FIELD OF INVENTION

[0001] The embodiments herein generally relate to information exchange between users through structured forms over chat system. More specifically, the invention provides a system and a method for exchanging information over chat system through structured forms in addition to generic methods of sharing information. Particularly, the system and method helps the users of the computer system to submit structured forms of data to reach recipients directly or after intermediate approval.

BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART

[0002] Communicating with people using chat system is a common activity in our day to day life. It is observed that we can share information like simple text, images, voice clips, video clips and other special data like GPS location and special symbols like smiley' s through chat system. Chat systems are generally used for both personal and business purpose that serves as a close to real-time but a disconnected method of exchanging information between sender and receiver. The chat systems are not like online software that will have a continuous connection between user interface (form) and the underlying back end software.

[0003] In a prior art, there are many systems that are used to exchange the unstructured information through chat software systems or submit information using a software user interface. These software user interfaces helps the users to submit the information in a structured form using a software system.

[0004] While the above mentioned systems support two types of functionality that is chat system supporting unstructured or chunks of information sharing between users. The chat system also functions as an asynchronous and near-real time transmission of information from sender to receiver(s). Further, the chat system can function as a medium to exchange structured data using pre-defined forms that minimizes dependency on online software applications and minimize security risks due to the online/(always connected) nature of software applications.

[0005] Therefore, there is a need in the prior art to provide a system and method that can provide a chat system to submit structured forms of data to reach recipients directly or after intermediate approval. Further, there is a need for a system and method to design and publish reusable structured forms as re-usable templates having structured layout of computer data elements linked to chat room (multiple form templates supported for each group).

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0006] Some of the objects of the present disclosure are described herein below:

[0007] A main object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for exchanging the information in structured form through a chat system to reach recipients directly or after intermediate approval.

[0008] Another object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for enabling the administrator(s) of the created chat room(s) to design and publish reusable structured form templates.

[0009] Still another object of the present invention is to involve multiple approvers in each form so that the form with information is delivered to recipient(s) only after approval from all attached approvers of that form according to the requirement.

[00010] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for performing an automated task as defined in the form template after reception of the information at the recipient end where the recipient may be user(s) or smart device(s) of any kind and send back the response to the sender and/or approvers as required.

[00011 ] Another object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for allowing the users to view the information submitted by multiple senders in a structured report format, extract or retrieve the information using software tools or allow third party software tools to either send or extract the information using APIs (Application Programming Interfaces). [00012] Another object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for allowing the users to export the information into another software using chat system export tools or third party software tools send/retried messages (forms) using APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) provided by the chat system and based on the type of data access permission given to those users by the administrators of each group.

[00013] Another object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for allowing the user to reuse the form templates.

[00014] Another object of the present invention is to provide a system and a method for allowing the sender to do transaction in the chat system by means of a payment gateway control.

[00015] The other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated for illustration of preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope thereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[00016] This summary is provided to introduce concepts of this invention in a simplified from that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[00017] In view of the foregoing, an embodiment herein provides a system and method for providing a chat system that can send structured forms with data to reach recipients directly or after intermediate approval by one or more users of the system in additions to other standard methods of data transfer used in a typical chat system. The chat system comprises a sender user interface, a chat engine, an approver chat user interface, and a recipient chat user interface (this may be the sender user interface or specifically designed user interface). The chat engine can allow a chat room administrator(s) to design and publish reusable structured form templates having information section, optional approving user(s) definition section and recipient(s) definition section. Further, the chat engine can provide certain functionality for the chat room administrators to design reusable form templates using chat system internal form design tools. Based on the template layout, a chat system interpreter in the chat engine can build a form with programming script dynamically so that the sender can populate data into the form for submission and also pre-defined programming script based automation can be executed in approval process and at recipient process.

[00018] According to an embodiment, the chat system can be utilized by a sender to send information through structured forms. The chat system can enable the sender to find a chat room based on name, purpose, any other chat room description or publisher name. Further, the chat system can allow the sender to select required chat room, view the listed form templates available in that chat room, select one of the listed form template, fill the information and submit the same to one or more approvers and to one or more recipients after approval. After the information received by the recipient, the system may perform automation tasks as defined in the form template using programming script support by the chat system interpreter that can be an Alarm, post TODO List to the recipient, order form that recipient has to deliver, meeting task that has to be posted onto recipient's planner, store the data into a specified store point, activate a connected device and so on and script that can send required information back to sender or approvers or recipients itself.

