Call transfers by voice messaging system (VMS) integrated to a private branch exchange

• US 5,175,761 A
• Filed: 11/18/1991
• Issued: 12/29/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siemens Enterprise Communications, Inc. (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: ROLM Systems (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Khouri, Joseph F., Khalid, Zafar M., Ramsay, Rachel
• Primary Examiner(s): Dwyer, James L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TSANG, FAN S
• Application Number:
  US07/793,777
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67, 379/198, 379/231, 379/232, 379/233
• US Class Current: 379/88.22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/523 with call distribution or queueing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/58 Arrangements for transferring received calls from one subscriber to another; Arrangements affording interim conversations between either the calling or the called party and a third party substation line holding circuits H04M1/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/625 Arrangements in the private branch exchange

Abstract

Method and apparatus are disclosed for initiating multiple call transfers from a Voice Mail System ("VMS") to telephone extensions on a Private Branch Exchange ("PBX") integrated with the VMS. A plurality of first lines between the PBX and the VMS provide voice communication between callers and the VMS via the PBX. The VMS includes an applications processor which is integrated (coupled) to the PBX via an integration link. The applications processor determines if at least one of a plurality of second lines in a hunt group are free, and transmits a command to the PBX to effect a call transfer to an extension on the PBX if at least one second line is found free. If no second line is found free, the applications processor places the transfer request in a queue. The plurality of second lines in the hunt group are searched in response to the PBX receiving the special command over the integration link to find a free second line. This second line is used to connect the applications processor to the PBX to complete the call transfer to a particular extension. Once a caller requesting a transfer is connected to the desired extension, the second line is released for use on another call transfer request or a queued transfer request. Concurrently, other call transfers at different stages of transfer are capable of being handled via other ones of the second lines.

Claims

1. A method of transferring a caller communicating over one of a plurality of first lines with a Voice Mail System which is integrated with a Private Branch Exchange to an extension on a Private Branch Exchange comprising the steps of:

(a) determining in the Voice Mail System whether at least one a plurality of second lines in a hunt group between the Private Branch Exchange and the Voice Mail System is free in response to the caller indicating a transfer request to the Voice Mail System for a particular extension on the Private Branch Exchange, where the plurality of second lines in the hunt group are associated with a predetermined pilot number of the Private Branch Exchange;

(b) transmitting a transfer command from the Voice Mail System to the Private Branch Exchange over a link therebetween when at least one of the plurality of second lines in the hunt group is determined in the Voice Mail System as being free in step (a), and queueing the transfer request when none of the plurality of second lines in the hunt group is determined as being free in step (a);

(c) accessing the predetermined pilot number of the Private Branch Exchange associated with the plurality of second lines in the hunt group by the Private Branch Exchange in response to the Private Branch Exchange receiving the transfer command over the link in step (b);

(d) obtaining a free one of the plurality of second lines in the hunt group by the Private Branch Exchange in response to the accessing of the predetermined pilot number in step (c) for connecting the Private Branch Exchange to an applications processor the Voice Mail System over the obtained free second line in the hunt group;

(e) the applications processor communicating with the Private Branch Exchange over the second line in the hunt group obtained by the Private Branch Exchange in step (d) for effecting connection of the caller to the extension of the Private Branch Exchange; and

(f) releasing the second line in the hunt group obtained in step (d) when the caller is successfully connected to the particular extension on the Private Branch Exchange.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein in performing step (d), the Private Branch Exchange performing the substeps of:

(d1) searching through the plurality of second lines in the hunt group to obtain a free second line; and

(d2) connecting the Private Branch Exchange to the applications processor of the Voice Mail System using the free second line found in step (d1).

3. The method of claim 1 wherein after performing step (f), the applications processor causes the subsequent performing of steps (b) to (f) for effecting a queued transfer call to be completed to the particular extension on the Private Branch Exchange.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein in performing step (e), performing the substeps of:

(e1) associating a call transfer request to a second line in the hunt group by the applications processor when the applications processor is connected to the Private Branch Exchange over the second line in the hunt group;

(e2) performing a hook flash by the applications processor over the second line in the hunt group, and then waiting for a dial tone from the Private Branch Exchange over the second line in the hunt group; and

(e3) dialing the telephone number of the extension on the Private Branch Exchange by the applications processor over the second line in the hunt group in response to the receipt of the dial tone on the second line of the hunt group.

