US 2008/0176541 A1Published application

Customer Service Messaging, Such As on Mobile Devices

AssigneeAT&T Mobility II LLC

InventorsIvy Cunningham, Stacia Lynn Pache, Christopher White

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A mobile device and corresponding service provider are configured to provide a user of the mobile device with access to one or more instant messaging help entities, from the mobile device. The one or more instant messaging help entities may be associated with the corresponding service provider or with a service that is external to the corresponding service provider. In some cases, some of the one or more instant messaging help entities may be embedded as part of the mobile device or service, so that access to the one or more help entities may not be permanently terminated by the user. In some cases, the user may control access to some of the one or more instant messaging help entities, such as by adding or removing the access to the instant messaging help entities from a list of instant messaging entities.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A system for providing help to users of mobile phones within a wireless network, the system comprising:

at least one mobile phone associated with a user, wherein the mobile phone includes:
user input buttons,
a display device, and
a middleware application for providing messaging capabilities,
wherein the mobile phone is configured to display on the display device at least two messaging help addresses associated with help services for providing help to the user by way of messaging transactions, and
wherein at least one of the messaging help addresses is automatically or initially added to a list of messaging addresses displayed by the mobile phone and which substantially can not be removed by the user;
at least one help facility mapped to the at least two messaging help addresses, wherein the help facility comprises an automated help facility and a live operator-assisted help facility, and wherein the help facility is configured to:
receive a first user-initiated help request message from the mobile phone based on user actuation of the input buttons and selection of one of the displayed messaging help addresses,
determine an appropriate response based on the received first user-initiated message help request,
provide at least one help response message for display on the mobile phone to assist the user,
receive a second user-initiated help request message from the mobile phone based on user actuation of the input buttons,
determine, based on the second user-initiated help request message, whether to route the first user-initiated help request message to a live operator-assisted help facility, and
route the first user-initiated help request message to a live operator-assisted help facility;
and
at least one telecommunications server coupled to the mobile phone and the help facility by way of the wireless network, wherein the telecommunications server includes an messaging facility for facilitating communication between the mobile phone and the help facility.

12 more elements

A method of providing help to users of mobile phones within a wireless network, the method comprising:

providing at least one help facility mapped to at least two messaging help addresses on at least one mobile phone,
wherein the help facility comprises an automated help facility and a live operator-assisted help facility,
wherein the mobile phone is associated with a user,
wherein the mobile phone comprises a display device and a middleware application for providing messaging capabilities,
wherein the mobile phone is configured to display on the display device at least two messaging help addresses associated with help services for providing help to the user by way of messaging transactions, and
wherein at least one of the messaging help addresses is automatically or initially added to a list of messaging addresses displayed by the mobile phone and which substantially can not be removed by the user;
receiving, at the help facility, a first user-initiated help request message from the mobile phone based on user selection of one of the displayed messaging help addresses;
determining an appropriate response based on the received first user-initiated help request message;
sending at least one help response message to the mobile phone to assist the user;
receiving, at the help facility, a second user-initiated help request message from the mobile phone;
determining, based on the second user-initiated help request message, whether to route the first user-initiated help request message to a live operator-assisted help facility;
and
routing the first user-initiated help request message to a live operator-assisted help facility.

10 more elements

A computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable instructions for providing help to users of mobile phones within a wireless network, the computer-readable instructions comprising instructions for:

providing at least one help facility mapped to at least two messaging help addresses on at least one mobile phone,
wherein the help facility comprises an automated help facility and a live operator-assisted help facility,
wherein the mobile phone is associated with a user,
wherein the mobile phone comprises a display device and a middleware application for providing messaging capabilities,
wherein the mobile phone is configured to display on the display device at least two messaging help addresses associated with help services for providing help to the user by way of messaging transactions, and
wherein at least one of the messaging help addresses is automatically or initially added to a list of messaging addresses displayed by the mobile phone and which substantially can not be removed by the user;
receiving, at the help facility, a first user-initiated help request message from the mobile phone based on user selection of one of the displayed messaging help addresses;
determining an appropriate response based on the received first user-initiated help request message;
sending at least one help response message to the mobile phone to assist the user;
receiving, at the help facility, a second user-initiated help request message from the mobile phone;
determining, based on the second user-initiated help request message, whether to route the first user-initiated help request message to a live operator-assisted help facility;
and
routing the first user-initiated help request message to a live operator-assisted help facility.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/056,948Filed 27 Mar 2008
Priority: 15 Jul 2004
Published: 24 Jul 2008
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

H04M 1/72403
User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones: with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
G06Q 30/0601
Buying, selling or leasing transactions: electronic shopping [e-shopping]
H04L 51/04
User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail: real-time or…
H04L 51/58
User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail: message…

Family

Application60/588,110Us provisional application · filed 15 Jul 2004
Application11/092,199Continuation · filed 28 Mar 2005
Application12/056,948Continuation
US 2006/0014552 A1Published application
US 7,356,345 B2Related patent
US 7,945,252 B2Related patent
US 2008/0176541 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.