Automated and integrated call control server

• US 20050152507A1
• Filed: 02/03/2005
• Published: 07/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Yang, Lian, Guttigoli, Sheetal
• Granted Patent: US 7,158,616 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/29.10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/323 for the arrangements providing the connection (test connection, test call, call simulation)

Abstract

Allowing a tester of a telephonic device to issue call control commands to a call control server using an intuitive set of commands and using both data lines for data call control commands, and voice lines for touch tone or “DTMF” call control commands. The user may initiate a call control command by either entering the call control command in a command line of a program executed at a telephonic device, or by crafting a function call using an Application Program Interface (API) that allows for more intuitive function calls that are more descriptive of the call control command. During execution, the more descriptive user-entered command or function call is converted into a form that recognized by the call control server. The converted call control command is then transmitted to the call control server.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions for implementing a method for allowing call control using data commands provided over a data line in a telephone network that includes a telephonic device that is network connectable to a call control server, the call control server configured to recognize and respond to commands issued by the telephonic device to thereby accomplish telephonic tasks, the method comprising:

a specific act of receiving a call control command from a data line;

a step for processing so as to fulfill the call control command on one or more voice lines or one or more data lines, said processing step comprising identifying acts of higher and lesser priority;

storing higher priority acts in a first location for more immediate execution; and

storing lower priority acts in a second location for less immediate execution.

2. A computer program product as recited in claim 1, wherein the step for processing so as to fulfill the call control command comprises:

a specific act of interpreting the call control command;

a specific act of determining one or more acts that would need to be accomplished to comply with the call control command; and

a specific act of implementing the one or more acts on one or more voice lines.

3. A computer program product as recited in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

a specific act of executing the one or more higher priority acts; and

a specific act of executing the acts in the second location only after the higher priority acts have been executed.

4. A computer program product as recited in claim 1, wherein the call control command is a first call control command, wherein the one or more acts are a first set of one or more acts, and wherein the method further comprises:

a specific act of receiving a second call control command from a voice line;

a specific act of interpreting the second call control command;

a specific act of determining a group of one or more new acts that would need to be accomplished to comply with the second call control command; and

a specific act of implementing the group of one or more new acts.

5. A computer program product as recited in claim 1, wherein the specific act of receiving the call control command from a data line comprises the following:

receiving the call control command from the data line via a Telephony Application Program Interface.

6. A computer program product as recited in claim 1, wherein the first location is a queue.

7. A computer program product as recited in claim 1, wherein the second location is a database.