IDENTIFYING MOBILE DEVICE LOCATION AND CORRESPONDING SUPPORT CENTER LOCATIONS TO PROVIDE SUPPORT SERVICES OVER A NETWORK

• US 20170041746A1
• Filed: 10/18/2016
• Published: 02/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Datto LLC
• Original Assignee: Kaseya Limited
• Inventors: Bohrquez, Marco J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,813,859 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/042 comprising distributed management centres cooperatively managing the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/50 Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5096 wherein the managed service relates to distributed or central networked applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment

Abstract

A mobile device may receive updates, support and other data from a current data center agent platform. When the mobile device travels to another location the nearest data center agent may be different from the previous agent. A changeover determination must be performed prior to determining whether the new agent should be assigned to the mobile device. One example method of operation may include receiving current location information of the mobile device and identifying a present location of the mobile device and a current service center assigned to the mobile device. The method may also provide determining whether a new service center location at a remote location from the current service center location should be assigned to the mobile device based on predefined assignment criteria.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

identifying a present location of a mobile device and a current service center assigned to the mobile device;

assigning the mobile device to a new service center location at a remote location from the current service center location based on predefined assignment criteria;

identifying a current status of a support session;

if the support session is near completion then maintaining the current support session with the current support center; and

if the support session is less than a predetermined threshold of completion then reassigning the support session to the new service center location which is closer in distance.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the mobile device is presently communicating with the current service center and is receiving support messages of a first predetermined subject topic;

identifying a plurality of other service center locations different from the current service center location;

selecting at least one other service center location among the plurality of other service center locations which is associated with the first predetermined subject topic; and

determining whether the at least one other service center location is closer in distance to the mobile device location than the current service center location.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving current location information of a mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined assignment criteria is at least one of a location between the mobile device and the current support center, a subject topic being discussed in the support session, a current completion status of the support session, and a previous session occurrence between the mobile device and the current support center.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning the mobile device to the new service center location comprises assigning the mobile device to the new support center while the current support center session is still operating.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the assigning the mobile device to the new support center comprises assigning at least one user support agent of the new support center to the mobile device while the present support agent of the current support center is still assigned to the mobile device via the current support session.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising discontinuing the current support center from the current support session once the new support center agent and the present support agent have confirmed the new support center has control of the current support session.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor configured to;

identify a present location of a mobile device and a current service center assigned to the mobile device;

assign the mobile device to a new service center location at a remote location from the current service center location based on predefined assignment criteria;

identify a current status of a support session;

if the support session is near completion then maintaining the current support session with the current support center; and

if the support session is less than a predetermined threshold of completion then reassigning the support session to the new service center location which is closer in distance.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to:

identify the mobile device is presently communicating with the current service center and is receiving support messages of a first predetermined subject topic,

identify a plurality of other service center locations different from the current service center location;

select at least one other service center location among the plurality of other service center locations which is associated with the first predetermined subject topic; and

determine whether the at least one other service center location is closer in distance to the mobile device location than the current service center location.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, comprising a receiver configured to receive current location information of a mobile device.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the predefined assignment criteria is at least one of a location between the mobile device and the current support center, a subject topic being discussed in the support session, a current completion status of the support session, and a previous session occurrence between the mobile device and the current support center.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor being configured to assign the mobile device to the new service center location comprises the processor also being configured to assign the mobile device to the new support center while the current support center session is still operating.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processor being configured to assign the mobile device to the new support center comprises the processor being configured to assign at least one user support agent of the new support center to the mobile device while the present support agent of the current support center is still assigned to the mobile device via the current support session.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to discontinue the current support center from the current support session once the new support center agent and the present support agent have confirmed the new support center has control of the support session.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions that when executed cause a processor to perform:

identifying a present location of a mobile device and a current service center assigned to the mobile device;

assigning the mobile device to a new service center location at a remote location from the current service center location based on predefined assignment criteria;

identifying a current status of a support session;

if the support session is near completion then maintaining the current support session with the current support center; and

if the support session is less than a predetermined threshold of completion then reassigning the support session to the new service center location which is closer in distance.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to perform:

identifying the mobile device is presently communicating with the current service center and is receiving support messages of a first predetermined subject topic;

identifying a plurality of other service center locations different from the current service center location;

selecting at least one other service center location among the plurality of other service center locations which is associated with the first predetermined subject topic; and

determining whether the at least one other service center location is closer in distance to the mobile device location than the current service center location.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, comprising receiving current location information of a mobile device.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the predefined assignment criteria is at least one of a location between the mobile device and the current support center, a subject topic being discussed in the support session, a current completion status of the support session, and a previous session occurrence between the mobile device and the current support center.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein assigning the mobile device to the new service center location comprises assigning the mobile device to the new support center while the current support center session is still operating.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the assigning the mobile device to the new support center comprises assigning at least one user support agent of the new support center to the mobile device while the present support agent of the current support center is still assigned to the mobile device via the current support session and discontinuing the current support center from the current support session once the new support center agent and the present support agent have confirmed the new support center has control of the support session.