Patent Grant
10713698
In general this invention is related to online initiated real-time interactions where any user online might interact with one or more users who are also online. This can be via various medium such as chats, voice call, video call and occur either in a specific user-based community or in a social network context. This invention is specifically related to allowing consumers/buyers who are online, to instantly engage in real-time interactions with providers of any service who may or may not be online. In this mode of interaction, the buyers and sellers are not subscribed to any specific common entity or community to communicate with each other.
The terms—buyers, users and consumers are used interchangeably and refer to the same or similar entity. The terms—sellers, providers, producers are also used interchangeably and refer to the same or similar entity. Depending on the type of the online marketplace or social network or e-commerce website, these terms are changed as relevant in those contexts. As an example, an online dating site uses the term users to refer to its user base who are trying to connect with others. An online auction site would use the terms buyers and sellers. An online marketplace connecting growers and bakers may use the term producers and consumers to its user community. This invention is applicable to similar users and not limited by the specific terms used to describe the users of the proposed system.
Marketplaces on the internet provide an environment where sellers of a service or a product can advertise their offering and prospective buyers can read through the description of these products (examples like Amazon, Ebay, Craigslist.org) and contact the sellers for further inquiries. In these marketplaces the most common mode of interaction is via email. In some cases the seller publishes their phone number with the caveat that only serious buyers should contact them. The only modes of engagement between buyers and sellers in these marketplaces are either via email where the actual email of the seller is hidden or via the published phone number that the seller has advertised. While marketplaces provide for protecting your email address, they have no such offering for protecting the privacy of the listed phone number. There have been some workarounds where sellers purchase an alias phone number from a different source and publish that in the marketplace and their actual phone numbers gets connected via this alias. However this is a very phone number centric solution and falls shorts of offering media rich (such as video and other media asset exchanges) engagements.
This kind of interaction in market places is far different than a more near real-time interaction in a group settings like social networks where all the users are members of the particular social network. Even though social real-time interaction with voice and video in these networks are evolving it still is meant for only the subscribed users of that group or network. Unless both parties wanting to interact are subscribers of the network or group, they will not be able to interact.
Currently the browser environment in the internet realm is being enhanced for real-time interactions via voice, video and data under the influence of html5. In this context, it becomes much easier to provide these media (voice, video and data) via the browser itself natively without requiring any special plugins like Microsoft Silverlight or Adobe Flash Player to be downloaded or relying on a third party software application like Skype.
In such a growing browser environment it is common for solutions to generate dynamic URL and have group of people come into a virtual location, like a room, and collaborate. However this is again a group-centric architecture rather than what is proposed here, which is a real-time engagement based architecture allowing users who are not associated with any group to engage via a unique generated URL that points to a provider for a service or even to the service itself handled by providers. In many instances the URL itself need not be visible (can be hidden behind some visual icons) for engagement to occur.
There have been other efforts in the industry to use URL as a means to refer to user information in a repository or to generate some user relevant data dynamically, generate a unique URL and have the user access that information. In some of these the structure of the URL played a key role as well. This proposed system does not depend on any specific structure of the URL itself but rather only relies on generation of globally unique URL scheme whose implementation can be very diverse as long as the URL retains its inherently necessary attributes pointing to some location with additional information.
What is now really needed in market places that we focus here, is for users who are prospective buyers to instantly engage in real-time interactions using chat, voice and video and a combination thereof with sellers or providers of any service. What this invention proposed here, in one embodiment, is to enable providers/sellers to publish contacts for instant real-time interactions and for users to engage with them without requiring both the users/prospective buyers and sellers/providers to be in any common network or group.
The embodiments presented here as part of the invention enables anyone who is interested in advertising their service (say consulting on specific areas) or a product (say a car) to be able to sign-up with the proposed system by various means, to instantly acquire a unique URL and publish that URL in any website listing or social network as a hyperlink or to communicate that URL via emails. The buyers use that hyperlink or the HTTP URL in general to instantly communicate with the sellers via chat, voice, video depending on the type of device the seller is using to interact. In one embodiment the seller can communicate via SMS from a mobile phone and can then possibly join the same interactive session using a personal computer through the proposed system so as to enhance the medium of interaction using video call. In another embodiment the buyer who first engages with the seller via a text chat can add voice to the conversation and continue to interact with both text chat and voice. In yet another embodiment the buyer and seller can also add video (webcam) to the conversation and perhaps do a live demonstration of the product. They can also share different media such as images or video streams through the proposed system.
