Telephonic communications – Centralized switching system – Call distribution to operator
Reexamination Certificate
2002-07-30
2004-08-24
Smith, Creighton (Department: 2642)
Telephonic communications
Centralized switching system
Call distribution to operator
C379S210010
Reexamination Certificate
active
06782092
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a reservation system and method, and more particularly to a reservation system and method that allow a user, who wants to receive a telephone inquiry or consultation service but cannot get through because telephone inquiries are concentrated, to reliably receive the service by making a callback reservation with a time and a condition specified over the Internet without having to make further telephone calls.
Conventionally, when a user wants to receive a telephone inquiry or consultation service but cannot get through because the operator's line is busy, the user must call up an operator many times until the user successfully gets through.
In the conventional method described above, the user must call up an operator many times and, until the user successfully gets through, the user cannot receive an inquiry or consultation service. This requires the user to spend time calling up the window repeatedly and sometimes results in the user making complaints about it.
In addition, if the operator's line of a company is busy, the company gives trouble to, and creates dissatisfaction among, the users. This sometimes results in additional costs and a drop in company's credibility among the users. As the prior art, refer to JP-A-2001-53884.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to solve the problems described above and to provide a system and method that allow a user, who wants to receive a telephone inquiry or consultation service, to reliably receive the service.
To achieve the above objects, the present invention provides a reservation system used by a user for receiving a telephone inquiry or consultation service. The reservation system comprises a reservation acceptance unit that accepts conditions including a reservation time and a reservation condition from a user who will receive a telephone inquiry or consultation service; a reservation status checking unit that displays a reservation status screen in response to a reservation status checking request from an operator who is in charge of receiving inquiries or consultations from the user; a reservation-request-processing update unit that updates a processing status of a reservation request, with the reservation request specified on the reservation status screen, according to an instruction from the operator; and a reservation monitor unit that detects a reservation request reaching a reservation time specified by the user or satisfying a reservation condition specified by the user and that, for the detected reservation request, prompts the operator to call up the user who has made the reservation.
In the above-described reservation system according to the present invention, the reservation status checking unit displays the reservation status screen in response to a reservation status checking request from the user.
In the above-described reservation system according to the present invention, the reservation status screen displays time zones, reservation request IDs reserved in each of the time zones, and processing statuses of reservation requests associated with the IDs, each processing status indicating one of “processed”, “in process”, and “unprocessed”, and the operator may update, through the reservation-request-processing update unit, the processing status of each reservation request from “unprocessed” to “in process” or to “processed” or from “in process” to “processed”.
In the above-described reservation system according to the present invention, upon detecting that the reservation time specified by the user has come or the reservation condition specified by the user is satisfied, the reservation monitor unit displays a notification screen prompting the operator to call up the user who has made the reservation, changes the processing status of the reservation request to “in process” when one of operators who view the notification screen points a Start function box on the notification screen and, at the same time, erases the notification screens of other operators.
In the above-described reservation system according to the present invention, the system further comprises a processor that, when making a call to the user for the reservation request, the operator automatically dials a telephone number of the user who has issued the reservation request.
In addition, the present invention provides a reservation method in which a reservation is made by telephone. The reservation method comprises the steps of accepting a callback reservation specifying a reservation time or a reservation condition from a user who receives a telephone inquiry or consultation service; in response to a reservation status checking request from an operator who is in charge of accepting inquiries or consultations, checking a reservation status with a reservation status screen displayed; updating a processing status of a reservation request, with the reservation request specified on the reservation status screen, according to an instruction from the operator; and detecting a reservation request reaching a reservation time specified by the user or satisfying a reservation condition specified by the user and, for the detected reservation request, prompting the operator to call up the user who has made the reservation.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 6493447 (2002-12-01), Goss et al.
patent: 2001-53884 (2001-02-01), None
Kaneko Takatoshi
Mashimo Takeshi
Hitachi , Ltd.
McDermott Will & Emery LLP
Smith Creighton
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