Systems and methods for maintaining an asynchronous communication via an intermediary

• US 10,051,075 B1
• Filed: 11/09/2015
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Kothari, Anshul, Bhaya, Gaurav, Agarwal, Amit, Chatterjee, Surojit, Nanavati, Vibhor
• Primary Examiner(s): Hussain, Imad
• Application Number:
  US14/936,315
• Time in Patent Office: 1,009 Days
• Field of Search: 709203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2596 Translation of addresses of the same type other than IP, e.g. translation from MAC to MAC addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 Proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0421 Anonymous communication, i.e. the party's identifiers are hidden from the other party or parties, e.g. using an anonymizer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54

Abstract

The disclosure is directed to maintaining an asynchronous communication via an intermediary. An agent executed on a device intermediary to clients and providers can receive a request from a client for an asynchronous communication between the client device and a provider device. The agent identifies a provider dynamic identifier identifying the provider. The agent uses a communication channel selection policy to determine a communication channel and a provider static identifier corresponding to the provider device. The agent maps a client dynamic identifier assigned by the server to a client static identifier of the client device. The agent generates a transmission data package including the content, a source address identifying the client dynamic identifier and a destination address identifying the provider static identifier. The agent provides the generated transmission data package for transmission via the communication channel determined using the communication channel selection policy to the provider device.

Claims

1. A method of maintaining an asynchronous communication via an intermediary, comprising:

receiving, by an asynchronous communication agent executed by one or more processors of a data processing system intermediary to a plurality of client devices and a plurality of provider devices, from a client device of the plurality of client devices, a request for an asynchronous communication between the client device and one or more providers, the request including a client static identifier identifying the client device and content to deliver to the one or more providers;

identifying, by the asynchronous communication agent, a provider of the one or more providers satisfying the request;

determining, by the asynchronous communication agent using a communication channel selection policy associated with a profile of the identified provider, a communication channel over which to deliver content of the request to a provider device of the provider and a provider static identifier corresponding to the provider device;

generating, by the asynchronous communication agent, a client dynamic identifier based on the communication channel selected using the communication channel selection policy associated with the profile of the identified provider;

mapping, by the asynchronous communication agent in an asynchronous communication data structure, the client dynamic identifier assigned by the server to the client static identifier of the client device;

generating, by the asynchronous communication agent, a transmission data package including the content, a source address identifying the client dynamic identifier and a destination address identifying the provider static identifier; and

providing, by the asynchronous communication agent, the generated transmission data package for transmission via the communication channel determined using the communication channel selection policy to the provider device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication channel includes a provider-side communication channel and the method further comprising:

receiving, by the asynchronous communication agent, the request for the asynchronous communication from the client device via a client-side communication channel different from the provider-side communication channel, the content of the request in a first format;

translating, by the asynchronous communication agent, the content from the first format to a second format corresponding to the provider-side communication channel determined using the communication channel selection policy; and

generating, by the asynchronous communication agent, the transmission data package including the content in the second format.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising:

receiving, by the data processing system prior to the request for the asynchronous communication, a request for a content item for display, the request for the content item including the client static identifier retrieved from memory of the client device;

selecting, by the data processing system responsive to the request for the content item, a content item of the provider;

determining, by the data processing system, a provider dynamic identifier identifying the provider, the provider dynamic identifier generated by the server for the asynchronous communication; and

providing, by the data processing system via a computer network, the provider dynamic identifier with the selected content item for display on a display device of the client device.

4. The method of claim 3, comprising:

retrieving, by the data processing system from a content item data structure, the provider static identifier corresponding to the provider of the content item; and

determining, by the data processing system, the provider dynamic identifier based on a second tuple including the client static identifier received via the request for the content item and the provider static identifier.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the communication channel includes a provider-side communication channel and further comprising:

determining, by the data processing system, based on the client static identifier, a client-side communication channel over which to deliver the content from the client device to the data processing system; and

determining, by the data processing system, the provider dynamic identifier based on the determined client-side communication channel.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication channel includes a provider-side communication channel and further comprising:

receiving, by the data processing system, a second request from the provider device to asynchronously communicate with the client device, the second request identifying the client dynamic identifier and the provider static identifier;

determining, by the data processing system, the client static identifier using a second tuple including the client dynamic identifier and the provider static identifier;

generating, by the asynchronous communication agent, a second transmission data package including content of the second request, a second source address identifying a provider dynamic identifier and a destination address identifying the client static identifier; and

providing, by the asynchronous communication agent, the generated second transmission data package for transmission via a client-side communication channel between the data processing system and the client device.

7. The method of claim 6, comprising providing the generated second transmission data package for transmission via the client-side communication channel different from the provider-side communication channel.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication channel includes a provider-side communication channel and further comprising:

monitoring, by the data processing system, a provider data structure to maintain the request for the asynchronous communication in an active state;

identifying, by the data processing system responsive to the monitoring, a second provider added to the provider data structure subsequent to receiving the request from the client device;

retrieving, by the data processing system, the content of the request from the client device responsive to identifying the second provider added to the provider data structure;

generating, by the asynchronous communication agent, a second transmission data package including the content, the source address identifying the client dynamic identifier and a second destination address identifying a second provider static identifier corresponding to a second provider device of the second provider; and

providing, by the asynchronous communication agent, the generated second transmission data package for transmission via a client-side communication channel between the data processing system and the second provider device.