A seller who signs-up with the proposed system will provide basic contact information such as email along with additional information such as a phone number that can be used for SMS and voice calling by the proposed system as well as any other additional information such as more phone numbers if the seller has multiple personnel to handle the interaction. In one embodiment the seller can remain signed-in into the system and handle the incoming requests directly in the browser. While in one embodiment the seller is using a browser on a personal computer to remain signed-in into the proposed system to interact with buyers, the seller can do the same interactions on a browser on a smart device such as smartphone or a tablet and use the browser.
In another embodiment the proposed system also supports a smartphone application whereby the seller can remain signed-in through the app on their smart device. Here the app embeds the capability of the browser functionality that is necessary for the voice, video and chat interactions.
In one embodiment a buyer who is on a market place site and is interested in inquiring on a specific product that is displayed there, clicks on the link that had been generated by the proposed system is directed immediately to the system and a conversation window is immediately opened through which the buyer can start interacting via chat with the seller. The identity of the seller is not exposed to the buyer and the buyer does not have to be subscribed to the system and hence the buyer is completely unknown by the system. The buyer can receive the text responses from the seller and can choose to add voice to the conversation right in the same conversation window. Here the system uses the contact information of the seller and tries to make a voice connection between the buyer and the seller. The buyer can remain on the browser and start having voice conversations with the seller without having to know the phone numbers of the seller. Whether the seller is on a desktop browser or on a smart device using a browser or on a mobile phone using SMS and normal phone call, it remains completely hidden for the buyer.
The system that is proposed here envisions all interactions by the buyer using their browser that is enabled with html5 supporting audio, video and data. However the seller can be on a browser supporting the same capabilities or can use their mobile phone or even a landline. When the seller is on a landline the proposed system is aware that seller cannot be reached via SMS and hence lets the buyer know to add voice to the conversation.
In another embodiment the URL that is generated and published by the provider can itself indicate to the system to immediately connect the user with the provider using voice since the provider does not support a SMS medium (they have only a landline phone that does not support SMS).
In another embodiment the system enables provider to configure a phone number for SMS and voice and another phone number for voice only calls. In further embodiments the provider can configure up to even 5 phone numbers and all of them will be attempted by the system. In this embodiment the conversation window will support multiple people chatting where there can be more than one person on the provider side to assist the user who is inquiring about a service or a product.
In all these embodiments the common theme which is the core of this proposed invention is the ability to instantly generate a URL, publish them via various means and for users to instantly communicate with the providers through that URL without the users having to subscribe to any network or group and does not have to be related to the provider in any way. The interactions start as anonymous engagement which can at a later stage via sharing of the information through the medium provided by the system both the providers and users can get to know each other's information if there is a need. However the system does not require this and can enable completely anonymous interactions from the start to the end on the session.
In another embodiment a seller who is interested in advertising a product on craigslist, selects an option that is available on craigslist that allows for real-time interactions and there the seller enters contact information such as email and phone numbers and at the back-end the craigslist site uses an API (such as a REST (Representational State Transfer) API) to communicate with the proposed system, provides the information such as email and phone numbers and in response receives a URL that is presented as a hyperlink with the logo right on the site of craigslist advertisement for the provider. In this embodiment we can see that the information the provider had given is not visible on the advertisement but only the hyperlink to the proposed system. This hyperlink uniquely identifies the provider and the given contacts which is not exposed to the users visiting the craigslist advertisement.
While most of the embodiments presented here are marketplaces scenarios the proposed system can be used in other situations including party events, fundraisers, and in social media advertising and also in normal conversations placing the URL for immediate contact. The proposed system with its mechanisms also are independent of the market places themselves and do not have to be tightly integrated with any marketplace systems although that is a possibility.
The figures here depict preferred embodiments of the present invention for purposes of illustration only. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following discussion that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the invention described herein.
