US 11,941,642 B2
Queue management system utilizing virtual service providers
Jose Gregorio Mora, Miami, FL (US)
Assigned to ACF Technologies, Inc., Asheville, NC (US)
Filed by ACF Technologies, Inc., Asheville, NC (US)
Filed on Apr. 26, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/729,443.
Application 17/729,443 is a continuation of application No. 15/664,815, filed on Jul. 31, 2017, granted, now 11,341,506.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/510,316, filed on May 24, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/420,102, filed on Nov. 10, 2016.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/368,304, filed on Jul. 29, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2022/0253867 A1, Aug. 11, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G06Q 30/016 (2023.01); G06Q 10/0631 (2023.01); G06Q 50/00 (2012.01); H04L 51/52 (2022.01); G06F 16/28 (2019.01)
CPC G06Q 30/016 (2013.01) [G06Q 10/063114 (2013.01); G06Q 50/01 (2013.01); H04L 51/52 (2022.05); G06F 16/285 (2019.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A queue management system for service providers comprising:
a plurality of service provider computing devices located in at least two different service provider facilities;
a customer input device, wherein the customer input device is configured to prompt a customer to select from a plurality of services offered and receive a customer service request from a customer;
a customer communication device located in a first service provider facility, wherein the customer communication device is configured to facilitate communication between a service provider located in a second service provider facility and the customer located in the first service provider facility; and
a queue management server comprising a processor, and a memory including computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the queue management server to:
receive availability information for a plurality of service providers from the plurality of service provider computing devices;
generate a plurality of virtual queues;
receive a customer service request from a customer input device identifying the type of service requested;
assign the customer service request to a queue position in a virtual queue, based at least in part on the availability information associated with the plurality of service providers and the type of service requested, wherein the virtual queue is for an in-person service provider in the first service provider facility or for a remote service provider in the second service provider facility; and
notify a customer associated with the customer service request of the assignment, wherein the customer is assigned to a customer communication device located in the first service provider facility for service of the request by a customer service provider located in the second service provider facility when the customer is assigned to the remote service provider,
wherein the computer program code, when executed, is configured to cause the processor to consider a virtual queue for an in-person service provider as well as a virtual queue for the remote service provider when determining the virtual queue that the customer should be assigned to.