Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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METHODS FOR PROVIDING TECHNICAL SUPPORT OVER NETWORKS
Fields of the Invention
The present invention is related generally to computer based support systems.
More specifically, the present invention is related to methods for receiving
requests for
information, help, or training, over the computer network and automatically
and
intelligently routing the requests to selected, screened, qualified human
assistants. The
invention includes executable computer programs and lcits for providing live,
direct,
human to human technical support through live audio and audio-visual link to
human
helpers which can include computer screen and application sharing.
Background of the Invention
The relatively recent rise of Internet-based transactions has provided a
multitude of
new opportunities for selling products and services and obtaining information.
In
particular, many goods and services can now be purchased directly by consumers
over the
Internet and can also be purchased through a business-to-business transaction.
This
interlet-based commerce or e-commerce provides increased efficiencies and
often
eliminates possibly costly intermediaries. The elimination of these
intermediaries is not
without cost. The intermediary organizations and salesmen and saleswomen
frequently
provided a useful function. These organizations and people frequently provided
badly
needed handholding and specialized product and service expertise, that was
often provided
at no extra charge to purchasers of the products or services.
With the advent of direct purchasing via the Internet, this formerly freely
provided
level of expertise has often been lost. The amount of expertise available on
the Internet is
often hard to fmd, outdated, of questionable accuracy, and often has no
financial driving
force to cause its provision, accuracy, and currency to be maintained. This
can cause a
large number of poorly made purchasing decisions which can result in either
waste
through unused purchases by consumers, or by product returns from consumers to
sellers
of products or services that were either poorly purchased in the first place,
or under
utilized or misutilized in the second place. Much of this poor purchasing
and/or poor
usage of correctly purchased products could have been avoided had pertinent
product or
service directed advice been made available, as it often had been before
through the
intermediary organizations or people.
What would be desirable are technological-based solutions to reintroduce a
person-to-person based level of interaction to provide information or
assistance to the
purchasers of products or services, even when purchased online, over a
computer network,
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2
for example, over the Internet. Technological solutions providing product or
service
directed information provided by a person having specialized knowledge
regarding that
product or service, directed in a person-to-person manner, would be
advantageous. A
technological solution to providing face-to-face advice to the purchasers of a
product after
the purchase of a product would be most beneficial, and could regain and even
surpass the
previous level of person-to-person advise provided by the former in-person
contact
provided before the advent of electronic-based business.
Productivity in commercial and personal life can be increased through use of
information and technology. Much of the economic growth of the 1990s has been
attributed to increased productivity which has been increasing year after
year. Much of
this productivity has been made possible by the increased use of information,
the so-called
"information economy." Information and technology have thus acted as
multipliers in
increasing the effective utilization rates of human and other capital,
increasing the return
on investment.
While the increased use of digital devices and information technology has
increased the return on investment of capital generally, a significant
majority percentage
of features of digital devices and digital technologies still remain unused or
incompletely
used. It is well hcnown that many people are unable to program their video
cassette
recorders (VCRs). It is also true that most consumers of digital technologies
do not utilize
a significant percentage of the features of the digital technologies they
already own or use,
or which their employers or organization already own or use. This lack of
utilization of
capital could be improved by providing timely, user and context-specific
training, help, or
information to the person having the underutilized digital technologies. While
this
underutilization of capital applies to digital technologies, it also applies
to capital
expenditures generally, and more generally to sub-optimally utilizing human
capital.
Users of computers and other digital technologies can increase their
productivity
and increase the return on their investments in digital technologies by
receiving timely,
context-specific and immediately applied training. Unfortunately, the timing,
location,
level, and granularity of the training is normally mismatched to the user's
needs. It is
axiomatic that people often learn best when solving a problem at hand or
answering a
question they have immediate need to answer. Digital device training may be
provided six
months prior to the need for the training, and long forgotten, or six months
after the
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immediate need has gone away, and not adopted or internalized. The immediate
need may
require a specific answer to a specific question within a specific context
often defined by
highly interdependent business processes and integrated technologies. Such
needs are not
properly accommodated or addressed using traditional training tools. When a
course is
provided, the location may be off site, or at least away from the user's desk,
which
generates further inefficiencies in the form of expensive opportunity costs as
they are both
physically and mentally removed from their job. Current training is typically
carried out
in groups, making the group members subject to peer pressure, which can
squelch
questions and reduce effectiveness.
In any case, it is unlikely that existing training solutions are provided in
short, 5-20
minute increments spread sporadically about a work week, as are the needs for
that
training. Moreover, the principles of adult learning clearly prove learning is
maximized in
short, highly context-specific sessions which are immediately applied on
demand within
the learner's work. Due to the current mismatch between traditional training
tools,
learners' needs and the principles of adult education, consumers of digital
technologies
often flounder, fail to locate, set-up, or to use a significant majority of
the features of
digital technologies, resulting in being significantly less than optimally
productive. This
leads to a poor return on investments in digital teclmologies and human
capital.
Moreover, consumers of digital technologies also tend to ask fellow employees
for help,
which by interrupting them, lowers their productivity, and can result in
multiple digital
device users floundering and attempting to fmd answers.
Organizations sometimes employ help desks, often internal help deslcs. These
help
deslcs are staffed with a limited number of helpers, having a limited number
of subject
matters they have mastered. The helpers are often rated and reviewed according
to the
number of calls they dispose of per time period. Today's help deslc business
model is
often based entirely on reducing call lengths, which is entirely contrary to
best training
practices. Today's help desk services default to solving users' problems
(giving users a
fish) rather than teaching them how to solve problems independently (teaching
users how
to fish). As a consequence, today's help deslc services virtually guarantee
users will call
baclc often in search of the same answer. Although such recurring revenue is
good for
help desk firms, and disposing of calls quiclcly makes the firms loole good
due to the
metric being measured, it results in higher help desk costs, higher levels of
user frustration
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and lower levels of user productivity. Users dislike being given solutions
they don't
understand, remember, or they cannot apply immediately. In short, the users do
not learn.
Traditional call centers tend to experience relatively high staff turnover as
their mandate to
reduce call lengths can result in an unpleasant working atmosphere. In
particular, helpers
that provide low quality help to users but do so rapidly may look good in a
metric
measuring the number of calls disposed of. Conversely, a helper providing
higher quality,
but possibly more lengthy, training-type assistance to users may look bad
according to the
traditional metric used. This may lead to either poor performance reviews
and/or burnout
as otherwise high quality individuals are forced to give low quality answers
to meet the
desired management metric. Although this approach may be the correct one where
providing technical support is concerned, it is most definitely not correct
where learning
and education are concerned.
Students in educational institutions often master a wide variety of subject
matters.
There is often an "application gap" between the subject matter mastered and
the ability to
apply that subject matter in the commercial world or any context outside of
the
educational institution. W one example, students may learn how to use a
digital device
database paclcage, but may only use it for student-created projects or teacher-
created
projects, both of which may lack real world applications. One of the best ways
to learn is
to teach. In a typical educational institution, however, students are rarely
provided with
professional, real-world opportunities to teach. Students also laclc any
external,
professional drivers forcing them to focus on the areas of commercial
application of the
products they are studying.
As a more general problem, many students do not have experience in practicing
communications or customer presentation skills and normal business protocols
and
interpersonal relationship management skills. Few students graduate with any
experience
in setting meetings, preparing agendas, chairing meetings, and drafting
meeting minutes or
real life sales and marlceting skills. There are countless, basic yet
important, examples of
this application gap between school and the worlc force. This lack of "real
world" context
put students at a distinct disadvantage during job interviews, after starting
jobs, in dealing
with clients and co-worlcers in a business setting. Moreover, students' lack
of "real world"
context also requires employers to spend more capital resources in training
students in
subject matters ovtr secondary and post-secondary educational institutions
largely fail to
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S
provide today. Examples of business skills include, but are not limited to,
presentation
skills, needs 'assessment, managing expectations, initiating, maintaining,
shepparding and
concluding helpful discussions with clients who may be distraught, angry,
and/or
confused.
In another problem area, clients may come from a totally dissimilar
socioeconomic
background than the students. For example, it may be difficult for a bright,
technically
oriented person to initially relate to and converse with a senior executive
who does not
lcnow what a cursor is. The only thing that is preventing the student from
helping the
executive is a little training in business practices and perspectives. Often,
technical people
are very comfortable talking to each other, but not with ordinary consumers
who tend to
be seriously lacking in technical know-how. Students benefit in many ways by
obtaining
commercial experience and interfacing with clients, while still under
supervision within
the educational institution.
Educational institutions and governments often face significant problems and
costs
in successfully transitioning students from school into the workforce. In many
cases,
public educational institutions are unaware of or fail to provide students
with the exact
skills required or desired by local employers. Other times, the students
supplied by
educational institutions have sufficient technical training, but have not
learned how to
apply their skills in a professional setting or in the context of those
problems encountered
by employers. The governmental and/or educational institutions in fact often
lack
sufficient monies to purchase digital device systems and networks sufficiently
modern to
mirror the types of equipment to be found by their students after they leave
the educational
institution and enter an outside organization.
What would be desirable are methods for providing commercially relevant skills
and work experiences to students in the area of providing information and/or
assistance to
consumers of digital technologies, and assisting those students in
transitioning from school
to worlc, all independently of government funded unemployment programs or
public
education funded school curricula. What would also be desirable is a method
for
providing near instantaneous, appropriate length one-on-one tutoring and help
to
consumers of digital technologies in need of support. What would be
advantageous are
methods that provide modern equipment and commercially relevant training to
educational
institutions.
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Summary of the Invention
The present invention provides a technical solution for enabling direct,
person to
person assistance over a communications networlc. The methods provide product
and
system support tools enabling, for example, a purchaser of a product or
service to execute
a computer program on a computer to establish an intelligently routed request
for
assistance to a human having knowledge in the area of the particular product
or service. In
one method, a human user couples a computer readable media associated with a
product to
a computer. A computer program on the computer readable media checks for, and
if need
be, installs needed software. The program can then establish a connection over
a network
such as the Internet directly to the help assistance organization appropriate
for the
particular product or service. The computer readable media can include an
indication of
the particular product or service and/or the assumed preferred language of the
purchaser of
the product or service. The assistance request can be routed to a human
assistant, who
may be seated at a computer device. In a preferred method, the human assistant
greets the
request for assistance and the human user with a live, personal, updated video
link
carrying the assistant's voice and a video signal carrying the assistant's
image to the
computer of the help requestor. The assistant may obtain preliminary
information from
the human user, and begin rapidly to provide assistance in a "face to face"
virtual
enviromnent. Where the product involved is a computer related product, the
human
assistant may optionally view the same computer display as the human user and
even
manipulate the display to illustrate the performance of a particular software
product.
The present invention also provides methods for continually updating a human
user
profile or record to allow the human assistant to better serve the human user
and to better
serve the seller, reseller, or manufacturer of the product or service by
increasing customer
satisfaction. This can also result in fewer returns of merchandise by the
human user to the
seller as the human user is given assistance in use of the product or service.
Over time, through use of the evolving, customer profile or record, more
information can be gathered about the human user in order to better serve the
human user
in the future. The human assistant can use the virtual face to face
environment to both
cross-sell the human user products or services which may be of interest, or
even up-sell
the human user goods or services which may be related to the original goods or
services
sold to the human user.
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The present invention can thus increase customer satisfaction, increase
"sticleiness"
of the customer to the product seller or manufacturer through both the
increased
satisfaction and the potential for face to face cross selling and up-selling.
The invention
also can provide consulting cash flow to the seller, manufacturer, and/or the
assistance
provider. The present invention also increases efficiency through increased
use of
purchased products, fewer returns of purchased products, more efficient
routing to the best
suited person to help the human user, and a virtual, face to face replacement
for the often
lost intermediary or sales person, that may no longer be present due to
Internet based or e-
commerce based transactions by the human user.
The human assistant can be located at an assistance providing organization, or
be
associated with the assistance providing organization yet be geographically
distant. The
present invention can also provide for employment opportunities by human
assistants in
remote locations, for example, rural areas and spouses located at military
bases.
The present invention also includes a kit including a product and a computer-
readable media having at least one computer program thereon. The computer
program can
be executed on the computer to establish a correction over a computer network
to a
human information provider, where the program established is an audio link
having the
voice of the human information provider. The audio link can include the human
information provider's voice being provided through the computer. The kit may
also
include the computer program establishing a video link, in which the human
information
provider's picture if provided through a computer display over the computer
network to
the computer. In some kits, the computer program establishes the connection to
a network
address on the computer network for a human information provider having
specialized
knowledge regarding the product. The computer-readable media may include
information
about the product, for example, a product manual for the product. Some kits
also include a
microphone adapted to be coupled to the computer, and/or an earphone adapted
to be
coupled to the computer. Some kits include a headset microphone or a
combination
microphone- earphone, adapted to be coupled to the computer. The human
information
provider may be associated with an information providing organization, in
which case the
computer program can include a network or Internet address for the information
providing
organization. The Internet address may be a URL.
