Remote Technician Session Management via Preliminary Queues
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current remote technical support systems are inefficient due to serial handling of service requests, leading to wasted time for remote technicians and increased wait times for users, as they often spend periods waiting for automated tasks to complete and have limited ability to manage multiple simultaneous support sessions effectively.
Innovation Solution
Implementing an executable application on user devices that receives configuration information from a technical support controller to automate technical support processing, allowing for dynamic workflow and efficient management of support sessions, including categorization of service requests and automated technician selection to optimize technician workload.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If remote technicians handle service requests serially one at a time, then they can provide focused attention to each user, but their productivity decreases and wait times increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments service requests into different priority levels and categories (technical complexity, user impact, SLA requirements). Technicians can work on multiple segmented tasks simultaneously based on their expertise and availability, rather than handling all requests in a single serial queue. This allows focused attention on complex issues while automatically routing simpler requests to other available technicians.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts technician workloads and session assignments in real-time based on current system state, request priorities, and technician capabilities. Session assignments are not static but can be reassigned dynamically as technicians complete tasks or as new high-priority requests arrive, optimizing both focus quality and overall productivity.
2Productivity
If technicians are assigned to multiple simultaneous sessions, then productivity increases, but session management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary session management system that acts as a mediator between multiple technicians and multiple user sessions. This intermediary automatically handles session assignment, prioritization, and coordination, reducing the management burden on individual technicians while enabling them to efficiently handle multiple simultaneous sessions through automated orchestration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates standardized session templates and reusable configuration profiles for common service scenarios. When a technician is assigned to a session, they receive a pre-configured workspace with relevant tools and information, reducing the complexity of managing multiple sessions by providing consistent, copyable session structures rather than requiring unique manual setup for each session.
3Productivity
If automated tasks are used to reduce manual work, then technician efficiency improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service automation capabilities where the system automatically performs routine diagnostic tasks, session assignments, and preliminary troubleshooting without requiring manual technician intervention. The automated system serves itself by dynamically routing sessions based on technician expertise and automatically executing standardized remediation procedures, improving efficiency while keeping complexity managed through automation rather than manual processes.
Data Source
AI summary
In a remote technical support system, a technical support controller receives an indication of a maximum number of support sessions to be serviced by a remote technician. Thereafter, the technical support controller receives a service request for a user device, which service request is classified into a category and added to a preliminary queue corresponding to the category. The technical support controller determines if handling of the service request by the remote technician would cause the number of support sessions currently being handled by the remote technician to exceed the previously-indicated maximum number of support sessions. If not, the service request is added to a work queue for the remote technician and removed from the preliminary queue.