Program and method for supporting inquiries from server to operator

A method that helps service processes receive instructions from an operator, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) storing an inquiry to the operator in an inquiry buffer, upon issuance thereof from a service process;
• (b) retrieving the inquiry pending in the inquiry buffer and sending the retrieved inquiry to the first client over a network, in response to a first delivery request from a first client;
• (c) forwarding a reply received from the first client to the service process, as well as storing the received reply and corresponding inquiry as a log record in a log memory;
• and
• (d) retrieving log records from the log memory and sending the retrieved log records to a second client on the network, in response to a second delivery request from the second client.

An apparatus that helps service processes receive instructions from an operator, comprising:

• an inquiry buffer that stores inquiries;
• a log memory that stores records of past inquiries and corresponding replies;
• an inquiry receiver that receives an inquiry from the service processes and stores the received inquiry in said inquiry buffer;
• an inquiry message sender, responsive to a first delivery request from a first client, which retrieves the inquiry pending in said inquiry buffer and sends the retrieved inquiry to the first client over a network;
• a reply message receiver, responsive to a reply received from the first client, which forwards the received reply to the service process, as well as storing the received reply and corresponding inquiry as a log record in said log memory;
• and
• a log record sender responsive to a second delivery request from a second client on the network, which retrieves log records from said log memory and sends the retrieved log records to the second client.

A computer-readable storage medium storing a program that helps service processes receive instructions from an operator, the program causing a computer system to perform a process comprising the steps of:

• (a) storing an inquiry to the operator in an inquiry buffer, upon issuance thereof from a service process;
• (b) retrieving the inquiry pending in the inquiry buffer and sending the retrieved inquiry to the first client over a network, in response to a first delivery request from a first client;
• (c) forwarding a reply received from the first client to the service process, as well as storing the received reply and corresponding inquiry as a log record in a log memory;
• and
• (d) retrieving log records from the log memory and sending the retrieved log records to a second client on the network, in response to a second delivery request from the second client.

An apparatus that helps service processes receive instructions from an operator, comprising:

• inquiry buffer means for storing inquiries;
• log memory means for storing records of past inquiries and corresponding replies;
• inquiry receiving means for receiving an inquiry from the service processes and stores the received inquiry in said inquiry buffer means;
• inquiry message sending means, responsive to a first delivery request from a first client, for retrieving the inquiry pending in said inquiry buffer means and sending the retrieved inquiry to the first client over a network;
• reply message receiving means, responsive to a reply received from the first client, for forwarding the received reply to the service process and storing the received reply and corresponding inquiry as a log record in said log memory means;
• and
• log record sending means, responsive to a second delivery request from a second client on the network, for retrieving log records from said log memory means and sending the retrieved log records to the second client.