RETAIL REINVENTION AND SELF HELP CARE PORTAL

• US 20150186895A1
• Filed: 11/26/2014
• Published: 07/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Chauhan, Kanakrai Gajendra, Hassan, Omar
• Granted Patent: US 9,990,637 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/10 Program control for peripheral devices G06F13/14 - G06F13/42 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/012 Providing warranty services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0281 Customer communication at a business location, e.g. providing product or service information, consulting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A system and method for implementing an in-store kiosk device as part of a retail reinvention and self help care portal. The in-store kiosk device may allow a consumer to self-diagnose problems with electronic devices, such as smart phones, and to seek technical or service related assistance with appropriate experts. The in-store kiosk device may also facilitate initiating a communication between the consumer and multiple experts, to help resolve any consumer technical or sales queries. In some examples, the in-store kiosk device has the added advantage of providing consumers with a means to have service or inventory-related issues addressed without having to wait for available in-store service staff. The in-store kiosk device may also facilitate electronic device exchange.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving from a kiosk device, by one or more computing devices, a request for assistance from a user of the kiosk device, the request being associated with an electronic device of the user that is communicatively coupled to the kiosk device;

receiving, by the one or more computing devices, at least one of;

one or more interactions between the user and the kiosk device;

or

diagnostic information about the electronic device;

identifying, by the one or more computing devices, one or more appropriate experts to receive the request for assistance, based at least in part the one or more interactions, the diagnostic information, or both;

establishing, by the one or more computing devices and through the kiosk device, a communication between the one or more appropriate experts and the user associated the electronic device; and

providing the one or more interactions, the diagnostic information, or both to the one or more appropriate experts.

2. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the communication further comprises at least one of a voice call, a video call, a video chat, or a text messaging conversation.

3. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the establishing the communication occurs among two or more appropriate experts and the user, and further comprising, transmitting the communication from the two or more appropriate experts to the user substantially simultaneously through the kiosk device.

4. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more appropriate experts include at least one of a technical expert of the electronic device, a technical expert of a service provider that provides services to the electronic device, an accounts expert of the service provider, or a sales expert that is selected based on information received from the request for assistance.

5. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more interactions is continually tracked by the kiosk device or by the one or more computing device, and wherein the one or more interactions is continually tracked after an initial interaction between the user and the kiosk device.

6. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the establishing the communication further comprises:

in response to at least one appropriate expert of the one or more appropriate experts being unavailable to receive the communication for a period of time within a predetermined threshold, transmitting a call-waiting audio communication through the kiosk device; and

when the at least one appropriate expert is available to receive the communication within the predetermined threshold period of time, ceasing the call waiting audio communication and establishing the communication between the at least one appropriate expert and the user associated with the electronic device through the kiosk device.

7. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the establishing the communication further comprises, in response to at least one appropriate expert of the one or more appropriate experts being unavailable to receive the communication for a period of time that exceeds a predetermined threshold, transferring the communication associated with the at least one appropriate expert to another appropriate expert.

8. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising determining that the request for assistance relates to a context that includes at least one of a billing inquiry, an account information inquiry, a technical service inquiry or a hardware related inquiry based at least in part on the one or more interactions, the diagnostic information, or both, and the identifying includes identifying one or more appropriate experts based at least in part on the context.

9. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed on one or more processors, performs acts comprising:

receiving a request for assistance from a user of an in-store kiosk device, the request being related to at least one product or service;

receiving one or more user-interactions with the in-store kiosk device;

identifying one or more appropriate experts to receive the request for assistance, based at least in part on the one or more interactions;

establishing, through the in-store kiosk device, a communication between the one or more appropriate experts and the user; and

providing the one or more interactions to the one or more appropriate experts.

10. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, wherein the diagnostic information associated with the electronic device includes at least one of service provider protocols, system integrity data, user customization setting, user profile information or accessibility settings.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the request for assistance is related to a category of products and the identifying the one or more appropriate experts includes identifying appropriate expert associated with individual products within the category of products.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the identifying the one or more appropriate experts further comprises:

receiving bids from a plurality of appropriate experts to provide assistance to the user of the in-store kiosk device; and

selecting the one or more appropriate experts from the plurality of appropriate experts, based at least in part on the bids.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the bids comprise a first bid price for providing sales assistance, and a second bid price for providing technical assistance.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the communication connection further establishes a network connection to a remote source over a network, and wherein the performing the diagnostic analysis occurs at the remote source.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein establishing a communicative connection with the electronic device further comprises authenticating the electronic device to determine that the electronic device is associated with the user.

16. A kiosk device comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more device receiving components coupled to the one or more processors, including at least one of a receptacle for an electronic device or a physical connector component for coupling to a corresponding component of the electronic device;

one or more wired interfaces, wireless interfaces, or both, coupled to either or both of the one or more processors or the one or more device receiving components; and

memory coupled to the one or more processors, the memory including one or more modules that are executable by the one or more processors to;

receive a request for assistance that is related to the electronic device;

establish a communicative connection with the electronic device through one of the one or more wired interfaces, one of the one or more wireless interfaces, or both;

access diagnostic information associated with the electronic device through the communicative connection;

perform a diagnostic analysis of the electronic device based at least in part on the diagnostic information; and

provide an indication corresponding to one or more corrective options, based at least in part on the request for assistance and the diagnostic analysis.

17. The kiosk device of claim 16, wherein performing the diagnostic analysis further comprises:

establishing a communicative connection with a remote source over a network;

transmitting the diagnostic information to the remote source; and

receiving further diagnostic analysis from the remote source.

18. The kiosk device of claim 16, wherein the one or more corrective options associated with the electronic device include installing a new application, removing an existing application, re-installing an existing application, configuring existing system preferences, or configuring user preferences associated with the electronic device.

19. The kiosk device of claim 16, further comprising one or more modules that are executable by the one or more processors to:

identify one or more appropriate experts to receive the request for assistance based at least in part on the diagnostic analysis; and

initiate a communicative connection over a network with the one or more appropriate experts.

20. The kiosk device of claim 16, wherein the one or more corrective options includes an option to facilitate an electronic device exchange.