Identifying partial user-entered data

• US 8,788,422 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2004
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FMR LLC
• Original Assignee: FMR LLC
• Inventors: Kalinichenko, Boris, Ferra, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Kalinowski, Alexander
• Assistant Examiner(s): DEGA, MURALI K
• Application Number:
  US10/811,263
• Publication Number:
  US 20050216412A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,770 Days
• Field of Search: 705 1- 45, 705 50- 79
• US Class Current: 705/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083

Abstract

There are methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for service improvement techniques for a transportation service provider using mobile devices. In one aspect there is received user-entered data for at least one field present in a provided electronic form. The form includes a link that, when activated, establishes a voice channel between the passenger and a customer representative and provides a unique identifier associated with the user-entered data that enables a customer representative to retrieve the user-entered data. In another aspect, there is a graphical representation that is transmitted to a customer or a driver to facilitate execution of a reservation of a transportation service to be provided to the customer by the driver. In another aspect, there is a location range received from a wireless handheld device associated with a driver and data received from the driver indicative of a more accurate location within the location range.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, by a wireless handheld device, an electronic form, the electronic form including at least one field for accepting user entered data and a link that when activated establishes a voice channel between the user and a customer representative, the link including a unique identifier individually assigned to a user;

sending user-entered data for at least one field present in the electronic form to a server;

receiving by the wireless handheld device an activation of the link; and

establishing, by the wireless handheld device based at least in part on the activation of the link, a voice communication with a customer service representative, including transmitting the unique identifier individually assigned to the user, in response to the activation.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising retrieving, by a computing device associated with the customer representative, the user-entered data based on the unique identifier.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising authenticating the user with the server before transmitting the electronic form.

4. The method of claim 1 in which the unique identifier comprises an extension of a phone number.

5. The method of claim 1 in which the electronic form is for making a reservation with a transportation service provider.

6. The method claim 5 in which sending user-entered data comprises sending user-entered data corresponding to a pick-up location, a drop-off location, a date service is required and a time service is required.

7. The method of claim 5 in which the reservation is associated with reserving a vehicle and a driver.

8. A system comprising:

a first computing device programmed to;

display an electronic form, the electronic form including at least one field for accepting user entered data and a link that when activated establishes a voice channel between the user and a customer representative, the link including a unique identifier individually assigned to a user

send user-entered data for at least one field present in the electronic form,

display a link that when activated establishes a telephonic call to a customer representative and provides the unique identifier individually assigned to the user and associated with the user-entered data that enables a second computing device to retrieve and display the user-entered data based on the unique identifier;

receive an activation of the link; and

establish, by the first computing device, a voice communication with a customer service representative, including transmitting the unique identifier, individually assigned to the user in response to the activation.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a second computing device adapted to;

receive the unique identifier,

retrieve the user-entered data based on the unique identifier, and

display the user-entered data.

10. The system of claim 9 in which the first computing device comprises a wireless handheld device.

11. The system of claim 8 in which the unique identifier comprises identification of a voice channel so that the voice channel cannot be accessed by an unauthorized person.

12. The system of claim 8 in which the first computing device has a capability to accept input via voice activated commands.

13. A computer program product, the computer program product comprising instructions operable to cause data processing apparatus to:

receive an electronic form the electronic form including at least one field for accepting user entered data and a link that when activated establishes a voice channel between the user and a customer representative, the link including a unique identifier individually assigned to a user;

send user-entered data that is entered for at least one field in the electronic form to a server;

receive an activation of the link; and

establish based at least in part on the activation of the link a voice communication with a customer service representative, including transmitting the unique identifier individually assigned to the user, in response to the activation.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the instructions are further operable to cause the data processing apparatus to authenticate the user with the server before providing the electronic form.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the unique identifier comprises an extension of a phone number.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the electronic form is for making a reservation with a transportation service provider.