[00019] According to an embodiment, the chat system can help the users (senders, approvers or recipients) to view the information in a structured format, extract or retrieve the information using connecting tools (application programming interfaces or APIs) or export the information into another software using APIs based on the permission given to those users by the administrators of each group.

[00020] According to an embodiment, the method for providing a chat system to exchange information in using structured form templates includes a functions performed by the chat room administrator while creating the chat room and a process involved in the chat system after creation of the chat room. While creating the chat room, the functions performed by the chat room administrator comprising the steps of, creating a form template using data elements, defining approvers, defining data elements that have to be updated by the approvers, defining data elements that can be viewed by the sender and /or recipients, defining receipts and data elements that have to be updated by the receivers after receiving the form, defining data elements that can be viewed by the sender and /or approvers, scripting to either validate the data elements of the form, incorporating automation tasks to be performed by the form, defining access criteria or filters so that only those recipients with matching filters can only view the information that supports sending of information to multiple users but only select users should be able view the received information form and publishing the form onto one or more created chat room(s) along user types (public or private) who can access this form either to send or to receive.

[00021] According to an embodiment, after creation of the chat room, the process involved in the chat system comprising the steps of, allowing the sender to locate chat room based on the information or publisher name, allowing the sender to select the chat room to send message using form, allowing the sender to select relevant form from the list of published forms, allowing the sender to fill the information in the selected form, allowing the sender to submit the filled form, submitting the same form to the approvers based on the form template definition, in case approvers are defined in the form, allowing the approvers to reject or approve the form submitted by the sender, in case approvers are defined in the form, allowing the system to send the approved form to the receiver(s), in case approvers are defined in the form, sending the form to the recipient directly, in case approvers are not defined in the form, allowing the recipient to update the form status, and allowing the sender to view the information as a report and downloading the form to external software, according to the access rights of the sender or received by a system in case the recipient is smart device.

[00022] These and other aspects of the embodiments herein will be better appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the following descriptions, while indicating preferred embodiments and numerous specific details thereof, are given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the embodiments herein without departing from the spirit thereof, and the embodiments herein include all such modifications.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[00023] The detailed description is set forth with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The use of the same reference numbers in different figures indicates similar or identical items.

[00024] Fig.1 illustrates the general architecture of the chat system, according to an embodiment herein;

[00025] Fig. 2 illustrates the schematic of chat engine, according to an embodiment herein;

[00026] Fig. 3 illustrates the process of chat room administrator, according to an embodiment herein; and

[00027] Fig. 4 illustrates the process of the chat system, according to an embodiment herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[00028] The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting embodiments and detailed in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.

[00029] As mentioned above, there is a need a system and method for information exchange between users through structured forms over chat system. The embodiments herein achieve this by providing a chat system and method to submit structured forms of data to reach recipients directly or after intermediate approval. Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 through 4, where similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the figures, there are shown preferred embodiments.

[00030] According to an embodiment, a system and method for providing a chat system that can send structured forms with data to reach recipients directly or after intermediate approval by one or more users of the system in additions to other standard methods of data transfer used in a typical chat system. The chat system comprises a sender user interface, a chat engine, an approver chat user interface, and a recipient chat user interface (this may be the sender user interface or specifically designed user interface). The chat engine can allow a chat room administrator(s) to design and publish reusable structured form templates having information section, optional approving user(s) definition section and recipient(s) definition section. Further, the chat engine can provide certain functionality for the chat room administrators to design reusable form templates using chat system internal form design tools. Based on the template layout, a chat system interpreter in the chat engine can build a form with programming script dynamically so that the sender can populate data into the form for submission and also pre-defined programming script based automation can be executed in approval process and at recipient process.

[00031] According to an embodiment, the chat system can be utilized by a sender to send information through structured forms. The chat system can enable the sender to find a chat room based on name, purpose, any other chat room description or publisher name. Further, the chat system can allow the sender to select required chat room, view the listed form templates available in that chat room, select one of the listed form template, fill the information and submit the same to one or more approvers and to one or more recipients after approval. After the information received by the recipient, the system may perform automation tasks as defined in the form template using programming script support by chat system interpreter that can be an Alarm, post TODO List to the recipient, order form that recipient has to deliver, meeting task that has to be posted onto recipient's planner, store the data into a specified store point, activate a connected device and so on and script that can send required information back to sender or approvers or recipients itself.

