Caching user information in an integrated communication system

• US 20060177010A1
• Filed: 02/07/2005
• Published: 08/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arlington Technologies, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Adomo, Inc. (Avaya Incorporated)
• Inventors: Potze, Willem R. B., Frifeldt, Heine, Skakkebaek, Jens
• Granted Patent: US 7,321,655 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/67.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components

Abstract

An integrated messaging system for performing various types of messaging across different types of networks, including integrated user interfaces and administrator interfaces. Embodiments include a communication server that couples among networks of different types, and an interface module that couples to the communication server. The interface module may be hosted on a messaging server of a network. The interface module pulls various user information from the messaging server, including information relevant to at least the network that includes the messaging server. A cache couples to the communication server and to the interface module to hold information from the communication server and/or the user information pulled from messaging server. The interface module directs a message from the messaging server and/or the cache to at least one device on the networks using the user information.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a network that includes a database storing a groupware application and a directory service, wherein the directory service stores user information for use in providing messaging of a first type among client devices coupled to the network;

a messaging communication server (MCS) that couples to the network and to at least one communication network, wherein the MCS provides messaging of a second type among client devices coupled to the network; and

an interface module that couples the MCS to the network, the interface module pushing user information from the database to the MCS, wherein the MCS uses the pushed user information to provide the second type of messaging, wherein the MCS and the interface module provide integration of the messaging of the second type into the network.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a cache that couples to the MCS, the cache holding the user information pushed by the interface module.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface module detects changes to the user information and incrementally pushes the changes to the MCS.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein:

the MCS includes at least one voice application and various application programming interfaces (“

APIs”

); and

messaging of the second type includes voice messaging, and wherein the cache further couples to a state machine framework, wherein communications among the at least one voice application, the cache, groupware application and a directory service take place via the state machine framework and the various APIs as appropriate to a state of the groupware application.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the state of the groupware application includes an online state in which the groupware application communicates with the MCS, and an offline state in which the groupware application does not communicate with the MCS.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the voice applications include a voice mail messaging application, and wherein the user information includes user information particular to the voice messaging application.

7. A integrated messaging system, comprising:

an enterprise network that includes a database storing a groupware application and a directory service, wherein the directory service stores user information for use in providing messaging of a first type among client devices coupled to the enterprise network;

at least one messaging communication server (MCS) that couples to the enterprise network and to at least one communication network, wherein the MCS provides messaging of a second type among client devices coupled to the enterprise network;

an interface module (“

IM”

) that couples the MCS to the enterprise network, the interface module pushing user information from the database to the MCS, wherein the MCS uses the pushed user information to provide the second type of messaging; and

at least one cache that couples to the MCS, wherein the cache holds the user information pushed by the interface module.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the second type of messaging includes voice mail messaging, and the MCS further comprises voice applications, including a voice mail application, and wherein the MCS stores voice mail-specific information in the user information in the directory service via the IM.

9. The system of claim 8, the at least one cache includes:

a local cache that is local to a certain MCS; and

a distributed cache that is communicatively coupled among multiple MCSs.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the user information pushed by the IM includes:

a global address list (“

GAL”

) that includes information pertaining to all members of the enterprise;

public folders that include information of the enterprise that is shared with all users, including shared contact information and shared calendar information;

personal contacts folders that include corresponding contact information for each member of the enterprise; and

a user list that includes information of users of the integrated messaging system.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the GAL, the public folders, and the user list are pushed periodically.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the personal folders are pushed on demand, including when a user logs into the MCS.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the personal folders are pushed incrementally, including upon detecting an update of information in a personal folder.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the user list is pushed incrementally, including upon detecting an update of information in the user list.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein updated information in the personal folders is pushed incrementally upon detecting an update of information in a personal folder.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the personal folders include a user contacts folder, and wherein the contacts folder is pushed incrementally, including pushing the contacts folder to the MCS upon a user initially logging into the MCS, wherein the contacts folder is pushed with a timestamp.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the timestamp is applied prior to accessing the contacts folder for pushing.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein pushing the contacts folder incrementally includes receiving the contacts folder and a timestamp subsequent to the user logging into the MCS, including receiving detected updates to the contacts folder.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein pushing the contacts folder incrementally further comprises:

the MCS receiving the requested contacts folder, timestamp and a total number of contacts listed in the contacts folder;

comparing the received total number of contacts with a cached total number of contacts corresponding to a previous version of the contacts folder; and

if there is a difference between the two totals, requesting the contacts folder to be pushed by the IM to the MCS.

20. A method for integrated messaging, comprising:

interfacing with a network using an interface module (“

IM”

), the network including a database storing a groupware application and a directory service, wherein the directory service stores user information for use in messaging of a first type among client devices coupled to the network;

pushing the user information with the IM from the database to a messaging communication server (MCS), wherein the MCS couples to at least one communication network and to the network;

caching the pushed user information; and

providing messaging of a second type among the client devices, wherein the MCS uses the pushed user information to provide the messaging of a second type.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the messaging of the second type includes voice mail messaging, and wherein the MCS comprises voice applications.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

detecting changes to the user information using the IM; and

pushing the detected changes to the MCS.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the voice applications perform functions including:

maintaining shared address lists that all voice mail users can view and edit;

scheduling meetings that include people and conference rooms by viewing associated free or busy schedules sending a new voice mail;

forwarding a received voice mail;

exchanging voice mails and corresponding information with the groupware applications; and

granting people other than a voice mail user access to user voice mailboxes on behalf of the user.

24. The method of claim 23, the cache includes:

a local cache that is local to a certain MCS; and

a distributed cache that is communicatively coupled among multiple MCSs.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the user information pushed by the IM includes:

a global address list (“

GAL”

) that includes information pertaining to all members of the enterprise;

public folders that include information of the enterprise that is shared with all users, including shared contact information and shared calendar information;

personal contacts folders that include corresponding contact information for each member of the enterprise; and

a user list that includes information of users of the integrated messaging.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the GAL and the public folders are each pushed periodically.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the personal folders are pushed on demand, including when a user logs into the MCS.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the personal folders are pushed incrementally, including upon detecting an update of information in a personal folder.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein updated information in the personal folders is pushed incrementally upon detecting an update of information in a personal folder.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein the personal folders include a user contacts folder, and wherein the contacts folder is pushed incrementally, including pushing the contacts folder to the MCS upon a user initially logging into the MCS, wherein the contacts folder is pushed with a timestamp.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the timestamp is applied prior to accessing the contacts folder for pushing.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein pushing the contacts folder incrementally includes receiving the contacts folder and a timestamp subsequent to the user logging into the MCS, including receiving detected updates to the contacts folder.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein pushing the contacts folder incrementally further comprises:

the MCS receiving the requested contacts folder, timestamp and a total number of contacts listed in the contacts folder;

comparing the received total number of contacts with a cached total number of contacts corresponding to a previous version of the contacts folder; and

if there is a difference between the two totals, requesting the contacts folder to be pushed by the IM to the MCS.