Computer telephone system

• US 5,925,101 A
• Filed: 04/07/1998
• Issued: 07/20/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aspect Software Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Davox Corporation (Aspect Software Incorporated)
• Inventors: Young, Gary C., Brannick, Gary L., Black, William B., Lee, Gene W., Mason, Larry P., Stoldt, Mark R., Lloyd, Lora M., Fissel, James E., Young, Garrett C., Withers, Robert W., Bayless, Jeanne A., Mathis, Amy L., Steenbergen, James E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Ellis B.
• Application Number:
  US09/056,569
• Time in Patent Office: 469 Days
• Field of Search: 345/200.47, 345/200.48, 345/200.49, 379/201, 379/355, 379/216, 379/354
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2473 Telephone terminals interfacing a personal computer, e.g. using an API (Application Programming Interface) details of API H04M7/0021
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/56 Arrangements for indicating or recording the called number at the calling subscriber's set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/60 logging of communication history, e.g. outgoing or incoming calls, missed calls, messages or URLs

Abstract

A telecommunications system (10) is provided that provides for telephone functions to be accessed through client computer system (14). A server computer system (16) provides telephony services, database services and access to E-mail, voice mail, video conferencing and facsimile systems. A graphical user interface 116 is presented to a user to allow the user to perform a large number of functions and to access databases of information associated with calling and called parties.

Claims

1. A method for automatically updating telephone directory information in a client/server architecture, comprising:

updating a data value representing shared telephone directory information;

broadcasting the data value to a plurality of clients; and

updating an active window of ore of the plurality of clients with the data value where the active window was displaying a previous version of the data value.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the data value represents a telephone number.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the data value represents a name.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the data value represents a company name.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

informing one of the plurality of clients that the data value has been updated.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of broadcasting the data value to a plurality of clients is performed in response to the step of updating the data value.

7. A system for automatically updating telephone directory information in a client/server architecture, said system comprising:

means for updating a data value representing shared telephone directory information;

means for broadcasting the data value to a plurality of clients in response to updating the data value; and

means for updating an active window of one of the plurality of clients with the data value where the active window was displaying a previous version of the data value.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the data value represents shared telephone directory information selected from the group consisting of a telephone number, a name, and a company name.

9. A system for automatically updating telephone directory information in a client/server architecture, said system comprising:

means for receiving a database update request;

means for updating a shared database record in response to said database update request;

means for determining whether said database record is a broadcast record type; and

means, responsive to a determination that said database record is a broadcast record type, for sending a broadcast synchronization message to a plurality of active clients, wherein said broadcast synchronization message informs each of said plurality of active clients that said database record has been updated, and wherein said broadcast synchronization message updates said data record in an active window if said active window displays a previous version of said data record.

10. A computer telephone system comprising:

a private branch exchange (PBX) for establishing telephone calls;

at least one server computer system connected to said PBX;

a plurality of client computer systems, connected to said at least one server computer system by way of a network, for providing a window to display telephone directory information to users;

a plurality of telephone units associated with respective ones of said client computer systems and connected to said PBX for use by said users to communicate with parties to said telephone calls;

said at least one server computer system comprising;

means for receiving a database update request;

means for updating at least one database record in response to said update request;

means for determining whether said database record is a broadcast record type; and

means for sending a broadcast synchronization message to at least one of said client computer systems in response to determining that said database record is said broadcast record type; and

each of said client computer systems comprising;

means for receiving said broadcast synchronization message from said at least one server computer system;

means for sending said broadcast synchronization message to active windows displayed on said client computer system;

means for determining whether said database record is currently being displayed on one of said active windows; and

means for updating said database record in said one of said active windows if a previous version of said database record is being displayed.