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In another embodiment of the invention, a kit is provided including a product
and a
computer-readable media including a computer network address for a human
information
provider, wherein establishing a comlection over the computer network using
the network
address establishes at least an audio linlc having the voice of the human
information
provider. The audio linlc also includes the human information provider's voice
being
provided through the computer. In some embodiments, the computer includes a
video
display and the kit fuuther includes a picture of the human information
provider's face
being provided through the computer display. In some kits, the human
information
provider's picture is repeatedly updated, and may be periodically repeatedly
updated. In
some kits, the computer program establishes the connection to the network
address for the
human information provider, wherein the human information provider preferably
has
specialized knowledge regarding the product. The computer-readable media in
the kit
may also include information about the product, for example, a product manual
on the
computer-readable media. Some kits include a microphone adapted to be coupled
to the
computer, and earphones to be coupled to the computer, andlor a combination
earphone-
microphone adapted to be coupled to the computer. In some kits, the reachable
human
information provider is associated with an information providing organization,
in which
case the computer program may include a network or Internet address for the
information
providing organization, which may be a URL.
The present invention can also provide a method for a human user to obtain
information about a product from a user computer coupleable over a computer
networlc to
an information provider organization computer having a selected human
information
provider, who is using the information provider computer. This method can
include
establishing a networlc connection between the user computer and the
information provider
computer over the computer network. The method can include sending a computer
used
identifier, preferably a unique computer user identifier, from the user
computer to be
received by the information provider computer over the networlc connection.
The received
computer user identifier can be matched to a record containing information
about the
computer user. A direct network connection may be established to the selected
human
information provider from among several human information providers as a
function of
the information contained in the record. The record can be displayed to the
human
information provider on a display coupled to the information provider
computer. In some
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methods, the record information includes the preferred language of the user, a
product
previously inquired about by the user, a product knowledge level previously
attained by
the user, or a product knowledge area previously inquired about by the user,
either
individually or in any combination of these items.
The method can further include receiving voice information requests from the
human user, by the human information provider, regarding a product or service,
over the
networlc connection. Some methods also include the human information provider
entering
new data into the record based on the human user voice requests. In some
methods, the
unique identifier is a coolcie or registry entry stored on the user computer.
In other
methods, the unique identifier is generated by the user computer upon a first
execution of
a program on the user computer. In some methods, the unique identifier is
retrieved at
least in part from an identifier stored in hardware on the user computer, for
example, an
Ethernet address in a communications component. In still other methods, the
unique
identifier is created as a function of a combination of hardware andlor and
software
components stored on the user computer.
In another embodiment, the invention provides a method for obtaining
information
about a product, the method including coupling a computer-readable media to a
user
computer, wherein the computer-readable media includes product information and
an
executable computer program. The method can further include causing the
executable
computer program executed in the user computer to send a comiection request to
an
information provider organization that is capable of providing live human
provided
information about the product. A network address can be received for an
information
provider computer associated with the information provider organization. A
connection
can be established between the user computer and the information providing
computer
based on the received network address and a unique user identifier sent over
the network
from the user computer to the information provider computer. In some such
methods, the
unique user identifier is unique to the user computer, while in other methods,
the unique
identifier is specific to a human user using the user computer. In some
methods, the
unique identifier is generated by the information providing computer and is
stored in the
user computer, while in other methods, the unique identifier is created by the
program as a
function of reading hardware or software components of the user computer. In
other
methods, the method also includes sending an indication of the product or
product type
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over the networlc to the information providing computer. Some methods can
include
sending an indication of the product or product type over the network to the
information
providing computer.
Methods can also include receiving a live video display of a human information
5 provider associated with the information providing organization. Methods
caai also
include receiving an audio stream of a human information provider's voice
associated with
the information providing organization. In some methods, the information
providing
organization is controlled by the organization providing the product, for
example, a
department of, a business unit of, or a subsidiary corporation of the
organization making
10 and/or selling the product. In some situations, the information providing
organization and
the organization malting, selling or distributing the product are totally
distinct but may
have a contractual agreement with each other.
In still another method, for supporting a product, the method includes selling
a
supported product lcit including a product and a computer-readable media
having
executable program thereon. A program can have instructions for executing a
method for
establishing a connection over a computer networlc to a human information
provider. In
an alternate embodiment, the supported product.kit includes a network address,
for
example, an Internet address, of a human information provider or a human
information
provider organization. In such methods, the required programs for establishing
the
connection to the human information provider may either be assumed to reside
on the
computer of the human computer user andlor be downloaded over a network
comlection if
not present or if not being a sufficiently recent release level. h1 either of
these methods,
the method that can further include accepting a request for information over
the computer
network originating from the computer program sold with the product in the
supported
product lcit and accepting a unique identifier from the computer network
originating from
the computer program sold with the product (or downloaded to the computer
using the
computer network address) included in the product support kit.
In some methods, the Lmique identifier is as previously described. In other
embodiments, the unique identifier can be the serial number of the product or
the model
number of the product sold in the kit. The method can further include creating
a record or
profile associated with the mique identifier for storing user information
associated with
that unique identifier. Voice carrying audio signals can be sent from the
human
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information provider associated with the information provider organization to
the user
computer. Voice request can be received from a human user regarding the
product. User
information can be stored in the record as a fitnction of the received user
voice requests.
Some methods further include receiving voice information from the human user
about the human user and storing user information in the record as a function
of the voice
information received about the human user. Some methods also include sending
voice
audio carrying signals from the hmnan information provider associated with the
information providing organization to the user computer based in part on
information that
was stored in the record from a past session. Some methods also include
routing the
human user to the human information provider associated with the information
providing
organization based at least in part on information that was stored in the
record from a past
session. The information stored in the record can be selected from a group
consisting of
user age, user gender, user residence location, user language, user expertise
level with the
product, user intended use for the product, the product, indicated possible
future products
to be purchased, and other products ali eady purchased by the human user.
The present invention provides a method for interacting with customers and
consumers using a single point of contact with customers to automatically and
manually
develop and evolve comprehensive customer profiles which are automatically
cross
referenced against human assistant productivity consultant profiles so that
incoming
customer calls are intelligently matched to an appropriately skilled and
available
productivity consultant. This can result in instantaneous, live, interactive
customer
connection to the best possible subject matter expert who, knowing the
customer's history,
profile, needs, concerns, systems, set up, and other factors, delivers
outstanding guidance,
support, and query resolution. This can include live one or two way video,
telephony,
screen and/or application sharing, chat and/or e-mail support. The service can
support
virtually any product or service (and their respective interoperability)
including, but not
limited to, software, hardware, devices, phones, PDAs, personal computers, in-
vehicle
systems (trains, planes, automobiles) delivered through any IP-based system
and/or
channel (e.g., cable, ISDN, satellite, radio, or other such channels).
The present invention provides productivity-enhancing methods that can apply
equally to customers and constuners as they do to staff members. They also
apply to both
internal and external consumers and customers.
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The information-providing or assistance services can be bundled into any
offering,
either paid or for free. The invention can be used in the sales process by
using profiles and
interactively to cross sell or up sell customers to any product or offering
including
generation of ongoing revenues to the assistance or information-providing
organization or
to the product-providing organization. Information allows harvesting and
disseminating
key sales-related information and feedback from masses of client users which
can be
stored in user profiles or records. The invention also provides for market
research by
prompting users to provide feedback on any issue including evaluations of
offerings and
suggested improvements. Management intelligence is also provided by the
present
invention by prompting staff to provide feedback on any issue including
evaluations of
change management processes and results in some methods. The present invention
can
also provide for corporate intelligence functionality by using profiles to
measure staff
productivity rates, participation rates, and compliance with work flow and/or
corporate
processes. Productivity consulting can also be provided, by enabling consumers
and staff
to use the right tools the right ways, faster, better, and cheaper. This can
be used in retail,
corporate or other activities.
The present invention includes hardware, software, and business method
solutions
to two problem areas. One problem area includes students not bridging the gap
between
academics and failing in more directed business-like settings, to develop
general business
skills. Another problem area includes consumers of digital technologies not
being able to
utilize significant portions of their technologies because they can not obtain
timely help
and training tailored to their particular needs. The present invention
includes methods for
instantaneously receiving help requests from end-users, and intelligently
routing the help
requests through various software components and algorithms which select
appropriately
skilled and available student helpers. The student helpers are preferably in a
supervised
classroom setting to receive and satisfy the requests in subject matter areas
they are trained
or experts in. After being selected to receive the help request, the student
helper and the
help requester can establish a direct communication link between themselves
followed by
a one-on-one help or tutoring session using one or more of synchronous voice,
synchronous video, application sharing, and screen sharing Internet
technologies. Being
private, there is no peer pressure which often reduces the effectiveness of
training. The
invention also selectively and intelligently adds value, which includes cross-
selling. The
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revenue session can be paid for by the end-user, a user organization, or other
third party,
with the money being split among the educational institution, the students,
the facilitator
organization, and/or combinations thereof.
hi a chronological description of one example of the invention, the
facilitator
organization can sign an agreement with a public or private educational
institution to
provide the facilitator organization with access to the classrooms, curriculum
managers,
marketing managers, and student body. The facilitator organization can agree
to provide
the educational institution with trainers (teachers), and an approved class
curriculum
designed to improve, among other things, the students' conununication,
technical, and
general business slcills. The educational institution may agree to offer one
or more of the
classes developed and taught by the facilitator organization to its students.
In particular,
the educational institution can also permit students enrolled in those classes
to answer
requests for help or training from the facilitator organization's client base
located remotely
to the students. All students are preferably certified by the facilitator
organization in order
to qualify for servicing the facilitator organization's clients and to receive
wages.
Students may receive approved academic credits for the training and
professional work
experiences they receive from the facilitator organization through their class
work.
After agreeing to provide such classes, the facilitator organization can
provide a
communication linlc to the educational institution, and further provide links
to classrooms
or other supervised settings within the educational institution for use during
the classes. In
one example of the invention, the facilitator organization provides the
educational
institution with all systems required to link the facilitator organization's
clients to the
educational institution's classrooms and students via a high speed Internet
communication
link. The systems provided to the educational institution by the facilitator
organization
include, among other things, high speed Internet connectivity, sophisticated
digital device
servers, routers, hubs, local area networks, digital devices, for example
computers, for all
students in such classes and required software ("partnership IT systems"). In
some
embodiments of the invention, parhiership IT systems digital devices may be
paid for
entirely or in part by the facilitator organization.
Students applying to take the class, or other employment candidates, may also
apply for employment with the facilitator organization using its Slcills
Inventory Systems.
All such candidates will preferably meet screening criteria set by the
educational
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14
institution and/or the facilitator organization. An instructor-supervisor, or
separate
instructors and supervisors, may also be provided and may also be paid for
entirely or in
part by the facilitator organization. The instructor-supervisor may begin the
class by
teaching business-related skills such as needs assessment, time management,
managing
expectations, understanding organizational structures, understanding
professional roles
and responsibilities and how they can benefit from digital technologies,
professionalism in
the workplace, how to use software provided by the present invention, how to
deal with
help requesters of different emotions, roles, backgrounds, intelligence, and
subject matter
mastery levels.
The students may be taught how to manage client calls and conversations,
elicit
and define the requester's problems, help the requester learn how to resolve
the problem
independently by offering training solutions to the problem, followed by
winding up the
help session and then sending follow-up notes from the session. The students
may also be
trained to identify what professional roles and responsibilities the requester
plays within
their organization, and based on that, to deduce what other interrelated
technologies and
technological features are most likely to increase the requesters'
productivity. For
example, an administrative assistant may call requesting help setting up an
automated
mailing function within a word processing application. The student helping
that requester
may be trained to enquire and assess exactly how that requester is populating
their mailing
database to determine if it is being input manually, or being copied over from
another
company database and, if so, how. The student may determine if the copying is
being
done by "cutting and pasting" or by exporting the data from a spreadsheet or
from a
database. In most cases, the student will be able to train the requester to
dramatically
reduce the time taken to achieve their obj ectives.
This type of training results in high value added consulting services which
end up
saving the requester and his/her organization significant time and capital.
