Customer service messaging, such as on mobile devices
First Claim
1. A system for providing help to users of mobile phones within a wireless network, the system comprising:
- at least one mobile phone associated with a user, wherein the mobile phone includes;
user input buttons,a display device, anda middleware application for providing messaging capabilities,wherein the mobile phone is configured to display on the display device at least two messaging help addresses associated with help services for providing help to the user by way of messaging transactions,wherein at least one of the messaging help addresses is automatically or initially added to a list of messaging addresses displayed by the mobile phone and can not be removed by the user, andwherein messaging capabilities are available on the mobile phone through a first messaging help address, and no other services are activated on the mobile phone;
at least one help facility mapped to the at least two messaging help addresses, wherein the help facility is configured to;
receive a user-initiated message help request from the mobile phone based on user actuation of the input buttons and selection of the first messaging help address,determine an appropriate response based on the received user-initiated message help request,provide at least one message help response for display on the mobile phone to assist the user, andautomatically provide a message to the mobile phone upon the detection of a predetermined event, wherein the predetermined event comprises at least one of a location of the mobile phone, a wireless service account status, a current wireless network communicating with the mobile phone, and a recent messaging registration of another user within the wireless network; and
at least one telecommunications server coupled to the mobile phone and the help facility by way of the wireless network, wherein the telecommunications server includes a messaging facility for facilitating communication between the mobile phone and the help facility.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A mobile device and corresponding service provider are configured to provide a user of the mobile device with access to one or more instant messaging help entities, from the mobile device. The one or more instant messaging help entities may be associated with the corresponding service provider or with a service that is external to the corresponding service provider. In some cases, some of the one or more instant messaging help entities may be embedded as part of the mobile device or service, so that access to the one or more help entities may not be permanently terminated by the user. In some cases, the user may control access to some of the one or more instant messaging help entities, such as by adding or removing the access to the instant messaging help entities from a list of instant messaging entities.
-
Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A system for providing help to users of mobile phones within a wireless network, the system comprising:
-
at least one mobile phone associated with a user, wherein the mobile phone includes; user input buttons, a display device, and a middleware application for providing messaging capabilities, wherein the mobile phone is configured to display on the display device at least two messaging help addresses associated with help services for providing help to the user by way of messaging transactions, wherein at least one of the messaging help addresses is automatically or initially added to a list of messaging addresses displayed by the mobile phone and can not be removed by the user, and wherein messaging capabilities are available on the mobile phone through a first messaging help address, and no other services are activated on the mobile phone; at least one help facility mapped to the at least two messaging help addresses, wherein the help facility is configured to; receive a user-initiated message help request from the mobile phone based on user actuation of the input buttons and selection of the first messaging help address, determine an appropriate response based on the received user-initiated message help request, provide at least one message help response for display on the mobile phone to assist the user, and automatically provide a message to the mobile phone upon the detection of a predetermined event, wherein the predetermined event comprises at least one of a location of the mobile phone, a wireless service account status, a current wireless network communicating with the mobile phone, and a recent messaging registration of another user within the wireless network; and at least one telecommunications server coupled to the mobile phone and the help facility by way of the wireless network, wherein the telecommunications server includes a messaging facility for facilitating communication between the mobile phone and the help facility. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. A method of providing help to users of mobile phones within a wireless network, the method comprising:
-
providing at least one help facility mapped to at least two messaging help addresses on at least one mobile phone, wherein the help facility comprises an automated help facility and a live operator-assisted help facility, wherein the mobile phone is associated with a user, wherein the mobile phone comprises a display device and a middleware application for providing the messaging capabilities, wherein the mobile phone is configured to display on the display device at least two messaging help addresses associated with help services for providing help to the user by way of messaging transactions, wherein at least one of the messaging help addresses is automatically or initially added to a list of messaging addresses displayed by the mobile phone and can not be removed by the user, and wherein messaging capabilities for initial activation of a wireless service account for the mobile phone are available on the mobile phone through a first messaging help address, and no other services are activated on the mobile phone; receiving, at the help facility, a user-initiated message help request from the mobile phone based on user selection of the first messaging help address; determining an appropriate response based on the received user-initiated message help request; sending at least one message help response to the mobile phone to assist the user; and automatically providing a message to the mobile phone upon the detection of a redetermined event wherein the predetermined event comprises at least one of a location of the mobile phone, a wireless service account status, a current wireless network communicating with the mobile phone, or a recent messaging registration of another user within the wireless network. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable instructions for providing help to users of mobile phones within a wireless network, the computer-readable instructions comprising instructions for:
-
providing at least one help facility mapped to at least two messaging help addresses on at least one mobile phone, wherein the help facility comprises an automated help facility and a live operator-assisted help facility, wherein the mobile phone is associated with a user, wherein the mobile phone comprises a display device and a middleware application for providing messaging capabilities, wherein the mobile phone is configured to display on the display device at least two messaging help addresses associated with help services for providing help to the user by way of messaging transactions, wherein at least one of the messaging help addresses is automatically or initially added to a list of messaging addresses displayed by the mobile phone and can not be removed by the user, and wherein messaging capabilities for initial activation of a wireless service account for the mobile phone are available on the mobile phone through a first messaging help address, and no other services are activated on the mobile phone; receiving, at the help facility, a user-initiated message help request from the mobile phone based on user selection of the first messaging help addresses; determining an appropriate response based on the received user-initiated message help request; sending at least one message help response to the mobile phone to assist the user; and automatically providing a message to the mobile phone upon the detection of a predetermined event, wherein the predetermined event comprises at least one of a location of the mobile phone, a wireless service account status, a current wireless network communicating with the mobile phone, or a recent messaging registration of another user within the wireless network. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
Specification