SIMULTANEOUS VISUAL AND TELEPHONIC ACCESS TO INTERACTIVE INFORMATION DELIVERY

• US 20110125911A1
• Filed: 02/04/2011
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: KOCH, Robert A., Caldwell, Hamish M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,775,635 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/38 Telephone uniform resource identifier [URI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/65 Telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/252 where a voice mode is enhanced with visual information
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42229 Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0027 Collaboration services where a computer is used for data transfer and the telephone is used for telephonic communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13175 Graphical user interface [GUI], WWW interface, visual indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13377 Recorded announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel

Abstract

A method and system for providing a visual interactive voice response session are provided. A visual interactive voice response server determines whether a session identifier database includes a session identifier that is associated with a first device. The visual interactive voice response server initiates the visual interactive voice response session with the first device when the session identifier database includes the session identifier that is associated with the first device. The session identifier that is associated with the first device is removed from the session identifier database when the visual interactive voice response session is terminated.

Claims

1. A method for providing a visual interactive voice response session, comprising:

determining, by a visual interactive voice response server, whether a session identifier database includes a session identifier that is associated with a first device; and

initiating, by the visual interactive voice response server, the visual interactive voice response session with the first device when the session identifier database includes the session identifier that is associated with the first device,

wherein the session identifier that is associated with the first device is removed from the session identifier database when the visual interactive voice response session is terminated.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the session identifier that is associated with the first device is stored in the session identifier database when a second device that is associated with the first device establishes a connection with the visual interactive voice response server, and

the visual interactive voice response server initiates the visual interactive voice response session with the first device and the second device.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein the visual interactive voice response session is terminated when the second device is disconnected from the visual interactive voice response server.

4. The method as set forth in claim 3, wherein a service controller stores the session identifier in the session identifier database and removes the session identifier from the session identifier database.

5. The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein

the visual interactive voice response server provides audio content of the visual interactive voice response session to the first device via a voice extensible markup language gateway, and

the visual interactive voice response server further provides visual content of the visual interactive voice response session to the second device via the connection in synchronization with the audio content.

6. The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein the session identifier comprises an internet protocol address, a voice directory number, and an internet directory number.

7. The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein the first device is a telephone and the second device is a networking device that includes a processor and a memory.

8. The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein the first device and the second device are the same device.

9. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

establishing, by the visual interactive voice response server, a connection with the first device via a network,

wherein the visual interactive voice response server determines whether the session identifier database includes the session identifier that is associated with the first device in response to the visual interactive voice response server establishing the connection with the first device.

10. The method as set forth in claim 9, further comprising:

prompting, via the connection, the first device to initiate the visual interactive voice response session when the visual interactive voice response server determines that the session identifier database includes the session identifier that is associated with the first device; and

receiving, via the connection, a request from the first device to initiate the visual interactive voice response session,

wherein the visual interactive voice response server initiates the visual interactive voice response session with the first device in response to receiving the request.

11. The method as set forth in claim 10, further comprising:

prompting, via the connection, the first device to initiate an interactive voice response session when the visual interactive voice response server determines that the session identifier database does not include the session identifier that is associated with the first device;

receiving, via the connection, a request from the first device to initiate the interactive voice response session; and

initiating, by the visual interactive voice response server, the interactive voice response session with the first device in response to receiving the request.

12. A system for providing a visual interactive voice response session, comprising:

a session identifier database;

a visual interactive voice response server that determines whether the session identifier database includes a session identifier that is associated with a first device and that initiates the visual interactive voice response session with the first device when the session identifier database includes the session identifier that is associated with the first device,

wherein the session identifier database removes the session identifier that is associated with the first device when the visual interactive voice response session is terminated.

13. The system as set forth in claim 12, wherein

the session identifier database stores the session identifier that is associated with the first device when a second device that is associated with the first device establishes a connection with the visual interactive voice response server, and

the visual interactive voice response server initiates the visual interactive voice response session with the first device and the second device.

14. The system as set forth in claim 13, wherein the visual interactive voice response session is terminated when the second device is disconnected from the visual interactive voice response server.

15. The system as set forth in claim 14, wherein a service controller stores the session identifier in the session identifier database and removes the session identifier from the session identifier database.

16. The system as set forth in claim 13, wherein

the visual interactive voice response server provides audio content of the visual interactive voice response session to the first device via a voice extensible markup language gateway, and

the visual interactive voice response server further provides visual content of the visual interactive voice response session to the second device via the connection in synchronization with the audio content.

17. The system as set forth in claim 13, wherein the session identifier comprises an internet protocol address, a voice directory number, and an internet directory number.

18. The system as set forth in claim 13, wherein the first device is a telephone and the second device is a networking device that includes a processor and a memory.

19. The system as set forth in claim 13, wherein the first device and the second device are the same device.

20. The system as set forth in claim 12, wherein

the visual interactive voice response server establishes a connection with the first device via a network,

the visual interactive voice response server determines whether the session identifier database includes the session identifier that is associated with the first device in response to the visual interactive voice response server establishing the connection with the first device,

the visual interactive voice response server prompts the first device to initiate the visual interactive voice response session when it determines that the session identifier database includes the session identifier that is associated with the first device,

the visual interactive voice response server initiates the visual interactive voice response session with the first device in response to receiving a request from the first device to initiate the visual interactive voice response session,

the visual interactive voice response server prompts the first device to initiate an interactive voice response session when it determines that the session identifier database does not include the session identifier that is associated with the first device, and

the visual interactive voice response server initiates the interactive voice response session with the first device in response to receiving a request from the first device to initiate the interactive voice response session.