Subscription-based priority interactive help services on the internet

• US 6,886,045 B1
• Filed: 08/14/2000
• Issued: 04/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Halasz, Sylvia, Tewani, Kamlesh T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Hosain
• Assistant Examiner(s): Duong, O.
• Application Number:
  US09/638,118
• Time in Patent Office: 1,716 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/219, 709/245, 455/404, 455/456, 701/3
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202

Abstract

The present invention includes a method and apparatus for providing an e-help service over a network. The e-help service provides one or more action sequences, i.e., recommended courses of action, for specialized circumstances over a network, such as an Internet Protocol network. Subscribers subscribe to specific application areas, such as one or more application areas related to a subscriber'"'"'s industry. The e-help service provider maintains information pertaining to application areas in one or more databases. When a user activates the e-help service, information corresponding to the present conditions of the user'"'"'s circumstance is transmitted to the e-help service provider. The e-help service provider identifies one or more action sequences based upon a statistical analysis of the information received from the user and information stored in a database corresponding to the application area of the user. The action sequences having a high probability of success are transmitted to the user and provide one or more recommended courses of action.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of:

receiving data;

identifying at least one action sequence based upon a statistical analysis of at least the received data;

the step of identifying at least one action sequence comprising the steps of;

identifying at least one action sequence based upon statistical analysis of the received data and stored data related to the received data;

identifying at least one action sequence having a high probability of success;

calculating descriptive statistics using the stored data;

the step of identifying at least one action sequence having a high probability of success further comprising the steps of

running a statistical model using the received data to identify action sequences having a high probability of success;

selecting a plurality of action sequences having the highest probability of success among the action sequences identified by running the statistical model;

ranking each of the identified action sequences based upon probability of success;

optimizing each ranked action sequence based upon the received data;

transmitting a request for feedback to a terminal;

determining whether to increase an alert level;

increasing an alert level by one when either the requested feedback is not received within a predetermined time or the requested feedback indicates a need for assistance by emergency service providers;

comparing the alert level to a predetermined criterion when the requested information is not received within a predetermined time period; and

transmitting a message to at least one of a predetermined IP address and a predetermined phone number when the alert level equals the predetermined criterion.