Authentication of service requests using a communications initiation feature

• US 9,350,598 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LivePerson Incorporated
• Original Assignee: LivePerson Incorporated
• Inventors: Barak, Matan, Lewis, Todd, Mulhearn, Justin Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): NDIAYE, CHEIKH T
• Application Number:
  US13/829,708
• Publication Number:
  US 20130290533A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,167 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/217, 709/218, 709/229, 709/225
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/02 using automatic reactions or user delegation, e.g. automatic replies or chatbot-generated messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

Described are computer-based methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, for facilitating communications initiated through a social networking account. A detected message communicated using a social networking account can be determined to satisfy a response criteria. Code for displaying a communications initiation feature on a customer communications apparatus associated with the social networking account can be transmitted. Selection information representing a selection of the communications initiation feature can be received and can include a parameter associated with the selection and origin information. The selection information can be validated by determining that the selection is associated with the social networking account and by comparing the parameter with a stored credential associated with the communications initiation feature. When the selection is validated, the communications can be facilitated.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

detecting a message communicated using a social networking account, wherein the social networking account is associated with a customer communications apparatus;

determining that the message satisfies a response criteria, wherein determining that the message satisfies the response criteria includes determining that the message articulates a comment and refers to a pre-determined entity associated with the response criteria;

selecting a customer service communications apparatus associated with the pre-determined entity;

transmitting code, wherein the transmitted code causes a communications initiation feature to be displayed at the customer communications apparatus associated with the social networking account, wherein the communications initiation feature is associated with a stored credential, and wherein the transmitted code causes the communications initiation feature to become selectable at a future time;

receiving selection information representing a selection of the communications initiation feature, wherein the selection information includes a parameter associated with the selection of the communications initiation feature and origin information, the origin information representing the social networking account from which the message was communicated;

validating the selection of the communications initiation feature, wherein validating includes using the origin information to identify that the selection information is associated with the social networking account and using the parameter to compare the selection information with the stored credential associated with the communications initiation feature; and

facilitating communications between the customer communications apparatus and the customer service communications apparatus when the selection of the communications initiation feature is successfully validated.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein facilitating communications includes relaying communications between the customer communications apparatus and the customer service communications apparatus.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving invitee information from the customer service communications apparatus, the invitee information specifying an additional social networking account; and

transmitting additional code that causes an additional communications initiation feature to be displayed at an additional customer communications apparatus upon the additional social networking account being activated at the additional customer communications apparatus.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving additional selection information representing a selection of the additional communications initiation feature, wherein the additional selection information is received from an additional computing apparatus and includes validation information including credentials associated with the additional social networking account;

validating the selection of the additional communications feature by using the validation information; and

facilitating communications between the additional customer communications apparatus and a customer service communications apparatus when the selection of the additional communications feature is validated.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein transmitting the additional code is such that the code is received at a server that facilitates communications between accounts of the social network, and wherein the server forwards the code to the additional customer communications apparatus.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving subsequent scheduling information from a communications apparatus, the subsequent scheduling information representing a future time period;

transmitting additional code, wherein the additional code causes an additional communications initiation feature to be displayed at a communications apparatus prior to becoming selectable, wherein the additional code causes the additional communications initiation feature, while still being displayed, to become selectable at the beginning of the future time period, and wherein the additional code prevents selection of the additional communications initiation feature at the end of the future time period.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is executed at a server, and wherein the facilitating communications includes facilitating chat communications.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein facilitating communications includes facilitating live video communications.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the communications initiation feature is a hypertext transfer protocol link.

28. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein parameters include a number of times the communications initiations feature was previously selected, a sender profile associated with the social networking account, an amount of time the communications initiation feature has been displayed, or a time of the selection of the communications initiation feature.

29. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the stored credential is associated with an administrator server.

30. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein comparing includes determining whether the parameter matches the stored credential.

10. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a storage medium containing instructions which, when executed on the processor, causes the processor to perform operations including;

detecting a message communicated using a social networking account, wherein the social networking account is associated with a customer communications apparatus;

determining that the message satisfies a response criteria, wherein determining that the message satisfies the response criteria includes determining that the message articulates a comment and refers to a pre-determined entity associated with the response criteria;

selecting a customer service communications apparatus associated with the pre-determined entity;

transmitting code, wherein the transmitted code causes a communications initiation feature to be displayed at the customer communications apparatus associated with the social networking account, wherein the communications initiation feature is associated with a stored credential, and wherein the transmitted code causes the communications initiation feature to become selectable at a future time;

receiving selection information representing a selection of the communications initiation feature, wherein the selection information includes a parameter associated with the selection of the communications initiation feature and origin information, the origin information representing the social networking account from which the message was communicated;

