Instant Messaging Session Transfer with Context Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Instant messaging systems lack functionality to seamlessly transfer ongoing sessions to a third user, especially in customer support scenarios, and do not provide adequate contextual information to the receiving technician, leading to potential delays in resolving user queries.
Innovation Solution
An instant messaging system that automatically forwards messages to a designated third user if the initial recipient is unavailable, or allows the second user to initiate a transfer request, providing contextual information and allowing the third user to accept or reject the transfer, thereby ensuring continuous support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the IM system delivers messages to the second user regardless of availability, then message delivery is simple and fast, but the response time may be delayed and support continuity is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by proactively notifying the third user before the second user becomes unavailable, and by pre-transferring message context information. This allows the third user to be prepared and ready to respond immediately when the transfer occurs, eliminating response delays that would otherwise occur while the third user catches up on context.
Solution Approach 2:
The IM system acts as an intermediary by automatically routing messages between users based on availability status. When the second user is unavailable, the system intermediates by forwarding messages to the third user and managing the transfer process, ensuring continuous support without requiring direct user intervention to maintain communication flow.
2Reliability
If the IM system automatically forwards messages to a third user when the second user is unavailable, then support continuity is maintained, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service by automatically detecting user availability status and autonomously routing messages without requiring manual intervention. The IM system monitors presence information, determines when transfers are needed, executes the transfer process, and manages context delivery automatically, reducing the need for complex manual oversight while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The message routing mechanism is made dynamic by automatically adjusting the recipient based on real-time availability status. Rather than a static one-to-one messaging model, the system dynamically routes messages to whichever user is currently available and capable of responding, enabling flexible support continuity without requiring complex predetermined routing configurations.
3Ease of operation
If contextual information is provided to the third user during session transfer, then the third user can respond more effectively, but information transmission complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential contextual information needed for the third user to effectively continue the conversation, rather than transferring the entire message history. By selectively extracting and transmitting only relevant context (such as the current issue being discussed and key details), the system reduces information transfer complexity while still enabling the third user to respond effectively.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-preparing and delivering contextual information to the third user before the actual message transfer occurs. This allows the third user to review the context in advance and be fully prepared to respond effectively when the transfer is complete, improving ease of operation without requiring complex real-time information synchronization mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for incorporating a third user into an instant message (IM) session. In one embodiment, an IM server receives a first IM from a first user directed toward a second user. The IM server makes a determination that the second user is not available to respond to the first IM. In response to the determination, the IM server identifies a third user to whom the first IM is to be forwarded, and automatically forwards the first IM to the third user. In another embodiment, the IM server receives a transfer request from the second user to transfer the IM session from the second user to the third user. The IM server automatically determines a subset portion of a plurality of IMs communicated between the first user and the second user, and provides the transfer request and the subset portion to the third user.