After having
helped the requester, depending on the situation, the student may also carry
out cross-
selling of client's products to the requester or focused marlceting research
on behalf of the
client. In a preferred embodiment, the student helpers are only allowed to be
selected to
receive calls from requesters after they have been certified by the instructor-
supervisor as
sufficiently proficient to handle the help requests. The level of supervision
applied to a
student or the level of autonomy a student may have in servicing requesters
may depend
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on the level of certification a student receives from the instructor-
supervisor in relation to
the level of service sophistication and complexity required by the facilitator
organization's
clients.
The students can attend regularly scheduled classes in a supervised classroom
5 setting, where the communication between the student helpers and the help
requesters can
be monitored by the supervising instructor. The student helpers can log into
digital device
workstations in some embodiments, signifying their availability on-line to
handle
questions. As part of the facilitator organization's certification process,
students will
complete slcill-testing subject matter questionnaires to define their skill
ratings in the
10 subject matters in which they are proficient. This subject matter
determination is
preferably done prior to accepting the students into the class, and, as much
as possible,
will preferably be done automatically using the facilitator organization's
Slcills Inventory
Systems. Once certified by the facilitator organization, and after logging
into the
computer or other digital device workstations, the student helpers are ready
to provide
15 assistance to remote help requesters.
A help requester may have a computer or other digital device related question,
for
example, a question related to how a digital device related task is to be
accomplished
using a software package. The requester can select on a help object on the
requester's
display screen, thereby sending a message or establishing a linlc to the
facilitator
organization and sending some help request attributes indicating the nature of
the help
requester, the subject matter in question, and a help request identifier. If
the help requester
is authorized to receive help, the facilitator organization's HELPTRAIN
Systems
automatically select a student helper to obtain a good match to, among other
things, the
requester's subject matter, employer, level of expertise, geographic location,
language,
time zone, employer-authorized privileges, past service satisfaction levels
with the
facilitator organization, account balance or other financial information, and
combinations
thereof. After the appropriate student helper is selected, the requester's
request can be
sent to the selected student helper. The help desk software or student helper
can respond
to the requester by sending back a unique identifier or address that allows
the student
helper to be reached more directly. After receiving the student helper
identifier, the
requester can use this identifier to establish a more direct communication
link to the
student helper. In one example, the Internet protocol address of the student
helper is sent
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16
to the software program running on the requester's digital device, which uses
the student
helper's Internet protocol address to automatically establish a more direct
link over the
Internet. In one embodiment, software sends a request for communication
automatically
by sending back a unique identifier or address that allows the student helper
to be reached
using real time cormnunication (audio, video and otherwise). The requester's
PC can use
this information to automatically establish a more direct communication linlc
to the student
helper.
With a help session established, the requester can request help through any
suitable
media, including text, voice, video, screen and/or application sharing and URL
push. In
one method, a small "window" bearing a periodically refreshedlupdated video
image of
the student helper appears on the requester's screen, and a synchronous audio
transmission
of the student helper and requester's voices is transmitted back and forth
between their
respective digital devices. The student helper can thus have a real-time,
audio and visual
presence on the screen of the person being helped. In one embodiment, the
requester can
also allow the remote student helper to view, in real time, the same display
screen seen by
the requester. In a preferred embodiment, the student helper may request
remote control
of the keyboard entries, and cursor movements. The help requester can then
allow the
student helper to remotely control one or more applications currently active
within the
requester's digital device with the requester at all times able to
instantaneously talce back
control of the system.
Over the course of a help session, the student helper can provide
instantaneous and
responsive audio, visual, screen sharing, application sharing and data input
to the help
requester to both solve the immediate problem and provide carefully tailored
training to
the help requester. At the conclusion of the help session, the student helper
can
summarize the contents of the help session in a training reference database
for later
retrieval by the requester from any Internet connection, and then end the help
session or
retrieval by other third parties for marketing research, new development,
cross selling, up
selling and other purposes. The help session is preferably monitorable by the
supervising
instructor in the supervised classroom setting. The help requester can be
billed for the
amount of help received, with the revenue from the help requester being used
to pay the
educational institution, the students, and the facilitator organization and/or
combinations
thereof.
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One preferred use of the present invention is to provide rapid response to
digital
device users requests for digital device-related subject matter problems,
questions, or
training needs over the W ternet. In this preferred use of the invention, a
networked digital
device user can cliclc on a help icon on their local digital device display
screen and receive
direct and individually tailored information and solutions to their problems
interfacing
through their digital device screen, provided by a student helper located in a
supervised
classroom setting in an educational institution, where the student helper is
also using a
digital device linked to the Iilternet.
In a broad use of the present invention, the help requester at the digital
device
display may be requesting help with a subject matter unrelated to digital
devices, where
the subject matter may be any subject matter. In another use of the present
invention, a
requester who is an employee of a user organization, such as an employer, may
send the
help requests through the user organization's digital systems and networks,
where the user
organization may be the payor for the help provided. In some situations, the
user
organization is an ad-hoc user organization such as an electronic retailer or
an Internet
portal or a Value Added Reseller which may provide and/or resell the service
to its end-
users andlor clients.
In a still broader use of the present invention, the help requester may be
located
anywhere, using any communication link, and have a question to be answered,
have a
training need, or have a problem requiring a solution. This embodiment of the
present
invention is only limited by the helpers' ability to provide value-added help
to the
requesters. In a preferred embodiment, the helper is a student helper in the
supervised
classroom setting in an educational institution, where the educational
institution receives
at least some of the revenue paid by the help requester or the help
requester's organization.
One use of the present invention is to obtain answers to technical set-up,
personalization, and usage questions related to digital devices, where
students may have
recent training and/or be early adopters. The present invention may however be
used for
many subject matter areas. The present invention may be used to provide
students in a
wide variety of work of extra mural activities such as auto mechanics,
nursing, social
work, and law with supervised experience in providing assistance and advice
under the
supervision of an instructor in a classroom setting. This improved training
may serve to
bridge the gap between academic classroom exercises and real world problems
which the
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18
students will ultimately face, and which the methods of the invention will
better prepare
them for. In addition to being better prepared to make positive contributions
to the
economy, the students and/or educational institution can receive payment for
the training
and worlc experiences.
Exemplary Advantages of Some Embodiments of the Invention
The present invention provides methods for receiving requests for information,
help, or training, and for supplying the requested information by employing
students in a
supervised setting from within the classrooms of educational institutions. The
students
can receive academic credit for the training they receive in preparation for
servicing
requests for information. The present invention methods include receiving help
requests
from consumers digital hardware, software, services and/or web sites,
collectively referred
to as "digital technologies", over the Internet, then instantly and
"intelligently" routing the
requests to selected, pre-screened, qualified students currently on-line, in a
supervised
setting within the classrooms of educational institutions. The present
invention methods
include providing among other features information to consumers of
technologies using,
synchronous video, synchronous voice, screen sharing and application sharing
Internet
technologies.
The present invention provides sub-components that address several problem
areas.
Firstly, the present invention can include software systems which enables
users of digital
technologies in need of help, guidance, or support, to "click a button" and be
instantly
routed via the Internet to an appropriately skilled, available personal tutor
who appears
live, on the display screen of digital devices anywhere. Secondly, the
invention can
provide centralized, highly automated digital systems which manage the process
and
knowledge management related to the resourcing, screening, recruitment,
training,
development, management and employment of large numbers of facilitator
organization
employees and/or contractors including secondary and post-secondary students,
referred to
collectively as "Slcills Inventory Systems."
The present invention includes hardware, software, and business method
solutions
to various problem areas including:
1. One problem area includes students not bridging the gap between
academics and the workforce by failing to understand the general business
context and its
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19
fundamental requirements and by failing to apply their sought after digital
technology
skills within business-like settings.
2. A second problem area includes consumers of digital technologies failing
to realize adequate returns on their investments in technology because they
are unable to
utilize significant portions of their technologies and can not obtain timely
help and training
tailored to their particular needs.
3. A third problem area relates to challenges faced by hiring organizations.
Traditionally the process of resourcing, recruiting, screening, hiring,
training, developing
and managing employees taltes a lot of time and is extremely expensive. This
is even
more true in organizations with high employee turnover rates. The Skills
hmentory
Systems component of the present invention is designed to significantly reduce
the time
and costs associated with these processes and to increase overall employee
retention rates.
Among other things, the Skills filventory Systems prevents employee candidates
from
submitting resumes which rarely contain the exact information an employer
required in
malting its hiring decisions. Instead, the Skills hmentory Systems require all
employee
candidates to answer highly specific questions which objectively qualify and
quantify the
nature of their worlt and educational experiences. W so doing, the Skills
hmentory
Systems save the facilitator organization significant time and expenses. By
retaining and
managing a centralized ltnowledgebase of all employee performance and employee
candidate information, The Skills Inventory Systems significantly speeds the
process of
resourcing future employees, facilitates employee performance evaluation
review, cross-
training of employees, termination of employees and many other fundamental
human
resource management taslts and processes across the entire organization. By
centralizing
the Shills Inventory Systems ltnowledge base and making it available on-line,
any
authorized person in a facilitator organization is able to instantly, and in
real time, review,
evaluate, and report on a very broad array of characteristics defining the
company's
human resource inventory.
4. The present invention's Standard Operating Systems also ensure, among
other things, that the facilitator organization office can:
(a) more rapidly set-up and integrate a new operating office with the
facilitator organization's corporate/head office systems;
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(b) expect total organizational consistency by ensuring all facilitator
organization offices are managed using only the facilitator organization's
best
business and work flow practices;
(c) expect total consistency of service quality; and
5 (d) expect to provide all clients and end-users with a consistent
interface and uniform experience with the facilitator organization.
5. The present invention also provides software system for instantaneously
receiving help requests from consumers of digital technologies, and having
those help
requests automatically and intelligently routed through various software
components and
10 algorithms to appropriately skilled and available private tutor who satisfy
the requests in
subject matter areas the student helpers have been trained in and certified as
subject
matter experts within. The tutors use synchronous voice, synchronous video,
asynchronous chat, application sharing and screen sharing technologies to
interface with
and teach the user how to solve their problems independently. The service
automatically
15 and intelligently route's a user's requests for help by assessing various
user support
requirements and correlating those requirements against the facilitator
organization's
roster of available tutors. Among other things, the list of user criteria the
service
automatically assesses and processes includes the following:
(a) A user's skill levels in various applications;
20 (b) A user's language and social environment;
(c) A user's employer, and their roles and responsibilities within their
employer's organization;
(d) A user's time zone and geographic location;
(e) A user's past service experiences with the facilitator organization
and/or specific tutors; and
(f) A user's current account balance and standing.
6. Because this service, often referred collectively in the patent application
as
"HELPTRAINTM" totally automates a user's call processing and services
establishment, it
only requires users to know how to press on or "click" on a single button in
order to fulfill
the entire process summarized above. In other words, HELPTRAINTM does not
require
users to lcnow which tutor is skilled and available to help, how to locate
them or even how
to establish any synchronous voice, synchronous video, asynchronous chat,
application
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21
sharing, screen sharing or other technologies required to interface with a
tutor in a learning
environment. In order to use the service, end-users only require a digital
device with an
Internet connection and video-conferencing software. The facilitator
organization uses
highly sophisticated digital systems which manage the technological processes
centrally
which are described in detail in the attached diagrams. After being selected
to receive the
help request, the helper or tutor and the help requester can establish a
direct
communication linlc between themselves followed by a help or training session
using one
or more of synchronous voice, syncluonous video, application sharing, screen
sharing
and/or asynchronous chat Internet technologies. A helper who has been
previously listed
in a database may be selected based on the helper attributes contained in the
database
associated with that helper. The help session can be paid for by the end-user,
a user
organization, or other third parties, with the revenue being split among the
educational
institution, the students, the facilitator organization and/or combinations
thereof, often
referred to collectively "as HELPTRAIN systems" in the present application.
Real time
service data collected during the FIELPTIZAINTM session can be shared for free
or re-sold
to other third parties.
