Communication capability coupons

• US 8,190,705 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2008
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daedalus Blue LLC
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bennett, William E., Christensen, James E., Malkin, Peter K., Richards, John T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zong, Ruolei
• Application Number:
  US12/204,442
• Publication Number:
  US 20080320101A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,363 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/204, 709/246, 709/230, 709/218, 709/219, 709223-229, 715/700, 715727-729, 715/746, 715/736, 715/737, 715/866, 715/740, 719/310, 719311-321, 719328-332, 348/14.03, 379/31, 379/32.01, 379 36- 51, 379/90.01, 379/142.01, 379/142.07, 379/100.06, 379/93.01, 379/93.35, 379/93.23, 379/88.13, 379/88.17, 379/88.19, 379/88.2, 379/88.21, 379/142.15, 379/215.01, 379/211.01, 379/201.01, 379/230, 379/200, 455/417, 705 50- 80
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42195 Arrangements for calling back a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy H04M3/48
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0024 Services and arrangements where telephone services are combined with data services arrangements which combine a telephonic equipment and a computer H04M7/0012
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/003 Click to dial services

Abstract

A system and method establishes communications between first and second parties. A request initiated by a first party is generated for establishing a communications channel over a first communications network between the first and second parties. An intermediary server device interrupts the request and attempts to generate the channel. If unsuccessful, the server device translates the request into a data network object, which is passed to the second party via a second communications network. The network object enables the second party to communicate acceptance for establishing communication with the first party over the first communications network. The second party invokes the network object upon receipt thereof or at a future time for creating a communications channel between the first and second parties. Alternately, the first party may establish a coupon for communication directly to a second party without a first prior attempt to create the channel.

Claims

1. A method for establishing communications between first and second parties through the intermediary of a server device, said method comprising the steps of:

generating a request initiated by a first party for establishing a communications channel over a first communications network between said first party and a second party, said first communications network comprising a telephone communications network;

interrupting, at a server device associated with said first communications network, receipt of said request and translating the request into a data network object representing a communications capability for subsequently establishing, at a plurality of times, a communications channel between said first party and second party, said data network object maintaining state information concerning use of said communications capability, said maintained state information including an identification (ID) of the first party and information for subsequently establishing, via said data network object, a communications channel between said first and second party over said first communications network, and, an indication of a number of times the second party is allowed to invoke the data network object; and

,

sending the data network object to the second party via a second communications network, said second communications network comprising a data communications network, said network object enabling a second party to communicate acceptance of communicating with said first party upon receipt thereof or at a future time back to said server device;

upon receipt of said acceptance, initiating via said server device, creation of a communications channel between the first and second parties over said first communications network, and,

implementing, at said server device, a counter for tracking each subsequent communication successfully completed between the first and second parties over said first communications network, said server device decrementing said counter each time the data network object is successfully used to establish a subsequent call that has been completed between the first and second parties over said channel in said first communications network.

2. The method for establishing communications as claimed in claim 1, whereby the establishment of said communications channel is synchronous.

3. The method for establishing communications as claimed in claim 1, wherein said server device is connected to both said first and second networks, said second party accepting a network object'"'"'s request and communicating this acceptance to the server device via the second network.

4. The method for establishing communications as claimed in claim 1, wherein said network object including said request appears on a second party'"'"'s attached network device.

5. The method for establishing communications as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first communications and second communications networks are data networks, said first party initiating establishment of a communications connection with the second party using a computer application, said network object including said request appearing on a second party'"'"'s attached network device.

6. The method for establishing communications as claimed in claim 1, wherein said network object enables a second party to reject the request, said method further including generating a rejection message for display on a first party'"'"'s attached network device.

7. The method for establishing communications as claimed in claim 6, further including the step of translating the rejection message from text into voice message and playing the translated voice message to the first party over an attached communications device via said first communications network.

8. The method for establishing communications as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

enabling the second party to generate a return message for receipt by said first party via said network object.

9. The method for establishing communications as claimed in claim 1, further including the step of:

providing a listening application for determining availability of the second party via said second communications network, wherein said sending further comprises establishing a socket connection to said listening application for delivering said request to the second party.

10. The method for establishing communications as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sending further comprises establishing delivery of said request to the second party by embedding said request in an Instant Message.

11. The method for establishing communications as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sending further comprises establishing delivery of said request to the second party by embedding said request in an e-mail message.

12. The method for establishing communications as claimed in claim 1, wherein said interrupting is invoked automatically upon failure to establish a communication channel to said second party.

13. The method for establishing communications as claimed in claim 1, wherein said maintained state information further includes an amount of monetary charges said first party is willing to pay for establishing said communication channel between the first and second parties over said first communications network, said server device tabulating a total charges incurred by said data network object usage.

14. The method for establishing communications as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

temporarily deactivating, via said server device at the initiation of said first party, the data network object for periods when the first party is unavailable.

15. The method for establishing communications as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

deleting, via said server device, the data network object in response to a request from the first party.

16. The method for establishing communications as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

permitting, via said server device, the second party to break into an existing telephone communications channel as an invocation of said data network object.

