Method and system for multi-media collaboration between remote parties

• US 6,690,654 B2
• Filed: 10/01/1998
• Issued: 02/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI Communications Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Elliott, Isaac, Steele, Rick, Verlare, Jim
• Primary Examiner(s): TON, DANG T
• Application Number:
  US09/164,462
• Publication Number:
  US 20020136167A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,958 Days
• Field of Search: 370/395, 370/384, 370/465, 370/401, 370/402, 370/351, 370/352, 370/266, 370/451, 370/461, 370/462, 370/395.1, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/356, 370/400, 370/410, 370/431, 370/468, 379/202, 379/201, 379/209, 379/211, 379/212, 379/214, 379/215, 379/88.17, 379/93.01, 379/93.09, 709/219, 709/217, 709/218, 709/203, 709/227, 709/228, 709/229, 709/202, 709/704, 709/206, 709/249, 709/245, 707/10, 707/14, 707/704
• US Class Current: 370/260
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1403 Architecture for metering, charging or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1428 Invoice generation, e.g. customization, lay-out, database processing, algorithms for calculating the bill or formatting invoices as WWW pages invoicing in general G06Q30/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1439 time-based
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1446 inter-operator billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1453 Methods or systems for payment or settlement of the charges for data transmission involving significant interaction with the data transmission network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1482 involving use of telephony infrastructure for billing for the transport of data, e.g. call detail record [CDR] or intelligent network infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1485 Tariff-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1492 negotiation of tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/18 for broadcast or conference , e.g. multicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/10 of different types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/08 Metering calls to called party , i.e. B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/57 for integrated multimedia messaging subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/208 IMS, i.e. Integrated Multimedia messaging Subsystem
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/62 : Called party billing, e.g. reverse billing, freephone, collect call, 0800 or 0900
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 : Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 : Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 : in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 : PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 : Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 : for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 : Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0027 : Collaboration services where a computer is used for data transfer and the telephone is used for telephonic communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/003 : Click to dial services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 : for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1305 : Software aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1307 : Call setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13072 : Sequence circuits for call signaling, ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13106 : Microprocessor, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13109 : Initializing, personal profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1313 : Metering, billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 : Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13174 : Data transmission, file transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13175 : Graphical user interface [GUI], WWW interface, visual indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1324 : Conference call
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13242 : Broadcast, diffusion, multicast, point-to-multipoint (1 : N)
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13248 : Multimedia
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13349 : Network management
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13375 : Electronic mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13376 : Information service, downloading of information, 0800/0900 services
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 : LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 : Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/64 : Distributing or queueing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 : Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber

Abstract

A method of communicating with a plurality of remote parties allows for multi-media collaboration. A first party, which may be a call center, receives requests for access from first and second remote parties. Each of these remote parties is provided a computer program and a session is initiated for each party. The first party can then independently communicate with the first and second remote parties via the computer program.

Claims

1. A method of communicating with a plurality of remote parties, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a first request for access from a first remote party;

initiating execution of a computer program at the first remote party;

commencing a first session with the first remote party;

receiving a second request for access from a second remote party;

initiating execution of the computer program by the second remote party;

commencing a second session for the second remote party;

independently communicating with the first and second remote parties via the computer program provided to each of the first and second remote parties, the communicating step including a multi-media collaboration; and

pushing uniform resource locators to the first and second remote parties.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second request for access is received at a call center.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the steps of receiving the first request for access and receiving the second request for access is comprises receiving a communication via an internet.

4. The method of claim 3 and further comprising the steps of:

receiving a telephone call from a caller; and

providing the caller with a Uniform Resource Locator (URL).

5. The method of claim 3 wherein at least one of the steps of receiving the first request for access and receiving the second request comprises receiving an Internet telephony call.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein at least one of the steps of receiving the first request for access and receiving the second request comprises receiving a call-back request.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein the internet comprises the Internet.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the multi-media collaboration comprises collaborative web browsing.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the multi-media collaboration comprises video conferencing.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the multi-media collaboration comprises audio conferencing.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the multi-media collaboration comprises application sharing.

12. The method of claim 1 and further comprising the step of keeping track of communications with each of the first and second remote parties.

13. The method of claim 12 and further comprising the step of compiling a billing record for each of the first and second remote parties.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer program initiates the first session.

22. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

creating a billing record for the remote party based on a number of Uniform Resource Locators pushed from the call center to the remote party.

15. A method of operating a call center, the method comprising the steps of:

a first agent logging into a session server;

a second agent logging into the session server;

receiving an information request from a first client for a first customer;

routing the first client to the first agent;

providing a computer program to the first client;

logging the first client into the session server;

communicating with the first client over a computer network;

receiving an information request from a second client for a second customer;

routing the second client to the second agent;

providing the computer program to the second client;

logging the second client into the session server;

receiving an information request from a third client for the second customer;

routing the third client to the second agent;

providing the computer program to the third client;

logging the third client into the session server;

independently communicating with the second and third clients over the computer network, the communicating including pushing uniform resource locators to the first, second and third clients; and

maintaining transaction records which record the communications with the first, second and third clients.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the computer network comprises the Internet.

17. The method of claim 15 and further comprising the step of preventing the first agent from viewing the communications of the second agent.

18. The method of claim 15 and further comprising the step of compiling a billing record from the transaction records.

19. A method of communicating with a remote party comprising:

receiving a request from a remote party;

in response to the request, commencing a link between a call center and the remote party over an internet;

communicating an applet from the call center to the remote party for execution by the remote party;

pushing a first Uniform Resource Locator (URL) from the call center to the remote party such that the call center causes the remote party to connect to a first web site; and

pushing a second URL from the remote party to the call center such that the remote party causes the call center to connect to a second web site.

20. A method of communicating with a remote party comprising:

receiving an internet telephone call from a remote party;

providing a first Uniform Resource Locator (URL) of a call center to the remote party;

connecting the remote party to the call center over an internet using the first URL;

communicating an applet from the call center to the remote party for execution by the remote party;

pushing a first URL from the call center to the remote party such that the call center causes the remote party to connect to a first web site; and

pushing a second URL from the remote party to the call center such that the remote party causes the call center to connect to a second web site.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

creating a billing record for the remote party based on a number of Uniform Resource Locators pushed from the call center to the remote party.

21. A method of multimedia communication between a client and a server, comprising:

receiving a session request from the client via a client computer having web browser software;

in response to the session request, commencing a link between the server and the client computer over an internet;

communicating a Java applet from the server to the client computer for execution by client computer, wherein the Java applet is executed in a window of the client computer that is separate from the web browser;

initiating a communication session between the server and the client computer in response to the executed Java applet; and

selectively pushing a first Uniform Resource Locator (URL) from the server to the client computer such that the client computer connects to a first web site using its web browser, as such the communication session and web browser are executed by the client computer in parallel and the client computer can view the first web site without terminating the communication session.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

creating a billing record based on a number of Uniform Resource Locators pushed from the server to the client computer.