The User Engagement System (UES) that is presented as invention here allows any individual or an entity (defined as a provider of a service or product) to sign-up with very basic identity information and instantly acquire a generated HTTP URL.
Through this URL the UES allows anyone on the internet in any context where this URL is displayed either explicitly or behind certain icons to engage in multi-modal interactions such as voice, video, data and media sharing with the provider of this URL.
The provider can be on the internet to engage with these interactions or can be on a phone, either mobile or landline as long as the provider has given these phone numbers with the UES. These contact information will remain hidden to the users who are engaging with the provider via the advertised URL. When the engagement of an internet user is with the provider who is on a mobile phone but only in a SMS and phone call and without internet connection, the engagement can still take place via SMS and Audio Call. In this engagement the provider is not signed-in into the UES as there is no internet connection. Even in such an engagement the Internet user who is engaging via the UES does not have to do anything different than when the provider is also on the Internet and is signed-in into the UES and handling the engagement via the browser.
In another embodiment when a user 113 reaches UES 100 via a marketplace web page 111, the provider 116 is identified and in this case the provider 116 has configured a phone number. The provider 116 is not signed-in into the UES 100. Once the session 101 is created and conversation is initiated, through the phone gateway 102 a Short message is sent via the SMS Gateway 117 to the provider 116. The user 113 is informed of the SMS connection as opposed to an chat/instant message with provider 116. Here both the user 113 who is online and provider 116 who is on a mobile device can start texting each other although they can be in a completely different environment. In various embodiments the provider 116 can also be on a landline PSTN phone network or a VoIP phone network. All these embodiments highlight the instant access via a published URL (belonging to the provider 116) to an anonymous user 112 visiting a marketplace web page 111.
As part of the conversation that the UES 100 supports it can also allow the user 113 to initiate a voice call without having to know the phone number as the system 100 knows it and is residing in the provider database 105. Here the voice call is established using the phone gateway 102 through the VoIP gateway 118 to the provider mobile device 116. The voice session itself can be removed while in the conversation whereas the texting can continue. Either the user 113 or the provider 116 can choose to disconnect from the session at any point.
In another embodiment a user via the browser 113 in a device and from a web page 111 which in this case we can consider to be a marketplace site access the UES 100 via the Network 110. The provider 120 sought after is signed-in into the UES and hence the provider 120 is presented with a conversation window right on the browser 120 window at the site UES 100 site via the Web Server 103. Both the user 113 and provider 120 are in conversation, both being on the browser. Initially they exchange via text chat and the audio can be added and removed, also video can be added and removed. The provider 120 and the user 113 can also share other video streams in the conversation window supported by one embodiment of the UES 100. For video streams and other media sharing such as pictures the content storage 104 offered by the UES 100 can be used or also external content can be accessed based on the capabilities of the UES 100.
In all these embodiments we also see that any internet users 112, 113 with a single click on the published URL can instantly engage with the provider regardless of the device used by the provider without these users having to know the identity of the providers for initiating an engagement. We also see that the users 112, 113 and providers 116, 119, 120 need not be in any common user groups or networks. By instantly being able to generate URL 106 from UES 100 for their services/offerings, the providers 116, 119, 120 are quickly able to publish their contact identifier which is the URL in various web pages 111 and marketplaces 114. In some cases the web pages 111, 114 themselves via API 115 access UES 100 and acquire a URL for the providers.
In one embodiment the user executing a browser 112 on a device can be at a social network page 111 and in a profile of a person find the hyperlink for the URL that the person could have acquired earlier from UES 100 and then instantly engage with the owner of that URL which can be a provider 119 or 120 or 116.
In another embodiment a user could have received an email with an embedded hyperlink containing the URL acquired from UES 100. The user upon clicking the hyperlink in the email could be executing the browser 113 and engaging with the provider 119.
In another embodiment, based on the ability of the UES 100 system to generate session url for the provider, can notify this URL to the provider via SMS (or email via Email Gw 121) so that the provider 116 using a smart device can click the URL and transition to the browser 120 and access the same session and engage with the user 113. It will be up to the system 100 to either allow the provider 120 to view only this session or in fact allow for login to the provider's account and access all sessions along with engaging in the current session.
