# US 9,438,720 B2 · Exchanging information via a designated application > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,438,720 B2 - Document ID: US9438720B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/074,474 - Filed: 2013-11-07 - Published: 2014-05-08 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2012-11-08 - Assignees: Alibaba Group Holding Limited - Applicants: Alibaba Group Holding Limited - Inventors: Chaofeng Meng; Xiaowei Chen; Lingyun Chen; Feng Zhu; Ji Xu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9438720B2 ## CPC - H04M 1/72448: with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions - H04M 1/275: implemented by means of portable electronic directories - H04M 1/72469: for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons - H04M 3/493: Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries {; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals} - H04M 2203/353: where the information comprises non-audio but is provided over voice channels - H04M 2250/22: including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector - H04M 2250/56: including a user help function - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) ## Abstract Exchanging information via a designated application includes establishing a voice communication link with a client device, sending a launch command associated with a designated application to the client device via the voice communication link, wherein the launch command is configured to cause the designated application to be launched at the client device; and exchanging information with the client device using the designated application, wherein the designated application is configured to receive input information and the input information is received from the client device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A server, comprising: one or more processors configured to: establish a voice communication link with a client device; send a launch command associated with a designated application to the client device via the voice communication link, wherein the launch command received from the server is configured to cause the designated application to be launched at the client device, wherein the launch command comprises a set of signals, wherein in response to receipt of the launch command, the client device is configured to translate the launch command received from the server into a set of values by using stored data that indicates correspondences between a plurality of launch command signals and a plurality of values, and wherein the set of values is configured to be used by the client device to launch the designated application, without user intervention, based at least in part on comparing the set of values to stored data to determine that the set of values corresponds to a stored preset set of values corresponding to the designated application; and exchange information with the client device using the designated application, wherein the designated application is configured to receive input information and the input information is received from the client device; and one or more memories coupled to the one or more processors and configured to provide the one or more processors with instructions. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The server of claim 1, wherein the set of signals comprises one or more dual-tone multi-frequency signals. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The server of claim 1, wherein the set of signals comprises one or more audio signals. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The server of claim 1, wherein a user interface of the designated application is configured to present one or more prompts and one or more input areas. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The server of claim 4, wherein the user interface includes a control and wherein in response to a user selection of the control, information input into the one or more input areas is configured to be sent from the client device to the server. ### Claim 6 A method, comprising: establishing a voice communication link with a client device; sending, from a server, a launch command associated with a designated application to the client device via the voice communication link, wherein the launch command received from the server is configured to cause the designated application to be launched at the client device, wherein the launch command comprises a set of signals, wherein in response to receipt of the launch command, the client device is configured to translate the launch command received from the server into a set of values by using stored data that indicates correspondences between a plurality of launch command signals and a plurality of values, and wherein the set of values is configured to be used by the client device to launch the designated application, without user intervention, based at least in part on comparing the set of values to stored data to determine that the set of values corresponds to a stored preset set of values corresponding to the designated application; and exchanging, using one or more processors, information with the client device using the designated application, wherein the designated application is configured to receive input information and the input information is received from the client device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the set of signals comprises one or more dual-tone multi-frequency signals. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the set of signals comprises one or more audio signals. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein a user interface of the designated application is configured to present one or more prompts and one or more input areas. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the user interface includes a control and wherein in response to a user selection of the control, information input into the one or more input areas is configured to be sent from the client device to the server. ### Claim 11 A device, comprising: one or more processors configured to: establish a voice communication link with a server; receive a launch command associated with a designated application from the server via the voice communication link, wherein the launch command received from the server is configured to be used to launch the designated application, wherein the launch command specifies a set of values, wherein the launch command comprises a set of signals; in response to receipt of the launch command, translate the launch command received from the server into the set of values by using stored data that indicates correspondences between a plurality of launch command signals and a plurality of values; use the set of values to launch the designated application, without user intervention, based at least in part on comparing the set of values to stored data to determine that the set of values corresponds to a stored preset set of values corresponding to the designated application; and exchange information with the server using the designated application, wherein the designated application is configured to receive input information that is configured to be sent to the server; and one or more memories coupled to the one or more processors and configured to provide the one or more processors with instructions. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The device of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to call a telephone number associated with the server. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The device of claim 11, wherein the stored data that indicates correspondences between the plurality of launch command signals and the plurality of values comprises data indicating which dual-tone multi-frequency signals correspond to which value. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The device of claim 11, wherein to translate the launch command received from the server into the set of values comprises using a predetermined translation technique. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The device of claim 11, wherein to: launch the designated application includes to present a user interface associated with the designated application. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The device of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to convert the input information into the set of signals prior to sending the set of signals to the server. ### Claim 17 A method, comprising: establishing a voice communication link with a server; receiving, from the server, a launch command associated with a designated application from the server via the voice communication link, wherein the launch command received from the server is configured to be used to launch the designated application, wherein the launch command specifies a set of values, wherein the launch command comprises a set of signals; in response to receipt of the launch command, translating the launch command received from the server into the set of values by using stored data that indicates correspondences between a plurality of launch command signals and a plurality of values; using the set of values to launch the designated application, without user intervention, based at least in part on comparing the set of values to stored data to determine that the set of values corresponds to a stored preset set of values corresponding to the designated application; and exchanging, using one or more processors, information with the server using the designated application, wherein the designated application is configured to receive input information that is configured to be sent to the server. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising calling a telephone number associated with the server. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the stored data that indicates correspondences between the plurality of launch command signals and the plurality of values comprises data indicating which dual-tone multi-frequency signals correspond to which value. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein translating the launch command received from the server into the set of values comprises using a predetermined translation technique. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein launching the designated application includes presenting a user interface associated with the designated application.