AUTOMATED DEVICE ASSISTANCE

• US 20170003857A1
• Filed: 06/30/2015
• Published: 01/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Original Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Inventors: Mande, Christian, Williamson, Mark, Watkins, Brendan, Furey, Ryan, Price, Anne, Pearce, Alison, Bentubo, Michelle
• Granted Patent: US 10,365,805 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/328 Computer systems status display G06F11/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0281 Customer communication at a business location, e.g. providing product or service information, consulting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display

Abstract

A user may perform activities at an automated device having various technical features, such as a display, a printer, a camera, a microphone, a speaker, and other features used to perform activities at the automated device. During performance of an activity, the user may run into an issue and request assistance from an agent having a computing device (e.g., a portable computing device). Additionally or alternatively, the automated device may detect the issue and send a request for assistance to a computing device managing a transaction assistance portal or directly to the agent'"'"'s computing device. The request may identify the user, the activity, and/or the issue, and the agent and his or her computing device may be used to resolve the issue. The agent'"'"'s computing device may also be used to facilitate customer relationship management with the user.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a computing device and from a server managing an activity assistance portal, status information for each of a plurality of automated devices, wherein the status information for an automated device of the plurality of automated devices indicates whether the automated device is available, is functioning in a self-service mode, is being assisted by the computing device, is being assisted by another computing device, or has requested to be assisted;

generating, by the computing device, for display on a display of the computing device the status information for each of the plurality of automated devices, including first status information for a first automated device of the plurality of automated devices;

generating, by the computing device, for display on the display of the computing device an option to switch the display from displaying the first status information for the first automated device to displaying a product or service available to a user at the first automated device; and

responsive to receiving a selection of the option to switch the display, generating, by the computing device, for display on the display of the computing device the product or service available to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first status information comprises an activity being performed by the user at the first automated device, and a selectable option for the computing device to assist the user to perform the activity, and

the product or service available to the user comprises an opportunity flagged by the computing device or another computing device during a prior activity being performed by the user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating, by the computing device, for display on the display of the computing device a second option to switch the display from displaying the product or service available to the user to displaying the first status information for the first automated device; and

responsive to receiving a selection of the second option to switch the display, generating, by the computing device, for display on the display of the computing device the first status information for the first automated device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the product or service available to the user comprises an opportunity flagged for the user during a prior interaction between the user and one of the plurality of automated devices, and wherein the method comprises:

storing, in a database and in association with a profile of the user, the opportunity flagged for the user during the prior interaction.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first status information for the first automated device indicates that the first automated device is being assisted by the computing device or is being assisted by another computing device, and wherein the display of the product or service available to the user is read-only until the first status information for the first automated device indicates that assistance of the first automated device is completed.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a selection of the product or service by the user at the first automated device;

accessing a database comprising a profile for the user; and

pre-populating an application for the product or service using information from the profile for the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the display of the product or service available to the user comprises a selectable option to display one or more appointment for the user and a selectable option to display information from a profile for the user.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

memory storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to;

receive, from a server managing an activity assistance portal, status information for each of a plurality of automated devices, wherein the status information for an automated device of the plurality of automated devices indicates whether the automated device is available, is functioning in a self-service mode, is being assisted by the apparatus, is being assisted by another apparatus, or has requested to be assisted;

generate for display on a display of the apparatus the status information for each of the plurality of automated devices, including first status information for a first automated device of the plurality of automated devices;

generate for display on the display of the apparatus an option to switch the display from displaying the first status information for the first automated device to displaying a product or service available to a user at the first automated device; and

responsive to receiving a selection of the option to switch the display, generate for display on the display of the apparatus the product or service available to the user.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the first status information comprises an activity being performed by the user at the first automated device, and a selectable option for the apparatus to assist the user to perform the activity, and

the product or service available to the user comprises an opportunity flagged by the apparatus or another apparatus during a prior activity being performed by the user.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the memory stores additional computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to:

generate for display on the display of the computing device a second option to switch the display from displaying the product or service available to the user to displaying the first status information for the first automated device; and

responsive to receiving a selection of the second option to switch the display, generate for display on the display of the computing device the first status information for the first automated device.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the product or service available to the user comprises an opportunity flagged for the user during a prior interaction between the user and one of the plurality of automated devices, and wherein the memory stores additional computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to:

store, in a database and in association with a profile of the user, the opportunity flagged for the user during the prior interaction.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first status information for the first automated device indicates that the first automated device is being assisted by the apparatus or is being assisted by another apparatus, and wherein the display of the product or service available to the user is read-only until the first status information for the first automated device indicates that assistance of the first automated device is completed.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the memory stores additional computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to:

receive a selection of the product or service by the user at the first automated device;

access a database comprising a profile for the user; and

pre-populate an application for the product or service using information from the profile for the user.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the display of the product or service available to the user comprises a selectable option to display one or more appointment for the user and a selectable option to display information from a profile for the user.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause a computing device to:

receive, from a server managing an activity assistance portal, status information for each of a plurality of automated devices, wherein the status information for an automated device of the plurality of automated devices indicates whether the automated device is available, is functioning in a self-service mode, is being assisted by the computing device, is being assisted by another computing device, or has requested to be assisted;

generate for display on a display of the computing device the status information for each of the plurality of automated devices, including first status information for a first automated device of the plurality of automated devices;

generate for display on the display of the computing device an option to switch the display from displaying the first status information for the first automated device to displaying a product or service available to a user at the first automated device; and

responsive to receiving a selection of the option to switch the display, generate for display on the display of the computing device the product or service available to the user.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein:

the first status information comprises an activity being performed by the user at the first automated device, and a selectable option for the computing device to assist the user to perform the activity, and

the product or service available to the user comprises an opportunity flagged by the computing device or another computing device during a prior activity being performed by the user.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 having additional computer-readable instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause the computing device to:

generate for display on the display of the computing device a second option to switch the display from displaying the product or service available to the user to displaying the first status information for the first automated device; and

responsive to receiving a selection of the second option to switch the display, generate for display on the display of the computing device the first status information for the first automated device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the product or service available to the user comprises an opportunity flagged for the user during a prior interaction between the user and one of the plurality of automated devices, and wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium has additional computer-readable instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause the computing device to:

store, in a database and in association with a profile of the user, the opportunity flagged for the user during the prior interaction.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the first status information for the first automated device indicates that the first automated device is being assisted by the computing device or is being assisted by another computing device, and wherein the display of the product or service available to the user is read-only until the first status information for the first automated device indicates that assistance of the first automated device is completed.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 having additional computer-readable instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause the computing device to:

receive a selection of the product or service by the user at the first automated device;

access a database comprising a profile for the user; and

pre-populate an application for the product or service using information from the profile for the user.