Enhanced telephony computer user interface allowing user interaction and control of a telephone using a personal computer
First Claim
1. An enhanced telephony computer user interface residing on a display device of a computing device, comprising a plurality of environments containing processes and features for controlling and managing a telephone in network communication with the computing device and linked to a plurality of databases such that the user interface reacts intelligently to telephone events.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An enhanced telephony (ET) computer user interface that seamlessly integrates features of a personal computer (PC) and a telephone into a coherent user interface. The user is provided with a rich variety of functionality that leverages the fact that the PC has considerably more processing power and greater access to variety of data than the ordinary telephone. This processing power and data access is used to the user'"'"'s advantage as the telephone'"'"'s capabilities and functionality are greatly expanded. In general, the ET user interface includes a plurality of environments for the user to choose. These environments include a My Contacts environment, a communication preferences environment, and a Call History environment. Each of these environments contains certain available processes and features for controlling and managing telephones.
622 Citations
85 Claims
- 1. An enhanced telephony computer user interface residing on a display device of a computing device, comprising a plurality of environments containing processes and features for controlling and managing a telephone in network communication with the computing device and linked to a plurality of databases such that the user interface reacts intelligently to telephone events.
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8. A graphical user interface displayed on a display device for controlling and managing a telephone from a computing device, comprising:
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an environment region that allow a selection of different environments containing available processes and features that provide control and management of the telephone;
a process region that displays the available processes and allows a user to select from the available processes; and
an activity region that displays the available features and allows the user to select from the available features; and
contact information about a person that is populated from a plurality of databases linked to the computing device and integrated into a single entry about the contact that then can be displayed in the different environments. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. In a computer system having an enhanced user interface residing on a computing device including a display device and an input device, a method for facilitating, managing and controlling incoming calls from a telephone in network communication with the computing device, comprising:
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detecting an incoming call to the telephone;
displaying an incoming call notification window on the display device to provide visual notification of the incoming call; and
providing audible notification of the incoming call through the telephone and an audio device connected to the computing device. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
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66. In a computer system having an enhanced user interface residing on a computing device including a display device and an input device, a method for facilitating, managing and controlling outgoing calls from a telephone in network communication with the computing device, comprising:
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causing the telephone to dial a telephone number and establish a call;
displaying an in-call window containing a notes area such that a user can make notes within the user interface while in the call; and
associating the notes with a caller in the call such that when the caller calls again the notes will automatically be listed along with the caller'"'"'s contact information. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85)
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Specification