Multimodal session support on distinct multi channel protocol
An improved mechanism for sharing information between a non-voice session and a voice session is described. Clients use communication devices to exchange voice information over voice sessions to voice node servers and exchange non-voice information over non-voice sessions to WAP gateways. Information about the activity in a session is stored as context data. When a client switches from communication over one type of session to another, context data for that client is located and retrieved. The retrieved context data is used to recreate the state of the prior session, thus eliminating the need to reenter information that was previously available.
1. A computer-implemented method for sharing information between a voice session and a non-voice session, the method comprising steps of:
storing context data for a user communicating over a first type of session, said first type of session being one of a voice session and a non-voice session;
wherein the context data reflects the context of the first type of session;
receiving a request from said user to initiate communication over a second type of session, said second type of session being the other of a voice session and a non-voice session than said first type of session;
retrieving said context data;
selecting information from the retrieved context data;
providing the selected information to a service accessed in said second type of session; and
the service accessed in said second type of session utilizing the selected information;
wherein said steps are performed by one or more computing devices.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of storing context data is performed in response to switching from said first type of session to said second type of session.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first type of session is a voice session and said second type of session is a non-voice session.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first type of session is a non-voice session and said second type of session is a voice session.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein
said step of storing context data includes storing context data in association with an identifier associated with said user; and
said step of retrieving said context data includes retrieving said context data based on said identifier associated with said user.
6. A computer-implemented method for sharing information between a voice session and a non-voice session, the method comprising steps of:
storing context data for a user communicating over a first type of session, said first type of session being one of a voice session and a non-voice session;
receiving a request from said user to initiate communication over a second type of session, said second type of session being the other of a voice session and a non-voice session than said first type of session;
retrieving said context data; and
providing information from said context data to a service assessed in said second type of session;
wherein said context data reflects the context of said first type of session;
said step of storing context data includes storing context data in association with an identifier associated with said user; and
said step of retrieving said context data includes retrieving said context data based on said identifier associated with said user;
wherein said identifier is associated with a phone number of a device used by said user to request said second type of session;
wherein said steps are performed by one or more computing devices.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of storing context data for a user is performed by using a cookie.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said context data is stored on a web server.
9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:
receiving a request from said user to switch from said second type of session back to said first type of session;
after switching back to said first type of session, performing the steps of retrieving said context data; and
providing information from said context data to a service assessed in said first type of session.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of storing context data is performed at periodic intervals.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of storing context data is performed in response to new activity within said first type of session.
12. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of storing context data is performed in response to a participant in said voice session entering data related to said voice session.
13. A volatile or non-volatile computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for sharing information between a voice session and a non-voice session, the instructions including instructions for causing one or more processors of one or more computing devices to perform the steps of:
storing context data for a user communicating over a first type of session, said first type of session being one of a voice session and a non-voice session;
wherein the context data reflects the context of the first type of session;
receiving a request from said user to initiate communication over a second type of session, said second type of session being the other of a voice session and a non-voice session than said first type of session;
retrieving said context data;
selecting information from the retrieved context data;
providing the selected information to a service accessed in said second type of session; and
the service accessed in said second type of session utilizing the selected information;
wherein said steps, when performed, are performed by said one or more computing devices.
14. The volatile or non-volatile computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the step of storing context data is performed in response to switching from said first type of session to said second type of session.
15. The volatile or non-volatile computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein said first type of session is a voice session and said second type of session is a non-voice session.
16. The volatile or non-volatile computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein said first type of session is a non-voice session and said second type of session is a voice session.
17. The volatile or non-volatile computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein
said step of storing context data includes storing context data in association with an identifier associated with said user; and
said step of retrieving said context data includes retrieving said context data based on said identifier associated with said user.
18. A volatile or non-volatile computer-readable storage medium carrying instructions for sharing information between a voice session and a non-voice session, the instructions including instructions for causing one or more processors of one or more computing devices to perform the steps of:
storing context data for a user communicating over a first type of session, said first type of session being one of a voice session and a non-voice session;
receiving a request from said user to initiate communication over a second type of session, said second type of session being the other of a voice session and a non-voice session than said first type of session;
retrieving said context data; and
providing information from said context data to a service accessed in said second type of session;
wherein said context data reflects the context of said first type of session;
wherein said step of storing context data includes storing context data in association with an identifier associated with said user; and
said step of retrieving said context data includes retrieving said context data based on said identifier associated with said user;
wherein said identifier is associated with a phone number of a device used by said user to request said second type of session;
wherein said steps, when performed, are performed by said one or more computing devices.
19. The volatile or non-volatile computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein said step of storing context data for a user is performed by using a cookie.
20. The volatile or non-volatile computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein said context data is stored on a web server.
21. The volatile or non-volatile computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 further comprising instructions for performing the steps of:
receiving a request from said user to switch from said second type of session back to said first type of session;
after switching back to said first type of session, performing the steps of retrieving said context data; and
providing information from said context data to a service assessed in said first type of session.
22. The volatile or non-volatile computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 wherein the step of storing context data is performed at periodic intervals.
23. The volatile or non-volatile computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 wherein the step of storing context data is performed in response to new activity within said first type of session.
24. The volatile or non-volatile computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 wherein the step of storing context data is performed in response to a participant in said voice session entering data related to said voice session.
25. The volatile or non-volatile computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , further comprising:
providing a user the option of selecting the information from the retrieved context data.
26. The volatile or non-volatile computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , further comprising:
automatically selecting the information from the retrieved context data.
27. The volatile or non-volatile computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , further comprising:
providing a user the option of selecting the information from the retrieved context data.
28. The volatile or non-volatile computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , further comprising:
automatically selecting the information from the retrieved context data.
29. The volatile or non-volatile computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , further comprising:
identifying a specific communication device making the request to initiate communication over a second type of session;
wherein said context data reflects the context of said first type of session; and
determining if there is any stored context data for the specific communication device.