Systems and methods to facilitate communications

• US 9,209,984 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2008
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thryv, Inc. (Mudrick Capital Management LP)
• Original Assignee: YellowPages.com LLC (Mudrick Capital Management LP)
• Inventors: Altberg, Ebbe, Faber, Scott, Hirson, Ron, Van der Linden, Sean, Manca, Paul G.
• Primary Examiner(s): VANDERHORST, MARIA VICTORIA
• Application Number:
  US12/027,144
• Publication Number:
  US 20080215961A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,862 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1485 Tariff-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4535 using an address exchange platform which sets up a session between two nodes, e.g. rendezvous servers, session initiation protocols [SIP] registrars or H.323 gatekeepers
• 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 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses to facilitate connections between peoples for real time communications. In one embodiment, a method includes: identifying an entity based at least in part on relevancy to a content of a document to be presented to a user; and for presentation to the user adding a communication reference separately from the content used to identify the entity; where the communication reference has been assigned to the entity and the communication reference can be used to request a connection for real time communications with the entity.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

assigning, by a server system, a first communication reference to a plurality of advisers, the plurality of advisers comprising a first adviser, and the first communication reference corresponding to an encoded reference to facilitate real-time communication;

storing, in a database of the server system, the first communication reference in association with the plurality of advisers and contact information obtained from the plurality of advisers;

transmitting, by the server system, the first communication reference over a network in response to a first content request from a first user device;

processing, by the server system, a first message received via the network that indicates a first user selection corresponding to the first communication reference;

responsive to the processing of the first message, decoding, by a first server and/or a first router of the server system, the first communication reference to determine information associated with the first adviser and stored in the database;

connecting, by the server system, a communication device of the first adviser and the first user device to facilitate real-time communications;

collecting, by the server system, statistic data related to real-time communications facilitated by the server system, the statistic data comprising first data about a communication connection between the communication device of the first adviser and the first user device;

receiving, by the server system from a second user device, a request with a reference to first content that is hosted by a third party server, and, based on the reference to the first content, retrieving by the server system content relevant to the request;

analyzing, by the server system, the first content to determine a set of search terms that are representative of a topic of the first content and do not refer to a specific entity;

determining, by the server system, second statistics data relative to the set of search terms, the first content, and rates of prior communication connections per presentations of options to connect with a set of one or more advisers, the second statics data corresponding to a subset of the statistic data related to real-time communications;

identifying, by the server system, a relevant entity using the set of search terms and the second statistics data, the relevant entity corresponding to a second advisor;

transmitting, to the second user device, a response to the request, the response comprising second content for presentation with a representation of the first content, the second content comprises information about the relevant entity and a real-time communication reference of the relevant entity;

processing, by the server system, a second request received from the second user device and based at least in part on the real-time communication reference;

establishing, by the server system and responsive to the second request;

a first voice over Internet protocol call to the second user device with a first virtual softphone; and

a second voice over Internet protocol call to a third user device with a second virtual softphone, the third user device associated with the relevant entity; and

connecting the first voice over Internet protocol call and the second voice over Internet protocol call.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the relevant entity is not referenced in the content.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein no contact information of the relevant entity is provided in the content.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of search terms match descriptions of services provided by the relevant entity.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the real-time communication reference relates to a connection over which the relevant entity provides a service.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the service includes at least one of information, amusement, entertainment, and/or advice.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the response further comprises a price for real-time communications over a connection established using the real-time communication reference between a user and the relevant entity.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the real-time communication reference comprises a telephone reference.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a request for a connection between the user and the relevant entity using the telephone reference;

determining, a telephone number of the relevant entity based on the telephone reference;

calling the relevant entity using the telephone number; and

connecting the user and the relevant entity.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the user device is caused to display the representation of the content in a web page rendered by a browser on the device and the real-time communication reference in a toolbar area of the web page.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first voice over Internet protocol call is with a telecommunication carrier which bridges the first voice over Internet protocol call to a public switched telephone network connection to the second user device; and

the second voice over Internet protocol call is with the telecommunication carrier which bridges the second voice over Internet protocol call to a public switched telephone network connection to the third user device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the first virtual softphone of the telecommunication carrier bridges the first voice over Internet protocol call to the second user device;

the second virtual softphone of the telecommunication carrier bridges the second voice over Internet protocol call to the third user device; and

connecting the first and second voice over Internet protocol calls comprises;

causing the first softphone and the second softphone to establish a direct media connection which does not go through the connection provider.