Description of the Drawings
Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating one method according to the
present
invention including retail end users, user organizations, facilitator
organizations,
educational institutions, classrooms, and student helpers;
Figure 2 is a subset of Figure 1, having only one user and one student helper;
Figure 3 is a timeline of information exchanged between a help requester and a
student helper;
Figures 4-18 are screen captures taken of an end-user's screen while using an
hlternet web browser to interface with the invention as described herein;
Figures 19-22 are screen captures showing what a student helper in a
supervised
classroom setting will see while interfacing with one example of the
invention;
Figure 23 is a business model diagram of one method according to the present
invention;
Figure 24 is a flowchart of a retail user purchase process flow for purchasing
help
in one method;
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22
Figure 25 is a flowchart of a corporate user or user organization purchase
process
flow for purchasing quantities of help in one method;
Figure 26 is an architecture diagram of one system suitable for implementing
methods according to the present invention;
Figure 27 is a front view of a product support lcit including a headset
microphone,
a CD-ROM having a computer program thereon, a network address, and a picture
of an
assistance provider available through using the CD-ROM;
Figure 28 is a baclc view of the insert of the product support kit of Figure
27,
including instructions for using the product support kit;
Figures 29A and 29B are flow chants showing a program that can reside on a
computer readable media such as the CD-ROM of Figure 27 to establish a
connection
from a human user to a human assistance provider over a computer network;
Figure 30 is a high level flow chart of a process used to receive a user ID
and
interact with the user; and
Figure 31 is a perspective view of a digital camera product that was bundled
with a
product support lcit having the headset microphone of Figure 27, and having
the CD-ROM
of Figure 27 inserted in the personal computer, which has been executed to
establish direct
communication to the human assistant, having her real-time image displayed on
the
computer display.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments
The following detailed description should be read with reference to the
drawings,
in which like elements in different drawings are numbered identically. The
drawings,
which are not necessarily to scale, depict selected embodiments and are not
intended to
limit the scope of the present invention. Several forms of invention have been
shown and
described, and other forms will now be apparent to those skilled in art. It
will be
understood that embodiments shown in drawings and described below are.merely
for
illustrative purposes, and are not intended to limit the scope of the
invention as defined in
the claims which follow.
Figure 1 illustrates a high level organizational diagram showing the
interrelationships between the major entities which can be involved in the
present
invention. The entities are represented by nodes, and the communication links
between
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23
the entities are represented by lines connecting the nodes. At the center of
the diagram is
the organizational entity which may be referred to as the help or information
facilitator 40.
Help facilitator 40 acts as an intermediary or catalyst to facilitate
information exchange
between the other entities. Help facilitator 40 can be coupled or linked to
educational
institutions 42 by communications linlc 41. Educational institutions 42 are
linked to
supervised settings which can be classroom settings 44 through communication
linlc 45.
Classrooms 44 are illustrated as linked to students 46 through communication
liu~ 45.
Classrooms 44 can be linlced to educational institution 42 through
communication
link 43. While students 46 may be viewed as mapped to individual communication
nodes
such as networked personal computers or personal digital devices in one view
of the
invention, in a preferred view of the invention, students 46 are aggregated
within
classrooms 44 and are identified by unique student identifiers not permanently
linked to
any particular physical communication node. As used herein, the phrase
"digital device"
refers broadly to any device which can be used to electronically communicate
between
two remotely situated people, each person having such a device. Digital
devices include,
but are not limited to, personal computers, general purpose computers,
personal digital
assistants, handheld or palm computers, wired or wireless keyboards with
displays, set-top
boxes, game machines, conhol systems and cellular or wired telephones. In a
broad
description of the invention, communication lii~lc 41 can be any communication
link
between help facilitator 40 and educational institution 42. Communication link
41 could
thus be a wired or wireless telephone link, a wired or wireless text based
communication
link, or a wired or wireless digital device network link. In a preferred
embodiment of the
invention, communications link 41 is a network communications link
representing a
portion of the W ternet. In a most preferred embodiment, communication link 41
is a high
speed data communications link for example, what is currently referred to as a
"T1"
communication line. In this embodiment, communication link 41 is therefore
part of the
Internet and is not necessarily a direct, one-to-one link exclusively between
help facilitator
40 and educational institution 42.
The classrooms or other sttpemised settings 44 can be linked to educational
institution 42 by communication line 43. In one embodiment of the invention,
educational
institution 42 has at least one server connected to high speed communication
linlc 41, with
classrooms 44 having hubs coupled to the servers through data communications
links.43.
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24
Within classrooms 44, individual students 46 may be logged into individual
communication devices on human interface devices, for example, digital devices
which
can be linked to a hub in each classroom through communication links 45. As
may be
seen from inspection of Figure 1, there can be numerous educational
institutions 42, each
having numerous classrooms or other supervised settings 44, each having
numerous
students 46 aggregated within.
Help facilitator 40 may be seen linced to an individual user, end user, or
help
requester 50, as these terms are used in the present application. User or
requester 50 is
coupled through data communications link 49 to help facilitator 40. Help
requester 50
may also be referred to as a direct end user or retail end user as they are
coupled directly to
help facilitator 40. In one example of the invention, retail end user 50 can
have a prepaid,
individual account, paid for by a personal credit card or electronic cash
equivalent. This
prepayment can authorize retail end user 50 to request help directly through
help facilitator
40. The help request can then be routed to the appropriate educational
institution,
classroom, and student, as will be explained below.
Various user organizations 56, 52, 60, and 64 are also illustrated in Figure 1
and
will be explained further. The user organizations can act as intermediaries
between end
users who often are not allowed direct access to help facilitator 40. In some
embodiments,
user organizations are the organizations which are directly responsible for
paying for the
help received and may be billed directly for the help received by help
facilitator 40. User
organizations may also be referred to as user aggregates, as the users may not
consider
themselves to be a member of any "organization." An Internet portal may be
referred to as
a user aggregate.
User organization 56 is a information service provider (ISP) which can offer
Internet access to its end users 58 through communication links 57. One
example of an
information service provider could be America Online (AOL) and another example
could
be ATT Worldnet. In these embodiments, communication links 57 may represent
dialup,
modem communication links between end users 58 and the user organization or
ISP 56.
In this embodiment, end users 58 may be requesting help or information with
aspects of
the ISP itself and/or goods or services featured or advertised on the ISP.
Help or
information requests received from end users 58 through communications linlcs
57 may be
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forwarded through communication linl~ 55 between the ISP user organization and
the help
facilitator 40.
Another example of a user organization may be found in employer organization
52,
having employee end users 54 coupled through communication links 53. In this
example
5 of a user organization, employee end user 54 may be coupled through any
suitable
communication link, for example, a corporate LAN to a corporate server, which
is coupled
through communication link 51 to help facilitator 40. In one example of the
invention,
communication link 51 can be a high speed connection to the help facilitator
through the
Internet. In the employer user organization, employees 54 may be requesting
help with
10 software products used by the employees, where the employer wishes to have
the help or
information requests sent outside of the organization. In this example of the
invention, the
employer organization may be responsible for paying for the information or
help provided
to employee end users 54.
In yet another example of a user organization, product provider user
organization
15 60 may have customers or potential customers 62 linked through
communication linlc 61.
One example of a product provider user organization could be a web site
maintained by a
motor vehicle company, for example, Ford Motor Company. Customers or potential
customers 62 could make inquiries about products such as automobiles they wish
to
purchase, or have already purchased. Suitable requests for information could
be
20 forwarded from customer end~users 62, through communication link 59 to help
facilitator
40. In this example of the invention, the product provider, such as Ford, may
be
responsible for paying for the information provided to customer end users 62.
hi yet another example of the invention, a user organization may be an ad hoc
user
organization such as an on-line catalog or electronic retailer 64. On line
catalog 64 may
25 have otherwise unrelated items featured, being browsed by potential
customers 66 through
communication links 65. Inquiries from potential customer 66 may be forwarded
through
on-line catalog 64 to help facilitator 40. In this example of the invention,
catalog 64 may
be willing to pay for suitable information provided to potential customers 66
in order to
facilitate sales.
Figure 2 illustrates a subset of the diagram of Figure l, to simplify the
explanation
of the invention. End user or requester 5~ is coupled through a communication
line 57 to
a user organization or aggregate 56 which in turn is coupled through
communication link
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55 to help facilitator 40. Help facilitator 40 is coupled through
communication link 41 to
educational institution 42 which is in turn coupled to classroom 44 through
communication link 43. A student 46 is coupled through communication link 45
to
classroom 44 through communication liuc 45. In the embodiment illustrated,
student 46
may be understood to have an address or unique identifier which allows
accessing student
46 through the communication link. Similarly, in some embodiments of the
invention, end
user or help requester 58 also has a unique address or identifier which
enables
communicating with the end user through the communication links. In a high
level view
of the invention, the addresses or unique identifiers could be any suitable
identifier or
number, for example a phone number, which allowed a connection between end
user 58
and student 46. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the addresses or
identifiers
are digital device network addresses or identifiers. hi a most preferred
embodiment of the
invention, the addresses are Inteniet protocol (IP) addresses.
Beginning with end user 58, a help request may be generated, for example, from
a
digital device display help object on digital device displayed help
facilitator link object. In
one example of the invention, end user 58 manipulates an object to indicate
that help is
requested for a common software program. The help request is sent through
communication linlc 57 to user organization 56. User organization 56 may
filter or further
process the help request. Payment or prepayment may be checked for in the case
of an
ISP user organization. In the case of an employer organization, other criteria
may be used.
The help or information request 55 may then be passed on through communication
link 55
to help facilitator 40.
The help or information request can have different attributes in different
embodiments of the invention. W one embodiment of the invention, an end user
identifier,
and the subject matter of the request are included as attributes of the help
request and are
sent to help facilitator 40. An example of an end user identifier may be a
formal or
informal name. One example of a subject matter is Microsoft Word. Other
embodiments
of the invention may also include the user's geographical location, time zone,
language,
previous help history, and explicitly offered or inferred level of subject
matter mastery.
As will be discussed in more detail below, the help request is then
intelligently
routed to the appropriate student in order to obtain the requested help or
information. The
selection process can include the instantaneous or immediately expected on-
line
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27
availability of the student, the language of the student, the time zone of the
student, the
subject matter expertise of the student, and/or the subject matter mastery
level of the
student. Based on my or all of these criteria, the help request can be sent to
an individual
student 46 through communication link 41 to educational institution 42, then
through
communication link 43 to a classroom or supeivised setting 44, then to student
46 through
communication link 45. As is explained elsewhere, classroom 44 preferably has
a
supervisor or teacher present who has the ability to monitor the communication
between
student 46 and end user 58.
Once the help request is received by student 46, a more direct communication
linlc
may be established. In the example of a digital device network being used as
the
communication linlc, for example, the Internet, a more direct connection
between student
46 and end user 58 may be established. In one example of the invention, the IP
address of
student 46 is sent to end user 58, with an invitation for end user 58 to open
the direct
communication linlc. In another example of the invention, end user 58 has
implicitly given
permission for the direct communication link to be established by requesting
the help or
information. In this example of the invention, software on the digital device
of student 46
may be used to send back the Internet protocol address of student 46 to end
user 58, where
software operating on a digital device of end user 58 then uses the IP address
of student 46
to establish a more direct connection over the Internet. In one embodiment of
the
invention, when no suitable helper is available, the end user or help
requester may receive
notification of this. The user may later receive notification, for example,
through e-mail,
that a helper is available and be invited to establish a connection.
In one example of this procedure, end user 58 effectively attempts to open a
Internet conference or net meeting with student 46. Student 46 then responds
to this
request by providing the IP address of student 46 to end user 58. When the end
user
pending Internet meeting or net meeting software receives the IP address of
student 46, a
more direct connection between end user 58 and student 46 may be established.
The more
direct connection may in fact be a very indirect connection through the
Internet, but which
does not necessarily go through help facilitator 40. The more direct
connection is
illustrated at 47.
Figure 3 illustrates a timeline or communication diagram between a user 100
and a
student or helper 102. In this example, the progression of time is indicated
from top to
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28
bottom. An initial help or information request 104 is sent from end user or
requester 100
to the student or helper 102. The help request is represented at 104. In
response, student
102 sends IP address 106 to user 100. The end user may then use the received
IP address
to establish a more direct connection at 108. An initial greeting or
salutation 110 may then
be sent from student 102 to user 100. This cari, include any combination of
video, audio,
and text. A specific request for information may then be sent by the user at
112 to the
student. More specific help or training may then be sent back by the student
as indicated
at 114. The steps 112 and 114 may be repeated several times as help requests
and offered
help are exchanged. Another help request,at 116 is made by the user, but with
the student
offering at 118 an invitation for the user to share the user's digital device
display. In one
embodiment, this invitation is an oral invitation by the student suggesting
that the user OK
screen sharing with the student. This can mean that the student wishes to see
the same
display that the user is seeing on their local digital device. In this
example, the user grants
this permission, for example, by manipulating an object on the screen, thereby
sending
message 120 granting permission for the screen display sharing. In one
embodiment, the
user cliclcs on a "Share My Screen" button on the user's screen. This action
can initiate
the screen sharing with the student. The screen or digital device display
image may also
be sent as a copy at 120 to the student.
Similarly, at 122, the student has issued an invitation to the user to allow
the
student to remotely control data entry to the user's local digital device.