9. The method of claim 8, comprising:

determining, by the data processing system, a second provider dynamic identifier based on a second tuple including at least two of the client static identifier, the client dynamic identifier, and the second provider static identifier;

generating, by the data processing system responsive to identifying the second provider, a notification including the second provider dynamic identifier; and

transmitting, by the data processing system, the notification to the client device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication channel includes a first provider-side communication channel and further comprising:

receiving, by the data processing system subsequent to providing the generated transmission data package for transmission via the first provider-side communication channel, an indication from the provider device to switch the communication channel to a second provider-side communication channel different from the first provider-side communication channel; and

retrieving, by the data processing system, the content from the previously generated transmission data packet;

generating, by the data processing system, a second transmission data package including the content, the source address identifying the client dynamic identifier and a second destination address identifying a second provider static identifier corresponding to the second provider-side communication channel; and

providing, by the asynchronous communication agent, the generated second transmission data package for transmission via the second provider-side communication channel.

11. A system to maintain an asynchronous communication via an intermediary, comprising:

a data processing system comprising one or more processors and memory, the data processing system intermediary to a plurality of client devices and a plurality of provider devices;

an asynchronous communication agent executed by the data processing system to;

receive, from a client device of the plurality of client devices, a request for an asynchronous communication between the client device and one or more providers, the request including a client static identifier identifying the client device and content to deliver to the one or more providers;

identify a provider of the one or more providers satisfying the request;

determine, using a communication channel selection policy associated with a profile of the identified provider, a communication channel over which to deliver content of the request to a provider device of the provider and a provider static identifier corresponding to the provider device;

generate a client dynamic identifier based on the communication channel selected using the communication channel selection policy associated with the profile of the identified provider;

map, in an asynchronous communication data structure, the client dynamic identifier assigned by the server to the client static identifier of the client device;

generate a transmission data package including the content, a source address identifying the client dynamic identifier and a destination address identifying the provider static identifier; and

provide the generated transmission data package for transmission via the communication channel determined using the communication channel selection policy to the provider device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the communication channel includes a provider-side communication channel and the asynchronous communication agent is configured to:

receive the request for the asynchronous communication from the client device via a client-side communication channel different from the provider-side communication channel, the content of the request in a first format;

translate the content from the first format to a second format corresponding to the provider-side communication channel determined using the communication channel selection policy; and

generate the transmission data package including the content in the second format.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the data processing system is configured to:

receive, prior to the request for the asynchronous communication, a request for a content item for display, the request for the content item including the client static identifier retrieved from memory of the client device;

select, responsive to the request for the content item, a content item of the provider;

determine a provider dynamic identifier that identifies the provider, the provider dynamic identifier generated by the server for the asynchronous communication; and

provide, via a computer network, the provider dynamic identifier with the selected content item for display on a display device of the client device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the data processing system is configured to:

retrieve, from a content item data structure, the provider static identifier corresponding to the provider of the content item; and

determine the provider dynamic identifier based on a second tuple including the client static identifier received via the request for the content item and the provider static identifier.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the communication channel includes a provider-side communication channel and the data processing system is configured to:

determine, based on the client static identifier, a client-side communication channel over which to deliver the content from the client device to the data processing system; and

determine the provider dynamic identifier based on the determined client-side communication channel.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the communication channel includes a provider-side communication channel and the data processing system is configured to:

receive a second request from the provider device to asynchronously communicate with the client device, the second request identifying the client dynamic identifier and the provider static identifier;

determine the client static identifier using a second tuple including the client dynamic identifier and the provider static identifier;

generate a second transmission data package including content of the second request, a second source address identifying a provider dynamic identifier and a destination address identifying the client static identifier; and

provide the generated second transmission data package for transmission via a client-side communication channel between the data processing system and the client device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the data processing system is configured to provide the generated second transmission data package for transmission via the client-side communication channel different from the provider-side communication channel.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the communication channel includes a provider-side communication channel and the data processing system is configured to:

monitor a provider data structure to maintain the request for the asynchronous communication in an active state;

identify, responsive to the monitoring, a second provider added to the provider data structure subsequent to receiving the request from the client device;

retrieve the content of the request from the client device responsive to identifying the second provider added to the provider data structure;

generate a second transmission data package including the content, the source address identifying the client dynamic identifier and a second destination address identifying a second provider static identifier corresponding to a second provider device of the second provider; and

provide the generated second transmission data package for transmission via a client-side communication channel between the data processing system and the second provider device.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the data processing system is configured to:

determine a second provider dynamic identifier based on a second tuple including at least two of the client static identifier, the client dynamic identifier, and the second provider static identifier;

generate, responsive to identifying the second provider, a notification including the second provider dynamic identifier; and

transmit the notification to the client device.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the communication channel includes a first provider-side communication channel and the data processing system is configured to:

receive, subsequent to providing the generated transmission data package for transmission via the first provider-side communication channel, an indication from the provider device to switch the communication channel to a second provider-side communication channel different from the first provider-side communication channel; and

retrieve the content from the previously generated transmission data packet;

generate a second transmission data package including the content, the source address identifying the client dynamic identifier and a second destination address identifying a second provider static identifier corresponding to the second provider-side communication channel; and

provide the generated second transmission data package for transmission via the second provider-side communication channel.