5. A method of transferring a caller communicating over one of a plurality of first lines with a Voice Mail System which is integrated with a Private Branch Exchange to an extension on a Private Branch Exchange comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving at the Voice Mail System over the one of the plurality of first lines a request for transfer to a particular extension on the Private Branch Exchange from the caller;

(b) determining in the Voice Mail System whether at least one a plurality of second lines in a hunt group between the Private Branch Exchange and the Voice Mail System is free in response to the receipt of the request for transfer in step (a);

(c) transmitting a transfer command from the Voice Mail System to the Private Branch Exchange over a link therebetween in response to at least one of the plurality of second lines in the hunt group being determined in the Voice Mail System as being free in step (b), and queueing the transfer request when no second line is determined as being free in step (b);

(d) accessing a predetermined pilot number of the Private Branch Exchange associated with the plurality of second lines in the hunt group in response to the receipt of the transfer command over the link in step (c);

(e) searching through the plurality of second lines in the hunt group by the Private Branch Exchange in response to the Private Branch Exchange receiving the transfer command in step (c) to obtain a free second line;

(f) connecting the Private Branch Exchange to an applications processor of the Voice Mail System using the free second line found in step (e);

(g) the applications processor communicating with the Private Branch Exchange over the obtained second line of the predetermined hunt group obtained by the Private Branch Exchange in step (e) for effecting connection of the caller at the Private Branch Exchange to the extension of the Private Branch Exchange; and

(h) releasing the second line obtained in step (e) when the caller is successfully connected to the particular extension on the Private Branch Exchange.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein after performing step (h), the applications processor asynchronously causes the subsequent performing of steps (c) to (h) for effecting a queued transfer call to be completed to the particular extension on the Private Branch Exchange.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein in performing step (g) performing the substeps of:

(g1) associating a call transfer request to the second line in the hunt group by the applications processor when the applications processor is connected to the Private Branch Exchange over the second line in the hunt group;

(g2) performing a hook flash by the applications processor over the second line in the hunt group, and then waiting for a dial tone from the Private Branch Exchange over the second line; and

(g3) dialing the telephone number of the extension on the Private Branch Exchange by the applications processor over the second line in the hunt group in response to the receipt of the dial tone on the second line.

8. Apparatus comprising:

a Voice Mail System comprising an applications processor;

a Private Branch Exchange comprising a plurality of input lines connected to separate subscribers and having different extension numbers;

an integration link for transmitting information between the Voice Mail System and the Private Branch Exchange;

a plurality of first lines, each first line being capable of carrying voice transmissions between a caller and the Voice Mail System via the Private Branch Exchange; and

a plurality of second lines in a hunt group associated with a predetermined pilot number wherein a free second line is chosen at the Private Branch Exchange for connecting the Private Branch Exchange to the applications processor of the Voice Mail System in response to a command being received by the Private Branch Exchange from the Voice Mail System after the Voice Mail System has determined that at least one second line is free, for effecting a transfer of a caller communicating with the Voice Mail System to an extension on the Private Branch Exchange by the applications processor.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the applications processor in the Voice Mail System determines if a second line is free in response to the receipt of a request for transfer by the caller to an extension on the Private Branch Exchange, and transmits the command over the integration link to the Private Branch Exchange when at least one second line is determined as being free, and places the transfer request in a queue when no second line is determined as being free.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the Private Branch exchange includes means for accessing the predetermined pilot number of the plurality of second lines in the hunt group in response to receipt of the command over the integration link from the Voice Mail System for causing a hunt for a free second line in the hunt group.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the applications processor comprises means for releasing the second line used for effecting a call transfer once the caller requesting the call transfer is successfully connected to the requested extension on the Private Branch Exchange.