Specifically, the
student may be requesting permission to manipulate the cursor on the user's
display and to
make keyboard entries into display gelds. Permission may be granted by the
user at 124,
again by manipulating an obj ect on the screen. At 126, student 102 may move
the cursor,
click on objects, and enter keyboard keystrokes to fill in data fields from
the student's
remote location onto the user's digital device display. The above process can
continue
with help and training being offered in response to help requests made.
Referring again to greetings 110, the greetings, and other communications from
student to user, may be made by any combination of suitable video, audio,
and/or text
communication. W a preferred embodiment of the invention, the student is able
to
cormnunicate through video, audio, and text to the end user. While the end
user may have
video and/or audio to respond, in one embodiment of the invention, the user
may make
help requests through text.
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When the end user has been satisfied or otherwise wishes to end the session,
this
may be indicated by communication 128 in a wind-up session, responded to by
the student
at 130. In one embodiment, the user can end the remote control at any time
simply by
pressing a key or cursor button. In some embodiments, the user is orally
invited by the
student to press 'a key as part of the wind up session. The communication link
established
previously may then be terminated. After termination of the session, the
student may
summarize the session in text, for example, summarizing the information
provided, and
entering additional billing information if required.
Another aspect of the present invention includes methods for screening or
selecting
employees generally, which can be useful in selecting students. One part of
this aspect has
been previously referred to as a "Skills Inventory System." The student
helpers discussed
with respect to Figure 3 are preferably screened or pre-selected prior to
being admitted
into the class, and/or screened prior to being trained to provide the
information. The
present invention includes methods for screening and selecting employees
generally, and
for selecting employees having communication and/or leadership skills in
particular.
In a first step, the potential employees can be asked to answer questions on-
line,
for example, over the Internet. In some methods, form blanks are to be filled
in. In other
methods, the potential employee is lead through a series of questions that
vary as a
function of questions already answered. In one example, the potential employee
is asked
if they have held a management position, and if so, are asked quantitative
questions as to
how many employees managed, how many levels of managers existed beneath them,
and
how large a budget was managed. The employer can program specific screening
questions
designed to weed out candidate with a low probability of success. The
potential employee
is preferably not allowed to submit a resume, but required to answer the
questions asked
on-line. This both can elicit more quantitative, position specific
information, and weed
out job seekers mass mailing resumes without genuine interest in the employer.
The
candidates responses and data offered can be screened by a combination of
humans and/or
computers to produce a list of candidates proceeding to the next step.
In a second step, those candidates passing the on-line screening can be
interviewed
over the telephone. The communication skills of the candidates can thus be
initially
evaluated over the telephone. The telephone iilterview can be used to both
evaluate
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communication skills and to ask further substantive questions. Candidates
deemed
suitable can proceed to the next step. '
In a third step, the candidates can be invited to attend a group interview. In
the
group interview, a group of at least three, 10 to 20, or even more candidates
are asked to
5 each present a short, nominally 5 minute presentation, preferably a training
session or
lesson on anything. In a preferred method, the topic taught is not related to
computers or
other digital devices. In one example, the candidates may be offered example
topics, such
as how to use a pencil or a stapler. An evaluator present can then evaluate
the presentation
of each candidate. The evaluator can evaluate based on criteria such as
whether the
10 candidates' presentations were on topic, on time, and were well structured.
In some
methods, candidates are eliminated at this point, while in other methods,
there is no
elimination based on the short training session. The candidates are preferably
graded and
notes kept on each candidate. The candidates then proceed to the next step.
W the next step, the candidates are broken up into two groups, preferably in
15 separate rooms. Each group is aslced to prepare to debate a topic provided
by the
evaluators. Topics may be intentionally trite to focus on the true objective,
the candidates'
communication and leadership skills. One such topic may be to resolve whether
chocolate
is a superior flavor to vanilla. The candidates can be allowed a short time
period, for
example, 10 minutes, to prepare the team's argument. This preparation period
can be
20 observed by evaluators. The handling and resolution of disagreement, the
emergence of
leaders, the persuasive ability, the team building skills of each candidate,
and the
communication skills of all can be observed and rated by the evaluator present
in each
room. In many situations, the candidates are effectively selected at this
point, based in
large part on their behavior in the room prior to the actual debate. In one
method, the
25 teams can each elect one member to present the team's position. In another
method, each
team member is allowed to make their own argument, which can be based on the
information gleaned from the team meetings.
The candidates can be put together for the brief debate, with each team member
allowed to present, or each team leader allowed to present, depending on the
method used.
30 The quality of each presentation can be judged, including evaluating
whether the
presentation was on topic, well stnictured, and on time.
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In this way, the efficacy of the screening process can be greatly improved
relative
to present methods. In one example, 1000 candidates may answer the on-line
questions,
with 100 remaining after selections. Only 20 rnay survive the cut made by the
telephone
interview. Of the remaining 20, only 1 may be the winner of the combined brief
training
session and team preparation for the debate. This 1000 to 1 reduction can be
accomplished at much less cost and effort to the employer than current
candidate selection
methods. The efficient screening process can be used in the present invention
to select
both trainers/teachers and student helpers.
Figures 4 through 18 illustrate digital device displays that are illustrative
of the
type of displays that may be seen by a help requester using one embodiment of
the present
invention. While some embodiments of the present invention utilize other
communication
links and other human interface devices, the digital device display aspect of
the present
invention is a preferred aspect and may be used to illustrate a preferred
embodiment of the
present invention.
Figure 4 illustrates a digital device display 200 which, for example, may be
displayed with a cathode ray tube or LCD display panel. The display contents
202
illustrate various ways in which help may initially be requested by the help
requester or
end user. A link or other desktop object 204 may include a link or identifier
of a facilitator
organization or product, which in the illustrated example, is "HELPTRAIN". As
used
herein, the phrases "facilitator organization" and "help facilitator
organization" may be
used interchangeably, with both referring to organizations which facilitate
information
exchange generally, not limited to facilitating responses to help requests.
The facilitator
organization may also be reached by typing in a digital device network
address, for
example, a URL, as shown at www.HELPTRAIN.com at 206. In another embodiment, a
generic help object 208 may include a dropdown list which may then include a
link or
object to enable reaching the help facilitator organization. The link to the
facilitator
organization may of coarse be stored in a favorites list 210 as illustrated in
Figure 4. In
another example, not requiring separate illustration, a help facilitator
indicia, for example,
a logo, may accompany software products or even retail products as displayed
along side
file lists on the digital device display. TIi this example, the help
facilitator may be reached
by selecting on the indicia accompanying the product in the list displayed.
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In the example of Figure 4, the facilitator organization (here being SOS,
featuring
the product HELPTRAIN 212) has resulted in a display being provided which
invites
login by the user. A prompt and entry field 214 requests the user id, while
the password
prompt and entry field 216 requests the user password. A login object 218
invites
submitting the login information. As previously discussed, the user may be
either a direct,
retail user having payment terms perhaps previously agreed to, or may be a
less direct user
coming through a user organization or aggregate.
Figure 5 illustrates display 200 bearing another display screen 220 featuring
a list
of help facilitator features 222 and a list of supported products including a
spreadsheet
product 224, a presentation product 226, a word processing product~228, and a
database
product 230. In other embodiments, the products supported may include other
subject
matter areas, with the software products subject matters being used only for
illustration.
Other, non-limiting examples of subject matters include new automobile
products, health
questions, legal questions, automobile repair subject matter areas, and other
consumer
subject matter areas. Subject matter choice methods may be various including
menus.
Figure 6 illustrates another screen 232 resulting from the requester selecting
on
database subject matter object 230 in Figure 5. The help request may thus be
accompanied by attributes such as the subject matter identity as well as the
identity and
name of the requester. The identity of the requester may be used to group the
requester
into manageable aggregates, which may be pre-assigned to educational
institutions and
classrooms in certain time zones which support the user's native language. The
attributes
accompanying the help request may be used to select a currently available
student having
the necessary subject matter expertise and language proficiency required to
talk to the
requester.
After the helper has been selected and linked to, over the corntnunication
linlc, a
helper communication object 240 may be displayed on the requester's digital
device
display. Helper object 240 may include a video object 242 which is updated,
and an audio
object 250 which projects the voice of the helper in substantially real time
to the requester,
for example, over the requester's headphones or speakers. Figure 6 illustrates
the
audio/voice response of the helper in a box 250 for purposes of illustration.
Helper object
240 may also include a screen share object 244 which, when selected, allows
the remote
helper to view substantially the same screen as the requester. Helper object
240 can also
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33
include a refresh button 246 to refresh the session, and a hangup object or
connect object
248 to disconnect the session. In addition to the initial greeting or
salutation delivered
through audio at 250, a text salutation and greeting 234 may also be included,
given the
helper's name or identifier 236 and also a session identifier or reference
number 238.
In one embodiment of the invention, helper object 240 is created by adapting
video
conferencing or video meeting software. In one illustrative example, the
Microsoft Net
Meeting software has been adapted to serve as the helper object 240. The video
conferencing object may be adapted for appropriate use by disabling or not
enabling
unneeded features. In particular, white board features and even video transfer
from the
user to the helper may be disabled in some embodiments.
Figure 7 illustrates another display screen 252 in which the requester makes a
specific help request through a voice entry device such as a microphone at
255. The help
requester audio input is represented by a box 255 in Fig. 7 for the purposes
of illustration.
Helper object 240 receives this oral help request over the cormnunication link
established
and responds orally at 253, with periodically updated video being included at
242 in some
embodiments.
Figure 8 illustrates the situation, which can be several question and answer
sessions later than Figure 7, where helper object 240 invites the requester to
share the
requester's screen at 256. The requester orally accepts this invitation at 260
and selects
the screen share object at 244 to enable the helper to view substantially the
same screen as
the requester.
Figure 9 illustrates the digital device display several questions and answers
later,
including multiple, overlayed offers of help and information from the helper
at 266 and
multiple responses from the requester at 268. As may be seen from Figure 9,
the video
component 242 of helper object 240 preferably floats on top of the application
being
worlced on, making the helper object visible and preferably out of the way at
all times. In
Figure 9, requester has palled up an email list 264 and has selected a
particular email 265.
This is visible to the remote helper as the screen share has been enabled.
Figure 10 illustrates a subsequent display where the requester cormnunicates
to the
helper at 274 and perfot-ms a digital device action by dragging an email
sender name to a
contact list 272 as indicated at 270. Again, this is visible to the remote
helper as the
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screen share option has been enabled. The helper sees this and comments
favorably as
indicated at 276.
In Figure 11, when demonstration becomes relevant in a training session, the
remote helper can take the initiative and offer to provide help, information,
or other
training as indicated at 280. The requester can respond as indicated at 282.
In other
embodiments of the invention, the ensuing dialogue can be used to direct the
requester to
appropriate sites, including commercial sites having the possibility of sales
resulting from
the referral. While this may be inappropriate in some situations, in other
situations, for
example, browsing car models, this may be the driving force and reason behind
the help or
information being provided.
Figure 12 illustrates a situation where the remote helper invites the
requester to
allow the remote helper to operate screen entry remotely. In this example, the
remote
helper is offering to take control of the requester's keyboard and/or mouse at
283 to
demonstrate to the requester how to do something on their own display. The
remote
helper reminds the requester that the requester may regain control at any
time, as indicated
in message 284 which overlayed message 283.
In Figure 13, remote control or remote screen entry 286, is shown, having an
accept object 287 and a reject object 288. The purpose of the object is
explained in text at
290 and includes audio prompting from the helper as indicated at 292. The
requester has
orally accepted at 291 and has selected the accept object as indicated at 293.
Figure 14 illustrates the remote helper orally communicating with the
requester at
300 and manipulating the curser and lceyboard as indicated at 302, causing a
drop down
menu to appear at 304. In this way, the remote helper can actually demonstrate
to the
requester how to select digital device display objects and enter data at
appropriate
locations using the keyboard.
This help session continues in Figures 15 and 16, with the remote helper
selecting
a field from the drop down box at 308 and offering to relinquish control at
306. In the
wind up phase of the session, the remote helper can prompt the requester to
determine if
any further help is needed at 320. With the requester satisfied at 322, the
remote helper
may offer fixrther, related information or current or future use at 323 in
Figure 17. With
the requester declining at 324, the final portion of a session is indicated in
Figure 18 with
the remote helper informing the requester that the instructions covered during
the session
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may be found in the requester's training history, at 325 or be sent to them by
email. The
requester may orally terminate the session at 326 and discoimect the session
by selecting
on connect or hang up obj ect 248.
Figures 19 through 22 illustrate one example of how a digital device display
available to the remote helper may be seen by the remote helper; for example
in a
supervised educational institution setting call center software may be adapted
for use or
used as is for this functionality. Some embodiments of the invention create
displays seen
by the helper using call center software. One example of suitable call center
software is
"Incident Monitor", available from Monitor 24/7, Inc. (Toronto Canada). Call
center
10 management software is commonly available from multiple vendors. The call
center
software can be used together with video conferencing software to provide the
helper with
tools to assist the help requester. One suitable video conferencing paclcage
is Net
Meeting, available from Microsoft Corporation (Redmond Washington).
