Voice over internet integration

• US 10,051,132 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2016
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 1, LLC
• Original Assignee: III Holdings 1, LLC
• Inventors: Friedman, David, Wu, Wai
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hom, Shick
• Application Number:
  US15/155,785
• Publication Number:
  US 20160381228A1
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/523 with call distribution or queueing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/003 Click to dial services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/90 Internet, e.g. Internet phone, webphone, internet-based telephony

Abstract

An Internet-based communication method, apparatus and/or software may permit a user, engaged in a session using a first mode of communication, to initiate a communication using a second mode of communication. This may be done by providing an icon button for selection by the user, and the communication session using the second mode of communication may be initiated upon selection of the icon button.

Claims

1. An Internet-based communication method, including:

enabling an initial interactive or non-interactive communication session involving at least a first user, the initial communication session being in a first communication mode;

providing an icon button in the initial communication session to at least the first user to enable at least the first user to initiate a second communication session, using a second communication mode different from the first communication mode, by selecting the icon button; and

enabling a communication session using the second communication mode in response to selection of the icon button,

wherein the first communication mode is video conferencing with the second user or instant messaging with the second user, and wherein the method further includes;

providing an icon button in the initial communication session to the second user to enable the second user to initiate the second communication session, using the second communication mode different from the first communication mode, by selecting the icon button.

2. The communication method of claim 1, wherein the second communication mode is voice communication with a second user.

3. The communication method of claim 2, wherein the enabling a communication using the second communication mode comprises setting up a Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) communication session between the first user and the second user.

4. The communication method of claim 1, further including:

obtaining user preferences of the first user, relevant to the second communication mode, and applying the user preferences during the enabling the communication session using the second communication mode.

5. An Internet-based communication method, including:

enabling an initial interactive or non-interactive communication session involving at least a first user, the initial communication session being in a first communication mode;

providing an icon button in the initial communication session to at least the first user to enable at least the first user to initiate a second communication session, using a second communication mode different from the first communication mode, by selecting the icon button;

enabling a communication session using the second communication mode in response to selection of the icon button; and

obtaining user preferences of the first user, relevant to the second communication mode, and applying the user preferences during the enabling the communication session using the second communication mode,

wherein the user preferences include an indication of a preferred device for use in the second communication mode.

6. An Internet-based communication method, including:

enabling an initial interactive or non-interactive communication session involving at least a first user, the initial communication session being in a first communication mode;

providing an icon button in the initial communication session to at least the first user to enable at least the first user to initiate a second communication session, using a second communication mode different from the first communication mode, by selecting the icon button;

enabling a communication session using the second communication mode in response to selection of the icon button;

obtaining user preferences of the first user, relevant to the second communication mode, and applying the user preferences during the enabling the communication session using the second communication mode; and

obtaining user preferences of a second user to be involved in the communication using the second communication mode, and applying the user preferences of the second user during the enabling the communication session using the second communication mode.

7. An apparatus to facilitate Internet-based communications, the apparatus including:

a processor coupled to the Internet; and

a non-transitory memory configured to communicate with the processor, the non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that are executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to perform operations including;

enabling an initial interactive or non-interactive communication session involving at least a first user, the initial communication session being in a first communication mode;

providing an icon button in the initial communication session to at least the first user to enable at least the first user to initiate a second communication session, using a second communication mode different from the first communication mode, by selecting the icon button; and

enabling a communication session using the second communication mode in response to selection of the icon button, wherein the first communication mode is video conferencing with the second user or instant messaging with the second user, and wherein the operations further include;

providing an icon button in the initial communication session to the second user to enable the second user to initiate the second communication session, using the second communication mode different from the first communication mode, by selecting the icon button.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the second communication mode is voice communication with a second user.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the enabling a communication using the second communication mode comprises setting up a Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) communication session between the first user and the second user.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the operations further include:

obtaining user preferences of the first user, relevant to the second communication mode, and applying the user preferences during the enabling the communication session using the second communication mode.

