Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for network based customer service

US6177932A · kind A · utility

266Cited by
2References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 21, 1998
Grant dateJan 23, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 21, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F2216/15
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus for a network based customer service is provided. In response to a client requesting help, a menu including three levels of interaction is displayed. One level of interaction is self-help searching in a database of information. A second level of interaction is asynchronous help, requesting help and receiving a reply. The third level of interaction is synchronous help, interaction with an advisor. If the client selects synchronous help, the method includes the steps of alerting the advisor and displaying a list of previously visited sites by the client to the advisor. The synchronous help method further includes providing a synchronized display between the client and the advisor, such that the advisor sees an identical display to the client.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.