[00032] According to an embodiment, the chat system can help the users (senders, approvers or recipients) to view the information in a structured format, extract or retrieve the information using connecting tools (application programming interfaces or APIs) or export the information into another software using APIs based on the permission given to those users by the administrators of each group.

[00033] Fig. 1 illustrates the general architecture of the chat system, according to an embodiment. The general architecture of the chat system comprises a sender 101, a user interface 102, a chat engine 103, an approver chat user interface 104, a recipient chat user interface 105 and a payment processing system (smart device) 106. The chat system can enable the sender 101 to find a chat room based on name, purpose, and any other chat room description or publisher name using the user interface 102. Further, the user interface 102 can allow the sender 101 to navigate the respective chat room, view the listed form templates available in that chat room, select one of the listed form templates, fill the information and submit the same to one or more approvers and to one or more recipients after approval. The chat engine 103 can receive and store the forms submitted by the sender 101.

[00034] According to an embodiment, the chat engine 103 may verify the received forms for approver definition. In case, the received form contains any approver definition then the same form may send to the approver for approval. The chat system can allow the approver to verify the forms using the approver chat user interface 104. After obtaining approval from the approver, the approved form may send to a recipient. The chat system can allow the recipient to view the information in a structured format, extract or retrieve the information using connecting tools (application programming interfaces or APIs) using recipient chat user interface 105 or export the information into another software using APIs based on the permission given to those recipients by the chat room administrators of each group. The recipient can update the form status. After receiving the feedback from the approver and recipient, the chat engine 103 may send a feedback to the sender 101. Further, the chat system may allow the sender 101 to view the information as a report and downloading the form to external software, according to the access rights of the sender 101.

[00035] According to an embodiment, the payment processing system may include but not limited to a back end server, an interface to smart device, external systems and so on. The payment processing system 106 utilized for transmitting sender requirement by collection credit card, debit card, bank account or wallet information and submits the same to payment gateway to process the payment at the back end server and upon success or failure of the process, communicate the same to the sender. Further, the payment processing system 106 is provided to send back any intermittent requests from server to the user interface using messaging or a direct API call to ask user for additional information like OTP (One time password) to proceed for payment after first level(one or more levels of process) like authorization, verification and so on.

[00036] According to an embodiment, the sender can be allowed to send back the OTP from the approver to the payment gateway back for final payment process or a transaction ID and allowing a merchant bank module to return status in case direct submission of OTP to payment gateway is not permitted. The API of the payment processing system 106 is allowed to call payment gateway for payment exchange. This can be done either from application user interface side or from the server side of the application system or through mediating software connecting to messaging/chat server. Similar to any chat system, software user interface or application user interface for sender, approver and receiver actions can be a single software page interface unless there is a need to make a separate interface or an application for any of the user(s).

[00037] Fig. 2 illustrates the schematic of chat engine, according to an embodiment. The chat engine includes modules but is not limited to a chat room admin module 201, approver module 202, sender/ user module 203, recipient module 204, form filling 205, form submission module 206, update module 207, publishing module 208, feedback module 209 and other modules 210. [00038] According to an embodiment, the chat room admin module 201 can be configured for creating a form template using data elements, defining approvers and the data elements that have to be updated by the approvers and defining data elements that can be viewed by the sender and /or recipients. Further, the chat room admin module 201 can be configured for defining receipts and data elements that have to be updated by the receivers after receiving the form and defining data elements that can be viewed by the sender and /or approvers.

[00039] According to an embodiment, the data element that includes but is not limited to a text box, a numeric input, a drop down combo box, a radio button, a table view, a list view, a grid view, a tree view, a checkbox, a date control, a location and address control, a digital signature control, a payment gateway control, an attachment control to attach a document or capture an image from camera and the like elements that aid in building a computer user interface form.

[00040] According to an embodiment, the chat room admin module 201 can be further configured for providing payment gateway control for transmitting sender requirement by collection credit card, debit card, bank account or a wallet information and submit the same to payment gateway to process the payment at the back end server and upon success or failure of the process, communicate the same to the sender.

