Systems and methods to provide communication connections
View Patent ↗Methods and apparatuses to provide communication connections for partners based on communication references assigned to entities maintained by the partners. In one embodiment, a method includes: receiving from a partner contact information of an entity; providing the partner with a real-time communication reference usable to at least initiate a request for a communication connection; and in response to receiving a request initiated via the real-time communication reference, providing a real-time communication connection between a requester and the entity using the contact information received from the partner.
1. A method, comprising:
receiving, over a network, from a partner, entity contact information relating to an entity, the entity contact information comprising an entity communication reference;
providing, over the network, to the partner, a connection provider communication reference different than the entity communication reference, the connection provider communication reference being associated with the partner and the entity;
receiving, over the network, from a requester, a request for a communication connection, the request being initiated by the requester using the connection provider communication reference, wherein the request is received at a web server through redirection from the partner, wherein when rendered in a browser, the connection provider communication reference presents a user interface element which when selected causes the browser to send the request to the partner which redirects the request to the web server, wherein a plurality of other partners are additionally connected to the web server;
providing, over the network, a real-time communication connection between the requester and the entity, the communication connection being initiated using the entity communication reference;
charging, via a computing device, the requester a requester fee responsive to the real-time communication being established;
paying, via the computing device, the entity an entity service fee, the entity service fee comprising a first portion of the requester fee; and
paying, via the computing device, the partner a partner service fee, the partner service fee comprising a second portion of the requester fee.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the real-time communication connection between the requester and the entity comprises:
establishing, via the computing device, a first voice over Internet protocol call with a telecommunication carrier which telecommunication carrier bridges the first voice over Internet protocol call to a public switched telephone network connection to the requester;
establishing, via the computing device, a second voice over Internet protocol call with a telecommunication carrier which telecommunication carrier bridges the second voice over Internet protocol call to a public switched telephone network connection to the entity; and
connecting, via the computing device, the first voice over Internet protocol call and the second voice over Internet protocol call.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein:
a first virtual softphone of the telecommunication carrier terminates the first voice over Internet protocol call;
a second virtual softphone of the telecommunication carrier terminates the second voice over Internet protocol call; and
connecting the first voice over Internet protocol call and second voice over Internet protocol call comprises directing, via the computing device, the first softphone and the second softphone to establish a direct media connection.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein a connection fee is based on a price specified by the entity.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing, over the network, the partner with information about the real-time communication connection.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the information about the real-time communication connection comprises a time duration of the real-time communication connection between the requester and the entity.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the real-time communication connection comprises a telephonic connection; and the method further comprises:
determining, via the computing device, a time duration of the telephonic connection between the requester and the entity such that
the requester fee is based on a price specified by the entity and the time duration for a service provided by the entity over the telephonic connection.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the entity service fee is based on the price specified by the entity and a time duration.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
charging, via the computing device, the entity a connection service fee according to a price specified by the entity.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the real-time communication connection comprises a telephonic connection; and charging the entity the connection service fee comprises:
charging, via the computing device, the entity the connection service fee independent of a time duration of the telephonic connection between the requester and the entity.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the connection provider communication reference is embedded in a document, the reference when selected at least initiates the request for a communication connection.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the connection provider communication reference comprises a telephone number, dialed to generate the request.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein providing the real-time communication connection comprises:
establishing, via the computing device, a telephonic connection to the entity using the entity communication reference in response to receiving the request at the telephone number.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein establishing comprises:
establishing, via the computing device, the telephonic connection to the entity at least in part through a voice over Internet protocol call.
15. A non-transitory machine readable media storing instructions, the instructions, when executed by a computing device, causing the computing device to perform a method, the method comprising:
receiving, over a network, from a partner, entity contact information relating to an entity, the entity contact information comprising an entity communication reference;
providing, over the network, to the partner, a connection provider communication reference different than the entity communication reference, the connection provider communication reference being associated with the partner and the entity;
receiving, over the network, from a requester, a request for a communication connection, the request being initiated by the requester using the connection provider communication reference, wherein the request is received at a web server through redirection from the partner, wherein when rendered in a browser, the connection provider communication reference presents a user interface element which when selected causes the browser to send the request to the partner which redirects the request to the web server, wherein a plurality of other partners are additionally connected to the web server;
providing, over the network, a real-time communication connection between the requester and the entity, the communication connection being initiated using the entity communication reference;
charging the requester a requester fee responsive to the real-time communication being established;
paying the entity an entity service fee, the entity service fee comprising a first portion of the requester fee; and
paying the partner a partner service fee, the partner service fee comprising a second portion of the requester fee.
16. A system, comprising:
a memory; and
at least one processor coupled to the memory to:
receive, over a network, from a partner, entity contact information relating to an entity, the entity contact information comprising an entity communication reference;
provide, over the network, to the partner, a connection provider communication reference different than the entity communication reference, the connection provider communication reference being associated with the partner and the entity;
receive, over the network, from a requester, a request for a communication connection, the request being initiated by the requester using the connection provider communication reference, wherein the request is received at a web server through redirection from the partner, wherein when rendered in a browser, the connection provider communication reference presents a user interface element which when selected causes the browser to send the request to the partner which redirects the request to the web server, wherein a plurality of other partners are additionally connected to the web server;
provide, over the network, a real-time communication connection between the requester and the entity, the communication connection being initiated using the entity communication reference;
charge the requester a requester fee responsive to the real-time communication being established;
pay the entity an entity service fee, the entity service fee comprising a first portion of the requester fee; and
pay the partner a partner service fee, the partner service fee comprising a second portion of the requester fee.