Patent Publication Number: US-2015088575-A1

Title: System and method for scheduling appointments

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a system and method for scheduling appointments and, in particular, to a system and method for scheduling appointments which allows consumers and service providers to schedule and cancel appointments over a computer network in real time. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     It is known from U.S. Pat. No. 7,188,073 to Tam et al. to schedule appointments over a computer network by sending electronic notifications pertaining to the scheduling of appointments to consumers and service providers. Electronic notifications pertaining to scheduling appointments may also be sent to service providers that are not registered to receive online requests for appointments. The electronic notifications may be in the form of electronic mail. 
     It is known from U.S. Pat. No. 7,590,550 to Schoenberg to connect consumers with service providers over a computer network. A request is received from a consumer of services to consult with a service provider having a service provider profile that satisfies at least some attributes in a set of attributes that define a suitable service provider. An available service provider satisfying at least some of the attributes in the set of attributes is then identified, and a communication channel is provided to establish a communication between the consumer of services and the identified service provider. 
     It is known from United States Patent Application Publication Number 2014/0164043 in the name of Jordan to schedule appointments in real time over a computer network. A requested appointment including a requested appointment location and information defining at least one period of time is received from a consumer. Computer processor instructions are executed to identify at least one current appointment and location during the period. Still more computer processor instructions are executed to determine an interval of time between the current appointment and the requested appointment based at least in part on the location of the current appointment and the requested appointment location, and further to determine at least one available time option for scheduling the requested appointment based at least in part on the interval of time. The available time options for scheduling the requested appointment are then returned to the consumer. 
     There however remains a need for a system and method which allows consumers and service providers to schedule and cancel appointments over a computer network in real time. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     There is accordingly provided a method of scheduling an appointment. A consumer request to schedule an appointment is sent from a first processing device. The consumer request may include a service provider parameter, a location parameter, and a time parameter. The request to schedule an appointment is received at a server and a database is searched for a service provider able to meet the consumer request. A list of service providers that are able to meet the consumer request is displayed on the first processing device. A push-notification is sent from the first processing device to a second processing device to book the appointment with a selected service provider. A push-notification  is sent from the second processing device to the first processing device to confirm or cancel the appointment. A push-notification may be sent from the first processing device to the second processing device to notify the service provider that the consumer will not arrive on time for the appointment. A push-notification may be sent from the second processing device to the first processing device to cancel the appointment. A push-notification may be sent from the second processing device to the first processing device to suggest a change to the appointment. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be more readily understood from the following description of the embodiments thereof given, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic of an improved appointment scheduling system; 
         FIGS. 2A to 2E  are screenshots showing the requesting of an appointment with a service provider; 
         FIG. 3  is a screenshot showing search results of available times for appointments with service providers; 
         FIG. 4  is a screenshot showing the selecting of a service provider and a time to schedule an appointment; 
         FIG. 5  is a screenshot showing the confirming of a scheduled appointment; 
         FIG. 6  is a screenshot showing a push-notification of a request for an instant appointment sent to a service provider; and 
         FIG. 7  is a flowchart showing a logic of the appointment scheduling system. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTIONS OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to the drawings and first to  FIG. 1 , an improved appointment scheduling system  110  is shown. The appointment scheduling system  110  shown in 
       FIG. 1  comprises a plurality of processing devices which, in this example, include a desktop computer  112 , a laptop computer  114 , a smart phone  116 , an automobile computer  118 , and a server  120 . However, in other examples, the appointment scheduling system may include any number and type of known processing devices. The desktop computer  112 , the laptop computer  114 , the smart phone  116 , the automobile computer  118 , and the server  120  are each in communication with a network which, in this example, is the Internet  122  but may alternatively be any suitable local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN). The desktop computer  112 , the laptop computer  114 , the smart phone  116 , and the automobile computer  118  may each communicate with the server  120  over the Internet  122 . 
     The server  120  supports a database  124  which stores service provider profiles and consumer profiles. The service provider profiles may include a variety of information but include at least a unique service provider identifier, a name of the service provider, a location of the service provider, a service provided by the service provider (e.g. chiropractic services, mechanic services, etc.), and an availability of the service provider. 
     The consumer profiles may likewise include a variety of information but include at least a unique consumer identifier. Other information included in the service provider profiles may include certifications or qualifications of the service provider, consumer reviews of the service provider, a trust rating of the service provider, and web pages of the service provider. Other information included in the consumer profiles may include a name of the consumer, a trust rating of the consumer, preferred service providers of the consumer, reviews of service providers written by the consumer, wish lists of the consumer, and search histories of the consumer. 
     The desktop computer  112  and the laptop computer  114  are each a workstation for a service provider and function as a user interface for an appointment scheduling software module  126  supported by the server  120 . The appointment scheduling software module  126  will allow a service provider to schedule and manage appointments. The smart phone  116  and the automobile computer  118  are each a mobile processing device for a consumer and function as a user interface for mobile application software  128  supported by the server  120 . The mobile application software  128  allows a consumer to request and schedule an appointment with a service provider. The server  120  also supports search engine  130  which searches the database  124  in response to a request from a consumer to schedule an appointment with a service provider. The search engine  130  returns a list of available service providers based on parameters of the request to schedule an appointment. The search engine  130  may also search the Internet  122  to include service providers not found in the database  124  in the search results and/or include aggregated reviews and trust ratings of service providers from third party websites, for example, Yelp™, Yahoo! Local™, or Google Places™. 
     The database  124  may be populated with service provider profiles when service providers register to use the appointment scheduling software module  126  supported by the server  120 . The server  120  may further support a business management software module  132  to allow service providers to manage other aspects of their business including, but not limited to, marketing, record keeping, financials, and analytics. 
