Integrated communications control device for a small office configured for coupling within a scalable network
DCFirst Claim
1. A telecommunications network comprising a plurality of integrated communications control devices each of which are reconfigurable by a user, each coupled to a telephone company'"'"'s central office through a telephone line and each of which stores indicia of other integrated communications control devices within the network, each device corresponding to an office location, the network for creating a virtual office wherein each device integrates and controls a telecommunications environment of a corresponding office and also links the telecommunications environment of each office to each of the other offices through the telephone company'"'"'s central office, wherein communications are routed between the devices within the network as appropriate.
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Abstract
An integrated communications control device integrates the telecommunications environment of a small office with an interface to the telephone network. The device is a stand alone unit including a programmable control processor configured by a user based on the telephonic equipment within the office and the user'"'"'s needs. The device is utilized to control telephone and data communications within the office. The device interfaces with a computer allowing the user to configure the system and create a customized telephonic environment using the personal computer. Alternatively, the device may be integrated into the PC with a plug-in card. Standard telephone interfaces are provided for interfacing to telephonic equipment such as telephones, modems and facsimile machines. Additionally, an ISDN interface allows the device to interface with and communicate over the ISDN, thereby providing a gateway to the PSTN. A display provides users with current operational status of the system. The display also includes input buttons which allow the user to make real-time configuration adjustments. Alternatively, the display includes an audio interface wherein the user is prompted and enters responsive data through the input buttons or the personal computer. Alternatively, the user provides responsive data using spoken commands interpreted by the device. Intelligence is resident within each device allowing the device to control and monitor telephonic traffic for a single user within an office over the equipment coupled within the system. This localized intelligence also allows a plurality of such devices, each at different offices, to be linked in a network environment, wherein multiple users can each have their own device and yet be linked together in a virtual office. This virtual office provides such standard office capabilities as message and call transfers between respective control devices and users at remote locations.
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Citations
30 Claims
- 1. A telecommunications network comprising a plurality of integrated communications control devices each of which are reconfigurable by a user, each coupled to a telephone company'"'"'s central office through a telephone line and each of which stores indicia of other integrated communications control devices within the network, each device corresponding to an office location, the network for creating a virtual office wherein each device integrates and controls a telecommunications environment of a corresponding office and also links the telecommunications environment of each office to each of the other offices through the telephone company'"'"'s central office, wherein communications are routed between the devices within the network as appropriate.
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11. An integrated communications control device configured for network communications with other such devices, wherein each device corresponds to a user at a different office location, the network for creating a virtual office between the different office locations, wherein each device integrates and controls the telephony environment of a respective office and also links the different offices together for routing communications between the different office locations, as appropriate, the device comprising:
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a. an interface for coupling the integrated communications control device to an incoming telephone line from a telephone company'"'"'s central office; b. a control processing means coupled to the interface for controlling the integrated communications control device; c. a digital signal processing means coupled to the control processing means and to the interface for handling all telephony functions; d. a memory coupled to the control processing means and to the digital signal processing means; e. one or more peripheral interfaces coupled to the control processing means and to the digital signal processing means for interfacing telephonic equipment to the integrated communications control device; f. a display processing means coupled to the control processing means and to the digital signal processing means for processing information that will be continuously displayed to the user; and g. a display and user interface unit coupled to the display processing means for displaying information to a user and for allowing the user to interface with the integrated communications control device. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An integrated communications control device for providing a user with reconfigurable control over an office'"'"'s telecommunications environment and routing communications, as appropriate, to other similarly configured integrated communications control devices comprising:
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a. an interface for coupling the integrated communications control device to an incoming telephone line from a telephone company'"'"'s central office; b. a control processor coupled to the interface for controlling the integrated communications control device; c. a digital signal processor coupled to the control processor and to the interface for handling all telephony functions; d. a memory coupled to the control processor and the digital signal processor; e. a plurality of peripheral interfaces coupled to the control processor and to the digital signal processor for interfacing telephonic equipment to the integrated communications control device; f. a display processor coupled to the control processor and to the digital signal processor for processing information that will be continuous displayed to the user regarding a status of the integrated communications control device; and g. a display and user interface unit coupled to the display processor for displaying information to the user and for allowing the user to interface with the integrated communications control device. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A telecommunications network comprising a plurality of integrated communications control devices each of which are reconfigurable by a user, each coupled to a telephone company'"'"'s central office through a telephone line, each device corresponding to an office location, the network for creating a virtual office wherein each device integrates and controls a telecommunications environment of a corresponding office and also links the telecommunications environment of each office to each of the other offices through the telephone company'"'"'s central office, wherein communications are routed between the devices within the network as appropriate and wherein each of the integrated communications control devices comprise:
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a. a central office interface for coupling the integrated communications control device to an incoming telephone line coupled to a telephone company'"'"'s central office; b. a processor means coupled to the central office interface for controlling the integrated communications control device; c. a memory coupled to the processor means; d. a plurality of peripheral interfaces coupled to the processor means for interfacing pieces of telephonic equipment to the integrated communications control device; and e. a display and user interface apparatus coupled to the processor means for displaying information to the user and for allowing the user to interface with the integrated communications control device. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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- 26. A telecommunications network comprising a plurality of integrated communications control devices each of which are reconfigurable by a user, each coupled to a telephone company'"'"'s central office through a telephone line, each device corresponding to an office location, the network for creating a virtual office wherein each device integrates and controls a telecommunications environment of a corresponding office and also links the telecommunications environment of each office to each of the other offices through the telephone company'"'"'s central office, wherein communications are routed between the devices within the network as appropriate and wherein an integrated communications control device when receiving an incoming call which is not answered will route the incoming call to a predetermined sequence of the integrated communications devices within the plurality, in turn, until the incoming call is answered.
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29. A telecommunications network comprising a plurality of integrated communications control devices each of which are reconfigurable by a user, each coupled to a telephone company'"'"'s central office through a telephone line, each device corresponding to an office location, the network for creating a virtual office wherein each device integrates and controls a telecommunications environment of a corresponding office and also links the telecommunications environment of each office to each of the other offices through the telephone company'"'"'s central office, wherein communications are routed between the devices within the network as appropriate and wherein an integrated communications control device when receiving an incoming call will route the incoming call to another one of the integrated communications control device according to a time of day of the incoming call selected by a user.
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30. A telecommunications network comprising a plurality of integrated communications control devices each of which are reconfigurable by a user, each coupled to a telephone company'"'"'s central office through a telephone line, each device corresponding to an office location, the network for creating a virtual office wherein each device integrates and controls a telecommunications environment of a corresponding office and also links the telecommunications environment of each office to each of the other offices through the telephone company'"'"'s central office, wherein communications are routed between the devices within the network as appropriate and wherein an integrated communications control device when receiving an incoming call will route the incoming call to another one of the integrated communications control device when the integrated communications control device is preconfigured by a user to do so.
Specification