11. An apparatus to facilitate Internet-based communications, the apparatus including:

a processor coupled to the Internet; and

a non-transitory memory configured to communicate with the processor, the non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that are executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to perform operations including;

enabling an initial interactive or non-interactive communication session involving at least a first user, the initial communication session being in a first communication mode;

providing an icon button in the initial communication session to at least the first user to enable at least the first user to initiate a second communication session, using a second communication mode different from the first communication mode, by selecting the icon button;

enabling a communication session using the second communication mode in response to selection of the icon button; and

obtaining user preferences of the first user, relevant to the second communication mode, and applying the user preferences during the enabling the communication session using the second communication mode, wherein the user preferences include an indication of a preferred device for use in the second communication mode.

12. An apparatus to facilitate Internet-based communications, the apparatus including:

a processor coupled to the Internet; and

a non-transitory memory configured to communicate with the processor, the non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that are executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to perform operations including;

enabling an initial interactive or non-interactive communication session involving at least a first user, the initial communication session being in a first communication mode;

providing an icon button in the initial communication session to at least the first user to enable at least the first user to initiate a second communication session, using a second communication mode different from the first communication mode, by selecting the icon button;

enabling a communication session using the second communication mode in response to selection of the icon button;

obtaining user preferences of the first user, relevant to the second communication mode, and applying the user preferences during the enabling the communication session using the second communication mode; and

obtaining user preferences of a second user to be involved in the communication using the second communication mode, and applying the user preferences of the second user during the enabling the communication session using the second communication mode.

13. A non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that are executable by a processor to cause an Internet-based communications apparatus including the processor to perform operations including:

enabling an initial interactive or non-interactive communication session involving at least a first user, the initial communication session being in a first communication mode;

providing an icon button in the initial communication session to at least the first user to enable at least the first user to initiate a second communication session, using a second communication mode different from the first communication mode, by selecting the icon button; and

enabling a communication session using the second communication mode in response to selection of the icon button, wherein the first communication mode is video conferencing with the second user or instant messaging with the second user, and wherein the operations further include;

providing an icon button in the initial communication session to the second user to enable the second user to initiate the second communication session, using the second communication mode different from the first communication mode, by selecting the icon button.

14. The memory of claim 13, wherein the second communication mode is voice communication with a second user.

15. The memory of claim 14, wherein the enabling a communication using the second communication mode comprises setting up a Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) communication session between the first user and the second user.

16. The memory of claim 13, wherein the operations further include:

obtaining user preferences of the first user, relevant to the second communication mode, and applying the user preferences during the enabling the communication session using the second communication mode.

17. A non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that are executable by a processor to cause an Internet-based communications apparatus including the processor to perform operations including:

enabling an initial interactive or non-interactive communication session involving at least a first user, the initial communication session being in a first communication mode;

providing an icon button in the initial communication session to at least the first user to enable at least the first user to initiate a second communication session, using a second communication mode different from the first communication mode, by selecting the icon button;

enabling a communication session using the second communication mode in response to selection of the icon button; and

obtaining user preferences of the first user, relevant to the second communication mode, and applying the user preferences during the enabling the communication session using the second communication mode,

wherein the user preferences include an indication of a preferred device for use in the second communication mode.

18. A non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that are executable by a processor to cause an Internet-based communications apparatus including the processor to perform operations including:

enabling an initial interactive or non-interactive communication session involving at least a first user, the initial communication session being in a first communication mode;

providing an icon button in the initial communication session to at least the first user to enable at least the first user to initiate a second communication session, using a second communication mode different from the first communication mode, by selecting the icon button;

enabling a communication session using the second communication mode in response to selection of the icon button;

obtaining user preferences of the first user, relevant to the second communication mode, and applying the user preferences during the enabling the communication session using the second communication mode; and

obtaining user preferences of a second user to be involved in the communication using the second communication mode, and applying the user preferences of the second user during the enabling the communication session using the second communication mode.