Media channel management apparatus for network communications sessions

• US 10,476,917 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2016
• Issued: 11/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories Incorporated (Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories Incorporated (Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pirat, Vincent, Thomas, Frederic, Nicolas, Boris, Ristock, Herbert W. A., Rais, Philippe
• Primary Examiner(s): Elahee, Md S
• Application Number:
  US15/369,358
• Publication Number:
  US 20170149844A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,072 Days
• Field of Search: 379 8801- 8803, 379 8813, 379 8814, 37920701, 37920705, 37921001, 37921101, 37921102, 37921201, 725120
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/252 where a voice mode is enhanced with visual information
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/253 where a visual mode is used instead of a voice mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/651 Text message transmission triggered by call automatic reactions in messaging within packet-switching networks H04L51/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5141 Details of processing calls and other types of contacts in an unified manner unified messaging in packet-switching networks H04L51/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5166 in combination with interactive voice response systems or voice portals, e.g. as front-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet

Abstract

A system includes: a computerized appliance having a processor; and software executing on the computerized appliance from a non-transitory physical medium, the software providing: establishment of a communication session over a network between two or more end communications appliances; detection and recording of at least media channel capabilities on individual end communications appliances connected in the session; service of media channel toggle options to end communications appliances; detection of media channel toggle option selections made by users operating the end communications appliances; and implementation of the media channel toggle option or options selected for individual communications sessions.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory has stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

establish a communication session over a network, in a first media channel, between a first communication device associated with a user and a second communication device associated with a contact center;

transmit a signal to the first communication device or a third communication device to provide a media channel toggle option for toggling the communication session to a second media channel different from the first media channel on the third communication device;

and

in response to receiving a selection of the media channel toggle option, initiate a communication session between the third communication device and the second communication device in the second media channel.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the network is a packet-switched network supporting a plurality of media channels.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein media channels include one or more of voice, text messaging, email, chat, video conferencing, web collaboration, which may include co-browsing, and social media.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the third communication device is a wirelessly-operated mobile communications appliance.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the wirelessly-operated mobile communications appliance is a cellular telephone or a pad device enabled for more than one communication channel.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising detection of dynamic constraints of communication appliances, including actual channel active and signal coverage and strength, in addition to media channel capabilities.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the media channel toggle option is served or otherwise communicated to end communications appliances in a form of a menu of interactive selections and or graphics.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the media channel toggle option is served or otherwise communicated to end communications appliances by an interactive voice response (IVR) system in synthesized or recorded voice prompts.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to capture context communicated over a previous media channel used for the communications session and delivery of that context to the third communication device over the second media channel.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to identify media channel availability for the second media channel.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the media channel toggle option includes an option for continuing the communications session on a different communications end appliance, while either continuing or discontinuing session on an original appliance.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein end communications appliance operating system, platform, and contact information are detected and recorded in addition to media channel capabilities.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to transmit routing instruction to a router to transfer a session to another end communications appliance based on a detected busy state, or other unavailability state on a connected communications appliance of a selected media channel.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein a media channel toggle option includes an option for changing media channels for just one communications end appliance in session.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein a wireless, close-proximity capability is used to capture operating platform, media channel capability, and contact data of an end communications appliance that will replace another in session.

16. A method comprising:

establishing, by a processor, a communication session over a network, in a first media channel, between a first communication device associated with a user and a second communication device associated with a contact center;

transmitting, by the processor, a signal to the first communication device or a third communication device to provide a media channel toggle option for toggling the communication session to a second media channel different from the first media channel on the third communication device; and

in response to receiving a selection of the media channel toggle option, initiate a communication session between the third communication device and the second communication device in the second media channel.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the network is a packet-switched network supporting a plurality of media channels.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein media channels include voice, text messaging, email, chat, and video conferencing.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

capturing and delivering to end communications appliances over a selected media channel of context communicated over a previous media channel used for the communications session.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

notifying communications end devices of media channel availability for selected media channels.