Automated attendant multimedia session
An automated attendant system is made multimedia capable by adding a combined user agent to the automated attendant. A search is done to verify that the caller to the automated attendant has combined user agent capabilities. If so, the caller receives multimedia content from the automated attendant's combined user agent so that the content may be presented on the caller's computer to assist the caller in navigating through the automated attendant's menus and options. Upon selection of a desired connection from the menus and options, the automated attendant's combined user agent helps the caller be connected by voice to the selected connection.
1. A method of enabling a communication session requestor to select communication options using an automated system, the method comprising:
receiving signalling requesting a communication session from a communication function associated with the communication session requestor;
accessing a combined user agent database using an identifier associated with the communication function requesting the communication session to determine a communication function associated with the communication session requestor that can present selectable communication options to the communication session requestor; and
providing information enabling presentation of the selectable communication options to the communication function associated with the communication requestor that can present selectable communication options to the communication session requestor.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving signalling indicating selection of a communication option at the communication function associated with the communication session requestor that can present selectable communication options to the communication session requestor; and
establishing a communication session with the communication function associated with the communication requestor that can present selectable communication options to the communication session requestor in response to the signalling indicating selection of a communication option.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein establishing the communication session comprises configuring the communication session based on the selected communication option.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein establishing the communication session comprises establishing a multimedia session with the communication function associated with the communication session requestor that can present selectable communication options to the communication session requestor.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein establishing the communication session comprises completing an audio connection to the communication function associated with the communication session requestor that can present selectable communication to the communication session requestor.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one combined user agent receives the signaling from the communication function requesting the communication session and accesses the combined user agent database.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the identifier associated with the communication function requesting the communication session is at least one address associated with the at least one combined user agent.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication function requesting the communication session and the communication function that can present selectable communication options to the communication session requestor are implemented in a combined communication client.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the combined communication client is associated with a voice communication terminal associated with the communication session requestor and a multimedia communication terminal associated with the communication session requestor.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein providing information enabling presentation of the selectable communication options to the communication function associated with the communication requestor that can present selectable communication options to the communication session requestor comprises transmitting multimedia information to the multimedia communication terminal associated with the communication session requestor.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the information enabling presentation of the selectable call options at the multimedia terminal associated with the communication session requestor comprises information for presentation on at least one web page.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the information is transmitted from an automated response system.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the signalling requesting a communication session comprises at least one SIP message.
14. The method of claim 2 , wherein the signalling indicating selection of a communication option comprises at least one SIP message.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the automated system comprises an automated response system.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the automated response system comprises an Integrated Voice Response (IVR) system.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing information enabling presentation of the selectable communication options to the communication function associated with the communication requestor that can present selectable communication options to the communication session requestor comprises providing multimedia content through at least one combined user agent.
18. The method of claim 2 , wherein receiving signalling indicating selection of a communication option at the communication function associated with the caller that can present selectable communication options to the communication session requestor comprises receiving audible input from the communication session requestor.
19. The method of claim 2 , wherein receiving signalling indicating selection of a communication option at the communication function associated with the caller that can present selectable communication options to the communication session requestor comprises receiving non-audible input from the communication session requestor.
20. The method of claim 2 , wherein receiving signalling indicating selection of a communication option at the communication terminal associated with the caller that can present selectable communication options to the communication session requestor comprises receiving non-audible input from the communication session requestor in parallel with receiving audible input from the communication session requestor.