Messaging response system
AssigneeWorldCom, Inc.
InventorsRichard G. Moore, Gregory L. Mumford, Duraisamy Gunasekar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A messaging response system is disclosed wherein a service providing system provides services to users via messaging communications. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, multiple respondents servicing users through messaging communications may appear to simultaneously use a common “screen name” identifier.
Claims185
In a communications system, a method for managing messaging communications among a plurality of parties and a messaging response system comprising a plurality of messaging stations, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving first messaging communications at the messaging response system;
- identifying a first party as having originated first messaging communications;
- and
- selectively routing the first messaging communications to a particular first messaging station based at least upon an identity of the first party.
The method of claim 3 further comprising:
- maintaining a first routing association involving the identity of the first party and the messaging station, wherein the routing association represents that messaging communications from the first party are to be routed to the first messaging station.
A session router for routing messaging communications among a plurality of parties and a first messaging response system comprising a plurality of messaging stations, the session router comprising:
- a messaging service interface for communicating messaging communications among a first party and the first messaging response system;
- a routing associating means for providing a first routing association between messaging communications associated with the first party and a first messaging station;
- and
- a session routing process for causing messaging communications from the first party to be selectively communicated to the first messaging station responsive to the routing association represented by the routing associating means.
A session router for managing instant messaging communications to a plurality of instant messaging stations, the session router comprising:
- means for receiving an instant messaging communication from a first messaging party;
- means for associating a first instant messaging station with a first instant messaging party wherein instant messaging communications received from the first instant messaging party are directed to the instant messaging station.
A service providing system for providing service to a first party via messaging communications with the first party, the service providing system comprising:
- a messaging communications interface means for communicating via messaging communications, wherein first messaging communications from the first party are received by the service providing system;
- a first messaging station for performing a service responsive to messaging communications received from the first party;
- and
- a session router means for selectively directing the first messaging communications from the first party to the first messaging station.
A method for providing a service to a party via instant communications, the method comprising:
- establishing first communications with an instant communications client associated with the first party;
- and
- responsive at least to the first communications, causing second communications to be established via a communications network.
A service providing system for providing service to a first party via messaging communications with the first party, the first party being coupled to a messaging system, the service providing system comprising:
- a messaging system interface means for communicating with the messaging system, wherein first messaging communications from the first party are received by the service providing system;
- a first messaging station for performing an action responsive to messaging communications received from the first party;
- and
- a communications network control interface means for coupling the service providing system to a communications network wherein the service providing system causes the communications network to establish communications.
A computer-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause a communication system to perform a method for managing messaging communications among a plurality of parties and a messaging response system, the message response system comprising a plurality of messaging stations, the method comprising:
- receiving first messaging communications at the messaging response system;
- identifying a first party as having originated first messaging communications;
- and
- selectively routing the first messaging communications to a particular first messaging station based upon the identity of the first party.
A computer-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause a service providing system to perform a method for providing service to a party via messaging communications, the first party using an instant communications client, the method comprising the steps of:
- establishing first communications with an instant communications client associated with the first party;
- and
- responsive at least to the first communications, causing second communications to be established via a communications network.
A system for providing a service to a party via instant communications, the system comprising:
- means for establishing first communications with an instant communications client associated with the first party;
- and
- means for causing, responsive at least to the first communications, second communications to be established via a communications network.
In a service providing system, a method of providing service to a first party via messaging communications comprising the steps of:
- at the service providing platform, receiving a first messaging communication from the first party, wherein the first messaging communication is addressed to an instant communications screen name associated with the service providing system;
- and
- responsive at least to the receiving the first messaging communication from the first party, establishing a communications session wherein at least one participant communicates without having to compose discrete messages.
A method of providing a service to a party, comprising the steps of:
- providing a user interface element which may be activated by the party;
- and
- responsive to the activating of the user interface element, effecting instant communications between the party and a messaging response system via a first communications session,
- wherein, responsive to the instant communications, the messaging response system establishes a second communications session wherein at least one participant communicates without having to compose discrete messages.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.