Occasionally-connected computing interface

• US 9,331,969 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2014
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LivePerson Incorporated
• Original Assignee: LivePerson Incorporated
• Inventors: Barak, Matan, Kehat, Arnon-Naftally, Yagil, Noam
• Primary Examiner(s): Bates, Kevin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Naoreen, Nazia
• Application Number:
  US14/322,736
• Publication Number:
  US 20150012848A1
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]

Abstract

Described are computer-based methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, for allowing a user to switch between interfacing with a service through a network or through short message service (SMS). A chat service is executed through which a first user at a first computer can communicate directly with a second user at a second computer. A request is received from the first computer to enable the first user to interface with the chat service through a mobile device of the first user using SMS instead of through the network using the first computer. The chat service is configured to interface with the mobile device through SMS, including communicating chat information through SMS to the first user'"'"'s mobile device, and communicating control information through SMS to the first user'"'"'s mobile device such that the first user can control a full functionality of the chat service using SMS.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving a chat activation message indicating a request to activate a chat communication involving a selected customer, wherein the selected customer is associated with a customer computing device, and wherein the chat activation message is initiated when a selectable feature on a customer service interface is selected;

facilitating network chat communications between computing devices over a network when the chat activation message is received, wherein one of the computing devices is the customer computing device;

receiving a chat transfer message, wherein the chat transfer message includes information identifying a mobile communications device and a request to transfer the network chat communications to the mobile communications device;

receiving a communication;

determining that the communication is associated with mobile chat communications between the mobile communications device and the customer computing device;

configuring the communication for transmission using a message service, wherein configuring the communication includes associating the information identifying the mobile communications device with the received communication; and

transmitting the configured communication, wherein the configured communication is addressed to the mobile communications device, wherein the configured communication is transmitted using the message service, and wherein transmitting the configured communication facilitates the mobile chat communications between the mobile communications device and the customer computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the configured communication includes transmitting the received communication to the mobile communications device using short message service (SMS).

3. The method of claim 2, wherein transmitting the received communication to the mobile communications device includes routing the received communication through an additional network and a short message service (SMS) gateway.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an additional chat activation message indicating a request to activate a chat communication involving an additional customer, wherein the additional customer is associated with an additional customer computing device, and wherein the additional chat activation message is initiated when an additional selectable feature on the customer service interface is selected; and

relaying chat communications between the mobile communications device and the additional customer computing device when the additional chat activation message is received.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing a phone call activation feature to be displayed at the customer service interface;

causing the phone call activation feature to be provided at the mobile communications device;

receiving a phone call activation request transmitted by the mobile communications device, wherein the phone call activation request is transmitted by the mobile communications device upon receiving an input representing a selection of the phone call activation feature, and wherein the phone call activation request indicates a request to activate telephone communications involving an additional customer; and

relaying telephone communications between the mobile communications device and a communications device operated by the addition customer when the phone call activation request is received.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the method is used to provide a customer service involving agent interactions with remote customers, wherein the interactions involve use of chat communications.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a communication from the mobile communications device and forwarding the received communication to the customer computing device.

8. A system, comprising:

one or more data processors; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions which, when executed on the one or more data processors, cause the one or more data processors to perform operations including;

receiving a chat activation message indicating a request to activate a chat communication involving a selected customer, wherein the selected customer is associated with a customer computing device, and wherein the chat activation message is initiated when a selectable feature on a customer service interface is selected;

facilitating network chat communications between computing devices over a network when the chat activation message is received, wherein one of the computing devices is the customer computing device;

receiving a chat transfer message, wherein the chat transfer message includes information identifying a mobile communications device and a request to transfer the network chat communications to the mobile communications device;

receiving a communication;

determining that the communication is associated with mobile chat communications between the mobile communications device and the customer computing device;

configuring the communication for transmission using a message service, wherein configuring the communication includes associating the information identifying the mobile communications device with the received communication; and

transmitting the configured communication, wherein the configured communication is addressed to the mobile communications device, wherein the configured communication is transmitted using the message service, and wherein transmitting the configured communication facilitates the mobile chat communications between the mobile communications device and the customer computing device.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein transmitting the configured communication includes transmitting the received communication to the mobile communications device using short message service (SMS).

