Patent US87588A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US7080321B2
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Dynamic help option for internet customers
Assignee: CONCERTO INTERNATIONAL Inc
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Filing: 2001-06-20
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Granted: 2006-07-18
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Expires: 2021-06-20
Abstract
Abstract The invention determines when an Internet browsing customer should be provided assistance by monitoring factors such as the customer profile saved at the server or in cookies, the time a customer spends on particular web pages, errors in forms submitted by the customer, web pages repeatedly viewed by a customer, and statistically established abandon points. When the invention determines a customer should be provided assistance, the invention reviews the availability and probability of availability of the customer service representatives (CSRs). If a CSR is available or predicted to be available, the customer is presented with a HELP option. If the customer does not respond to the HELP option within a predetermined time, the HELP option is removed. By dynamically determining the appropriate time to provide a HELP option and only providing the HELP option when a CSR is available, the invention proactively provides meaningful service at the critical time.
Inventors
- 👤 Szlam Aleksander
- 👤 Thomas R. Buiel
- 👤 Kirk L. Somers
- 👤 II Charles L. Warner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 08:22
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/90; G06F16/95; G06F16/957
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
135 words
A method for providing assistance to a customer at a web site, comprising the steps of: receiving a request for a web page from a customer; sending said web page without a HELP option to said customer; automatically determining if said customer should be provided assistance; determining an estimated time before a customer service representative will be available, and if said estimated time exceeds a predetermined time then delaying a step of sending said HELP option to said customer until said estimated time does not exceed said predetermined time then sending said HELP option to said customer; and wherein said predetermined time is determined based upon measurements of the time between the time that a HELP option is sent to a previous customer and the time that said previous customer responds to said HELP option.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
135 words
A method for providing assistance to a customer at a web site, comprising the steps of: receiving a request for a web page from a customer; sending said web page without a HELP option to said customer; automatically determining if said customer should be provided assistance; determining an estimated time before a customer service representative will be available, and if said estimated time exceeds a predetermined time then delaying a step of sending said HELP option to said customer until said estimated time does not exceed said predetermined time then sending said HELP option to said customer; and wherein said predetermined time is determined based upon measurements of the time between the time that a HELP option is sent to a previous customer and the time that said previous customer responds to said HELP option.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said step of automatically determining if said customer should be provided assistance comprises: reviewing a saved customer profile; and if the profile indicates assistance should be provided then determining that said customer should be provided assistance.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said step of automatically determining if said customer should be provided assistance comprises: measuring the time that said customer spends on said web page; and if said time exceeds a predetermined time then determining that said customer should be provided assistance.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said step of automatically determining if said customer should be provided assistance comprises: measuring the time that said customer spends on an area or field within said web page; and if said time exceeds a predetermined time then determining that said customer should be provided assistance.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
76 words
The method of claim 1 wherein: said step of automatically determining if said customer should be provided assistance comprises measuring the time that said customer spends on said web page, and if said time exceeds a predetermined time then determining that said customer should be provided assistance; and said step of sending said web page comprises sending a heartbeat to a customer with said web page, said heartbeat periodically sending a message to said web site.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
89 words
The method of claim 1 wherein: said step of automatically determining if said customer should be provided assistance comprises measuring the time that said customer spends on said web page, and if said time exceeds a predetermined time then determining that said customer should be provided assistance; said step of sending said web page comprises sending a heartbeat to a customer with said web page, said heartbeat periodically sending a message to said web site; and said step of measuring the time comprises counting the number of said messages.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
112 words
The method of claim 1 wherein: said step of automatically determining if said customer should be provided assistance comprises measuring the time that said customer spends on said web page, and if said time exceeds a predetermined time then determining that said customer should be provided assistance; said step of sending said web page comprises sending a heartbeat to a customer with said web page, said heartbeat periodically sending a message to said web site; said step of measuring the time comprises counting the number of said messages; and said step of determining if said time exceeds said predetermined time comprises comparing said number of messages with a predetermined number of messages.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said step of automatically determining if said customer should be provided assistance comprises: reviewing electronic forms with entries from the customer; and if there are errors of significance in the electronic forms then determining that said customer should be provided assistance.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said step of automatically determining if said customer should be provided assistance comprises: counting the number of times that a customer returns to said web page; and if said number exceeds a predetermined number then determining that said customer should be provided assistance.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said step of automatically determining if said customer should be provided assistance comprises: determining if customer is at a service point; and if said customer is at a service point, then determining that said customer should be provided assistance.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said step of sending said HELP option to said customer comprises sending a new web page to said customer, said new web page comprising said HELP option.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said step of sending said HELP option to said customer comprises inserting a HELP option in the web page being viewed by the customer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
