Systems and methods for configuring and launching automated services to a remote device

• US 9,529,635 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2012
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PlumChoice Incorporated (Allstate Corporation)
• Original Assignee: PlumChoice Incorporated (Allstate Corporation)
• Inventors: Werth, Ted, Goldlust, Josh, Samanta, Chanchal
• Primary Examiner(s): Avellino, Joseph E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Book, Phyllis A
• Application Number:
  US13/658,571
• Publication Number:
  US 20130103749A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,526 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5072 Grid computing
• 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: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/406 Rerouting calls between call centers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet

Abstract

Systems and methods of the present solution provide for the delivery of automated services via configurable packages that are selectable on a user interface by a support agent based on entitlement of the user to the services and/or capabilities of the support agent. For example, a centralized service may package a complex set of actions into configurable executable scripts or packages. The centralized service may deliver and execute the packages on the remote device to resolve a customer'"'"'s issue. The centralized service may provide a user interface for a support agent to select and deliver the package to the remote device. The centralized service may determine whether or not the user is entitled to receive the service or the support agent is qualified to deliver the server represented by the package. If the user is so entitled and/or the support agent is so qualified the centralized service may enable a single button on the user interface selectable by the support agent to deliver the package to the remote device. If the user is not entitled and/or the support agent is not qualified, the centralized service may disable or not provide this button on the user interface.

Claims

1. A method for providing a selectable user interface element to execute a set of one or more local automation services on a remote device of a user based on entitlement of the user to receive services corresponding to the set of one or more local automation services, the method comprising:

(a) establishing, by a remote connectivity tool operating on one or more servers, a connection between the remote connectivity tool and a remote device remote from the one or more servers, the connection comprising a transport layer connection over a network between the remote connectivity tool and the remote device;

(b) receiving, by a centralized service operating on the one or more servers remote to the remote device, a request from the remote device to provide support on the remote device;

(c) determining, by the centralized service, one or more local automation services to perform on the remote device;

(d) identifying, by the centralized service, that the user of the remote device is entitled to receive services corresponding to the one or more local automation services;

(e) providing, by the centralized service, for display on a device of a remote support technician of a plurality of devices of remote support technicians a selectable user interface element to deliver, via the same connection established between the remote device and the remote connectivity tool of the centralized service, a set of the one or more local automation services the user is entitled to receive for execution on the remote device, the selectable user interface element enabled responsive to identifying that the user of the remote device is entitled to receive the services, the device of the remote support technician different from the remote device;

(f) receiving, by the centralized service from the device of the remote support technician that displayed the selectable user interface element, an indication of selection of the selectable user interface element made at the device of the remote support technician;

(g) brokering, by the centralized service responsive to receiving the indication of selection, access to the same connection established between the remote device and the remote connectivity tool to transfer access of the same connection from the remote connectivity tool to a support automation tool operating on the one or more servers; and

(h) responsive to the selection, communicating, by the support automation tool operating on the one or more servers, to the remote device via the brokered same connection, the set of one or more local automation services corresponding to the selection made at the device of the remote support technician via the selectable user interface element displayed on the device of the remote support technician.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises receiving, by the centralized service, the request via a network from an agent on the remote device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises determining automatically by the centralized service the type of work to perform for the request upon receipt of the request.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining automatically by a support automation tool the one or more local automation services to perform the type of work.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) further comprises querying, by the centralized service, an entitlement database to identify whether the user is entitled to receive the services.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) further comprises identifying, by the centralized service, whether the user is subscribed to a predetermined level of service.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) further comprises identifying, by the centralized service, whether the user has purchased the services.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, by the centralized service, to escalate support on the remote device, and displaying to a second remote support technician of the plurality of remote support technicians a second selectable user interface element based on capabilities of the second remote support technician meeting a predetermined capabilities threshold.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the second selectable user interface is disabled for the remote support technician, the remote support technician having capabilities below the predetermined capabilities threshold.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the second selectable user interface is enabled based on entitlement of the user to escalation services.

11. A system for providing a selectable user interface element to execute a set of one or more local automation services on a remote device of a user based on entitlement of the user to receive services corresponding to the set of one or more local automation services, the system comprising:

a remote connectivity tool operating on one or more servers to establish a connection between the remote connectivity tool and a remote device remote from the one or more servers, the connection comprising a transport layer connection over a network between the remote connectivity tool and the remote device;

a centralized service, operating on the one or more servers remote to the remote device, receiving a request from the remote device to provide support on the remote device;

a support automation tool determining one or more local automation services to perform on the remote device;

an entitlement engine identifying that the user of the remote device is entitled to receive services corresponding to the one or more local automation services; and

wherein the centralized service;

displays to a device of a remote support technician of a plurality of devices of remote support technicians a selectable user interface element to deliver, via the same connection established between the remote device and the remote connectivity tool of the centralized service, a set of the one or more local automation services the user is entitled to receive for execution on the remote device, the selectable user interface element enabled responsive to identifying that the user of the remote device is entitled to receive the services, the device of the remote support technician different from the remote device;

receives from the device of the remote support technician that displayed the selectable user interface element, an indication of selection of the selectable user interface element made at the device of the remote support technician; and

brokers, responsive to receiving the indication of selection, access to the same connection established between the remote device and the remote connectivity tool to transfer access of the same connection from the remote connectivity tool to a support automation tool operating on the one or more servers; and

wherein the support automation tool communicates, responsive to the selection, to the remote device via the brokered same connection, the set of one or more local automation services corresponding to the selection made at the device of the remote support technician via the selectable user interface element displayed on the device of the remote support technician.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the centralized service receives the request via a network from an agent on the remote device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the support automation tool automatically determines the one or more local automation services to perform the type of work.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the centralized service determines automatically the type of work to perform for the request upon receipt of the request.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the entitlement engine queries an entitlement database to identify whether the user is entitled to receive the services.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the entitlement engine identifies whether the user is subscribed to a predetermined level of service.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the entitlement engine identifies whether the user has purchased the services.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the centralized service determines to escalate support on the remote device, and displaying to a second remote support technician of the plurality of remote support technicians a second selectable user interface element based on capabilities of the second remote support technician meeting a predetermined capabilities threshold.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the second selectable user interface is disabled for the remote support technician, the remote support technician having capabilities below the predetermined capabilities threshold.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the second selectable user interface is enabled based on entitlement of the user to escalation services.