Inviting assistant entity into a network communication session
First Claim
1. A method of inviting an assistant entity into an existing communication session established by a service system with an associated transport mechanism for the exchange of data across a network between endpoint entities joined to the session;
- wherein;
(a)—
a first endpoint entity already joined to the session and constituted by a party having an endpoint system connected to the network, sends a request to the service system requesting the presence of an assistant entity in the session, the request directly or indirectly indicating the identity of the existing session;
(b)—
the service system selects an appropriate assistant entity from a group of assistant entities taking account of context data concerning the existing session, and joins the selected assistant entity to the session.
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Abstract
A method is provided for inviting an assistant entity, such as a customer service representative acting through a endpoint system, into an existing network communication session established by a service system. The service system controls the joining of endpoint entities to the session and enables endpoint entities joined to the session to communicate with each other. The method involves a first party associated with an endpoint system already joined to the session, indicating to the service system that the presence of an assistant entity is required. The service system selects an appropriate assistant entity taking account of the current context of the communication session, and joins the selected assistant entity to the session.
154 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of inviting an assistant entity into an existing communication session established by a service system with an associated transport mechanism for the exchange of data across a network between endpoint entities joined to the session;
- wherein;
(a)—
a first endpoint entity already joined to the session and constituted by a party having an endpoint system connected to the network, sends a request to the service system requesting the presence of an assistant entity in the session, the request directly or indirectly indicating the identity of the existing session;
(b)—
the service system selects an appropriate assistant entity from a group of assistant entities taking account of context data concerning the existing session, and joins the selected assistant entity to the session. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20)
- wherein;
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17. A service system comprising
a session entity for establishing communication sessions and controlling the joining of endpoint entities to each such session; -
a transport entity for establishing a transport mechanism for each session established by the session entity, the transport mechanism allowing the exchange of data across a network between endpoint entities joined to the session;
request-reception means operative to receive a request from a first endpoint entity already joined to a session and constituted by a party having an endpoint system connected to the network, the request serving to request the presence of an assistant entity in the session and directly or indirectly indicating the identity of the existing communication session; and
assistant-selection means responsive to the receipt of a said request by the request-reception means to select an appropriate assistant entity from a group of possible assistant entities taking account of the context of the existing communication session, the assistant-selection means being operative to cause the session entity to join the selected assistant entity to the session.
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Specification