[00041] According to an embodiment, the approver module 202 can be configured for rejecting or approving the form submitted by the sender, in case approvers are defined in the form. Further, the approver module 202 can be further configured for sending the approved form to the receiver, in case approvers are defined in the form. The approver module 202 can be further configured for sending back any intermittent requests from server to the user interface using messaging or a direct API call to ask user for additional information like OTP (One time password) to proceed for payment after first level(one or more levels of process) like Authorization, verification and so on.

[00042] According to an embodiment, the sender/ user module 203 can be configured for locating the chat room based on the information or publisher name and selecting the chat room to send message using form. The sender/ user module 203 can be further configured for selecting relevant form from the list of published forms.

[00043] According to an embodiment, the recipient module 204 can be configured for updating the form status and sending the status of the form back to the sender through chat engine.

[00044] According to an embodiment, the form filling module 205 can be configured for allowing the sender user interface to auto-fill the information in a selected form using the information stored in user profile.

[00045] According to an embodiment, the form submission module 206 can be configured for sending the form to the recipient directly, in case approvers are not defined in the form.

[00046] According to an embodiment, the update module 207 can be configured for updating the status of the form submitted by the sender.

[00047] According to an embodiment, the publishing module 208 can be configured for updating the data elements of the form in the chat engine.

[00048] According to an embodiment, the feedback module 209 can be configured for providing feedback to the sender after receiving feedback from the approver and recipient. The feedback module 209 can be further configured for allowing the sender to send back the OTP from the approver to the payment gateway back for final payment process or a transaction ID and allowing a merchant bank module to return status in case direct submission of OTP to payment gateway is not permitted. The feedback module 209 can be further configured for allowing API to call payment gateway for payment exchange. This can be done either from Application User Interface side or from the server side of the application system or through mediating software connecting to messaging/chat server.

[00049] Exemplary methods for providing a chat system to exchange information in structured form are described with reference to Fig 3 & 4. These exemplary methods can be described in the general context of computer executable instructions. Generally, computer executable instructions can include routines, programs, objects, components, encrypted or open data structures, procedures, modules, functions, and the like that perform particular functions or implement particular abstract data types. The methods can also be practiced in a distributed computing environment where functions are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communication network. In a distributed computing environment, computer executable instructions may be located both in local and remote computer storage media, including memory storage devices.

[00050] The exemplary methods are illustrated as a collection of operations in a logical flow graph representing a sequence of operations that can be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. The order in which the methods are described is not intended to be construed as a limitation, and any number of the described method blocks can be combined in any order to implement the methods, or alternate methods. Additionally, individual operations may be deleted from the methods without departing from the spirit and scope of the subject matter described herein. In the context of software, the operations represent computer instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, perform the recited operations.

[00051] According to an embodiment, the method for providing a chat system to exchange information in using structured form templates includes a functions performed by the chat room administrator while creating the chat room and a process involved in the chat system after creation of the chat room. While creating the chat room, the functions performed by the chat room administrator comprising the steps of, creating a form template using data elements, defining approvers, defining data elements that have to be updated by the approvers, defining data elements that can be viewed by the sender and /or recipients, defining receipts and data elements that have to be updated by the receivers after receiving the form, defining data elements that can be viewed by the sender and /or approvers, scripting to either validate the data elements of the form, incorporating automation tasks to be performed by the form, defining access criteria or filters so that only those recipients with matching filters can only view the information that supports sending of information to multiple users but only select users should be able view the received information form and publishing the form onto one or more created chat room(s) along with user types (public or private) who can access this form either to send or to receive.

[00052] According to an embodiment, after creation of the chat room, the process involved in the chat system comprising the steps of, allowing the sender to locate chat room based on the information or publisher name, allowing the sender to select the chat room to send message using form, allowing the sender to select relevant form from the list of published forms, allowing the sender to fill the information in the selected form, allowing the sender to submit the filled form, submitting the same form to the approvers based on the form template definition, in case approvers are defined in the form, allowing the approvers to reject or approve the form submitted by the sender, in case approvers are defined in the form, allowing the system to send the approved form to the receiver(s), in case approvers are defined in the form, sending the form to the recipient directly, in case approvers are not defined in the form, allowing the recipient to update the form status, and allowing the sender to view the information as a report and downloading the form to external software, according to the access rights of the sender or received by a system in case the recipient is smart device.