10. The system of claim 9, wherein transmitting the received communication to the mobile communications device includes routing the received communication through an additional network and a short message service (SMS) gateway.

11. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving an additional chat activation message indicating a request to activate a chat communication involving an additional customer, wherein the additional customer is associated with an additional customer computing device, and wherein the additional chat activation message is initiated when an additional selectable feature on the customer service interface is selected; and

relaying chat communications between the mobile communications device and the additional customer computing device when the additional chat activation message is received.

12. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

causing a phone call activation feature to be displayed at the customer service interface;

causing the phone call activation feature to be provided at the mobile communications device;

receiving a phone call activation request transmitted by the mobile communications device, wherein the phone call activation request is transmitted by the mobile communications device upon receiving an input representing a selection of the phone call activation feature, and wherein the phone call activation request indicates a request to activate telephone communications involving an additional customer; and

relaying telephone communications between the mobile communications device and a communications device operated by the addition customer when the phone call activation request is received.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the method is used to provide a customer service involving agent interactions with remote customers, wherein the interactions involve use of chat communications.

14. The system of claim 8, further comprising receiving a communication from the mobile communications device and forwarding the received communication to the customer computing device.

15. A computer-program product tangibly embodied in a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, including instructions configured to cause a data processing apparatus to perform operations including:

receiving a chat activation message indicating a request to activate a chat communication involving a selected customer, wherein the selected customer is associated with a customer computing device, and wherein the chat activation message is initiated when a selectable feature on a customer service interface is selected;

facilitating network chat communications between computing devices over a network when the chat activation message is received, wherein one of the computing devices is the customer computing device;

receiving a chat transfer message, wherein the chat transfer message includes information identifying a mobile communications device and a request to transfer the network chat communications to the mobile communications device;

receiving a communication;

determining that the communication is associated with mobile chat communications between the mobile communications device and the customer computing device;

configuring the communication for transmission using a message service, wherein configuring the communication includes associating the information identifying the mobile communications device with the received communication; and

transmitting the configured communication, wherein the configured communication is addressed to the mobile communications device, wherein the configured communication is transmitted using the message service, and wherein transmitting the configured communication facilitates the mobile chat communications between the mobile communications device and the customer computing device.

16. The computer-program product of claim 15, wherein transmitting the configured communication includes transmitting the received communication to the mobile communications device using short message service (SMS).

17. The computer-program product of claim 16, wherein transmitting the received communication to the mobile communications device includes routing the received communication through an additional network and a short message service (SMS) gateway.

18. The computer-program product of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving an additional chat activation message indicating a request to activate a chat communication involving an additional customer, wherein the additional customer is associated with an additional customer computing device, and wherein the additional chat activation message is initiated when an additional selectable feature on the customer service interface is selected; and

relaying chat communications between the mobile communications device and the additional customer computing device when the additional chat activation message is received.

19. The computer-program product of claim 15, further comprising:

causing a phone call activation feature to be displayed at the customer service interface;

causing the phone call activation feature to be provided at the mobile communications device;

receiving a phone call activation request transmitted by the mobile communications device, wherein the phone call activation request is transmitted by the mobile communications device upon receiving an input representing a selection of the phone call activation feature, and wherein the phone call activation request indicates a request to activate telephone communications involving an additional customer; and

relaying telephone communications between the mobile communications device and a communications device operated by the addition customer when the phone call activation request is received.

20. The computer-program product of claim 19, wherein the method is used to provide a customer service involving agent interactions with remote customers, wherein the interactions involve use of chat communications.

21. The computer-program product of claim 15, further comprising receiving a communication from the mobile communications device and forwarding the received communication to the customer computing device.