No Responders Online

Abstract

A rapid assignment dynamic ownership queue for text message sessions queues incoming text messages destined for a service bureau, at a network server. Simultaneous access is provided to any one text message of the queued incoming text messages to a plurality of operator terminals at the service bureau. Initial ownership of the one text message is assigned as a result of a first acting terminal of the plurality of operator terminals having completed an action in service to the text message, and ownership is re-assigned to a subsequent operator terminal having completed another action in service to the text message after the first acting terminal. A configurable escalation queue may be implemented to assign an escalation code to each queued item, regardless of its position in the queue list, to alter the presentation of the queue item. A No Responders Online feature can indicate if all terminal devices are “offline”.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A rapid re-assignment text message session manager server, comprising:
 a text message queue providing simultaneous access to any one of a plurality of text messages within said text message queue by any of a plurality of operator terminals; and   a text message session manager to self-assign initial ownership of a first text message within said text message queue, as a result of a first acting one of said plurality of operator terminals to complete an action in service to said first text message within said text message queue, and to self-reassign ownership of said first text message to a second acting one of said plurality of operator terminals to subsequently complete another action in service to said first text message;   wherein at least said first text message in said text message queue is assigned an escalation code to escalate action on said first text message regardless of position within said text message queue.   
     
     
         12 . The rapid re-assignment text message session manager server according to  claim 11 , wherein said text message queue comprises:
 a plurality of emergency text messages.   
     
     
         13 . The rapid re-assignment text message session manager server according to  claim 11 , wherein:
 said first text message within said text message queue is an oldest text message within said text message queue.   
     
     
         14 . The rapid re-assignment text message session manager server according to  claim 11 , wherein:
 said text message queue is a configurable escalation queue.   
     
     
         15 . The rapid re-assignment text message session manager server according to  claim 11 , wherein:
 said text message session manager self-reassigns ownership of said first text message without an administrator terminal performing said reassigned ownership.   
     
     
         16 . A method of rapidly re-assigning ownership for text messages in a text message queue, comprising:
 queuing a plurality of text messages in a text message queue;   providing simultaneous access to any one of said queued plurality of text messages within said text message queue by any of a plurality of operator terminals;   self-assigning initial ownership of a first text message within said text message queue, as a result of a first acting one of said plurality of operator terminals to complete an action in service to said first text message within said text message queue;   assigning an escalation code to escalate action on said first text message regardless of position within said text message queue; and   self-reassigning ownership of said first text message to a second acting one of said plurality of operator terminals to subsequently complete another action in service to said first text message.   
     
     
         17 . The method of rapidly re-assigning ownership for text messages in a text message queue according to  claim 16 , wherein:
 said escalation code is an absolute escalation code.   
     
     
         18 . The method of rapidly re-assigning ownership for text messages in a text message queue according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 re-assigning said first text message to a geographically related service bureau when all possible responsive operator terminals indicate that they are offline.   
     
     
         19 . The method of rapidly re-assigning ownership for text messages in a text message queue according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 converting said first text message to teletype (TTY).   
     
     
         20 . The method of rapidly re-assigning ownership for text messages in a text message queue according to  claim 16 , wherein said text message queue comprises:
 a plurality of emergency text messages.   
     
     
         21 . The method of rapidly re-assigning ownership for text messages in a text message queue according to  claim 16 , wherein:
 said first text message within said text message queue is an oldest text message within said text message queue.   
     
     
         22 . The method of rapidly re-assigning ownership for text messages in a text message queue according to  claim 16 , wherein:
 said text message queue is a configurable escalation queue.   
     
     
         23 . The method of rapidly re-assigning ownership for text messages in a text message queue according to  claim 16 , wherein:
 said self-reassigned ownership is performed without an administrator terminal performing said self-reassigned ownership.   
     
     
         24 . The method of rapidly re-assigning ownership for text messages in a text message queue according to  claim 16 , wherein said text message queue comprises:
 a plurality of short messaging system (SMS) text messages.   
     
     
         25 . Apparatus for rapidly re-assigning ownership for text messages in a text message queue, comprising:
 means for queuing a plurality of text messages in a text message queue;   means for providing simultaneous access to any one of said queued plurality of text messages within said text message queue by any of a plurality of operator terminals;   means for self-assigning initial ownership of a first text message within said text message queue, as a result of a first acting one of said plurality of operator terminals to complete an action in service to said first text message within said text message queue;   means for assigning an escalation code to escalate action on said first text message regardless of position within said text message queue; and   means for self-reassigning ownership of said first text message to a second acting one of said plurality of operator terminals to subsequently complete another action in service to said first text message.   
     
     
         26 . The apparatus for rapidly re-assigning ownership for text messages in a text message queue according to  claim 25 , wherein:
 said escalation code is an absolute escalation code.   
     
     
         27 . The apparatus for rapidly re-assigning ownership for text messages in a text message queue according to  claim 25 , further comprising:
 means for re-assigning said first text message to a geographically related service bureau when all possible responsive operator terminals indicate that they are offline.   
     
     
         28 . The apparatus for rapidly re-assigning ownership for text messages in a text message queue according to  claim 25 , further comprising:
 means for converting said first text message to teletype (TTY).   
     
     
         29 . The apparatus for rapidly re-assigning ownership for text messages in a text message queue according to  claim 25 , wherein said text message queue comprises:
 a plurality of emergency text messages.   
     
     
         30 . The apparatus for rapidly re-assigning ownership for text messages in a text message queue according to  claim 25 , wherein:
 performing said self-reassigned ownership without an administrator terminal.