Web-based method and system for indicating expert availability
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsSukhminder S. Grewal, Russell Danziger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An expert availability system provides an integrated approach to providing users of a computer system with assisted help on a specific subject, problem or project as well as indicating expert availability and queue statistics through a graphical applet. The system further offers flexibility in providing direct human interaction by linking a group of experts through a web site. For a specific subject, the system provides two distinct paths to the user, an Education Path and an Expert Assistance Path. The system further provides the user an opportunity to contact an expert through a direct e-mail link, or to chat on-line with an expert and to obtain phone call assistance at the user's request.
Claims40
A method for indicating expert availability to a help-seeker from a pool of experts currently in communication with a client system-server system, said method comprising the steps of:
- connecting the client system to the server system;
- providing a database within the server system comprising a pool of available experts with corresponding expert information including at least one area of expertise and biographical data of each expert, wherein an available expert is an expert currently in communication with the client system, the experts pool further comprising identification of experts and their availability for providing immediate help to the help-seeker;
- displaying information on the client system identifying alternative paths for assistance to the help-seeker, the alternative paths include at least one of an educational path and an expert assistance path, the educational path includes information from a plurality of sources, the expert assistance path includes access to the pool of available experts stored in the database;
- receiving from the help-seeker through the client system, after the help-seeker has selected the expert assistance path, a request for at least one available expert;
- searching the database to match the help-seeker request with at least one of an area of expertise and biographical data of each expert within the pool of available experts;
- retrieving at least one available expert with corresponding expert information satisfying the database search;
- displaying on the client system to the help-seeker at least one available expert with corresponding expert information that satisfies the help-seeker's request, the expert information further includes expert availability information displayed through an applet downloaded from the server system and a help history, the expert availability information includes an expert availability indicator that displays a waiting time for each available expert displayed and an average amount of time the expert spends assisting a help-seeker, the help history displays a summary of prior communications between the help-seeker and available experts;
- prompting the help-seeker to select at least one available expert from the display based on the expert information and the expert availability information;
- and
- contacting the selected expert through the client system via at least one of instant messaging, on-line meeting, and on-line chat.
A system for indicating expert availability to a help-seeker, through an applet, from a pool of experts, said system comprising:
- a server system;
- a client system configured with a browser, said client system connected to said server system;
- and
- a database comprising a pool of available experts with corresponding expert information including at least one area of expertise and biographical data of each expert, wherein an available expert is an expert currently in communication with the client system, the expert pool further comprising identification of experts and their availability for providing immediate help to the help-seeker, said server system configured to display on the client system information identifying alternative paths for assistance to the help-seeker, the alternative paths including at least one of an educational path and an expert assistance path, the educational path includes information from a plurality of sources, the expert assistance path includes access to the pool of available experts stored in the database receive from the help-seeker through the client system, after the help-seeker has selected the expert assistance path, a request for at least one available expert;
- search the database to match the help-seeker request with at least one of an area of expertise and biographical data of each expert within the pool of available experts;
- retrieve at least one available expert with corresponding expert information satisfying the database search;
- display on the client system to the help-seeker at least one available expert with corresponding expert information that satisfies the help-seeker's request, said expert information further comprises expert availability information displayed through an applet and a help history, said expert availability information comprises an expert availability indicator that displays a waiting time for each available expert displayed and an average amount of time said expert spends assisting a help-seeker, said help history displays a summary of prior communications between the help-seeker and available experts;
- and
- prompt the help-seeker to select at least one available expert from the display based on said expert information and said expert availability information.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.