Session Handoff via Server Mediator for Contact Centers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current contact center systems struggle to seamlessly hand over a shopping basket or session-related information between a contact center agent and a customer across different communication channels, limiting the ability to provide a true 'personal shopper' service and secure payment processes.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that enables the handoff of a communications session between a first computing device and at least one second computing device to a third computing device by establishing connections, mediating sessions, and storing session-related information in a data cache, allowing secure transfer of session identifiers and data between devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a contact center agent creates a shopping basket and sends a payment link to a customer, then secure payment can be processed, but the customer cannot access or modify the shopping basket contents
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a server as an intermediary that hosts the shopping basket application and manages session information. The server mediates between the contact center agent's device and the customer's device, allowing the customer to access and modify the shopping basket through a web browser while the server maintains secure session management and data control. This resolves the contradiction by providing customer access without compromising security.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a copy of the shopping basket session information and transmits it to the customer's device via a handoff process. The server generates session identifiers and transfers relevant shopping basket data to the customer's web browser, enabling the customer to view and modify the basket contents locally while the server retains the master copy and security control. This allows customer access without exposing sensitive data.
2Adaptability or versatility
If session information is transferred between contact center agent and customer across different channels, then seamless multi-channel experience is achieved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal session management system on the server that handles multiple communication channels (telephone, email, chat, social media) through a single platform. The server provides multi-functional capabilities including session initiation, information transfer, handoff coordination, and customer device authentication across all channels. This reduces system complexity by consolidating channel-specific logic into a unified server-side architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The server acts as a mediator that abstracts the complexity of multi-channel session management from the contact center agent and customer devices. It standardizes the handoff process by implementing a common protocol for session information transfer, regardless of the communication channel used. This intermediary layer simplifies the overall system architecture by providing a single point of control for all session handoffs.
3Ease of operation
If a payment link is emailed to the customer, then secure payment processing is enabled, but the customer cannot add or remove items from the shopping basket
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a copy of the shopping basket session data and transmits it to the customer's device through the handoff process. The server generates a session identifier and transfers the shopping basket contents to the customer's web browser, enabling the customer to view and modify items locally. This copying mechanism preserves the original basket data on the server while providing the customer with a local copy for interaction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions the shopping basket interaction from a single-dimension model (agent-only access) to a multi-dimensional model where both agent and customer can access the basket through different interfaces. The server enables the customer to access the basket through a web browser dimension, while the agent retains access through the contact center system dimension. This dimensional expansion allows customer control without losing information.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of handing off a communications session between a first device and a second device, to a third device. The method comprises: receiving information associated with a communications session between first and second devices, and storing it in a cache; storing a generated identifier of the session; sending a message comprising the identifier to the first device; receiving a request, comprising the identifier, from the first device to initiate handoff to a third device; outputting an address and the identifier, for delivery to the third device; receiving a connection request comprising the identifier from the third device; using the identifier to retrieve the information; sending at least one message to the third device comprising the information, a request to store the information on the third device, and a request to establish a further communications session with the second device; and serving the further session to the third device.