System, a device, a computer program product and a method for allocating resources to users

• US 7,046,790 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2000
• Issued: 05/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lo-Q PLC
• Original Assignee: Q-Wise AB
• Inventors: Holmen, Dick
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Harry S.
• Application Number:
  US10/168,145
• Publication Number:
  US 20030039350A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,978 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265.01, 379/265.02, 379/265.03, 379/265.05, 379/265.09, 379/266.01, 379/266.06, 705/8, 709/227
• US Class Current: 379/266.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 11/00 Arrangements, systems or apparatus for checking, e.g. the occurrence of a condition, not provided for elsewhere
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2011/02 related to amusement parks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2011/04 related to queuing systems

Abstract

The invention relates to a system (100) for allocating service resources to users (20) thereof, which service resources are intended to be provided at at least one service point (10) for service at one or more associated operator positions. The system comprises at least one user terminal (30) arranged for two-way communication with the device (13) via a first and/or a second communication network and at least one device (13) for managing at least one queue and queue information. The first communication network comprises a node for the reception and transmission of messages and the second communication network comprises a server, for example a Web server (18). The invention also relates to the device (13), a computer program, a computer program product and a method.

Claims

1. A system for allocating service resources to users wherein said service resources are provided to at least one service point for service at least at one associated operator positions, said system comprises:

at least one device for managing at least one queue and queue information about the queue, said queue information, comprising at least one of a notification message, a most recently served number, an estimated waiting time, a number of people waiting, and a type of said service, and said device further comprising an input to receive a queue number;

at least one user terminal arranged for two-way communication with the device;

wherein the device and the user terminal are connectable to a first communication network and a second communication network wherein said first and second communication networks are connected together by at least one gateway,

wherein the first network comprises a node for the reception and transmission of messages intended for the device or the user terminal, the second network comprises a server and the device is adapted to communicate with the server and with the node, so that the queue information is available and transmitted to the user terminal via both the first communication network and the second communication network and the device responds to calls from the user terminal.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the user terminal comprises at least one of a portable terminal, a mobile phone, and a personal digital communicator device.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the device publishes the queue information on an Internet web page via the server.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the device communicates with said user terminal via a WAP server.

5. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a queue information device, which displays queue information or a system where a person can be allocated a turn number and obtain a queue ticket.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein the device and the queue information device are adapted to communicate with each other via a third communication network which comprises a wireless LAN.

7. A system according to claim 6, wherein the device and the user terminal are adapted to alternatively communicate directly with each other via the third communication network without the involvement of the first communication network and the second communication network.

20. The system in claim 1 wherein the server of the second network comprise a Web server.

21. The system in claim 1 wherein the messages comprise text messages.

22. The system in claim 1 wherein the node comprises a short message service center.

23. The system in claim 1 wherein the second communication network comprises the Internet.

24. The system in claim 1 wherein said queue information comprises a plurality of said notification message, said most recently served number, said estimated waiting time, said number of people waiting, and said type of said service.

8. A device arranged to manage at least one queue and queue information about the at least one queue, said queue information includes information identifying a most recently served a number and number of people waiting in said at least one queue, and said device further comprises an input to receive a queue number, the device is connectable to at least one first communication network and a second communication network connected together via at least one gateway,

wherein the first network comprises a node for the reception and transmission of messages, to and from the device or a user terminal, the second network comprises a server such that the device communicates with the server and with the node;

so that the queue information is made generally available and is transmitted to the user terminal via both the first communication network and the second communication network and the device generates messages in response to calls from the user terminal.

9. A device according to claim 8, wherein the device publishes the queue information on a web page on the Internet via the server.

10. A device according to claim 8, wherein the device is adapted to communicate with a queue information device, which displays queue information via a third communication network comprising a wireless LAN.

11. A device according to claim 8 wherein said device includes a processor executing a computer program for causing the device to perform the following steps:

manage at least one queue and queue information said queue information identifying a most recently served a number and number of people waiting in the queue, and an input receiving a queue number,

making the queue information generally available and transmitting the queue information to at least one user terminal.

12. A device according to claim 11, wherein said computer program further enables the device to communicate with a queue information device which displays queue information via a third communication network comprising a wireless LAN.

13. A device according to claim 11, wherein said computer program further comprises machine-readable code recorded on a recording medium accessible by said processor.

14. A method for allocating service resources to users thereof, said service resources provided at a service point for serving one or more associated operator positions, said method comprises:

from at least one user terminal communicating with a device arranged to manage at least one queue and queue information, wherein said queue information comprises a most recently served number, and a number of people waiting in said queue;

said device assigning a queue number and a unique terminal identity (id_c) to the at least one user terminal and said queue number and queue information are sent by the device to the user terminal assigned the unique terminal identity (id_c);

wherein said queue information and queue number are transmitted by the device via a node of a first communication network and a server in a second communication network, which is connected to the first communication network via a gateway, and to the user terminal;

said device further transmitting to the user terminal information identifying a queue number currently being served (n_t), a number of people waiting (n_w) in the queue and a queue identity (id_s); and

said user terminal notifying the device of a selection may be user of the user terminal, said selection being one of accepting a turn number, specifying a desired queue number (n_r) and specifying a desired estimated waiting time (t_r).

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the queue status messages are sent repeatedly to a group which has active electronic queue numbers with the queue identity (id_s).

16. A method according to claim 14, further comprising:

exchanging information between the device and a queue information device via a third network in the form of a wireless local area network (LAN).

17. A method according to claim 14, further comprising:

checking a distance between the device or the service point and the user terminal with the unique terminal identity (id_c).

18. A method according to claim 17, further comprising:

checking whether the distance is less than a predetermined distance

changing the communication between the device and the user terminal to occur via a third communication network when the distance is less than the predetermined distance.

19. A method according to claim 17, further comprising:

determining a time when the queue information is to be sent from the device to the user terminal such that depending on a distance between the service point and the user terminal.