System verifying if an email request passed a policy check before initiating an interactive telephony session

• US 7,698,446 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2008
• Issued: 04/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Tellme Networks Incorporated ([24]7.ai, Inc.)
• Inventors: Scullin, Will H., Cafarella, Michael, Porter, Brandon
• Primary Examiner(s): LUU, LE HIEN
• Application Number:
  US12/176,259
• Publication Number:
  US 20080273676A1
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 709/229, 709/227, 709/206, 709/203, 709/228, 718/102, 718/105, 704/245, 370/236, 370/401, 370/352, 379/201.01, 379/154, 379/156, 379/157, 379/201.02
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1096 Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42365 Presence services providing information on the willingness to communicate or the ability to communicate in terms of media capability or network connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/432 Arrangements for calling a subscriber at a specific time, e.g. morning call service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0054 where the data service is an electronic mail service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/125 Details of gateway equipment

Abstract

A system and method are provided for an intermediate party to facilitate an interactive telephony session between a customer and a sender of a request for the session. The sender can provide the request to the intermediate party via electronic mail. The request includes the information to initiate the interactive telephony session with the customer as well as the information to conduct that session. In one embodiment, the information to conduct the interactive telephony session includes a URL that provides an application in VoiceXML (Voice Extensible Markup Language). The intermediate party can initiate and conduct the session at the appropriate time and provide the sender with a status regarding the session. During the session, the customer can respond with voice or DTMF inputs to various prompts, thereby proceeding with a transaction and/or providing valuable feedback to the sender.

Claims

1. A method for providing a telephony session, the method comprising:

receiving an electronic mail request from a third party using a computer to provide the telephony session;

determining whether the electronic mail request passes a policy check;

calling the customer in accordance with the electronic mail request, in response to determining that the electronic mail request passes the policy check;

accessing a URL providing a VoiceXML application in accordance with the electronic mail request;

running the VoiceXML application when the customer answers; and

responding to an interaction with the customer during the telephony session.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the policy check is set by the third party.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the policy check is set by the customer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the policy check is set by a receiver of the request.

5. A system of providing a telephony session requested by a third party, the system comprising:

a gateway for receiving an electronic mail request from the third party using a computer to provide the telephony session;

an event queue server for determining whether the electronic mail request passes a policy check;

a telephony server for calling the first customer in accordance with the electronic mail request, in response to determining that the electronic mail request passes a policy check;

accessing a URL providing a VoiceXML application, running the VoiceXML application when the first customer answers, and responding to an interaction with the first customer during the telephony session, wherein the telephony server configurably receives an incoming call from a second customer.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

a plurality of telephony servers; and

wherein the event queue interface monitors a status of each of the plurality of telephony servers to determine availability for the telephony session.

7. A method of allowing an intermediate party to facilitate an interactive telephony session between a third party and a customer, the method comprising:

receiving an electronic mail request for the interactive telephony session from the third party using a computer;

determining if the electronic request passes a policy check; and

initiating the interactive telephony session with the customer if the electronic mail request passes the policy check;

accessing a URL providing a VoiceXML application in accordance with the electronic mail request;

running the VoiceXML application when the customer answers;

responding to an interaction with the customer during the interactive telephony session.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the policy check includes confirming required resources.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein confirming required resources includes determining whether an associated file is attached to the electronic request.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein confirming required resources includes determining whether an associated file is referenced in the electronic request.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the policy check includes rejecting any request for the session to be placed or not placed during certain hours.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the policy check includes limiting a number of sessions that a customer receives in a predetermined time period.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the policy check includes load management.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein load management includes modifying a selection process of a plurality of telephony servers.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein load management includes determining a load-balancing scheme.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein load management includes maximizing a number of simultaneous sessions as a percentage of capacity.

17. The method of claim 7, wherein the policy check includes security maintenance.