W Figure 19, a detail screen 330 is illustrated, having an open date 356, a
subject
15 matter category field, 350, a subject matter subcategory field 352, and a
free format note
entry field 354. Using screen 330, the helper may summarize the contents and
result of
the help session. The questions and answers covered may be entered in as much
detail as
appropriate.
Figure 20 illustrates yet another screen 362 which may be used to enter a link
in a
20 preexisting knowledge base related to the subject matter and subject matter
subcategory
covered during the session. In one example, a manual page may be copied or
linked to
which covers the subj ect matter of the question. The remote requester may
later pull up
their record and click on the link or help page provided, in the event they
have further
problems.
25 Figure 21 illustrates one example of a database which may track the help
sessions
as seen by the helper. Help session database screen 370 may be seen to include
a service
date 372, and request or tracking number 374, a subject matter column 376, a
subject
matter subcategory 378, and a brief description 379.
Figure 22 illustrates yet another aspect of the present invention. Displays
similar
30 to Figure 22 may be available to the remote helpers in some embodiments but
not in other
embodiments. In particular, data may be mined from the cumulative help
sessions
provided by the helpers and stored in a database. In the example provided, the
relative
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36
proportions of questions are displayed by subject matter category in pie chart
382,
including the portion spent on word processing questions at 382A, spreadsheet
questions
at 382B, presentation questions at 382C, and database questions at 382D. The
cumulative
results may also be displayed in a tabular format, as indicated in Table 380.
The software
product example of Figure 22 is used for illustrative purposes only. The
results may also
be entered into standard report writers such as Crystal Reports. The data
mined could be
personal health concern subject matters, automotive service question subject
matters and
subcategories, and any product or service generally.
In commercial situations, where the questions are a prelude to purchase,
charts
such as 382 of Figure 22 may indicate the relative portions and absolute
numbers of
people browsing or expressing interest in products. In one embodiment of the
invention,
the data mined from the cumulative help sessions is sold to interested parties
in exchange
for that information. The parties may have little idea that there is potential
commercial
interest in a particular product currently resulting in few sales. A party may
also have
little idea that a very small subcategory of software product is causing an
inordinate
number of help requests due to the product design and/or the help manual
content.
Figure 23 illustrates a business model of the present invention. A help
requester or
end user 400, student helper 402, a help facilitator business partner 406, and
a help
facilitator manager or supervisor 404 may be seen to represent the principle
roles of
people participating in the business model of Figure 23. Help requester 400
may be seen
to communicate with the student helper 402 via communications linlc 414. As
previously
discussed, communications liu~ 414 may be any combination of video, voice,
text, and
application sharing and viewing. Help requester 400 may be seen to initiate a
help request
410 to the help facilitator web server 412. In some embodiments, the help
facilitator web
server 412 may initiate a request via communication link 418 to a help
facilitator
knowledge base 416. Knowledge base 416 may be used to facilitate self help for
help
requesters 400. Help facilitator web server 412 may be seen to use a data
exchange
communication linlc 422 to exchange data with a help facilitator application
and data store
node 426.
Application and data store node 426 may be used to intelligently route the
help
request to the proper helper based on the attributes of the help request and
the attributes of
the currently available helpers in the data store. Application and data store
426 may then
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intelligently route the help request via communication link 424 to the
selected helper 402.
As is discussed elsewhere, the selection of the proper helper 402 may be based
on the
attributes of the helper and on other operating system type selection rules to
insure speedy
service, load leveling over otherwise equally qualified students, and other
considerations
discussed elsewhere.
A help facilitator manager or supervisor 404 may be used to monitor quality of
service and maintain data through communication link 430 linked to application
and data
store node 426. Help facilitator manager/supervisor 404 is preferably present
in a
supervised setting, for example, a classroom in the educational institution.
Help facilitator
supervisor 404 preferably instructs the helpers 402 for a time period prior to
helpers 402
being allowed to be selected to handle help requests from help requesters 400.
Help
facilitator supervisor 404 preferably has the ability and tools to monitor the
communication link 414 in real time between help requester 400 and helper 402.
In some embodiments of the business model, help facilitator business partner
406
is able to access selected quality of service and data management aspects of
the data store
via communication link 428. Business partner 406 may also be able to use
communication
link 420 to access reporting tools web server 412. One example of a business
partner is a
product provider wishing to mine the data available from the help request and
training
sessions in order to determine help requester areas of greatest concern or
confusion.
Another example of a business partner is a marketing executive wishing to
query web
server 412 to determine the product niches of greatest interest by browsing
help requesters
400.
Figure 24 is a flow chart showing how a retail user may purchase help
according to
one aspect of the present invention. In the step 460, the end user begins the
purchasing
process, proceeding to step 462 where groups of help requests may be packaged
for
purchase in various quantities and plans. If the purchaser proceeds to step
464, more
information may be requested via email, web frequently asked questions, or
through a help
session established through the facilitator organization.
If the purchases proceeds to step 466, the purchaser may select appropriate
packages of help or call paclcs and add this to the shopping basket.
Proceeding to step
470, the tentatively purchased call paclcs may be reviewed. The tentative
purchase may be
changed at step 472 if desired. Proceeding to checlc out at step 474, the
purchaser or end
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38
user can create a new customer record at 476 or change the customer record. In
step 478,
the end user can provide payment information, for example, credit card
information or
electronic cash information. Proceeding further, the end user may either
cancel the order
as step 480 or place the order at 479.
Figure 25 is another flowchart, illustrating one way for a user aggregate or
user
organization to purchase help through the facilitator organization. Beginning
at step 500,
a user organization manager can review the offered call pack options 502,
giving pricing
plans for various combinations of help provided. Proceeding to step 504, more
information may be requested and provided using email, web-based frequently
asked
questions, or an interactive help session through the facilitator organization
at 506. If no
more information is requested, the user organization manager may proceed to
step 508 and
select an appropriate call pack option to purchase the appropriate amount of
help at 508.
In step 510, the tentative purchases may be reviewed, and changes made at step
512,
before proceeding to check out 514.
In step 516, the user organization manager may create a new user organization
client record. This client record may set limits on the amount of purchases
possible for the
organization as a whole. One example of such a client record could be a
purchase
agreement for a corporation for the employees of the corporation to purchase
help through
the facilitator organization. Proceeding to step 518, the user organization
manager can
create individual records for each end user allowed to purchase help through
the user
organization. As previously discussed, one example of this would be a user
record
established for each employee, limited and authorizing possible amounts of
purchase and
areas of suitable help which would be provided to that employee.
In step 520, billing information may be provided prior to either canceling the
order
at 522 or placing the order at 524. Where the user organization is more ad hoc
than a
corporation and its employees, the user organization manager may be
guaranteeing to pay
for limited help sessions for certain classes of help requesters and/or help
subject matters,
with the actual requesters being as yet unknown. The user organization manager
may be
either agreeing to pay for the help purchased, or agree to be a guarantor of
that help
purchased in the event the end user does not pay for the help purchased. The
user
organization is typically the entity to which the bill is sent by the
facilitator organization
and may often be the payor of monies to the facilitator organization.
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Figure 26 illustrates a high level architecture diagram of one embodiment of
the
present invention. Clients in the architecture diagram can be represented by
thin clients
702, for example, web browsers connected via HTML or DHTML links 706 or
personal
digital assistants (PDAs) 704 connected via any suitable communication link,
for example,
HTML link 708. A presentation layer or front end layer 710 may be seen to be
coupled
through communication link 744 to a middleware or transaction layer 712 which
is in turn
coupled through communication link 746 to a back end or a data store layer
714.
Presentation layer 710 may be seen to include a plurality of web services
nodes or
servers 718 which can be load balanced using techniques well lcnown to those
skilled in
the art. Similarly, middleware layer 712 may be seen to have a plurality of
transaction
processors 720 which may also be load balanced using well known techniques.
Data store
layer 714 may be seen to have a plurality of data base service nodes 722 which
may be
clustered using well known techniques.
A business partner node 716 may be seen to be coupled through data
cormnunication line 732 to presentation layer 710. Business partner 716 may be
making
queries as to the nature and relative amounts of various queries through the
reporting
function, as previously discussed. Business partner 716 may also be coupled
through a
link 734 to a service level rule engine node 730. An email processing node 726
may be
seen to accept inbound email requests 724, passing those requests through
communication
link 738 to middleware layer 712. In this way, requests for help via email may
be
processed in some embodiments of the invention.
A rich client node 728 may also be coupled through data communication link 739
to middleware layer 712. In one embodiment, rich client 728 is a Visual Basic
Application running on a digital device. Rich client 728 may be used to view
help
requester information, view user organization information, log in students,
register IP
addresses of students, open help requests, work on the help requests, and
close the help
requests. Service level rule engine node 730 may send modifications to the
service level
rules via communication link 740 to middleware layer 712. Service level rule
engine node
730 may also be used to monitor the queue loads for quality of service issues
and generate
reports for managers for the facilitator organization. Service level rule
engine 730 may
also be used to notify employees of the facilitator organization via
communication link
736 which can include messages via cell phones, pagers, blackberry type units,
and via the
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Internet. Such notification is useful for alerting managers of quality of
service issues, for
example, system nodes being down and/or cues being excessively long.
Figure 27 illustrates a product support kit 800 that can be provided together
with a
product (not shown in Figure 27) in a supported product kit. Product support
kit 800
5 shows an insert 802 having a front side 803 having a transparent blister or
bubble 804
thereover. ,Within transparent blister pack 804 is a computer readable media
806, which in
the embodiment illustrated is a CD-ROM. Also within transparent blister pack
804 is a
headset microphone 808 having a microphone 810, an earphone 812, and a wrap
around
band 814 for securing over the user's ear. Product insert 802 also features a
representation
10 of the product at 816 which in this case is a digital camera, a
representation of a computer
818 in which CD-ROM 806 can be executed, and the network address of the help
assistance organization that can be connected to provide assistance with the
product at
820. The networlc address 820 is, in the embodiment illustrated, a TJRL. An
assistance
phone number is also provided. Finally, a visual representation of a human
assistant 814
15 is shown, indicating the nature of the live, direct, human face-to-face
contact that will be
provided by the product when activated.
Figure 28 illustrates paclcage insert 802, having a back side 805. Back side
805
includes a telephone number of the help or assistance providing organization
at 832, the
general computer requirements to execute the CD-ROM at 834, and.the indicia of
the
20 product manufacturer or seller at 848. Instructions for plugging the
headset into the PC
are found at 836, while the instruction to insert the CD-ROM into the computer
is found at
838. An invitation to discuss product questions with a human assistant are
provided at
840. A visual representation of the computer display to be expected by running
the
program on the CD-ROM is shown at 842, including a picture 846 being edited
using the
25 digital camera editing software. Finally, the real-time, updated, video
image of a human
assistance provider to be expected is indicated at 844.
Figures 29A and 29B are, respectively, the first and second half of a flow
chart
illustrating a process or method which can be executed by running the program
found on
the CD-ROM. In general, a method 860 illustrated by the flow chart shows the
interaction
30 from inserting the CD into the computer to interacting with a human
information or
assistance provider. Method 860 can begin with inserting a CD-ROM or other
computer
readable media at 862, followed by opening the start window at 864. If the
user cliclcs
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41
"about helptrain," the "about helptrain" page can be opened at 872. If the
user clicks
"helptrain FAQ," then the open FAQ page can be opened at 870. At 866, a check
is made
as to whether the user ID is in the register already. If the user has already
registered, step
868 can be executed to open the help assistance web page and auto log in
initiated. If the
user has not registered, then step 874 can be executed to show the software
license
agreement. At 876, the user can accept the license and go to step 878 or
refuse the license
and go to a termination step 882. At step 878, the OS is checked to determine
whether the
user has a sufficiently modern operating system, in this example something
greater than
Windows 95. If the user has an antiquated operating system, termination step
884 is
executed. If the operating system is sufficiently modern, step 880 can be
executed to
determine if the browser version is sufficiently new, in this case, if the
Internet Explorer
version is greater than 5. If the browser version is too old, then step 884
can be executed
to install a more modern copy of the browser, which can be obtained from
either the CD-
ROM, other computer readable media, or over the Internet, depending on the
embodiment.
