System and method for analyzing messages and initiating communication sessions

• US 10,383,162 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2018
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Contact At Once
• Original Assignee: Contact At Once
• Inventors: Hayes, Jr., Marc F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Hassan A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sharma, Gautam
• Application Number:
  US16/018,718
• Publication Number:
  US 20190132892A1
• Time in Patent Office: 413 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0276 Advertisement creation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/043 using or handling presence information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

Systems and methods are described herein for analyzing messages and other information provided in relation to a web communication, a mobile application communication session, a phone communication, or another type of communication. For example, a system and method are provided for initiating a text message communication session between an agent and a user. A two-way communication session may be facilitated between the user and the agent. A mobile telephone number disclosed by the user during the two-way communication session may be detected, and a text message communication session between the user and the agent may be initiated if a mobile telephone number was detected. Availability status associated with a provider of items or services may also be analyzed to determine an agent for communicating with the user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

accessing availability status data associated with an agent, wherein the availability status data indicates an availability status of the agent to participate in a communication session;

determining that the agent is currently available for the communication session, wherein the determination is based on the availability status data;

facilitating the communication session between the agent and a device associated with a telephone number, wherein when the telephone number is associated with a mobile device, a notice including a link and an interactive text message is transmitted as a part of the communication session.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the notice further includes at least one of a provider identifier or a notice identifier.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the notice includes search information associated with the mobile device.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

searching a context data store for contextual information using at least one of a provider identifier or a notice identifier included in the notice.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting an alert, wherein the alert includes search information.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the communication session is initiated via selection of the link in the interactive text message.

7. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions which when executed on the processor, cause the processor to perform operations including;

accessing availability status data associated with an agent, wherein the availability status data indicates an availability status of the agent to participate in a communication session;

determining that the agent is currently available for the communication session, wherein the determination is based on the availability status data;

facilitating the communication session between the agent and a device associated with a telephone number, wherein when the telephone number is associated with a mobile device, a notice including a link and an interactive text message is transmitted as a part of the communication session.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the notice further includes at least one of a provider identifier or a notice identifier.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the notice includes search information associated with the mobile device.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the operations further include:

searching a context data store for contextual information using at least one of a provider identifier or a notice identifier included in the notice.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the operations further include:

transmitting an alert, wherein the alert includes search information.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the communication session is initiated via selection of the link in the interactive text message.

13. 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:

accessing availability status data associated with an agent, wherein the availability status data indicates an availability status of the agent to participate in a communication session;

determining that the agent is currently available for the communication session, wherein the determination is based on the availability status data;

facilitating the communication session between the agent and a device associated with a telephone number, wherein when the telephone number is associated with a mobile device, a notice including a link and an interactive text message is transmitted as a part of the communication session.

14. The computer-program product of claim 13, wherein the notice further includes at least one of a provider identifier or a notice identifier.

15. The computer-program product of claim 13, wherein the notice includes search information associated with the mobile device.

16. The computer-program product of claim 13, wherein the operations further include:

searching a context data store for contextual information using at least one of a provider identifier or a notice identifier included in the notice.

17. The computer-program product of claim 13, wherein the operations further include:

transmitting an alert, wherein the alert includes search information.

18. The computer-program product of claim 13, wherein the communication session is initiated via selection of the link in the interactive text message.