Apparatus and method for contacting a customer support line on customer's behalf and having a customer support representative contact the customer

Abstract

A method is provided in an application server configured for responding to hypertext transport protocol (HTTP) requests. The method includes storing, in response to a first HTTP request, an XML document that specifies for a user, a call number of a second party. The stored XML document is retrieved based on a second HTTP request by the user. A first HTML document is generated based on the retrieved XML document. The first HTML document has instructions including the call number for accessing the second party. A second HTML document is generated based on a prescribed input received from the second party. The second HTML document has instructions for connecting the second party with the user. Hence, a user may speak with a called party without ever having to remain on hold.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to generating and executing voice enabled web applications within a hypertext markup language (HTML) and hypertext transport protocol (HTTP) framework. [0003] 2. Description of Related Art [0004] The evolution of the public switched telephone network has resulted in a variety of voice applications and services that can be provided to individual subscribers and business subscribers. Such services include voice messaging systems that enable landline or wireless subscribers to record, playback, and forward voice mail messages. However, the ability to provide enhanced services to subscribers of the public switched telephone network is directly affected by the limitations of the public switched telephone network. In particular, the public switched telephone network operates according to a protocol that is specifically designed for the transport of voice signals; hence any modifications neces...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0016] There is also a need for an arrangement that enables an application server to call a second party on behalf of a caller, to call back the caller when the second party is available, and to bridge the calls connecting the second party and the caller so that the caller need not wait on hold in order to speak with the second party.

[0018] According to one aspect of the present invention, a method is provided in an application server configured for responding to hypertext transport protocol (HTTP) requests. The method includes storing, in response to a first HTTP request, an XML document that specifies for a user, a call number of a second party. The stored XML document is retrieved based on a second HTTP request by the user. A first HTML document is generated based on the retrieved XML document. The first HTML document has instructions including the call number for accessing the second party. A second HTML document is generated based on a prescribed input received from the second party. The second HTML document has instructions for connecting the second party with the user. Hence, a user may speak with a called party without ever having to remain on hold.

Problems solved by technology

However, the ability to provide enhanced services to subscribers of the public switched telephone network is directly affected by the limitations of the public switched telephone network.

The web-based applications running in the IP network, however, are state-less and transient in nature, and do not maintain application state because application state requires an interactive communication between the browser and back-end database servers accessed by the browsers via a HTTP-based web server.

Storage of application state information in the form of a “cookie” is not practical because some users prefer not to enable cookies on their browser, and because the passing of a large amount of state information as would normally be required for voice-type applications between the browser and the web application would substantially reduce the bandwidth available for the client.

Hence, the caller wastes time and network resources in trying to contact the support representative.

However, such systems must be present at the called party's premises and require knowledge of the public switch telephone network to implement.

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