In an environment
While the control signaling always goes through the Web Server 103 the media such as voice packets can flow directly between User 112 and Provider 119 in one embodiment. There can be other embodiments when the media between Users 112, 113 and Providers 119, 120 can be intercepted and forwarded by other server entities 103. Overcoming firewall constraints at the user and provider premises using various security technologies are existing art and is assumed in this illustration
Whereas in 201 the provider was on a desktop or laptop in this 202 the provider is on a smart device such as a smart phone or a smart tablet. The user remains in either desktop or laptop or a smart device executing a browser.
The reference 203 is an embodiment where the provider is executing a smart app on the smart device that is able to interact directly with the UES 100 (
In the embodiment 205 the provider had given a PSTN phone number which is a landline device and which cannot receive SMS. In this case the user can engage with the provider via a voice call. The UES 100 (
The generated URL 404 is displayed in the profile and which the provider can copy anytime and use them in different context such as on a marketplace website 114 (
The provider can generate URL 404 again after which in one embodiment the previous URL gets outdated. In another embodiment the UES 100 (
After searching and finding an advertisement 1502 the user goes through the advertisement page and has more inquiries and hence clicks 1503 the displayed URL 702 (
The invention presented here incorporates several embodiments and it should be evident for those skilled in the same art that various other embodiments are possible and can be practiced. Various components within UES 100 (100 thru 106, 121) referred in the main illustration
Within this written description, the particular naming of the components, capitalization of terms, the attributes, data structures, or any other programming or structural aspect is not mandatory or significant, and the mechanisms that implement the invention or its features may have different names, formats, or protocols. Further, the system may be implemented via a combination of hardware and software, as described, or entirely in hardware elements. Also, the particular division of functionality between the various system components described herein is merely exemplary, and not mandatory; functions performed by a single system component may instead be performed by multiple components, and functions performed by multiple components may instead be performed by a single component. For example, the particular functions of the session manager 101, URL Generator 106, Phone No Gateway 102, and so forth may be provided in many or one module.
Some portions of the above description present the feature of the present invention in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on information. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are the means used by those skilled in the art to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. These operations, while described functionally or logically, are understood to be implemented by computer programs. Furthermore, it has also proven convenient at times, to refer to these arrangements of operations as modules or code devices, without loss of generality.
It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar terms are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the present discussion, it is appreciated that throughout the description, discussions utilizing terms such as “clicking” or “texting” or the like, refer to the action and processes of a computer system, or similar electronic computing device, that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the computer system memories or registers or other such information storage, transmission or display devices.
Certain aspects of the present invention include process steps and instructions described herein in the form of an algorithm. It should be noted that the process steps and instructions of the present invention could be embodied in software, firmware or hardware, and when embodied in software, could be downloaded to reside on and be operated from different platforms used by real time network operating systems.
The present invention also relates to an apparatus for performing the operations herein. This apparatus may be specially constructed for the required purposes, or it may comprise a general-purpose computer selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer. Such a computer program may be stored in a computer readable storage medium, such as, but is not limited to, any type of disk including floppy disks, optical disks, CD-ROMs, magnetic-optical disks, read-only memories (ROMs), random access memories (RAMs), EPROMs, EEPROMs, magnetic or optical cards, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or any type of media suitable for storing electronic instructions, and each coupled to a computer system bus. Furthermore, the computers referred to in the specification may include a single processor or may be architectures employing multiple process or designs for increased computing capability.
The algorithms and displays presented herein are not inherently related to any particular computer or other apparatus. Various general-purpose systems may also be used with programs in accordance with the teachings herein, or it may prove convenient to construct more specialized apparatus to perform the required method steps. The required structure for a variety of these systems will appear from the description above. In addition, the present invention is not described with reference to any particular programming language. It is appreciated that a variety of programming languages may be used to implement the teachings of the present invention as described herein, and any references to specific languages are provided for disclosure of enablement and best mode of the present invention.
Finally, it should be noted that the language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes, and may not have been selected to delineate or circumscribe the inventive subject matter. Accordingly, the disclosure of the present invention is intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the invention.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/932,170, filed Jan. 27, 2014, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.
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