Methods for enabling e-commerce voice communication

Abstract

A method for operating a server includes receiving a page request for a web page from a client computer via the Internet, the web page including an icon, retrieving the web page from a storage of the server, sending the web page to the client computer via the Internet, receiving a request from the client computer to initiate a telephone call via the Internet in response to a selection of the icon on the web page, initiating a real-time communications channel between the client computer and the server via the Internet in response to the request, determining a telephone number in response to the request, using a voice modem, coupled to the server and to a telephone line, to dial the telephone number, receiving packets of voice data from the client computer from the Internet, reassembling the packets of voice data into a stream of digital voice data, converting the stream of digital voice data to a stream of analog voice data, outputting the stream of analog voice data to the voice modem, and outputting the stream of the analog voice data from the voice modem to the telephone line.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
   
   
       21 . A merchant server coupled to a computer network, comprising:
 a real-time communications protocol stack configured to:   receive a request from a client computer to initiate a telephone call between a client and a representative of a merchant, the request sent from the client computer in response to a click on an icon on a display screen of the client computer;   determine a telephone number for the representative in response to the icon;   dial the telephone number to initiate a real-time communications channel between the merchant server and the client computer, wherein the telephone call connection to the representative is made over a PSTN telephone line corresponding to the telephone number.   
   
   
       22 . The merchant server of  claim 21 , wherein the real-time communications protocol stack comprises an H.323 protocol stack. 
   
   
       23 . The merchant server of  claim 21 , wherein the representative of the merchant is a representative at a Customer Service Desk. 
   
   
       24 . The merchant server of  claim 21 , wherein the merchant server is physically resident on the merchants property. 
   
   
       25 . The merchant server of  claim 21 , wherein the merchant server hosts a web site controlled by the merchant. 
   
   
       26 . The merchant server of  claim 21 , wherein the merchant server hosts a data base controlled by the merchant. 
   
   
       27 . The merchant server of  claim 21 , wherein the merchant server is owned or leased by the merchant. 
   
   
       28 . A computer program product for a merchant server comprises:
 code that directs a processor of the merchant server to receive a request from a client computer to initiate a telephone communication between a client and representative of a merchant, wherein the merchant server serves only the merchant, the telephone communication via a computer network, the request from the client computer in response to a selection of an icon on a web page downloaded to the client computer;   code that directs the processor to initiate a real-time communications channel with the client computer via the computer network in response to the request from the client computer;   code that directs the processor to determine a telephone number to dial in response to the request, wherein the telephone number is one of one or more telephone numbers in a merchant directory;   code that directs the processor to dial the telephone number on a telephone line with a voice modem, the voice modem coupled to the telephone: line associated with the telephone number;   code that directs the processor to receive packets of voice data from the client computer;   code that directs the processor to reassemble at the server the packets of voice data into a stream of digital audio data; and   code that directs the processor to convert the stream of digital audio data to a stream of analog audio data with a sound processor;   wherein the codes reside on a computer readable tangible media; and   wherein the stream of analog audio data is output from the sound processor to the voice modem, and   wherein the stream of the analog audio data is output from the voice modern to the telephone line.   
   
   
       29 . The computer program product of  claim 28 , wherein code that directs the processor to determine a telephone number to dial in response to the request comprises code that directs the processor to retrieve the telephone number from a memory. 
   
   
       30 . The computer program product of  claim 28 , wherein code that directs the processor to initiate the real-time communications channel comprises a H.323 compatible communications protocol stack.