Assisted application operation service for mobile devices using screen sharing

Abstract

A system and corresponding methods to provide assistance to a mobile user ( 42 ) to operate applications in the mobile device ( 31 ) is described. A call center is enhanced to enable routing mobile device application screens ( 43 ) to call center agents in addition to routing voice calls. Such a call center is referred to as remote help center. When a mobile user ( 42 ) needs assistance in operating applications ( 44 ) at the mobile device ( 31 ), he makes a call to remote help center and sends display contents from the mobile device ( 31 ) into the remote help center which routes the display contents to corresponding remote help center agents who can provide remote assistance to operate applications ( 44 ) at the mobile device ( 31 ).

1 . A method of providing assistance to operate applications associated with a mobile device from a remote service center further referred to as a remote help center comprising:
 a) displaying graphical user interface output of said applications at a display associated with said mobile device;   b) capturing said graphical user interface output to produce a data stream in a network data representation format;   c) sending said data stream to said remote help center;   d) receiving said data stream at said remote help center; and   e) routing said data stream to a agent at said remote help center further referred to as agent providing assistance, wherein said agent is a person capable of operating said applications remotely.   
   
   
       2 . The method of providing assistance of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a) converting said data stream into graphical user interface elements to form a copy of display contents of said graphical user interface output to be displayed at a display associated with said agent providing assistance; and   b) displaying said copy of display contents into said display of said agent providing assistance.   
   
   
       3 . The method of providing assistance of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a) capturing user interface input events from said agent providing assistance who is using a mouse and a keyboard to generate user interface input events;   b) associating said user interface input events with said copy of display contents; and   c) transferring said user interface input events of said agent to said application associated with said mobile device.   
   
   
       4 . The method of providing assistance of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a) initiating a voice call to said remote help center and associating said voice call with said mobile device;   b) receiving said voice call at said remote help center; and   c) routing said voice call to said agent providing assistance.   
   
   
       5 . The method of providing assistance of  claim 4 , wherein said voice call is selected from group consisting of voice over internet protocol call, and circuit switched call. 
   
   
       6 . The method of providing assistance of  claim 4 , wherein said voice call initiation is from a device selected from group consisting of said mobile device, device capable of call processing networked with said mobile device, and a separate device capable of call processing. 
   
   
       7 . The method of providing assistance of  claim 1 , wherein said mobile device is selected from group consisting of personal digital assistant, mobile phone, smartphone, and portable media player. 
   
   
       8 . The method of providing assistance of  claim 1 , wherein said application is selected from group consisting of call processing application, electronic mail application, calendar application, memo pad application, browser application, and remotely rendered application running at a server. 
   
   
       9 . The method of providing assistance of  claim 1 , wherein said applications are executed using application execution methods selected from group consisting of complete application execution at said mobile device, and partial application execution method at said mobile device, wherein said complete application execution method provides for executing both graphical user interface logic and service logic of said application at said mobile device and wherein said partial application execution method provides for executing graphical user interface logic of said application at said mobile device and service logic of said application at a remote server. 
   
   
       10 . The method of providing assistance of  claim 1 , wherein said capturing of said graphical user interface output associated with said application is done at a device where said application service logic is executed. 
   
   
       11 . The method of providing assistance of  claim 1 , wherein said routing of said data stream to said agents is dependent on agent selection criteria selected from group consisting of availability of agents, domain expertise of agents, performance of agents, geographical location of agents, network latency between said mobile device and said agent, and language preferences of a user of said mobile device.