64 words
The method of claim 1 , and further comprising: measuring the time since said HELP option was sent to said customer; if said time since said HELP option was sent has exceeded a predetermined response time without a response from said customer, then removing the HELP option or sending another web page to said customer, said another web page not having said HELP option.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 13 , wherein said predetermined response time is determined based upon measurements of the time between the time that a HELP option is sent to a previous customer and the time that said previous customer responds to said HELP option.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said HELP option is a HELP button.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said HELP option is a HELP screen.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said HELP option is a audio message.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said HELP option is a video message.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
146 words
A method for providing assistance to a customer at a web site, comprising the steps of: receiving a request for a web page from a customer; determining whether a customer service representative is available; if a said customer service representative is available then sending said web page to said customer with a HELP option on said web page and if said customer service representative is not available then determining an estimated time before a customer service representative will be available, and if said estimated time is less than a predetermined time then sending said web page to said customer with a HELP option on said web page; wherein said predetermined time is determined based upon measurements of multiple incidences of time between the time that a HELP option is sent to a previous customer and the time that said previous customer responds to said HELP option.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
146 words
A method for providing assistance to a customer at a web site, comprising the steps of: receiving a request for a web page from a customer; determining whether a customer service representative is available; if a said customer service representative is available then sending said web page to said customer with a HELP option on said web page and if said customer service representative is not available then determining an estimated time before a customer service representative will be available, and if said estimated time is less than a predetermined time then sending said web page to said customer with a HELP option on said web page; wherein said predetermined time is determined based upon measurements of multiple incidences of time between the time that a HELP option is sent to a previous customer and the time that said previous customer responds to said HELP option.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method of claim 19 , and further comprising: measuring the time since said HELP option was sent to said customer; if said time since said HELP option was sent has exceeded a predetermined response time without a response from said customer, then sending another web page to said customer, said another web page not having said HELP option.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
97 words
The method of claim 19 , and further comprising: measuring the time since said HELP option was sent to said customer, if said time since said HELP option was sent has exceeded a predetermined response time without a response from said customer, then sending another web page to said customer, said another web page not having said HELP option; wherein said predetermined response time is determined based upon measurements of the time between the time that a HELP option is sent to a previous customer and the time that said previous customer responds to said HELP option.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 19 wherein said HELP option is a HELP button.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 19 wherein said HELP option is a HELP screen.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 19 wherein said HELP option is a audio message.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 19 wherein said HELP option is a video message.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
107 words
A method for providing assistance to a customer at a web site, comprising the steps of: receiving a request for a web page from a customer; determining whether a customer service representative is available; determining an estimated time before a customer service representative will be available; if said estimated time is less than a predetermined time then sending said web page to said customer with a HELP option on said web page; wherein said predetermined time is determined based upon measurements of the time between the time that a HELP option is sent previous customer and the time that said previous customer responds to said HELP option.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
107 words
A method for providing assistance to a customer at a web site, comprising the steps of: receiving a request for a web page from a customer; determining whether a customer service representative is available; determining an estimated time before a customer service representative will be available; if said estimated time is less than a predetermined time then sending said web page to said customer with a HELP option on said web page; wherein said predetermined time is determined based upon measurements of the time between the time that a HELP option is sent previous customer and the time that said previous customer responds to said HELP option.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
97 words
The method of claim 26 , and further comprising: measuring the time since said HELP option was sent to said customer, if said time since said HELP option was sent has exceeded a predetermined response time without a response from said customer, then sending another web page to said customer, said another web page not having said HELP option; wherein said predetermined response time is determined based upon measurements of the time between the time that a HELP option is sent to a previous customer and the time that said previous customer responds to said HELP option.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 26 wherein said HELP option is a HELP button.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 26 wherein said HELP option is a HELP screen.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 26 wherein said HELP option is a audio message.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 26 wherein said HELP option is a video message.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2009-07-17 | 2010-01-16 | 2010-07-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2013-07-17 | 2014-01-16 | 2014-07-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2017-07-17 | 2018-01-16 | 2018-07-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |