an area.

17. The computer of claim 10, wherein the availability request message is a text message and the at least one input parameter in the assistance request message includes tag data.

18. The computer of claim 10, wherein in response to the receiver receiving the response to the availability inquiry message from the responder device indicating that the responder is available, the transmitter is configured to transmit to the responder device a requester profile.

19. The computer of claim 12, wherein the assistance request message is one of a text message and an email sent from a responder mobile device.

20. The computer of claim 10, wherein the at least one input parameter includes feedback information relating to the responder, the feedback information being received from the requester mobile device after the responder responds to a previous assistance request message sent by the requester.

21. A method for using a requester mobile device for sending an assistance request message, the method comprising:

receiving at the requester mobile device tag information from a tag;

transmitting from the requester mobile device the assistance request message to a response computer, the assistance request message including the tag information and at least one input parameter; and

receiving at the requester mobile device a message from the response computer, the message indicating that a responder is available to respond to the assistance request message, the responder being associated with responder data corresponding to the at least one input parameter.