13. A non-transitory, machine-readable medium having machine-readable instructions thereon, which instructions, when executed by one or more processors of a server system, cause the server system to:

assign a first communication reference to a plurality of advisers, the plurality of advisers comprising a first adviser, and the first communication reference corresponding to an encoded reference to facilitate real-time communication;

store, in a database of the server system, the first communication reference in association with the plurality of advisers and contact information obtained from the plurality of advisers;

transmit the first communication reference over a network in response to a first content request from a first user device;

process a first message received via the network that indicates a first user selection corresponding to the first communication reference;

responsive to the processing of the first message, decode, by a first server and/or a first router of the server system, the first communication reference to determine information associated with the first adviser and stored in the database;

connect a communication device of the first adviser and the first user device to facilitate real-time communications;

collect statistic data related to real-time communications facilitated by the server system, the statistic data comprising first data about a communication connection between the communication device of the first adviser and the first user device;

receive, from a second user device, a request with a reference to first content that is hosted by a third party server, and, based on the reference to the first content, retrieving by the server system content relevant to the request;

analyze the first content to determine a set of search terms that are representative of a topic of the first content and do not refer to a specific entity;

determine second statistics data relative to the set of search terms, the first content, and rates of prior communication connections per presentations of options to connect with a set of one or more advisers, the second statics data corresponding to a subset of the statistic data related to real-time communications;

identify, over the network, a relevant entity using the set of search terms and the second statistics data, the relevant entity corresponding to a second advisor;

transmit, to the second user device, a response to the request, the response comprising second content for presentation with a representation of the first content, the second content comprises information about the relevant entity and a real-time communication reference of the relevant entity;

processing, by the server system, a second request received from the second user device and based at least in part on the real-time communication reference;

establishing, by the server system and responsive to the second request;

a first voice over Internet protocol call to the second user device with a first virtual softphone; and

a second voice over Internet protocol call to a third user device with a second virtual softphone, the third user device associated with the relevant entity; and

connecting the first voice over Internet protocol call and the second voice over Internet protocol call.

14. A server system, comprising:

one or more servers coupled to one or more network interfaces configured to facilitate access to a network, and one or more storage media to retain instructions, the server system to execute the instructions to;

assign a first communication reference to a plurality of advisers, the plurality of advisers comprising a first adviser, and the first communication reference corresponding to an encoded reference to facilitate real-time communication;

store, in a database of the server system, the first communication reference in association with the plurality of advisers and contact information obtained from the plurality of advisers;

transmit the first communication reference over a network in response to a first content request from a first user device;

process a first message received via the network that indicates a first user selection corresponding to the first communication reference;

responsive to the processing of the first message, decode, by a first server and/or a first router of the server system, the first communication reference to determine information associated with the first adviser and stored in the database;

connect a communication device of the first adviser and the first user device to facilitate real-time communications;

collect statistic data related to real-time communications facilitated by the server system, the statistic data comprising first data about a communication connection between the communication device of the first adviser and the first user device;

receive, from a second user device, a request with a reference to first content that is hosted by a third party server, and, based on the reference to the first content, retrieving by the server system content relevant to the request;

analyze the first content to determine a set of search terms that are representative of a topic of the first content and do not refer to a specific entity;

determine second statistics data relative to the set of search terms, the first content, and rates of prior communication connections per presentations of options to connect with a set of one or more advisers, the second statics data corresponding to a subset of the statistic data related to real-time communications;

identifying, over the network, a relevant entity using the set of search terms and the second statistics data, the relevant entity corresponding to a second advisor;

transmit, to the second user device, a response to the request for content, the response comprising second content for presentation with a representation of the first content, the second content comprises information about the relevant entity and a real-time communication reference of the relevant entity;

processing, by the server system, a second request received from the second user device and based at least in part on the real-time communication reference;

establishing, by the server system and responsive to the second request;

a first voice over Internet protocol call to the second user device with a first virtual softphone; and

a second voice over Internet protocol call to a third user device with a second virtual softphone, the third user device associated with the relevant entity; and

connecting the first voice over Internet protocol call and the second voice over Internet protocol call.