Method of allocating data communication sessions based upon user information

• US 20030126206A1
• Filed: 01/03/2002
• Published: 07/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alvaria Cayman
• Original Assignee: Aspect Software Incorporated
• Inventors: Shambaugh, Craig R., Ball, Marshall, Hollatz, Michael C., Dezonno, Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 7,917,623 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for establishing communication sessions through the Internet. The method includes the steps of receiving a request from an Internet requester by a website for a communication session with an agent of the website, analyzing browser associated information relating to the request and selecting an agent for the communication session based upon a content of the analyzed browser associated information.

Claims

1. A method of establishing communication sessions through the Internet, such method comprising:

receiving a request from an Internet requester by a website for a communication session with an agent of the website;

analyzing browser associated information relating to the request; and

selecting an agent for the communication session based upon a content of the analyzed browser associated information.

2. The method of establishing communication sessions as in claim 1 wherein the step of analyzing browser associated information further comprises retrieving a list of router identifiers defining a path from the Internet requester to the website.

3. The method of establishing communication sessions as in claim 2 further comprising identifying a locale of an IP packet router in a closest relative location to the requester.

4. The method of establishing communication sessions as in claim 3 wherein the step of selecting the agent further comprises identifying an agent in the identified locale of the closest relative router.

5. The method of establishing communication sessions as in claim 4 wherein the step of analyzing browser associated information further comprises determining an organizational affiliation of the requester from a domain name of the request.

6. The method of establishing communication sessions as in claim 5 wherein the step of selecting an agent further comprises retrieving a list of agents qualified to service communication sessions with the determined organization.

7. The method of establishing communication sessions as in claim 6 further comprising transferring a URL of the requester to the selected agent.

8. The method of establishing communication sessions as in claim 1 further comprising retrieving a set of shared files from a browser of the requester.

9. The method of establishing communication sessions as in claim 8 further comprising detecting a set of file extension of the shared files.

10. The method of establishing communication sessions as in claim 9 further comprising comparing the file extensions with a communications capability index.

11. The method of establishing communication sessions as in claim 10 wherein the step of selecting the agent further comprises searching for an agent with a communication capability index substantially equal to the requester.

12. The method of establishing communication sessions as in claim 8 further comprising detecting a URL of a competitor.

13. The method of establishing communication sessions as in claim 12 wherein the URL of the competitor further comprises an identifier of a webpage of a specific product of the competitor.

14. The method of establishing communication sessions as in claim 13 wherein the step of selecting the agent further comprises searching for an agent with a knowledge of the specific product of the competitor.

15. An apparatus for of establishing communication sessions through the Internet, such apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a request from an Internet requester by a website for a communication session with an agent of the website;

means for analyzing browser associated information relating to the request; and

means for selecting an agent for the communication session based upon a content of the analyzed browser associated information.

16. The apparatus for establishing communication sessions as in claim 15 wherein the means for analyzing browser associated information further comprises means for retrieving a list of router identifiers defining a path from the Internet requester to the website.

17. The apparatus for establishing communication sessions as in claim 16 further comprising means for identifying a locale of an IP packet router in a closest relative location to the requester.

18. The apparatus for establishing communication sessions as in claim 17 wherein the means for selecting the agent further comprises means for identifying an agent in the identified locale of the closest relative router.

19. The apparatus for establishing communication sessions as in claim 18 wherein the means for analyzing browser associated information further comprises means for determining an organizational affiliation of the requester from a domain name of the request.

20. The apparatus for establishing communication sessions as in claim 19 wherein the means for selecting an agent further comprises means for retrieving a list of agents qualified to service communication sessions with the determined organization.

21. The apparatus for establishing communication sessions as in claim 20 further comprising means for transferring a URL of the requester to the selected agent.

22. The apparatus for establishing communication sessions as in claim 15 further comprising means for retrieving a set of shared files from a browser of the requester.

23. The apparatus for establishing communication sessions as in claim 22 further comprising means for detecting a set of file extension of the shared files.

24. The apparatus for establishing communication sessions as in claim 23 further comprising means for comparing the file extensions with a communications capability index.

25. The apparatus for establishing communication sessions as in claim 24 wherein the means for selecting the agent further comprises means for searching for an agent with a communication capability index substantially equal to the requester.

26. The apparatus for establishing communication sessions as in claim 22 further comprising means for detecting a URL of a competitor.

27. The apparatus for establishing communication sessions as in claim 26 wherein the URL of the competitor further comprises an identifier of a webpage of a specific product of the competitor.

28. The apparatus for establishing communication sessions as in claim 27 wherein the means for selecting the agent further comprises means for searching for an agent with a knowledge of the specific product of the competitor.

29. An apparatus for of establishing communication sessions through the Internet, such apparatus comprising:

a website adapted to receive a request from an Internet requester for a communication session with an agent of the website;

a packet analyzer adapted to analyze browser associated information relating to the request; and

an agent selection application adapted to select an agent for the communication session based upon a content of the analyzed browser associated information.

30. The apparatus for establishing communication sessions as in claim 29 wherein the packet processor further comprises a TRACEROUTE application adapted to retrieve a list of router identifiers defining a path from the Internet requester to the website.

31. The apparatus for establishing communication sessions as in claim 30 wherein the packet processor further comprises an agent selection application adapted to identify an agent in the identified locale of the closest relative router.

32. The apparatus for establishing communication sessions as in claim 31 wherein the agent selection application further comprises an agent lookup table adapted to retrieve a list of agents in the identified locale of the closest relative router.

33. The apparatus for establishing communication sessions as in claim 31 further comprising a communication processor adapted to transfer a URL of the requester to the selected agent.

34. The apparatus for establishing communication sessions as in claim 29 wherein the browser associated information further comprises a set of shared files from a browser of the requester.

35. The apparatus for establishing communication sessions as in claim 34 wherein the set of shared files further comprises a set of file extensions of the shared files.

36. The apparatus for establishing communication sessions as in claim 35 further comprising a file analyzer adapted to comparing the file extensions with a communications capability index.

37. The apparatus for establishing communication sessions as in claim 36 wherein the file analyzer further comprises a communication capability index.

38. The apparatus for establishing communication sessions as in claim 34 wherein the set of shared files further comprises a cookie left by another server.