[00053] According to an embodiment, the data element that includes but is not limited to a text box, a numeric input, a drop down combo box, a radio button, a table view, a list view, a grid view, a tree view, a checkbox, a date control, a location and address control, a digital signature control, a payment gateway control, an attachment control to attach a document or capture an image from camera and the like elements that aid in building a computer user interface form. The Location and Address control can be linked to Maps by map technology providers like Google, Apple, Bing Maps or a similar service provider to read the address of selected map location or current map location. The Payment gateway control can provide the payment functionality over chat/messaging channel or by calling payment gateway directly from the user interface. The attachment control can hold any type of attachment or a picture from a camera or a voice clip. [00054] Fig. 3 illustrates the process of chat room administrator, according to an embodiment. While creating the chat room, the functions performed by the chat room administrator comprising the steps of, creating a form template using data elements 301, defining approvers 302, defining data elements that have to be updated by the approvers 303, defining data elements that can be viewed by the sender and /or recipients 304, defining receipts and data elements that have to be updated by the receivers after receiving the form 305, defining data elements that can be viewed by the sender and /or approvers 306, scripting to either validate the data elements of the form 307, incorporating automation tasks to be performed by the form 308, defining access criteria or filters 309 so that only those recipients with matching filters can only view the information that supports sending of information to multiple users but only select users should be able view the received information form and publishing the form onto one or more created chat room(s) 310 along with user types (public or private) who can access this form either to send or to receive.

[00055] According to an embodiment, the method allows the chat room administrator to create the form templates to design and publish reusable structured form templates having information section, optional approving user(s) definition section and recipient(s) definition section. Further, method provides certain functionality for the chat room administrators to design reusable form templates using its own internal layout. Based on the template layout, a chat system interpreter in the chat engine can build a form dynamically so that the sender can populate data into the form for submission.

[00056] Fig. 4 illustrates the process of the chat system, according to an embodiment. After creation of the chat room, the process involved in the chat system comprising the steps of: allowing the sender to locate chat room based on the information or publisher name 401, allowing the sender to select the chat room to send message using form 402, allowing the sender to select relevant form from the list of published forms 403, allowing the sender to fill the information in the selected form 404, allowing the sender to submit the filled form 405, submitting the same form to the approvers, based on the form template definition, in case approvers are defined in the form 406, allowing the approvers to reject or approve the form submitted by the sender, in case approvers are defined in the form 407, allowing the approvers to send the approved form to the receiver, in case approvers are defined in the form 408, sending the form to the recipient directly, in case approvers are not defined in the form 409, allowing the recipient to update the form status 410, and allowing the sender to view the information as a report and downloading the form to external software, according to the access rights of the sender 411.

[00057] According to an embodiment, the chat system can allow the chat room admin to create form templates. But there is possibility to change the chat system for the user (sender / recipient / approver) to create forms according to their preference and to create multiple group administrators.

[00058] According to an embodiment, the method for information exchange using chat system can eliminate the need for a safer and real-time connecting network and also eliminates the need for a real-time online application forms to enable users submit information. This disconnected, asynchronous method of data interchanges is a safer and a reliable method of information sharing that required minimum infrastructure compared to typical software systems and online user interface.

[00059] According to an embodiment, the chat system can either minimize or eliminate the purpose of building online forms for receiving structure information from users. Further, the chat system can enable individuals and organizations to define their own chat rooms, publish required number of form for internal users (employee/consultant use) or for external users. Typical forms that be designed by organization are like Leave Request, Travel Request, Time sheet submission, Stationary request and the like internal forms for employees or external forms like Resume Submission form that will be routed to Recruitment Team, Customer Service Request routed to customer support team, Contact Us form routed to general company administrator, Sales Enquiry form routed to sales team and so on. [00060] According to an embodiment, the chat system can be used in payment gateway control. In that, the payment can be initiated at the user interface through a simple chat like message and that can be understood by the Artificial Intelligent system based on natural language like input or using a predefine template/Form (static or dynamically configured template) through mobile app, web portal software interface or a desktop based user interface client form.

[00061] The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as described herein.