Management and allocation of services using remote computer connections

• US 8,738,777 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2007
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Busa Strategic Partners, LLC
• Original Assignee: Busa Strategic Partners, LLC
• Inventors: Busa, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Winder, Patrice
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang, Julian
• Application Number:
  US11/732,793
• Publication Number:
  US 20070288572A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,610 Days
• Field of Search: 709227-229, 705/304, 705/7.14
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0748 in a remote unit communicating with a single-box computer node experiencing an error/fault remote testing G06F11/2294
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/029 Firewall traversal, e.g. tunnelling or, creating pinholes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for allocating services among a plurality of service operators where each capable of providing at least one service and each service operator operating a respective computer to receiving at a support server a request for service from at least one computer being operated by a user, generating a questionnaire to be answered by the user operating the at least one computer, selecting at least one service operator based upon the answered questionnaire, and establishing a service session between the at least one computer being operated by the user and the computer being operated by the at least one selected service operator for providing the requested service.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for allocating services among a plurality of service operators each having associated therewith at least one service area and a respective skill level for the at least one service area, each service operator operating a respective computer, the method comprising:

receiving at a support server a request for service from at least one computer being operated by a user;

determining a user level awareness of a type of service needed;

generating a questionnaire to be answered by the user operating the at least one computer based upon the user level of awareness of the type of service needed;

determining the type of service needed based on the answered questionnaire;

comparing the respective service areas and skill levels associated with each of the plurality of service operators to the type of service needed;

selecting at least one of the plurality of service operators based upon the comparison;

establishing a service session with the computer being operated by the at least one selected service operator for providing the requested service and initiating a billing counter for the service session;

collecting service operator performance data at the support server for the at least one selected service operator, the service operator performance data comprising at least a resolution time for the service session;

collecting user feedback data at the support server for the service session from the at least one computer for the at least one selected service operator; and

upon conclusion of the service session,

when the feedback data meets a satisfaction threshold, performing a billing transaction comprising billing an account associated with the user and crediting an account associated with the at least one selected service operator based upon the billing counter,

when the feedback data falls below the satisfaction threshold, placing the billing transaction on hold without billing the account associated with the user or crediting the account associated with the at least one selected service operator, and

updating the respective skill level for the at least one selected service operator based upon the service operator performance data and the user feedback.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the requested service is being performed on the at least one computer being operating by the user.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the requested service is being performed on the computer being operated by the at least one selected service operator.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the requested service is being performed at a service workspace that is separate from the at least one computer being operating by the user and the computer being operated by the at least one selected service operator, with the service workspace being accessible by each.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the at least one selected service operator continues to provide service on the service workspace even after the user terminates their connection thereto.

6. The method of claim 1 further including in the established service session a computer being operated by a second service operator, the second service operator also for providing the requested service.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the questionnaire is generated based upon information collected from the at least one computer being operated by the user.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the questionnaire further comprises prompting the user to select a priority level of the requested service.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the priority level corresponds to a level of urgency of the requested service.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the priority level corresponds to a level of expertise by the plurality of service operators.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising at least one service supervisor monitoring during the service session at least a portion of the service provided by the at least one selected service operator.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising initially determining the respective service areas for the plurality of service operators based on at least one of:

a self-reported area of expertise; and

testing.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the service operator performance data further includes information reported by a supervisor.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the support server is further configured for providing billing information to the user during the service session, with the billing information being updated during the service session;

and wherein, while the service session is established, the user is billed by the minute when activity is detected from the at least one selected service operator, and if the at least one selected service operator is not active, then the user is not billed until the at least one selected service operator is active again.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein establishing the service session further comprises connecting a computer being operated by an initial service operator to the service session for providing the requested service, and subsequently connecting a computer being operated by a supervising service operator to the service session based upon a duration of the service session.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the at least one service operator further comprises selecting the at least one service operator also based upon a duration the at least one service operator has been waiting to respond to a request for service.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the at least one service operator further comprises selecting the at least one service operator also based upon a prior service history for at least one prior service session between the at least one service operator and the user.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein updating further comprises updating the at least one service area associated with the at least one selected service operator based upon the service operator performance data and the user feedback.

19. A computer network comprising:

a plurality of service operator computers being operated by a plurality of service operators, each service operator having associated therewith at least one service area and a respective skill level for the at least one service area;

at least one user computer being operated by a user; and

a support server for receiving a request for service from said at least one user computer, said support server configured to

generate a questionnaire to be answered by the user operating said at least one user computer,

select at least one service operator from the plurality of service operators based upon the answered questionnaire, and

establish a service session between said at least one user computer and said service operator computer being operated by the at least one selected service operator for providing the requested service and initiate a billing counter for the service session,

collect service operator performance data for the at least one selected service operator, the service operator performance data comprising at least a resolution time for the service session,

collect user feedback data for the service session from the at least one user computer for the at least one selected service operator, and

upon conclusion of the service session,

when the feedback data meets a satisfaction threshold, perform a billing transaction comprising billing an account associated with the user and crediting an account associated with the at least one selected service operator based upon the billing counter,

when the feedback data falls below the satisfaction threshold, place the billing transaction on hold without billing the account associated with the user or crediting the account associated with the at least one selected service operator, and

update the respective skill level for the at least one selected service operator based upon the service operator performance data and the user feedback.

20. The computer network of claim 19 wherein the requested service is being performed on said at least one user computer.

21. The computer network of claim 19 wherein the requested service is being performed on said service operator computer being operated by the at least one selected service operator.

22. The computer network of claim 19 further comprising a service workspace that is separate from said at least one user computer and said service operator computer being operated by the at least one selected service operator, with said service workspace being accessible by each.

23. The computer network of claim 22 wherein the at least one selected service operator continues to provide service on said service workspace even after the user terminates their connection thereto.

24. The computer network of claim 19 wherein said support server is further configured for including in the established service session a computer being operated by a second service operator, the second service operator also for providing the requested service.

25. The computer network of claim 19 wherein the questionnaire requests information relating to a type of service to be performed.

26. The computer network of claim 19 wherein the questionnaire is generated based upon information collected from said at least one user computer.

27. The computer network of claim 19 wherein the questionnaire further comprises prompting the user to select a priority level of the requested service.

28. The computer network of claim 27 wherein the priority level corresponds to a level of urgency of the requested service.

29. The computer network of claim 27 wherein the priority level corresponds to a level of expertise by the plurality of service operators.

30. The computer network of claim 19 further comprising at least one service supervisor monitoring during the service session at least a portion of the service provided by the at least one selected service operator.