validating the selection of the communications initiation feature, wherein validating includes using the origin information to identify that the selection information is associated with the social networking account and using the parameter to compare the selection information with the stored credential associated with the communications initiation feature; and

facilitating communications between the customer communications apparatus and the customer service communications apparatus when the selection of the communications initiation feature is successfully validated.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein facilitating communications includes relaying communications between the customer communications apparatus and the customer service communications apparatus.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the operations further include:

receiving invitee information from the customer service communications apparatus, the invitee information specifying an additional social networking account; and

transmitting additional code that causes an additional communications initiation feature to be displayed at an additional customer communications apparatus upon the additional social networking account being activated at the additional customer communications apparatus.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the operations further include:

receiving additional selection information representing a selection of the additional communications initiation feature, wherein the additional selection information is received from an additional computing apparatus and includes validation information including credentials associated with the additional social networking account;

validating the selection of the additional communications feature by using the validation information; and

facilitating communications between the additional customer communications apparatus and a customer service communications apparatus when the selection of the additional communications feature is validated.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein transmitting the additional code is such that the code is received at a server that facilitates communications between accounts of the social network, and wherein the server forwards the code to the additional customer communications apparatus.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the operations further include:

receiving subsequent scheduling information from a communications apparatus, the subsequent scheduling information representing a future time period;

transmitting additional code, wherein the additional code causes an additional communications initiation feature to be displayed at a communications apparatus prior to becoming selectable, wherein the additional code causes the additional communications initiation feature, while still being displayed, to become selectable at the beginning of the future time period, and wherein the additional code prevents selection of the additional communications initiation feature at the end of the future time period.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the system includes a server, and wherein the facilitating communications includes facilitating chat communications.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein facilitating communications includes facilitating live video communications.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the communications initiation feature is a hypertext transfer protocol link.

19. A computer-program product tangibly embodied in a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions operable to cause a processing apparatus to perform operations including:

detecting a message communicated using a social networking account, wherein the social networking account is associated with a customer communications apparatus;

determining that the message satisfies a response criteria, wherein determining that the message satisfies the response criteria includes determining that the message articulates a comment and refers to a pre-determined entity associated with the response criteria;

selecting a customer service communications apparatus associated with the pre-determined entity;

transmitting code, wherein the transmitted code causes a communications initiation feature to be displayed at the customer communications apparatus associated with the social networking account, wherein the communications initiation feature is associated with a stored credential, and wherein the transmitted code causes the communications initiation feature to become selectable at a future time;

receiving selection information representing a selection of the communications initiation feature, wherein the selection information includes a parameter associated with the selection of the communications initiation feature and origin information, the origin information representing the social networking account from which the message was communicated;

validating the selection of the communications initiation feature, wherein validating includes using the origin information to identify that the selection information is associated with the social networking account and using the parameter to compare the selection information with the stored credential associated with the communications initiation feature; and

facilitating communications between the customer communications apparatus and the customer service communications apparatus when the selection of the communications initiation feature is successfully validated.

20. The computer-program product of claim 19, wherein facilitating communications includes relaying communications between the customer communications apparatus and the customer service communications apparatus.

21. The computer-program product of claim 19, wherein the operations further include:

receiving invitee information from the customer service communications apparatus, the invitee information specifying an additional social networking account; and

transmitting additional code that causes an additional communications initiation feature to be displayed at an additional customer communications apparatus upon the additional social networking account being activated at the additional customer communications apparatus.

22. The computer-program product of claim 21, wherein the operations further include:

receiving additional selection information representing a selection of the additional communications initiation feature, wherein the additional selection information is received from an additional computing apparatus and includes validation information including credentials associated with the additional social networking account;

validating the selection of the additional communications feature by using the validation information; and

facilitating communications between the additional customer communications apparatus and a customer service communications apparatus when the selection of the additional communications feature is validated.

23. The computer-program product of claim 22, wherein transmitting the additional code is such that the code is received at a server that facilitates communications between accounts of the social network, and wherein the server forwards the code to the additional customer communications apparatus.

24. The computer-program product of claim 19, wherein the operations further include:

receiving subsequent scheduling information from a communications apparatus, the subsequent scheduling information representing a future time period;

transmitting additional code, wherein the additional code causes an additional communications initiation feature to be displayed at a communications apparatus prior to becoming selectable, wherein the additional code causes the additional communications initiation feature, while still being displayed, to become selectable at the beginning of the future time period, and wherein the additional code prevents selection of the additional communications initiation feature at the end of the future time period.

25. The computer-program product of claim 19, wherein the system includes a server, and wherein the facilitating communications includes facilitating chat communications.

26. The computer-program product of claim 19, wherein facilitating communications includes facilitating live video communications.

27. The computer-program product of claim 19, wherein the communications initiation feature is a hypertext transfer protocol link.