Chat interface for resource management

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020192685-A1
Application number	US-201816224273-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 18, 2018
Priority date	Dec 18, 2018
Publication date	Jun 18, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

The disclosed subject matter relates to a service application that supports a client device to access a platform via a client instance. The service application enables the user to perform an operation related to management of a virtual resource. In some embodiments, the service application invokes a chat interface to place the client device in communication with a virtual agent. Via the chat interface, the service application prompts the user to select a topic, an operation, and a virtual resource to indicate a desired operation to be performed. When the service application receives the selections made by the user via the chat interface, the service application, such as the virtual agent, may access the platform to perform the desired operation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system, comprising:
one or more client instances hosted by a platform, wherein the one or more client instances support access to a plurality of applications and data stored on the platform; and a service application accessed via one or more remote client networks, wherein the service application communicates with a client device via a respective client instance; wherein the system is configured to perform acts comprising:
displaying a chat interface of the service application in response to an input selection via the client device, wherein the chat interface places the client device in communication with a virtual agent of the service application;
receiving, via the chat interface, an instruction corresponding to a selected operation to be performed on one or more resources of the respective client instance; and
performing, via the service application, the selected operation on the one or more resources.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is further configured to perform acts comprising: displaying, via the service application, a chat icon on the client device, wherein the input selection comprises a user selection of the chat icon.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is further configured to perform acts comprising: displaying a plurality of operation descriptors on the chat interface, wherein the instruction comprises a selection of a respective operation descriptor of the plurality of operation descriptors.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of operation descriptors are displayed via text-style messages.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein receiving the instruction comprises receiving a text-based user input via the chat interface.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the agent is a programmed routine or module of the service application configured to automatically communicate via the chat interface via text-style messages.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein, upon receiving a user input, the service application is configured to place the client device in communication with a live agent.

8 . A system, comprising:
one or more client instances hosted by a platform, wherein the one or more client instances support access to a plurality of applications and data stored on the platform; and a service application accessed via one or more remote client networks, wherein the service application communicates with a client device via a respective client instance; wherein the system is configured to perform acts comprising:
displaying a chat interface of the service application in response to an input selection via the client device, wherein the chat interface places the client device in communication with a virtual agent of the service application, wherein communication between the virtual agent and the client device is displayed on the chat interface;
receiving, via the chat interface, a first indication corresponding to a selected topic;
receiving, via the chat interface, a second indication corresponding to a selected operation, wherein the selected operation is associated with the selected topic; and
performing, via the service application, the selected operation.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the system is further configured to perform acts comprising:
displaying a topics icon on the chat interface in response to the chat interface being invoked, and displaying a plurality of topic descriptors on the chat interface in response to a selection of the topics icon.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the first indication comprises a selection of a topic descriptor of the plurality of topic descriptors.

11 . The system of claim 8 , wherein receiving the first indication, receiving the second indication, or both, comprise receiving a text-based input via the chat interface.

12 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the system is further configured to perform acts comprising:
displaying, via the service application, a chat icon on the client device, wherein the input selection comprises a selection of the chat icon, and removing the chat interface from the client device in response to an additional selection of the chat icon.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the system is further configured to perform acts comprising:
displaying, via the service application, a notification indicator on the chat icon to indicate unread communication displayed on the chat interface.

14 . A method, comprising:
displaying, on a client device, a chat interface of a service application accessed via one or more remote client networks, wherein the service application communicates with the client device via a respective client instance hosted by a cloud platform, wherein the chat interface places the client device in communication with a virtual agent of the service application, and wherein communication between the virtual agent and the client device is displayed on the chat interface via a plurality of text-style messages;
receiving, via the chat interface, a first indication corresponding to a selected topic;
receiving, via the chat interface, a second indication corresponding to a selected operation, wherein the selected operation is associated with the selected topic;
receiving, via the chat interface, a third indication corresponding to a selected resource, wherein the selected resource is associated with the selected operation; and
performing, via the service application, the selected operation on the selected resource.

15 . The method of claim 14 , comprising displaying a plurality of topic descriptors on the chat interface in response to displaying the chat interface, wherein receiving the first indication comprises receiving a selection of a topic descriptor of the plurality of topic descriptors.

16 . The method of claim 14 , comprising displaying a plurality of operation descriptors on the chat interface in response to receiving the first indication, wherein each operation descriptor of the plurality of operation descriptors is associated with the selected topic, and wherein the second indication comprises receiving a selection of an operation descriptor of the plurality of operation descriptors.

17 . The method of claim 14 , comprising displaying a plurality of resource descriptors on the chat interface in response to receiving the second indication, wherein each resource descriptor of the plurality of resource descriptors is associated with the selected operation, and wherein the third indication comprises receiving a selection of a resource descriptor of the plurality of resource descriptors.

18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein, subsequent to performing the selected operation, the procedures comprise prompting for user input to indicate if an additional operation is to be performed.

19 . The method of claim 18 , comprising:
receiving, via the chat interface, a fourth indication corresponding to an additional selected topic; receiving, via the chat interface, a fifth indication corresponding to an additional selected operation, wherein the additional selected operation is associated with the additional selected topic; receiving, via the chat interface, a sixth indication corresponding to an additional selected resource, wherein the additional selected resource is associated with the additional selected operation; and performing the additional selected operation on the additional selected resource.

20 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the procedures comprise determining an identity of the user

Assignees

• Servicenow Inc

Inventors

• Banaji Vani
• Jain Chhavi
• Dongare Sayali Ulhas
• Kotler Dana

Classifications

• H04L51/224

  providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages · CPC title

• G06F9/453 Primary

  Help systems · CPC title

• H04L51/02

  using automatic reactions or user delegation, e.g. automatic replies or chatbot-generated messages · CPC title

• H04L51/04

  Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM] · CPC title

• H04L51/18

  Commands or executable codes · CPC title