SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ESTABLISHING AND MANAGING MULTIPLE CALL SESSIONS FROM A CENTRALIZED CONTROL INTERFACE
Disclosed are a system and method for establishing and managing one-to-one and conference call sessions through a virtual waiting room. Conference calls may be established initially or created as additional people are invited to an existing call. Functions such as screensharing, chat messaging, and file sharing may be provided. Media, including video, text, and images, may be selected and sent to participants while they are on hold or during an active call session.
1 . A method for managing multiple independent communication sessions between a control device and at least first and second client devices, the method comprising:
establishing, between a control device and a first client device, a first communication session;
establishing, between the control device and a second client device, a second communication session;
participating, by the control device, in the first communication session while the second communication session is on hold;
placing, by the control device, the first communication session on hold;
injecting, by the control device, a first visual media file into the first communication session, wherein the first visual media file is to be displayed on the first client device while the first communication session is on hold; and
switching, by the control device, to the second communication session while the first communication session is on hold.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein injecting the first visual media file into the first communication session further comprises:
receiving, by the control device, a selection of the first visual media file from a plurality of available visual media files; and
sending the first visual media file to the first client device, wherein the entire first visual media file is received before being displayed.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein injecting the first visual media file into the first communication session further comprises:
receiving, by the control device, a selection of the first visual media file from a plurality of available visual media files; and
streaming the first visual media file to the first client device while the first communication session is on hold.
4 . The method of claim 1 wherein injecting the first visual media file into the first communication session further comprises:
receiving, by the control device, a uniform resource locator (URL), wherein the URL represents a location of the first visual media file on a server accessible to the first client device; and
sending the URL to the first client device.
5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second client devices are invited to communicate with the control device via an identical uniform resource locator (URL).
6 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
receiving, by the control device, a request for a third communication session from a third client device; and
adding, by the control device, the third client device to a virtual waiting room, wherein the third communication session is automatically placed on hold when added to the virtual waiting room.
7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the first client device is able to participate in the first communication session using only a standard browser present on the first client device, wherein no plug-in or other application download is required to participate in the first communication session.
8 . A method for injecting a visual media file into a communication session between a control device and a client device, the method comprising:
establishing, between a control device and a client device, a communication session;
placing, by the control device, the communication session on hold;
injecting, by the control device, a visual media file into the communication session, wherein the visual media file is to be displayed on the client device while the communication session is on hold; and
removing, by the control device, the hold to continue the communication session.
9 . The method of claim 8 wherein injecting the visual media file into the communication session further comprises:
receiving, by the control device, a selection of the visual media file from a plurality of available media files; and
sending the visual media file to the client device, wherein the entire visual media file is received before being displayed.
10 . The method of claim 8 wherein injecting the visual media file into the communication session further comprises:
receiving, by the control device, a selection of the visual media file from a plurality of available media files; and
streaming the visual media file to the client device while the communication session is on hold.
11 . The method of claim 8 wherein injecting the visual media file into the communication session further comprises:
receiving, by the control device, a uniform resource locator (URL), wherein the URL represents a location of the visual media file on a server accessible to the client device; and
sending the URL to the client device.
12 . The method of claim 8 further comprising injecting, by the control device, a second visual media file into the communication session while the communication session is not on hold, wherein the second visual media file is to be played on the client device while the communication session is not on hold.