Mobile branch exchange
First Claim
1. A system for providing private branch exchange (PBX) functionality to a mobile communications device, comprising:
- a mobile communications device operable to communicate via a voice pathway and a data pathway;
a private branch exchange (PBX) operable to be in communication with the mobile communications device via the voice pathway; and
a mobile branch exchange (MBX) in communication with the PBX and in communication with the mobile communications device via the data pathway, the MBX being operable to (i) monitor the PBX for activity related to a user of the mobile communications device, and (ii) control the PBX in accordance with commands received via the data pathway from the mobile communications device.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A mobile branch exchange (MBX) allows a user of a mobile telephone to exploit the functionality of a private branch exchange (PBX) as if the user were using a PBX-connected wire line telephone in an office setting. A server is placed on corporate premises and the server is configured to communicate with corresponding client software programmed into a programmable mobile telephone. The server directly interfaces with the PBX to control call placement and connectivity and operates as an intermediary proxy for the mobile telephone. In a preferred embodiment, the server establishes a data pathway to the mobile telephone that is, from a network point of view, independent of a parallel voice pathway established between the PBX and mobile telephone.
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Citations
52 Claims
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1. A system for providing private branch exchange (PBX) functionality to a mobile communications device, comprising:
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a mobile communications device operable to communicate via a voice pathway and a data pathway;
a private branch exchange (PBX) operable to be in communication with the mobile communications device via the voice pathway; and
a mobile branch exchange (MBX) in communication with the PBX and in communication with the mobile communications device via the data pathway, the MBX being operable to (i) monitor the PBX for activity related to a user of the mobile communications device, and (ii) control the PBX in accordance with commands received via the data pathway from the mobile communications device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A system for extending telephone calls to and from a mobile communications device, comprising:
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a server in communication with (i) a PBX and (ii) a data pathway; and
a wireless communications device programmed with client-side software that operates together with the server via the data pathway, wherein the server notifies the wireless communications device of an incoming call received at the PBX for the user of the wireless communications device, wherein the server causes the PBX to place an outgoing call from the PBX to the wireless communications device, and wherein the server causes said incoming call and said outgoing call to be switched into a common circuit. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of extending a telephone call, received at a private branch exchange, to a mobile communications device, comprising the steps of:
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monitoring the private branch exchange (PBX) for an incoming first call for a selected telephone number;
sending to the mobile communications device via a data connection an indication of the existence of the incoming first call;
receiving at the computer server a request to answer the incoming first call;
causing the PBX to establish a new second connection between the PBX and the mobile communications device; and
connecting the incoming first call with the new connection, thereby connecting the incoming first call to the mobile communications device. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A method of employing a private branch exchange (PBX) to route calls from a mobile communications device to a callee, comprising the steps of:
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establishing a data connection between the mobile communications device and a server;
sending to the server from the mobile communications device via the data connection calling information for contacting the callee;
establishing a.first call between the mobile communications device and the PBX;
causing the PBX to establish a second connection between the PBX and the callee based on the calling information; and
connecting the first call with the second connection within the PBX, thereby connecting the callee to the mobile communications device. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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Specification