     Registration to use of the business management software module  132  may be a requirement for service providers to register to use the appointment scheduling software module  126 . Alternatively, service providers may register to use the appointment scheduling software module  126  as a standalone module. The database  124  may be populated with consumer profiles when consumers register with the server  120  to request and schedule an appointment with a service provider. The consumer profiles may be generated using existing social networking profiles from, for example, Facebook™, Twitter™, or LinkedIn™. 
     A consumer uses a mobile processing device such as the smart phone  116 , shown in  FIG. 1 , to request an appointment with a service provider. The smart phone  116  functions as a user interface for mobile application software  128  to allow the consumer to enter search parameters as best shown in  FIGS. 2A to 2E . The search parameters may be a variety of parameters but include at least a type of service provider  210 , a desired location for the appointment  220 , and a desired time for the appointment  230 . The search parameters may also include other parameters such as a specific type of appointment  240 . In the example of  FIGS. 2A to 2E , the consumer has requested an appointment with a chiropractor near  1641  Lonsdale Ave, N. Vancouver. The request is sent over the Internet  122  to the server  120 , both of which are shown in  FIG. 1 . The search engine  130  then searches the database  124  for service providers able to meet the request. 
     The search results, shown in  FIG. 3 , are sent over the Internet  122  to the smart phone  116  and may include information related to a plurality of service providers  310 ,  320 ,  330 ,  340  and  350  that are able to meet the request. The information displayed for each of the service providers  310 ,  320 ,  330 ,  340  and  350  is substantially the same. Accordingly, only the information displayed for one of the service providers  310  is discussed in detail herein with the understanding that the information displayed for the other service providers  320 ,  330 ,  340  and  350  is substantially the same. In  FIG. 3 , the information displayed for the said one of the service providers  310  includes a name of the service provider  312 , a trust rating of the service provider  314 , a location of the service provider including a distance  316   a  and a time  136   b  to the service provider based on a location of the consumer, and times  318   a,    318   b,    318   c,  and  318   d  that the service provider is available for an appointment. Based on the search results the consumer may select a time with a service provider to book an appointment as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     A push-notification that a consumer has selected a time to schedule an appointment with a service provider is sent to the service provider in real time. The service provider may then confirm their availability and schedule the appointment in real time as shown in  FIG. 5 . The consumer may then add the scheduled appointment to their calendar or share the appointment on a social network. Real time communication between the consumer and the service provider allows for appointments to be scheduled instantaneously. This not only provides the advantage of allowing consumers to efficiently and effectively schedule appointments but also allows consumers to schedule appointments when time unexpectedly becomes available in their own calendar. 
     Referring back to  FIG. 3 , there may be an INSTANT APPOINTMENT icon  360  in the search results which allows a consumer to request an instant appointment with a service provider. A push-notification of the request for an instant appointment is sent to service providers. The request for instant appointment notification  610  is shown in  FIG. 6 . The request for instant appointment notification  610  may include a name of the consumer  612 , a trust rating of the consumer  614 , a location of the consumer including a distance  616   a  and a time  616   b  that the consumer is away from the service provider. The display of the push-notification request may also include an ACCEPT NOW icon  618  for the service provider to click in order to confirm their availability. The display of the push-notification request may also include a SUGGEST TIME icon  620  for the service provider to click to indicate that they are not available at the requested time but suggest another time to schedule an appointment. The consumer may then either schedule the appointment or cancel the request for an instant appointment based on the response of the service provider. 
     Real time communication between the consumer and the service provider within the appointment scheduling system  110  also allows the service provider to track the consumers when they are running late and will not arrive on time for the appointment. For example, a delay notification  630  may include a location of the consumer including a distance  632   a  and a time  632   b  that the consumer is away from the service provider. The delay notification  630  may also include an icon  634  for the service provider to dismiss or cancel the appointment if the consumer will not arrive in time to complete the appointment within the scheduled time. A push-notification of the dismissal or cancellation of the scheduled appointment will be sent to the consumer. 
       FIG. 7  shows a logic  700  of the appointment scheduling system  110  of  FIG. 1 . A consumer request to schedule an appointment is sent from a first processing device at step  710 . The consumer request includes a service provider parameter, a location parameter, and a time parameter in this example. The request to schedule an appointment is received at a server and a database is searched for a service provider able to meet the consumer request at step  720 . A list of service providers that are able to meet the consumer request is displayed on the first processing device at step  730 . A push-notification is sent from the first processing device to a second processing device to book the appointment with a selected service provider at step  740 . A push-notification is sent from the second processing device to the first processing device to confirm or cancel the appointment at step  750 . 
     The appointment scheduling system  110  of  FIG. 1  may allow consumers to schedule maintenance of automobiles based on the location of service providers which most closely match the requirements of the automobile manufacturer. 
     The appointment scheduling system  110  of  FIG. 1  may also allow consumers to schedule an appointment within a time range rather than a selected time. For example, if a service provider has an eight hour work day but only has six hours of work, a consumer can schedule two hours of time with the service provider that work day. This may be useful in a situation where a mechanic has six hours of work and a consumer requires service to their vehicle that can be completed in less than two hours. 
     The consumer may schedule two hours of the time with the mechanic within the eight hour work day. The consumer would drop off their vehicle at the beginning of the work day and return at the end of the work day to pick up the serviced vehicle. 
     The appointment scheduling system  110  of  FIG. 1  may further allow consumers to automatically schedule multiple appointments in a given geographic area or time range. The appointment scheduling system  110  will automatically provide the consumer with a list of available service providers based on a location and schedule of the consumer. 
     It will be understood by a person skilled in the art that many of the details provided above are by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention which is to be determined with reference to the following claims.