Patent Document ID: 9336515
Application ID: 12887446

Base Claim:
1. A computer-implemented method comprising: registering a sponsored concept from a sponsoring company; receiving, at a server computer via a data network, the sponsored concept submitted by the sponsoring company, the sponsored concept indicating particular subject matter about which the sponsoring company would like to converse; receiving a first topic of interest submitted by a first user in a search query, the first topic of interest indicating particular subject matter about which the first user would like to converse; determining, by use of a data processor and prior to establishing a conversation, if the sponsored concept and the first topic of interest fit within match criteria by comparing the sponsored concept with the first topic of interest; generating for the first user, by use of the data processor, if the sponsored concept and the first topic of interest fit within match criteria, a link enabling the first user to establish a conversation between the first user and an agent of the sponsoring company, the link being a user interface element that can be activated by the first user; upon activation of the link, receiving a request from a computing system of the first user to establish the conversation; using a connection path associated with a computing system of the agent to establish the conversation between the first user and the agent of the sponsoring company.

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Claim 3:
3. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the link is only generated for the first user if the sponsored concept and the first topic of interest are received within a user-configurable time period.