Signal-based session management for telephonic applications

A system for communicating between an interactive application and

• a user device, wherein said interactive application is an application that engages in an interactive session with said user device, said system comprising:
• a multimodal platform hosting said interactive application, wherein said multimodal platform;
• enables communication in a plurality of modes between the interactive application and the user device, and wherein the interactive application can switch between the modes;
• receives an indication from the user device that communication between the user device and interactive application has been put on hold;
• maintains a state of the interactive application during the time that the communication in the first mode is put on hold;
• extends the timeout of the connection between the user device and the interactive application while said communication has been put on hold;
• and
• wherein said user device is in communication with the multimodal platform and engages in an interactive session with the interactive application.

A system for communicating between an application and a caller who are connected by way of a voice circuit in a telecommunications network, wherein the application directly or indirectly delivers audio information to the caller by way of the voice circuit and receives audio information from the caller by way of the voice circuit, the system comprising:

• executable programming that receives an indication that the voice circuit has been placed on hold by the caller, and that takes at least one action by the application in response to said indication, without ending a call between the application and the callers;
• wherein said application is in a state of waiting for audio information from the caller pending a timeout, and wherein said action comprises extending said timeout;
• and
• wherein said caller communicates with said application by way of a telecommunications device that comprises a speaker which renders audio information received by way of the voice circuit, a microphone which captures audio for transmission over the voice circuit, and a visual display, and wherein said action comprises:
• suspending delivery of audio information to the caller;
• and
• delivering data renderable on said visual display which corresponds to the audio information whose delivery has been suspended.

A method for communicating between an interactive application and a user device, wherein said interactive application is an application that engages in an interactive session with said user device, said method comprising:

• hosting said interactive application on a multimodal platform, wherein said multimodal platform enables communication in a plurality of modes between the interactive application and the user device, and wherein the interactive application can switch between the modes;
• receiving an indication from the user device that communication between the user device and interactive application has been put on hold;
• maintaining a state of the interactive application during the time that the communication in the first mode is put on hold;
• and,
• extending the timeout of the connection between the user device and the interactive application while said communication has been put on hold.