17. A system for establishing communications between first and second parties comprising:

a means for generating a request initiated by a first party for establishing a communications channel over a first communications network between said first party and said second party;

an intermediary server means for interrupting receipt of said request and for translating the request into a network object representing a communications capability for subsequently establishing, at a plurality of times, a communications channel between said first party and second party, said data network object maintaining state information concerning use of said communications capability, said maintained state information including an identification (ID) of the first party and information for subsequently establishing, via said data network object, a communications channel between said first and second party over said first communications network, and, an indication of a number of times the second party is allowed to invoke the data network object;

said intermediary server means communicating the network object to the second party via a second communications network, said network object enabling a second party to communicate acceptance of communicating with said first party upon receipt thereof or at a future time back to said server device, said intermediary server means further initiating creation of a communications channel between the first and second user; and

said intermediary server means further implementing a counter for tracking each subsequent communication successfully completed between the first and second parties over said second communications network, said intermediary server means decrementing said counter each time the data network object is successfully used to establish a subsequent call that has been completed between the first and second parties over said channel in said second communications network.

18. The system for establishing communications as claimed in claim 17, wherein said intermediary server is connected to both first and second communications networks, said second party accepting a network object'"'"'s request and communicating this acceptance to the intermediary server via the second communications network.

19. The system for establishing communications as claimed in claim 18, wherein said first communications network is a telephone communications network and said second communications network is a data communications network, said network object including said request appearing on a second party'"'"'s attached network device.

20. The system for establishing communications as claimed in claim 18, wherein said first and second communications networks are data communications networks, said first party initiating establishment of a communications connection with the second party using a computer application, said network object including said request appearing on a second party'"'"'s attached network device.

21. The system for establishing communications as claimed in claim 17, wherein said network object includes means for enabling a second party to generate a message concerning said request back to said first party via said network object, said system further including means for generating a corresponding message for display on a first party'"'"'s attached network device.

22. The system for establishing communications as claimed in claim 17, wherein a rejection message includes a text message for rejecting said request, said system further including means for translating the rejection message from text into a voice message and for playing the translated voice message to the first party over an attached synchronous communications device via said first communications network.

23. The system for establishing communications as claimed in claim 17, wherein said intermediary server includes means for determining availability of a second party via said second communications network.

24. The system for establishing communications as claimed in claim 23, wherein said intermediary server includes means for establishing a socket connection from said availability determining means for delivering said request to the second party.

25. The system for establishing communications as claimed in claim 17, wherein said means for communicating the network object includes embedding said request in one or more of:

an Instant Message, or e-mail message.

26. The system for establishing communications as claimed in claim 17, wherein said maintained state information further includes an amount of monetary charges said first party is willing to pay for establishing said communication channel between the first and second parties over said first communications network, said intermediary server means tabulating a total charges incurred by said data network object usage.

27. A method for establishing a communications channel between a first and second user comprising the steps of:

generating a data network object at the initiation of a first user via a server device, said data network object representing a communications capability for subsequently establishing, at a plurality of times, a communications channel between said first party and second party, said data network object maintaining state information concerning use of said communications capability, said maintained state information including an identification (ID) of the first party and information for subsequently establishing, via said data network object, a communications channel between said first and second party over a second communications network, and, an indication of a number of times the second party is allowed to invoke the data network object;

providing said data network object to a second user, via a first communications network, said second user having the ability to either accept or reject said data network object upon receipt thereof or at a future time via said first communications network;

accepting said data network object by said second user, and upon acceptance of said data network object by said second user, said server device establishing a communications channel between said first user and said second user via said second communications network; and

,

implementing, at said server device, a counter for tracking each subsequent communication successfully completed between the first and second parties over said second communications network, said counter being decremented each time the data network object is successfully used to establish a subsequent call that has been completed between the first and second parties over said communications channel in said second communications network.

28. The method for establishing a communications channel as claimed in claim 27, wherein said providing comprises establishing a socket connection between an attached second user'"'"'s device and a listening application executing at said server device.

29. The method for establishing a communications channel as claimed in claim 27, wherein said providing comprises embedding said data network object in an Instant Message communicated to the second user.

30. The method for establishing a communications channel as claimed in claim 27, wherein said providing comprises embedding said data network object in an e-mail message communicated to the second user.

31. The method for establishing a communications channel as claimed in claim 27, wherein said establishing a communications channel between said first user and a second user includes the step of determining the identities of the first and second user and the communications channels supported by both the first and second user.

32. The method for establishing a communications channel as claimed in claim 27, wherein said establishing a communications channel between said first user and a second user includes determining the communications channels currently available to both the first and second user.

33. The method for establishing a communications channel as claimed in claim 27, wherein said establishing a communications channel between said first user and a second user includes determining said communications channel based on prioritized lists of communications channels for both the first and second user.

34. The method for establishing a communication channel as claimed in claim 27, wherein said maintained state information further includes an amount of monetary charges said first party is willing to pay for establishing said communication channel between the first and second parties over said second communications network, said server device tabulating a total charges incurred by said data network object usage.