A telecommunication and multimedia management apparatus and method that supports voice and other media communications and that enables users to: (i) participate in multiple conversation modes, including live phone calls, conference calls, instant voice messaging or tactical communications; (ii) review the messages of conversations in either a live mode or a time-shifted mode and to seamlessly transition back and forth between the two modes; (iii) participate in multiple conversations either concurrently or simultaneously; (iv) archive the messages of conversations for later review or processing; and (v) persistently store media either created or received on the communication devices of users. The latter feature enables users to generate or review media when either disconnected from the network or network conditions are poor and to optimize the delivery of media over the network based on network conditions and the intention of the users participating in conversations.

A telecommunication and multimedia management apparatus and method that supports voice and other media communications and that enables users to: (i) participate in multiple conversation modes, including live phone calls, conference calls, instant voice messaging or tactical communications; (ii) review the messages of conversations in either a live mode or a time-shifted mode and to seamlessly transition back and forth between the two modes; (iii) participate in multiple conversations either concurrently or simultaneously; (iv) archive the messages of conversations for later review or processing; and (v) persistently store media either created or received on the communication devices of users. The latter feature enables users to generate or review media when either disconnected from the network or network conditions are poor and to optimize the delivery of media over the network based on network conditions and the intention of the users participating in conversations.

A telecommunication and multimedia management apparatus and method that supports voice and other media communications and that enables users to: (i) participate in multiple conversation modes, including live phone calls, conference calls, instant voice messaging or tactical communications; (ii) review the messages of conversations in either a live mode or a time-shifted mode and to seamlessly transition back and forth between the two modes; (iii) participate in multiple conversations either concurrently or simultaneously; (iv) archive the messages of conversations for later review or processing; and (v) persistently store media either created or received on the communication devices of users. The latter feature enables users to generate or review media when either disconnected from the network or network conditions are poor and to optimize the delivery of media over the network based on network conditions and the intention of the users participating in conversations.

A transmission terminal transmits video data and display data of a screen shared with another transmission terminal to the other transmission terminal via a predetermined relay apparatus. The transmission terminal includes a storage unit that stores relay apparatus information of the relay apparatus to which the transmission terminal transmits the video data; a receive unit that receives the display data from an external input apparatus connected to the transmission terminal; and a transmitting unit that transmits the display data received by the receive unit to the relay apparatus indicated by the relay apparatus information stored in the storage unit.

A virtual assistant system for communicating with customers uses human intelligence to correct any errors in the system AI, while collecting data for machine learning and future improvements for more automation. The system may use a modular design, with separate components for carrying out different system functions and sub-functions, and with frameworks for selecting the component best able to respond to a given customer conversation.

Assigning an appropriate channel in an omni-channel contact center environment includes receiving, by a computer of the contact center, an incoming contact via a first communication channel, the incoming contact assignable to a plurality of available communication channels; queuing, by the computer, the incoming contact in a first queue associated with the first communication channel; determining, by the computer, a preferable communication channel from among the plurality of communication channels and the first communication channel; and when the preferable communication channel is one of the plurality of communication channels, determining whether to assign the incoming contact to the preferable communication channel.

Centralized channel management of a set group-based communication system is described. A channel management interface, of the group-based communication system, can be presented via a client of a user associated with a first organization, wherein the channel management interface includes communication channels associated with the first organization, wherein at least a first communication channel is associated with the first organization and a second organization, and wherein at least a second communication channel is associated with the first organization and a third organization. A request can be received via the channel management interface to initiate a channel management action associated with at least one of the first communication channel or the second communication channel and in response to receiving the request to initiate the channel management action, data associated with at least one of the first communication channel or the second communication channel can be updated.

Centralized channel management of a set group-based communication system is described. A channel management interface, of the group-based communication system, can be presented via a client of a user associated with a first organization, wherein the channel management interface includes communication channels associated with the first organization, wherein at least a first communication channel is associated with the first organization and a second organization, and wherein at least a second communication channel is associated with the first organization and a third organization. A request can be received via the channel management interface to initiate a channel management action associated with at least one of the first communication channel or the second communication channel and in response to receiving the request to initiate the channel management action, data associated with at least one of the first communication channel or the second communication channel can be updated.

Example techniques involve systems with multiple acoustic echo cancellers. An example implementation captures first audio within an acoustic environment and detecting, within the captured first audio content, a wake-word. In response to the wake-word and before playing an acknowledgement tone, the implementation activates (a) a first sound canceller when one or more speakers are playing back audio content or (b) a second sound canceller when the one or more speakers are idle. In response to the wake-word and after activating either (a) the first sound canceller or (b) the second sound canceller, the implementation outputs the acknowledgement tone via the one or more speakers. The implementation captures second audio within the acoustic environment and cancelling the acoustic echo of the acknowledgement tone from the captured second audio using the activated sound canceller.

A method is described of filtering messages sent by a first terminal to a second terminal, the first terminal being associated with a first identifier, the terminals being connected via at least one communication network, the communication network including a server connected to a database, and the database including at least a first predefined set of identifiers. The server receives a message sent by the first terminal to the second terminal, records the message in the database, and sends a second message to the first terminal. The second message includes a sender field including a second or third identifier depending on whether or not the first identifier belongs to the first list.