Web-based method and system for providing expert information on selected matters
First Claim
1. A method for providing expert information from a pool of experts using a server system coupled to a centralized database and at least one client system, said method comprising the steps of:
- storing expert information within the database including a pool of experts and information describing each expert included within the pool of experts, the expert information organized within the database in a plurality of business-related communities including at least one of information technology, finance, manufacturing, engineering, risk management, quality, human resources, environmental, health and safety, legal, and operations;
displaying information on the client system identifying alternative paths for assistance to a user, wherein the displayed information comprises the plurality of business-related communities;
receiving a request from the user using the client system including an alternative path selected by the user;
accessing the database with the server system;
cross-referencing information describing the user with the expert information stored within the database;
displaying expert information including expert availability information on the client system through an applet downloaded from the server system when the user calls upon an expert to seek assistance, wherein expert availability information includes whether the called upon expert is currently in communication with the client system and available to provide assistance to the user; and
contacting the expert based on user selected expert information inputted into the client system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for providing expert information from a pool of experts using a server system coupled to a centralized database and at least one client system is provided. The database stores expert information relating to each expert within the pool of experts. The method includes displaying information on the client system identifying alternative paths for assistance to the user, receiving a request from the client system based on an alternative path selected by the user, accessing a database within the server system comprising a pool of experts, cross-referencing user information with expert information, displaying expert information including expert availability information on the client system through an applet downloaded from the server system when a user calls upon an expert to seek assistance, and contacting the expert based on user selected expert information inputted into the client system.
73 Citations
43 Claims
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1. A method for providing expert information from a pool of experts using a server system coupled to a centralized database and at least one client system, said method comprising the steps of:
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storing expert information within the database including a pool of experts and information describing each expert included within the pool of experts, the expert information organized within the database in a plurality of business-related communities including at least one of information technology, finance, manufacturing, engineering, risk management, quality, human resources, environmental, health and safety, legal, and operations; displaying information on the client system identifying alternative paths for assistance to a user, wherein the displayed information comprises the plurality of business-related communities; receiving a request from the user using the client system including an alternative path selected by the user; accessing the database with the server system; cross-referencing information describing the user with the expert information stored within the database; displaying expert information including expert availability information on the client system through an applet downloaded from the server system when the user calls upon an expert to seek assistance, wherein expert availability information includes whether the called upon expert is currently in communication with the client system and available to provide assistance to the user; and contacting the expert based on user selected expert information inputted into the client system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for providing expert information from a pool of experts, said system comprising:
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a client system comprising a browser; a database for storing expert information including a pool of experts and information describing each expert included within the pool of experts; and a server system configured to be coupled to said client system and said database, said server system configured to; display information on the client system identifying alternative paths for assistance to a user; receive a request from the user using the client system including an alternative path selected by the user; access expert information stored within the database based on the alternative path selected by the user; cross-reference information describing the user with the expert information stored within the database, wherein cross-referencing comprises comparing the information describing the user including at least one of a location of the user, a sub-business of the user, a business of the user, and a communication language of the user to the expert information stored within the database including identification of expert, type of expert, location of expert, sub-business of expert, business of expert, schedule of expert, shift timings of expert, communication language of expert, and availability of expert; display expert information including expert availability information on the client system through an applet downloaded from the server system when the user calls upon an expert to seek assistance, wherein expert availability information includes whether the called upon expert is currently in communication with the client system and available to provide assistance to the user; and contact the expert based on user selected expert information inputted into the client system. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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Specification