Once a sufficiently modern browser has been loaded, step 888 can be executed
to
check for a sufficiently modern version of audio or audio visual interaction
software. In
the embodiment illustrated, the version of the Net Meeting software is
checked. If the
version is too old, step 886 is executed to install a newer version of Net
Meeting which
can again come from a CD-ROM, computer readable media, or the network,
depending on
the embodiment. After a sufficiently modern version of Net Meeting or other
such
software has been installed or found, step 889 can be entered, to continue to
the second
half of method 860 found on Figure 29B.
Figure 29B shows step 889, continued from step 889 on Figure 29A. In step 890,
ActiveX, can be installed, with failure indicated at 896 if it occurs.
Continuing to step
892, the user can select to go baclc to step 874 in Figure 29A through
intermediary step
887 or cancel and go to terminal step 894. If the user elects to continue by
clicking next,
the user can elect to connect to the assistance provider organization or the
assistance
provider as indicated at step 902. If the connection fails at 900, it can be
attempted again.
In step 904, the user can elect to create a shortcut on the user desktop with
failure
indicated at 906. If successful, step 908 can be executed to insert the user
ID into the
registry at 908.
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The user ID in one embodiment is a random number generated by a computer
program that is sent from the user computer to the help assistant's computer,
or an
alternate embodiments, sent from the assistant's computer to the user
computer. In
another embodiment, the user ID is generated as a function of software and/or
hardware
components found in the personal computer. In still other embodiments, the
user ID is
based at least in part on an Ethernet identification number found in a
communication card
in the computer. In some embodiments, the user ID is unique to the computer
while in
other embodiments, the user ID is unique to each individual user of the
computer. In some
embodiments, the user ID is a serial number or model number of the product or
another
number provided with the product purchase with the product support kit.
In step 910, the net meeting registry setting is initialized. Proceeding to
step 912,
the last window is presented with the option to go back to step 892 if
desired. Step 914
can then be executed to connect to the help assistance provider, in this case,
"helptrain." If
the user elects to make this connection, step 916 is executed to connect to
helptrain, with
the connection process itself finalized at step 918.
A more detailed, textual example of one method that can be used on a CD-ROM to
establish an Internet connection to an assistance provider is given below. It
is intended to
be exemplary, but is not guaranteed to work "as is" on every computer in the
world. One
skilled in the art may not require it at all, given Figs. 29A and 29B.
1. Contact PC: CD Inserted
2. Contact PC: Auto start windows
3. Contact PC: Checlc \HKEY CURRENT_USER\Software\helptrain, if registry
lcey "Log" exists. If exists it indicates the user is already registered with
the
helptrainTM service and setup will terminate. The "Log" value is UserID, which
will be inserted during the setup to use this UserID for the service login.
4. Contact PC: If the registry lcey "Log" not exits, the setup continues.
5. Contact PC: Checlc the Operating System (OS). If OS is NT4.0 or Win98,
check
Internet Explorer (IE) version, if not higher than 5.0, start IE 6.0
installation.
Check NetMeeting (NM), if version older that 3.01 is found, start NM
installation.
6. Contact PC: After the installation, check IE, NM again, if installation is
not
complete, go back to step 5.
7. Contact PC: Install ActiveX, if user does not have installation rights,
installation
will fail, show error message and terminate setup.
8. Application Server: Using http protocol open
http://hu.helptrain.com/scri t~s/register asb. The ASP page executes the
following
scripts:
a. Create a new random UserID
b. Create profile in helptrainTM application
c. Include j oin HP proj ect
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d. Add 30 minutes to call pack.
9. If the ASP page creates the new user account successfully, return UserID to
the
setup, if not, return "error" box.
10. Contact PC: Create shortcut on user desktop, link to
htta://hp.helptrain.com/scripts/connect asp~UlD=new userid
11. Contact PC: Create a register key,
\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\helptrain\Log, value is new_userid.
12. Contact PC: Initialize NetMeeting settings as follows (description of
settings
available):
HKEY CURRENT USER\\Software\Microsoft\Conferencing\Audio
Control\Auto Mix
HKEY_CITRRENT_USER\\Software\Microsoft\Conferencing\Audio
Control\Direct Sound
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ \Software\Microsoft\Conferencing\Audio
Control\Typical Bandwidth
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\Software\Microsoft\Conferencing\DontLJseULS
HI~EY_CURRENT_USER\\Software\Microsoft\Conferencing\WizardUI
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\Software\Microsoft\Conferencing\Policies\
NoDirectoryServices
HI~EY CURRENT USER\\Software\Microsoft\Conferencing\UI\CaIIMRU\DefD
it
HI~EY CURRENT USER\\Software\Microsoft\Conferencing\UI\Directory\Count
HI~EY CURRENT USER \Software\Microsoft\User Location Service\Client\
First Name
HKEY CURRENT USER \Software\Microsoft\User Location Service\Client\
Last Name
HKEY CURRENT USER \Software\Microsoft\User Location
Service\Client\Email Name
HI~EY CURRENT USER \Software\Microsoft\User Location Service\Client\
User Name
HKEY CURRENT USER \Software\Microsoft\User Location Service\Client\
Resolve name
HI~EY CURRENT USER \Software\Microsoft\User Location Service\Client\
Location
HKEY CURRENT USER \Software\Microsoft\User Location
Service\Client\Don\"t Publish
13. Contact PC: Finish the installation, if user checks the "Connect to
helptrainTM
", open llttp://hp.helt~train.comlscripts/connect asp~UID=new userid
In order for the process above to work the following back office objects
should be
available:
Resource profile must be created and activated that includes the following:
~ Location - Unique Logical address of the resource such as IP address,
telephone
number e-mail address or any other uniquely identifiable address.
~ Skills - Set of slcills resource will be providing content for
~ Schedule - Timeframe for resource availability
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44
~ Availability - Readiness of the resource to take a new session (on or off
hook).
Contact profile
~ Connection method - The connection method resource is using to establish the
session with a resource. In this example, the connection method is Internet IP
address using VoIP protocol. In other examples the connection method could be
any other communication channel including but not limited to PSTN network,
VoIP network, TTY, Digital Cable etc.
~ Subscription - W dicates products and services the contact has the
helptrainTM
subscription for. The Subscription may include any one of the following:
o Subscription unit (# of minutes, # of requests, # of resolutions ...)
o Subscription length (weelcly, monthly, yearly...)
o Subscription channels (Internet, Phone, Digital TV, PDA ...)
~ Subscriber Profile which may include any of the following:
o Languages) spoken
o Contact information
o Purchase history
o Product registration
o Service usage history
o Customer satisfaction surveys
o Payment method information (credit card, direct debit...)
Request content in this example is hard coded into the
httt~://hp.helptrain com/scriptslcontactAddVideRe~uest a~ connection script.
In other
examples, the request content could be submitted by the contact using various
selection
methods such as web forms using drop-down menus, PSTN and VoIf AVR (Automated
Voice Recording) systems, digital channel selection or digital voice
recognition.
Skills based call routing can match every contact request, based on the
Connection
Method, the subscription information, subscriber profile and request content
with the
best available resource. The interactive session is than established between
the contact
and the resource using proffered connection method.
Figure 30 illustrates a method 950 for connecting to a help assistance
organization
or an information providing organization. The user ID can be as previously
described, for
example, being a randomly generated number or any unique identifier provided.
At step
954, whether the user ID has previously been received is checlced. If the user
ID has not
previously been received, then step 956 can be executed to create a record or
a profile, as
the two terms are used interchangeably herein. This user profile or record can
be used to
create an organic, evolving profile reflecting at least part of the history of
the transactions
and interactions between the user and the help assistance organization. This
can be done
through interaction with a human assistant and/or through entering information
in screen
fields. A preferred embodiment, a human assistant interacts directly with the
consumer
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from the beginning or near the beginning of the process. With the record
having been
created, user interaction can begin as step 958, between a human assistance
provider and
the human user. This interaction can take many forms in varying embodiments.
In some embodiments, the human assistant or information provider can
5 communicate through a real time voice connection, for example, voice over
IP, to connect
through a network such as the Internet between the human assistant and the
user. The user
can listen to the human assistant's voice through an earphone which can be
provided in a
product support kit as previously discussed. The interaction can also include
a real time,
updated, video image of the human assistant displayed on the computer display
screen of
10 the human user. In some embodiments, this interaction is accomplished using
a one or
two way audio or audio-video tool, for example, Net Meeting, provided by
Microsoft.
During this interaction, the user may indicate their geographic location,
first name, last
name, age, gender, occupation, hobbies, interests, future purchasing
decisions, recent
purchases, areas of interest, and areas of expertise involving the product or
service being
15 supported. As previously discussed, this product can be a digital
technology product, a
service, or even any simple product or service for which the user requests
information.
This interaction can also include screen sharing in which the human user
allows the
remote human assistant to view essentially the same computer display screen as
the human
user. The remote assistant can thus view the same screen that the user is
viewing. In
~0 some embodiments, the interaction includes application sharing, in which
the human user
grants permission to the remote assistant to allow manipulation of computer
devices, for
example, cursor movement devices such as mice, and character entry devices
such as
keyboard keys.
After this session is complete, step 960 can be executed to wrap up the
session
25 with the human assistant entering new data into the profile or record for
the human user.
This data can be used in a subsequent session to provide further assistance to
the human
user. In some embodiments, the human user is allowed to enter data into a
record or
database as well, to provide feedback on the product or service, and feedback
as to the
quality, nature, or suggested future improvement for the assistance providing
organization
30 or person. Concerns, questions or areas of confusion about the product
itself may be
entered here as well. Desired new features for this product can also be
entered into a
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database, either the user profile, more preferably, a separate database. With
the profile
updated, step 962 can be executed to exit the program in some embodiments.
If the user ID has previously been received, then step 964 can be executed to
open
the record or profile. Based on information obtained in step 964, the help
request can be
routed to the best available person at 966. Information used to route the help
request to
the best available person call include the language of the user, the
nationality or location of
the user, the product purchased, the level of expertise with the product, the
area of interest
for the product, or any other data that has been obtained from the human user.
In step 968, after having been routed to the best available person, the user
profile
can be read by the selected human assistant, to familiarize the assistant with
the relevant
data, background, and interest of the person to whom they are speaking. In
step 970, the
human assistant can mention information from the user profile in order to make
the human
user feel that they are being directly interacted with and that the person
selected is in tune
with their needs and interests. In particular, the human assistant can review
the previous
level of expertise and areas of interest of the human user and mention these
in the
beginning of the interaction.
In one example, the human assistant can call the human user by name or
nickname,
inquire about their progress in their use of, for example, a digital
photography software
package, and even mention the nature of the last project that they worked on
together.
With the human assistant thus forming a tight bond with the user, the
interaction can
continue at step 958.
Method 950 is just one example of one method that can be used with the present
invention. Method 950 is by no means limiting. In one example of a variant,
after a
record is created at 956, step 964 or 966 can be executed to route the help
request to the
best person, followed by reading the profile, followed by discussing the
profile data so that
the human user does not feel that they have been passed off to someone who
needs
explaining as to the user's interests all over again.
Figure 31 illustrates a product, a digital camera 982 having been removed from
paclcaging 980. Product 982 may have been sold as part of a supported product
lcit
together with product support lcit 800 illustrated in Figure 27. CD-ROM 806
from Figure
27 has been coupled to a personal computer 984. Headset microphone 808 from
Figure 27
has been coupled to computer 984 and the software on the CD-ROM installed. The
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47
installed software has been allowed to automatically execute, and establish a
communication linlc over the Internet to the help assistance provider, in this
example,
Helptrain. With the Helptrain software executing, the user interface may be
seen on
display 986, with the updated, real time image of the human assistant visible
at 988. The
human assistant can be heard through headset microphone 808 and viewed through
updated video window 988. As previously discussed, the human assistant 988 can
enjoy a
two way, direct, personal conversation with the human user. The human
assistant may
also be able to view the screen as the human user attempts to use a software
package, and
even manipulate devices such as the cursor movement and keyboard entry to
assist the
user in using a computer software package.
The present invention is no way limited to sophisticated digital devices or to
software programs. The present invention may be used to support devices and
services
with no limitation whatsoever. For example, a product support kit as
illustrated in Figure
27 can be supplied together with a radial saw or a router, with the person
working at the
assistance center providing support, answering questions, and even giving
live, personal
video demonstrations as to the proper use of that power tool or muter.
It will be appreciated by those slcilled in the art that while the invention
has been
described above in connection with particular embodiments and examples, the
invention is
not necessarily so limited, and that numerous other embodiments, examples,
uses,
modifications and departures from the embodiments, examples and uses are
intended to be
encompassed by the claims attached hereto. The entire disclosure of each
patent and
publication cited herein is incorporated by reference, as if each such patent
or publication
were individually incorporated by reference herein.
