METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COMMUNICATING VIA VIRTUAL OFFICE TELEPHONE EXTENSIONS

• US 20070259688A1
• Filed: 07/11/2007
• Published: 11/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Ascendent Telecommunications Incorporated (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Forte, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 7,680,511 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/555
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4234 Remote access to features of PBX or home telephone systems-teleworking in a PBX

Abstract

A system for (and a method of) selectively establishing communication with at least one wireless device associated with a single telephone number serving as a virtual office extension is provided. In a preferred embodiment, the system includes a wireless connect unit in communication with an enterprise private branch exchange (PBX) network. The wireless connect unit preferably serves as a gateway between the PBX and one or more remote communication devices, including at least one wireless device, associated with a virtual extension telephone number. The remote wireless device can be used as a standard PBX office telephone for both inbound and outbound telephone calls. Thus, features of the PBX network (e.g., voice mail, direct extension dialing, corporate calling plan, etc.) are available to the remote wireless device even though it is not physically connected to the PBX. When the system receives an incoming call, it can route the call to a remote wireless device associated with a virtual extension, or to combination of devices simultaneously, or as desired by the user.

Claims

1-29. -29. (canceled)

30. A method of providing access to an enterprise telecommunication network to a wireless telephone, said method comprises:

receiving a telephone call from the wireless telephone;

identifying a wireless telephone number of the wireless telephone;

using the wireless telephone number to retrieve an enterprise telephone extension associated with the enterprise telecommunication network;

retrieving at least one user preference and at least one enterprise preference associated with the retrieved enterprise telephone extension;

generating a simulated dial tone;

sending the simulated dial tone to the wireless telephone; and

providing telecommunication access to the enterprise telecommunication network based on the retrieved at least one user preference and the retrieved at least one enterprise preference.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the at least one enterprise preference comprises an access group defining authorized outbound call access rights for a user of the wireless telephone.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising the act of allowing the wireless telephone to place a call using the services of the enterprise telecommunication network to another extension of the enterprise telecommunication network.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein said at least one user preference comprises a dial tone timeout period, wherein a user of the wireless telephone is prevented from placing a call through the enterprise network after the dial tone timeout period expires.

34. The method of claim 30, further comprising the act of allowing the wireless telephone to place a call using the services of the enterprise telecommunication network to a telephony device not associated with the enterprise telecommunication network.

35. A telecommunication device comprising:

a storage medium for storing at least one user preference and at least one enterprise preference associated with each extension of an enterprise telecommunication network; and

a telephony interface coupled to the storage medium and the enterprise telecommunication network, said telephony interface being adapted to;

receive a telephone call from a wireless telephone,

identify a wireless telephone number of the wireless telephone,

use the wireless telephone number to retrieve a first enterprise extension telephone number associated with an extension of the enterprise telecommunication network and with the wireless telephone,

retrieve the at least one user preference and enterprise preference associated with the retrieved first enterprise extension telephone number from the storage medium,

determine whether the wireless telephone can be provided access to services of the enterprise telecommunication network,

and if it is determined that the wireless telephone can be provided access to services of the enterprise telecommunication network, the interface is further adapted to generate and send a simulated dial tone to the wireless telephone to alert the wireless telephone that access to the enterprise telecommunication network has been granted.

36. The device of claim 35, wherein if it is determined that the wireless telephone cannot be provided access to the services of the enterprise telecommunication network, the interface is further adapted to perform unauthorized call processing.

37. The device of claim 35, wherein if it is determined that the wireless telephone cannot be provided access to the services of the enterprise telecommunication network, the interface is further adapted to play a message to the wireless telephone indicating that the wireless telephone cannot be provided access to the services of the enterprise telecommunication network.

38. The device of claim 35, wherein if it is determined that the wireless telephone cannot be provided access to services of the enterprise telecommunication network, the interface is further adapted to disconnect the call from the wireless telephone.

39. The device of claim 35, wherein said at least one enterprise preference comprises an access group defining authorized outbound call access of a user of the wireless telephone.

40. The device of claim 35, wherein the interface is further adapted to allow the wireless telephone to place a call using the services of the enterprise telecommunication network to another extension of the enterprise telecommunication network.

41. The device of claim 35, wherein the interface is further adapted to allow the wireless telephone to place a call using the services of the enterprise telecommunication network to a telephony device not associated with the enterprise telecommunication network.

42. A telecommunication device comprising:

a storage medium for storing at least one user preference associated with each extension of an enterprise telecommunication network; and

a telephony interface coupled to the storage medium and the enterprise telecommunication network, said telephony interface being adapted to;

receive a telephone call via a first communication path,

identify a dialed telephone number associated with the call,

use the dialed telephone number to retrieve at least one wireless telephone number and at least one user preference from the storage medium,

use the at least one retrieved user preference to route the call to at least two wireless destination telephone numbers substantially simultaneously via respective second and third communication paths, and

connect the call to a user by connecting the first communication path to the second or third communication path when the second or third communication path is authenticated by the user.

43. The device of claim 42, wherein said telephony interface routes the call to a third destination number corresponding to a voice mailbox telephone number after a predetermined time as defined by said at least one retrieved user preference.

44. The device of claim 42, wherein said telephony interface prompts a caller of the telephone call with a menu of call destination options and said telephony interface places the call to at least one destination telephone number in accordance with an option selected by the caller.

45. The device of claim 42, wherein the enterprise telecommunication network comprises a private branch exchange and at least one of said at least one destination telephone numbers is associated with the private branch exchange.

46. The device of claim 45, wherein the at least one destination telephone number associated with the private branch exchange is associated with a cellular telephone.

47. The device of claim 46, wherein the cellular telephone can operate independently from said device.

48. The device of claim 45, wherein the at least one destination telephone number is associated with a personal digital assistant.

49. The device of claim 42, wherein said telephony interface is connected to a local area network and said at least one user preference is input via the local area network.