Telecommute server
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for managing a telecommunications system in which call forwarding is determined by whether a computer terminal is logged into a computer network, comprising:
- a) receiving a call on a telephone system which is coupled to a computer network;
b) determining with a server the identity of a called party to whom said call should be directed;
c) identifying with the server one of a plurality of network logon devices associated with said called party that is logged-on to said computer network;
d) identifying with the server a telephone number associated with said logged-on network logon device; and
e) forwarding the call to said telephone number, the forwarded call bypassing the server.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and device for managing a telecommunication system, including call forwarding, with a computer network (LAN, WAN, etc.) integrated with a private branch exchange (PBX) connected to a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). Calls are forwarded based upon the device used to log onto the computer network by the called party.
-
Citations
41 Claims
-
1. A method for managing a telecommunications system in which call forwarding is determined by whether a computer terminal is logged into a computer network, comprising:
-
a) receiving a call on a telephone system which is coupled to a computer network; b) determining with a server the identity of a called party to whom said call should be directed; c) identifying with the server one of a plurality of network logon devices associated with said called party that is logged-on to said computer network; d) identifying with the server a telephone number associated with said logged-on network logon device; and e) forwarding the call to said telephone number, the forwarded call bypassing the server. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A method for managing a telecommunications system in which call forwarding is determined by whether a computer terminal is logged into a computer network, comprising:
-
a) receiving a call on a telephone system which is coupled to a computer network; b) determining the identity of a called party to whom said call should be directed; c) determining whether one of a plurality of network logon devices associated with said called party is logged onto said computer network; d) if one of the network logon devices is logged onto said computer network, then identifying a telephone number associated with said logged-on network logon device and forwarding the call to said telephone number; and e) if none of said plurality of network logon devices is logged onto said computer network, then directing the call to a default telephone number.
-
-
10. A method for managing a telecommunications system in which call forwarding is determined by whether a computer terminal is logged into a computer network, comprising:
-
a) receiving a call on a telephone system which is coupled to a computer network; b) determining the identity of a called party to whom said call should be directed; c) determining whether one of a plurality of network logon devices associated with said called party is logged onto said computer network; d) if one of the network logon devices is logged onto said computer network, then identifying a telephone number associated with said logged-on network logon device and forwarding the call to said telephone number; and e) if none of said plurality of network logon devices is logged onto said computer network, then directing said call to a telephone number associated with a previously logged-on network logon device for a specified period of time after said previously logged-on network logon device logs off said computer network.
-
-
11. A method for managing a telecommunications system in which call forwarding is controlled by a calling party, comprising:
-
a) receiving a call from the calling party on a telephone network requesting communications with a called party; b) presenting said calling party with a menu listing a plurality of locations to which the call can be forwarded; c) receiving a selection signal from said calling party identifying the location to which said call is to be forwarded; and d) forwarding said call to a forwarding telephone number associated with said selection signal. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A method for managing a telecommunications system in which call forwarding is controlled by the called party, comprising:
-
a) receiving an indication that calls directed to a first communications device should be forwarded to a second communications device; b) receiving a call from a calling party on a telephone network directed to said first communications device; c) recording a calling-party message from said calling party; d) forwarding said calling-party message to said second communications device; e) playing said calling-party message at said second communications device; f) receiving a selection signal from said second communications device indicating a third communications device to which said call is to be forwarded; and g) forwarding said call to said third communications device. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
-
-
28. A method for managing a telecommunications system, which includes a voice messaging system, in which call forwarding is determined by whether a computer terminal is logged onto a computer network, comprising:
-
a) receiving a call on a telephone system which is coupled to a computer network; b) determining the number of a called party'"'"'s extension to which said call should be directed; c) simulating a "ring no answer" of said extension number by sending a "ring no answer" signal to the telephone system; d) intercepting control signals provided by the telephone system to the voice messaging system in response to the "ring no answer" signal; e) recording the control signals which are provided by the telephone system to the voice messaging system in response to the "ring no answer" signal; f) identifying which one of a plurality of network logon devices associated with said called party is logged-on to said computer network; g) if no network logon device for the called party is identified as logged-on, playing the control signals to the voice messaging system, in order to transfer the call to said voice messaging system; h) if a network logon device is identified as logged-on, identifying a telephone number associated with said network logon device and forwarding the call to said telephone number. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
-
-
36. A server for managing a telecommunications system that includes a computer system having a plurality of network logon devices associated with a called party and that includes a telephone system coupled to a publicly switched telephone network, the server operable to:
-
a) receive information from the telephone system regarding an incoming call directed to the called party; b) identify the called party from the information; c) identify one of the network logon devices that is logged onto the computer network; d) identify a telephone number associated with the logged-on network logon device; and e) control the telephone system to forward the call to the telephone number, the forwarded call bypassing the server.
