IP TELEPHONE PROVISIONING SYSTEM AND METHODS

• US 20080126351A1
• Filed: 09/20/2006
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI Financial Management Corp. (Verizon Communications Inc.), MCI Network Services Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Freeman, Michael B., Venderoef, William, Hiser, Stuart M., Leak, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,098,652 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0843 based on generic templates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42178 by downloading data to substation equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0087 Network planning or provisioning

Abstract

A method performed by a network device may include storing data received through an interface in an IP telephone database and transmitting data from the IP telephone database to an IP telephone.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing an Internet Protocol telephone database interface;

receiving IP telephone data via the IP telephone database interface;

storing the IP telephone data in a database;

receiving a provisioning request for IP telephone data in the database; and

transmitting the requested IP telephone data to an IP telephone.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing an IP telephone database interface further includes:

providing links to a plurality of interface screens for IP telephone data entry.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

checking the received IP telephone data for accuracy.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving a provisioning request for IP telephone data further includes:

receiving the provisioning request from a computer via a network.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining an IP address of the IP telephone prior to transmitting the requested IP telephone data.

6. A network device, comprising:

a memory for storing a database of IP telephone data; and

logic configured to;

provide an interface to the database;

receive data via the interface and store the received data in the database;

receive a request for data stored in the IP telephone database; and

transmit the requested data stored in the IP telephone database.

7. The network device of claim 6, wherein the interface includes templates with predetermined data provided.

8. The network device of claim 6, wherein the database is a relational database.

9. The network device of claim 6, wherein the request for data stored in the database includes a request for data associated with a group of IP telephones.

10. The network device of claim 9, wherein the transmitted requested data is transmitted to the group of IP telephones.

11. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of sequences of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the processor to:

provide to a user, an interface to an IP telephone database;

receive data from the user via the interface and store the received data in the IP telephone database; and

transmit data from the IP telephone database to an IP telephone.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising instructions for causing the processor to:

receive a request for data stored in the IP telephone database via a network.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising instructions for causing the processor to:

encrypt the data to be transmitted from the IP telephone database to an IP telephone.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising instructions for causing the processor to:

receive a password from the user; and

determine if the user is authorized to access the IP telephone database.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the user may edit the IP telephone database if the user is authorized.

16. A method comprising:

storing data received via an IP telephone interface in an IP telephone database; and

transmitting data from the IP telephone database to an IP telephone.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the data received via the interface and stored in the IP telephone database is transmitted via a network.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the IP telephone database is stored in a server.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the interface includes a plurality of web-based interface screens.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein at least one of the web-based interface screens receives a request for data stored in the IP telephone database used to provision an IP telephone.