Brokerage System Employing Minimal Criteria Matching and Availability Queuing
First Claim
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1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
- receiving by one or more computers from a device used by a consumer a request to engage in a consultation with a service provider;
retrieving by the one or more computers current availability information for a plurality of service providers that indicate the service providers'"'"' current availability to engage a consumer;
analyzing by the one or more computers the current availability of the service providers; and
causing the one or more computers to select one of the service providers that according to the analysis has the least number of consumers currently in that service provider'"'"'s virtual waiting room.
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Abstract
Techniques are disclosed for connecting consumers of services with providers of services. The techniques include receiving from a device used by a consumer a request to engage in a consultation with a service provider, retrieving current availability information for a plurality of service providers that indicate the service providers'"'"' current availability to engage a consumer, analyzing by the one or more computers the current availability of the service providers and causing the one or more computers to select one of the service providers that according to the analysis has the least number of consumers currently in that service provider'"'"'s virtual waiting room.
17 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
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receiving by one or more computers from a device used by a consumer a request to engage in a consultation with a service provider; retrieving by the one or more computers current availability information for a plurality of service providers that indicate the service providers'"'"' current availability to engage a consumer; analyzing by the one or more computers the current availability of the service providers; and causing the one or more computers to select one of the service providers that according to the analysis has the least number of consumers currently in that service provider'"'"'s virtual waiting room. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer-implemented method comprising:
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receiving by one or more computers from a device used by a consumer a request to engage in a consultation with a service provider; accessing by the one or more computers queues associated with service providers who are available to provide the consultation, with a queue for a particular service provider being populated with entries that represent consumers who desire to have consultations with the particular service provider; identifying from the accessed queues a queue of a suitable service provider that has a decreased number of entries waiting to be processed, relative to numbers of entries in other of the accessed queues; and populating though the one or more computers the identified queue with an entry for the consumer requesting the consultation. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A computer program product tangibly stored on a computer readable storage device for connecting consumers of services with service providers comprises instructions for causing a processor to:
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receive from a device used by a consumer a request to engage in a consultation with a service provider; retrieve current availability information for a plurality of service providers that indicate the service providers'"'"' current availability to engage a consumer; analyze the current availability of the service providers; and cause a selection one of the service providers that according to the analysis has the least number of consumers currently waiting to engage with that service provider. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A computer system comprising:
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one or more processor devices; memory associated with the one or more processor devices; and a computer readable storage device storing a computer program product for connecting consumers of services with service providers comprises instructions for causing the one or more processor devices to; receive from a device used by a consumer a request to engage in a consultation with a service provider; retrieve current availability information for a plurality of service providers that indicate the service providers'"'"' current availability to engage a consumer; analyze the current availability of the service providers; and cause a selection one of the service providers that according to the analysis has the least number of consumers currently waiting to engage with that service provider. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A computer program product tangibly stored on a computer readable storage device for connecting consumers of services with service providers comprises instructions for causing a processor to:
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receive from a device used by a consumer a request to engage in a consultation with a service provider; access queues associated with service providers who are available to provide the consultation, with a queue for a particular service provider being populated with entries that represent consumers who desire to have consultations with the particular service provider; identify from the accessed queues a queue of a suitable service provider that has a decreased number of entries waiting to be processed, relative to numbers of entries in other of the accessed queues; and populate the identified queue with an entry for the consumer requesting the consultation. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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Specification