Example of One Way to Create a Help Communication Obiect for
Audio/Voice/Screen
Share and Remote Control
Applicants believe that the foregoing document would enable one skilled in the
software arts to create digital device objects which could reside on a digital
device display,
and allow a remote student helper to cormnunicate help and information through
audio,
video, screen sharing, and remote control of data entry onto the user's
digital device
display. Preferring to err on the side of too much disclosure, applicants have
included text
below describing how to create such an object by modifying readily available
off the shelf
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software components, which, in this example, is NetMeeting, available from
Microsoft
Corporation (Redmond Washington).
This text describes the Net Meeting Integration interface to manipulate Net
Meeting within any environment that supports COM controls (including VB, VC++,
VJ,
VBScript, JavaScript). This component extends the current supported
functionality
supplied by Net Meeting to provide a collection of shared applications and a
single click
approach to application sharing. Several C++ classes COM objects have been
created to
add this functionality to Net Meeting.
OVERVIE'V
A Net Meeting installation provides a stock COM control which provides basic
functionality for embedding into web pages and other COM control containers.
This
shipping component provides the ability to start and stop a conference and
determine
whether or not Net Meeting is in a conference. One way to extend this
functionality is to
develop a custom COM control within the C++ enviromnent that has access to the
W terface Definition Language (mL) file that ships with Net Meeting. This
allows the
developer to "hook" onto any Net Meeting channel and gain control over the
channel. Net
Meeting chamlels are as follows:
~ Net Meeting Manager
()
~ Conference Manager
~ Video
~ Audio
~ Application Sharing
~ Data
~ Chat
~ White Board.
The remainder of this document will describe the C++ object and the COM
component
model supplemented with code examples. The Application Sharing channel is
currently
supported. The frameworlc is in place to allow the developer to easily extend
this
component model to support other channels.
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Component Assembly
In order to provide access to Net Meeting channels that are not exposed
through
the base product, several C++ classes have been created which in turn are
assembled to
develop a component model that can be used in any language that supports COM.
The
Object Model detailed below is the C++ class object model which when assembled
completes the Component Model which is accessible through any COM supported
development language (i.e. allowing you to leverage all major development and
scripting
environments).
OVERVIEW
Net Meeting uses, extensively, COM connection points to provide a call back
mechanism for channel notifications to applications that have "subscribed" to
one or more
of the Net Meeting channels. The C++ object model provides the framework to
easily
develop and extend the supported channels for these connection point
notifications. The
objects were created manually (as opposed to ATL generated) as the ATL
environment
does not support the implementation of connection points unless a type library
exists.
Therefore, it was more expeditious to develop a simple C++ object model to
support this
(as derived from the nmshare sample provided in the Net Meeting Resource
I~it).
C++ OBJECT MODEL
The text below describes the object model to derive ANY channel specific sink.
The object hierarchy above shows that a channel notification object is derived
by
inheriting from the three abstract base classes of
RefCount. This provides the standard COM AddRef, Release, and QueryInterface
methods that are required for a Component to be COM compliant.
CNotify. This provides the abstract base class to connect and disconnect from
a
connection point (i.e. Net Meeting connection point).
Channel Specific Interface. This provides the Net Meeting Channel Specific
Interface
that Net Meeting will use to call back the component on (i.e. this is the
subscriber
interface for the Net Meeting specific channel).
The following channels have been implemented:
~ Net Meetifzg Mczszczgef~ - provides the call back to be notified when the
conference is
started. This is used to obtain a reference to the Net Meeting to the Net
Meeting
conference object that is passed in.
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~ Net Meetifag Conference Manager - provides the call back interface to
receive
notifications on the state of the conference and its associated channels. This
presently
supports the Application Sharing chamiel.
RefCount CNotify Channel Specific
5 Interface
Channel Notifier
~ Applicatiora Sharing Clzanrael - provides the call back interface to receive
notifications on
the change of state of a the application sharing state within the conference.
10 Any new channels need only to follow the Application Sharing Channel as an
example as the Net Meeting Manager and Net Meeting Conference Manager are Net
Meeting framework chaimels that hook the conference and the conference
chamlels and
only one instance of each is required in this specific implementation.
COMPONENT MODEL
15 The component model assembles the C++ classes together to derive a
scriptable
component based interface to the Net Meeting channel outline above. This
facilitates the
embedding of the components into a web page and providing access to Net
Meeting
resources that would otherwise be unavailable in scripting enviromnents. The
component
model is displayed below. It consists of four main components (all other
components are
20 support components not exposed externally):
1. ConferenceManager
2. AppSharing
3. SharablcApplications
4. SharableApplication
25 The ConferenceManager provides the main interface to correct and establish
"hoolcs" to
the supported channels. The AppSharing object exposes all of the functionality
required to
manage the Application Sharing channel. The SharableApplications object
exposes a
collection of SharableApplications on the machine and the SharableApplication
contains
the specifics of an individual SharableApplication and enumerated by the Net
Meeting
3 0 environment.
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1. Details on methods and properties of these components can be viewed through
the
object browser of any development environment - these items are fully
documented in
freely available books.
lUnknown
ConferenceManager IUnlcnown
App Sharing Notify
IUnknown
Conference Notify
IUnlmown
Manager Notify
IIJnknown
Nm Manager
ILTnknown
AppSharing
INmManagerNotify
INmConferenceNotify
INmChannelAppShareNotify
areNotify
INmManager
IUnlcnown
AppSharing
5 IUnlcnown
Channel App Sharing
IUnknown
Sharable Applications (collection of SharableApplication objects)
INmChannelAppShare
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ConferenceManager
When a ConferenceManager component is instantiated it initializes itself. It
is not
until the Initialize method is called that it attempts to connect to a Net
Meeting conference.
If this is successful an instance of the every component shown in the diagram
below will
exist.
'Manager Notify. Provides the call notification object to hook to the Net
Meeting
manager.
Conference Notify. Provides the call notification object to hook to the Net
Meeting
Conference manager.
App Sharing Notify. Provides the call notification object to hook to the Net
Meeting
Application Sharing channel.
As you can deduce the ConferenceManager uses COM containment to encapsulate
this functionality into a single, easy-to-use COM component. New .channels
added would
follow this same containment model using the AppSharing object as a template.
Nm Manager. This contains a reference to the Net Meeting Manager. This differs
from
the notification obj ect as the notification obj ect is used for call backs
issued to the
ConferenceManager from the Net Meeting environment. This reference provides
access
to the base Net Meeting manager as created by this Initialize method.
AppSharing. This object is exposed as a property on the ConferenceManager
object. This
object contains all lcnowledge of the Application Sharing chamiel a.nd exposes
a collection
of SharableApplications.
AppSharing
This component manages the specifics of the Application Sharing channel within
the Net
Meeting environment. It exposes a Collaborate and StopCollaborating for
control over the
channel coupled with a collection of SharableApplications to offer full
control of
Application sharing within the Net Meeting environment through a scriptable
interface.
SharableApplications
This object provides standard collection semantics to allow any scripting
environment or
language access to the collection of sharable applications on the machine.
This collection
is Read-Only and must be refreshed by calling the
RefreshSharableApplicationCollection
on the AppSharing component.
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SharableApplication
This component encapsulates all the properties required to properly manage a
Net Meeting
sharable application. The ShareMe method will initiate sharing of the
application and
bring the application to the forefront for a single user click experience for
application
sharing (this compares to the 3 or 4 that a user would have to do coupled with
moving the
application to the foreground).
Code Samples
The following is a code sample provided in VBScript to demonstrate the
capabilities of
this component model.
Chapter 2: Componetzt Assembly
Sample Code
<script LANGUAGE="TlBScript">
dim oNMConf 't°eferettce to Cot feretzceMatzager
dim oApps 't°efe>"etZCe to SharableApplications collection
dittz oAppShat~e 't~efet°etzce to AppShat~e cotnpotzent
dint lTitneYld
' ct°eate ate i>zstatzce to ttzake ttzai>ztehat~ce atzd is >zothit~g
checks easiet~.
set oNMCottf = Ct~eateObject("Mohitor247NM.Cottfet~ettceManaget~')
Sub Reload
' check to see if a cotzfet°etzce lzas beetz stat~ted
if NetMeetitzg.IsInCottfet~ettee() theft
' if the cotzfer~etzce is stat~ted and we a>~e being disconnected atzd have
successfully
' hooked the cohfet~e>zce then Utzitialize.
if not oNMCot f is ttothihg tltetz
oNMCottf. Utzhzitialize
set oNMCo>zf = tzothittg
ettd if
NetMeetitzg.LeaveConfet~ertce
etzd if
' submit the form to >~eload the page
frtttReLoad.submit
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end sub
Sub ShowDetails
' check to see if a conference has been started
ifNetMeeting.IsInConference() then
' tear down the conference because we a~°e leaving
if not oNMCoy f is nothing theta
oNMConf. Unlnitialize
set oNMConf = nothing
end if
NetMeeting.LeaveConference
end df
' show request details
f -ynDetails.submit
end sub
sub CallResource(strLocato~; strName)
' End any previous calls
EndCall
spnConnect.innerHTML="Connecting to "c~ sttNanae
' place the call to specified locator (IP address)
PlaceCall strLocator
end sub
' Net Meeting events from embedded control
sub NetMeeting ConferenceStaf°ted()
' set a timer to toggle the SOS LiveHelp display
ZTimerld = window.setTimeozct("InConfererace';1000, "hBScript')
spnConnect.style.visibility= "hidden"
end sub
sub NetlVleeting ConferenceEfaded()
SlaowLiveHelp
if not oNMConf is nothing then
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oNMConf. Unlnitialize
set oNMConf = nothing
end if
eyed sub
5 sub EndCall
ShowliveHelp
if NetMeeting.IsInCor ferertce() then
if riot oNMCor2f is r2otl2ing and not isen2pty(oNMCon,~ then
oNMConf. Unlnitialize
10 set oNMCor f = nothing
end if
NetMeeting.LeaveCor fer~ence
end of
end sub
15 .....
Sample Code
sub Ir2Cortfer~ence
window.clea>rTin2eout lTir2terld
Sl2owNetMeetirtg
20 set oNMCor f = CJ°eateObject("Mortitor247NM. Cortfer~enceManager~')
oNMCortf.Initialize
DisplayApplicatiorts
end sub
' enurner~ates the applications and prepay°es them for° display
by initializing the global
25 ' va>~iable oAppShar~e
sub DisplayApplicatiorts
dint oApp
set oAppSl2are = oNMConf.ApplicationSlzar~irtg
if oAppShar~e is nothing there
30 rnsgbox "The Net Meeting video channel Ttas hot been initialized. Please
ensune that
you have Net Meetir2g installed. "
exit sub
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end if
set oApps = oAppShare.Slzaz°ableApplications
if oApps is nothing then
msgbox "There are no available applications to slzare. Please execute the
<%=Response.Write(oRequest.nzCategory)%> application before continuing."
exit sub
erzd if
end sub
Sample Code
sub SlaowMe
if not oAppSlzare is nothing then
oAppShare. Collaborate
oAppSlzare.RefreslzSlzar°ableAppCollectioTz
oAppSlzare. StopCollaborating
set oApps = oAppShare.SlzarableApplications
if not isempty(oApps) then
for each oApp irz oApps
iflrzstz~(I,oApp.Nazrze, "<~=oRequest.mCategory%>') > 0 then
SlzowApp oApp
exit sub
end if
next
rnsgbox "You must start the <°o=Respozase. Write(oRequest.mCategozy)%>
application
before proceeding. Start the application and click ref °eslt to
continue. "
exit sub
end if
end if
rnsgbox "You must successfully establish a LIT~EHELP call before you cars be
walked
tlzrouglz your problem. "
erzd sub
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sub ShowApp(oApp)
If oApp.IsSha~ed() Tlaen
oApp. UfaShare
oAppShare.StopCollaboratiftg
Else
oApp. Slaaf~eMe
oAppSlZare. Collaborate
End If
End Sub
.....
Sample Code
sub SlaowNetMeeting
LiveHelp.st~le.visibility= "hidden"
NetMeetihg.style.visibility = "visible"
egad sub
sub SlaowLiveHelp
LiveHelp.stJ~le.visibility= "visible"
NetMeetifag.style.visibility = "laiddeh"
efad sub
' wivtdow events
sub window ofZLoad()
PlaceCall "<j=oAssgizResou~ce.mIPAddf~ess%>"
end sub
sub window oyabeforeunload()
ifNetMeetiyag.IsIraConfe~~euce() theya
NetMeeti~zg.st~le.visibility = "hidden"
NetMeetiyag.LeaveConfe~~eyace
end if
end sub
</sc~~ipt>
Saanple Code
