INTELLIGENT ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS

• US 20110206193A1
• Filed: 03/04/2011
• Published: 08/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AOL Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cooper, Robert M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,553,858 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/93.09
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/003 Click to dial services

Abstract

Establishing a telephone call includes enabling display of a visual indicator of a call destination entity and detecting selection by a user of the visual indicator. The availability of the user to receive a first telephone call is determined. Voice communications between the call destination entity and the user are established in response to detection of the selection by the user of the visual indicator and conditioned on the user being determined to be available to receive the first telephone call. Establishing voice communications includes enabling placement of the first telephone call to the user to establish a first PSTN link with the user and enabling a voice communications link to be setup with the call destination entity.

Claims

1-33. -33. (canceled)

34. A computer-implemented method for establishing electronic communications, comprising:

determining a predictive trait associated with a user;

providing a visual indicator with an appearance based on the determined predictive trait, wherein the visual indicator is associated with a call destination entity;

receiving an indication of a selection, by the user, of the visual indicator;

determining whether the user is available to receive an electronic communication; and

requesting, in response to detection of the selection by the user of the visual indicator and if the user is determined to be available to receive an electronic communication, establishment of an electronic communication between the call destination entity and the user.

35. The computer-implemented method of claim 34, wherein determining a predictive trait associated with the user comprises:

accessing an electronic communication history associated with the user; and

analyzing the electronic communication history to determine a pattern of electronic communication behavior associated with the user, wherein the pattern of electronic communication behavior is determined to be predictive of the user'"'"'s future electronic communication behavior.

36. The computer-implemented method of claim 34, wherein the visual indicator is an advertisement associated with the call destination entity.

37. The computer-implemented method of claim 34, wherein the visual indicator is selected in accordance with business rules of a customer loyalty program.

38. The computer-implemented method of claim 34, wherein the visual indicator is associated with a complimentary product available to the user.

39. The computer-implemented method of claim 34, further comprising receiving confirmation from the user of the user'"'"'s interest in receiving an electronic communication from the call destination entity.

40. The computer-implemented method of claim 34, further comprising:

placing a telephone call to the user;

establishing a voice communications link with the call destination entity; and

bridging the telephone call with the voice communications link.

41. The computer-implemented method of claim 34, further comprising indicating to the call destination entity to leave a voice message for the user.

42. The computer-implemented method of claim 34, wherein providing the visual indicator comprises integrating the visual indicator into an instant messaging user interface.

43. The computer-implemented method of claim 34, wherein the visual indicator is associated with a listing of a plurality of call destination entities.

44. A computer-based system for electronic communications comprising one or more processors and one or more storage media storing a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions being executable by at least one processor for:

determining a predictive trait associated with a user;

providing a visual indicator with an appearance based on the determined predictive trait, wherein the visual indicator is associated with a call destination entity;

receiving an indication of a selection, by the user, of the visual indicator;

determining whether the user is available to receive an electronic communication; and

requesting, in response to detection of the selection by the user of the visual indicator and if the user is determined to be available to receive an electronic communication, establishment of an electronic communication between the call destination entity and the user.

45. The computer-implemented method of claim 44, wherein determining a predictive trait associated with the user comprises:

accessing an electronic communication history associated with the user; and

analyzing the electronic communication history to determine a pattern of electronic communication behavior associated with the user, wherein the pattern of electronic communication behavior is determined to be predictive of the user'"'"'s future electronic communication behavior.

46. The computer-implemented method of claim 44, wherein the visual indicator is an advertisement associated with the call destination entity.

47. The computer-implemented method of claim 44, wherein the visual indicator is selected in accordance with business rules of a customer loyalty program.

48. The computer-implemented method of claim 44, wherein the visual indicator is associated with a complimentary product available to the user.

49. The computer-implemented method of claim 44, further comprising receiving confirmation from the user of the user'"'"'s interest in receiving an electronic communication from the call destination entity.

50. The computer-implemented method of claim 44, further comprising:

placing a telephone call to the user;

establishing a voice communications link with the call destination entity; and

bridging the telephone call with the voice communications link.

51. The computer-implemented method of claim 44, further comprising indicating to the call destination entity to leave a voice message for the user.

52. The computer-implemented method of claim 44, wherein providing the visual indicator comprises integrating the visual indicator into an instant messaging user interface.

53. The computer-implemented method of claim 44, wherein the visual indicator is associated with a listing of a plurality of call destination entities.