Mobile gateway interface

Abstract

A mobile gateway interface that enables a supervisor to conduct typical office transactions via a remote device while the supervisor is away from the office. The remote device can be one of several items, including, for example, wireless telephones, interactive pagers, personal digital assistants, laptop computers with wireless modem, and the like. The supervisor uses the remote device to log into the mobile gateway interface. After the authentication process, the supervisor makes a transaction request through the remote device. A transaction server, which is part of the mobile gateway interface, interacts with one or more resources to process or execute the transaction request. The resources can include an intranet, the Internet, and various legacy systems. Preferably, the mobile gateway interface includes one or both voice and front-end data servers that facilitate the authentication process and execution of the transaction request.

1 . A method for enabling a supervisor to perform office transactions from a field location comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a login request from a supervisor through a remote device;    determining whether the supervisor is an authorized user;    receiving a transaction request from the supervisor if the supervisor is an authorized user;    interacting with one or more resources to execute the transaction request; and    providing a feedback to the supervisor in response to the transaction request through the remote device.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the remote device is a telephone.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the login request includes one or more of a user ID and a password spoken by the supervisor.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising the step of comparing characteristics of the supervisor's voice with voice exemplars of authorized users.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the transaction request is a spoken command provided by the supervisor.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the remote device is a wireless device.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the login request includes a mobile identification number associated with the wireless device.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising the step of comparing the mobile identification number with registered mobile identification numbers associated with authorized users.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the resources include one or more of a legacy system, an Intranet, and the Internet.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the resources includes one or more of a security information management system, an outside plant construction management system, a loop qualification system, a work activity statistical sampling system, a fleet operations support system, a fleet optimizer system, an integrated technician performance system, a network monitoring and analysis system, a proactive maintenance administration system, an integrated dispatch system, a mechanized time reporting system, an employee scheduling program, an open system interconnect platform, and an outside plant engineering design system.  
   
   
       11 . A system for enabling a supervisor to perform office transactions comprising: 
 a remote device operable by the supervisor from a field location;    a mobile gateway interface adapted to interface with the remote device during a communications session; and    one or more resources adapted to interact with the remote device through the mobile gateway interface during the communications session,    wherein the supervisor performs an office transaction through the resources using the remote device via the mobile gateway interface, wherein the office transaction involves one or more technicians associated with the supervisor.    
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the mobile gateway interface is adapted to determine whether the supervisor is an authorized user of the system.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the mobile gateway interface comprises one or more of a front-end voice server, a front-end data server, and a transaction server.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the mobile gateway interface further comprises a database, wherein the database is accessible by one or both of the front-end voice server and the front-end data server, and wherein the database includes user information associated with the supervisor.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the transaction server processes a transaction request received from the supervisor using the remote device if the supervisor is an authorized user of the system.  
   
   
       16 . A mobile gateway interface for enabling supervisors to perform office transactions by using a remote device at a field location comprising: 
 one or more front-end servers adapted to determine whether a supervisor who submits a login request through the remote device during a communications session is an authorized user; and    a transaction server coupled to the front-end servers, wherein the transaction server interfaces between the remote device and one or more resources during the communications session to process a transaction request received from the supervisor if the supervisor is an authorized user, and wherein the resources are related to technicians associated with the supervisor.    
   
   
       17 . The mobile gateway interface of  claim 16 , wherein the resources includes one or more of a security information management system, an outside plant construction management system, a loop qualification system, a work activity statistical sampling system, a fleet operations support system, a fleet optimizer system, an integrated technician performance system, a network monitoring and analysis system, a proactive maintenance administration system, an integrated dispatch system, a mechanized time reporting system, an employee scheduling program, an open system interconnect platform, and an outside plant engineering design system.  
   
   
       18 . The mobile gateway interface of  claim 16 , wherein one of the front-end servers is a voice server.  
   
   
       19 . The mobile gateway interface of  claim 16 , wherein one of the front-end servers is a data server.  
   
   
       20 . The mobile gateway interface of  claim 16 , further comprising a database accessible to the front-end servers, wherein the database includes user information associated with authorized users of the mobile gateway interface.  
   
   
       21 . A method for performing office transactions using a remote device comprising the steps of: 
 registering user information associated with one or more authorized supervisors;    receiving a login request from a supervisor, wherein the login request includes identity information associated with the supervisor;    reviewing the identity information to determine whether the identity information matches the user information; and    allowing the supervisor to perform a transaction using one or more resources related to technicians if the supervisor is an authorized supervisor.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the transaction relates to one or more of 
 (a) locating a technician;    (b) querying load associated with a technician;    (c) creating a proactive maintenance action ticket;    (d) identifying a technician on high time;    (e) obtaining details about a technician and a vehicle associated with the technician;    (f) assigning a new vehicle to a technician;    (g) updating a technician's temporary schedule;    (h) completing a safety and service defect form;    (i) completing a safety observation form;    (j) finding a technician nearest to a field location;    (k) obtaining loop qualification results;    (l) managing e-mail accounts;    (m) completing a quality review form;    (n) making sales referrals; and    (o) finding out what time a technician leaves a work center.