-
-
37. A server for managing a telecommunications system that includes a computer system having a plurality of network logon devices associated with a called party and that includes a telephone system, the server operable to:
-
a) receive information from the telephone system regarding an incoming telephone call directed to the called party; b) identify the called party from the information; c) determine whether one of the network logon devices is logged onto the computer network; d) if one of the network logon devices is logged onto the computer network, then identify a telephone number associated with the logged-on network logon device and control the telephone system to forward the call to the telephone number; and e) if none of the network logon devices are logged onto the computer network, then control the telephone system to forward the call to a default telephone number.
-
-
38. A server for managing a telecommunications system that includes a computer system having a plurality of network logon devices associated with a called party and that includes a telephone system, the server operable to:
-
a) receive information from the telephone system regarding an incoming telephone call directed to the called party; b) identify the called party from the information; c) determine whether one of the network logon devices is logged onto the computer network; d) if one of the network logon devices is logged onto the computer network, then identify a telephone number associated with the logged-on network logon device and control the telephone system to forward the call to the telephone number; and e) if none of the network logon devices is logged onto the computer network and if the most recently logged-on network logon device has been logged off the computer network for no longer than a predetermined time, then direct the call to a telephone number associated with the most recently logged-on network logon device.
-
-
39. A server for managing a telecommunications system that includes a telephone system, the server operable to:
-
a) receive information from the telephone system regarding an incoming telephone call from a calling party, the call directed to a called party; b) present the calling party with a menu listing a plurality of locations to which the call can be forwarded; c) receive from the calling party a selection signal identifying the location to which the call is to be forwarded; and d) control the telephone system to forward the call to a telephone number associated with the identified location.
-
-
40. A server for managing a telecommunications system that includes a telephone system, the server operable to:
-
a) receive an indication that the telephone system is to forward calls directed to a first communications device to a second communications device; b) receive information from the telephone system regarding an incoming telephone call from a calling party, the call directed to the first communications device; c) record a calling-party message from the calling party; d) control the telephone system to forward the calling-party message to the second communications device; e) play the calling-party message at the second communications device; f) receive a selection signal from the second communications device indicating that the call is to be forwarded to a third communications device; and g) control the telephone system to forward the call to the third communications device.
-
-
41. A server for managing a telecommunications system that includes a computer system having a plurality of network logon devices associated with a called party, a telephone system, and a voice messaging system coupled to the telephone system, the server operable to:
-
a) receive information from the telephone system regarding an incoming telephone call directed to the called party; b) determine the called party'"'"'s telephone number to which the call is to be directed; c) simulate a "ring no answer" of the telephone number by sending a "ring no answer" signal to the telephone system; d) intercept control signals provided by the telephone system to the voice messaging system in response to the "ring no answer" signal; e) record the intercepted control signals; f) determine whether one of the network logon devices is logged onto the computer network; g) if no network logon device is logged-on, then transfer the call to the voice messaging system by playing the recorded control signals to the voice messaging system; and h) if a network logon device is logged-on, then identify a forwarding telephone number associated with the network logon device and control the telephone system to forward the call to the forwarding telephone number.
-
Specification