Integrated telecommunication collaboration system

• US 6,256,389 B1
• Filed: 04/23/1998
• Issued: 07/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Monroe, Jr., Robert Donald, Chen, Ta-Ming, O'Shaughnessey, Patrick Michael, Matlock, James Lashlee, Dalrymple, William Clyde Prentice
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Harry S.
• Application Number:
  US09/065,124
• Time in Patent Office: 1,167 Days
• Field of Search: 348/15, 348/16, 370/260, 370/270, 370/352, 370/353, 370/354, 379/202, 379/265, 379/309, 379/900, 709/204, 709/241
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0407 using a stored programme control
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1305 Software aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1307 Call setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13093 Personal computer, PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13106 Microprocessor, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13174 Data transmission, file transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13175 Graphical user interface [GUI], WWW interface, visual indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1318 Ringing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13196 Connection circuit/link/trunk/junction, bridge, router, gateway
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13199 Modem, modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13205 Primary rate access, PRI
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13209 ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1324 Conference call
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13248 Multimedia
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13296 Packet switching, X.25, frame relay
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13298 Local loop systems, access network
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1336 : Synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13377 : Recorded announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 : LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 : Provisions for signalling

Abstract

An integrated telecommunication collaboration system which allows the close integration of desktop computer applications, data communications, and public switched telephone network voice connections. Client software which implements the invention includes a voice agent for establishing telephone sessions, a data agent for establishing associated data sessions, a communications agent which synchronizes the date and voice agents, and an integration agent which integrates the data and voice communications with a computer operating system, and with various applications. The integrated telecommunication collaboration system controls the establishment of harmonized calls by sending and receiving various requests and status messages to and from a server, and another client.

Claims

1. A method of establishing a harmonized call, the method comprising the steps of:

upon receiving a calling user request via a computer system user interface, requesting a server to establish a public switched telephone network (PSTN) connection between the server and a calling user;

receiving a notification that PSTN connection between the server and the calling user has been established;

requesting the server to offer the harmonized call to a called user;

receiving a notification the harmonized call has been accepted by the called user; and

establishing a PSTN session and an associated data session with the called user.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of receiving a ring notification message while the harmonized call is being offered to the called user.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

receiving a release notification message; and

releasing the PSTN session and the associated data session with the called user.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising the steps of:

receiving a release notification message; and

releasing the PSTN session and the associated data session with the called user.

5. The method according to any of claims 1 through 4 wherein the associated data session includes application sharing.

6. A method of establishing a harmonized call, the method comprising the steps of:

upon receiving an off-hook notification message, requesting a server to establish a public switched telephone network (PSTN) connection between the server and a calling user;

receiving a notification that the PSTN connection between the server and the calling user has been established;

requesting the server to offer the harmonized call to a called user;

receiving a notification the harmonized call has been accepted by the called user; and

establishing a PSTN session and an associated data session with the called user.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of receiving a ring notification message while the harmonized call is being offered to the called user.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising the steps of:

receiving a release notification message; and

releasing the PSTN session and the associated data session with the called user.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising the steps of:

receiving a release notification message; and

releasing the PSTN session and the associated data session with the called user.

10. The method according to any of claims 6 through 9 wherein the associated data session includes application sharing.

11. A method of receiving a harmonized call, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a call offered notification message from a server;

requesting the server to establish a public switched telephone network (PSTN) connection between the server and a called user;

receiving a notification that the PSTN connection between the server and the called user has been established; and

establishing a PSTN session and an associated data session with a calling user integrated telecommunication collaboration system.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the associated data session includes application sharing.

13. A computer program product for establishing a harmonized call, the computer program product having a medium with a computer program embodied thereon, the computer program comprising:

computer program code for receiving a calling user request via a computer system user interface and requesting a server to establish a public switched telephone network (PSTN) connection between the server and a calling user;

computer program code for receiving a notification that the PSTN connection between the server and the calling user has been established;

computer program code for requesting the server to offer the harmonized call to a called user;

computer program code for receiving a notification the harmonized call has been accepted by the called user; and

computer program code for establishing a PSTN session and an associated data session with the called user.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the computer program further comprises computer program code for receiving a ring notification message while the harmonized call is being offered to the called user.

15. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the computer program further comprises:

computer program code for receiving a release notification message; and

computer program code for releasing the PSTN session and the associated data session with the called user.

16. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein the computer program further comprises:

computer program code for receiving a release notification message; and

computer program code for releasing the PSTN session and the associated data session with the called user.

17. The computer program product according to any of claims 13 through 16 wherein the associated data session includes application sharing.

18. A computer program product for establishing a harmonized call, the computer program product having a medium with a computer program embodied thereon, the computer program comprising:

computer program code for receiving an off-hook notification message and requesting a server to establish a public switched telephone network (PSTN) connection between the server and a calling user;

computer program code for receiving a notification that the PSTN connection between the server and the calling user has been established;

computer program code for requesting the server to offer the harmonized call to a called user;

computer program code for receiving a notification the harmonized call has been accepted by the called user; and

computer program code for establishing a PSTN session and an associated data session with the called user.

19. The computer program product of claim 18 wherein the computer program further comprises computer program code for receiving a ring notification message while the harmonized call is being offered to the called user.

20. The computer program product of claim 18 wherein the computer program further comprises:

computer program code for receiving a release notification message; and

computer program code for releasing the PSTN session and the associated data session with the called user.

21. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein the computer program further comprises:

computer program code for receiving a release notification message; and

computer program code for releasing the PSTN session and the associated data session with the called user.

22. The computer program product according to any of claims 18 through 21 wherein the associated data session includes application sharing.

23. A computer program product for receiving a harmonized call, the computer program product having a medium with a computer program embodied thereon, the computer program comprising:

computer program code for receiving a call offered notification message from a server;

computer program code for requesting the server to establish a public switched telephone network (PSTN) connection between the server and a called user;

computer program code for receiving a notification that the PSTN connection between the server and the called user has been established; and

computer program code for establishing a PSTN session and an associated data session.

24. The computer program product of claim 23 wherein the associated data session includes application sharing.

25. An integrated telecommunication collaboration system client comprising:

a voice agent for establishing public switched telephone network sessions through a server;

a data agent for establishing associated data sessions with other clients;

a communications agent connected to the voice agent and the data agent for synchronizing and observing the voice agent and the data agent, the communications agent having interfaces for a plurality of service agents; and

an integration agent connected to the communications agent for processing user input, making requests of the communications agent, the integration agent having interfaces for a plurality of applications.

26. A computer program product for causing a computer to implement an integrated telecommunication collaboration system client, the computer program product including a medium with a computer program embodied thereon, the computer program comprising:

computer program code for establishing a voice agent for establishing public switched telephone network sessions through a server;

computer program code for establishing a data agent for establishing associated data sessions with other clients;

computer program code for establishing a communications agent connected to the voice agent and the data agent for synchronizing and observing the voice agent and the data agent, the communications agent having interfaces for a plurality of service agents; and

computer program code for establishing an integration agent connected to the communications agent for processing user input, making requests of the communications agent, the integration agent having interfaces for a plurality of applications.

27. A computer system including an integrated telecommunication collaboration client, the computer system comprising:

a plurality of input/output devices;

a network connection;

a system unit disposed between the plurality of input/output devices and the network connection, the system unit including;

a voice agent for establishing public switched telephone network sessions through a server;

a data agent for establishing associated data sessions with other clients;

a communications agent connected to the voice agent and the data agent for synchronizing and observing the voice agent and the data agent, the communications agent having interfaces for a plurality of service agents; and

an integration agent connected to the communications agent for processing user input, making requests of the communications agent, the integration agent having interfaces for a plurality of applications.

28. An integrated telecommunication collaboration system client comprising:

means for establishing a public switched telephone network (PSTN) session through a server;

means for establishing a data session with another client, wherein the data session is associated with the PSTN session;

communications means connected to the telephone connection means and the multimedia data connection means for synchronizing and observing the PSTN connection means and the multimedia data connection means, the communications means having interfaces for a plurality of service agents; and

integration means connected to the communications means for processing user input, making requests of the communications means, the integration means having interfaces for a plurality of applications.

29. An integrated telecommunication collaboration network comprising:

a public switched telephone network (PSTN);

a public data network having a service provider point-of-presence for providing connectivity to the public data network;

a computer telephony server disposed between the PSTN and the public data network;

a user telephone connected to the PSTN; and

an integrated telecommunication collaboration system connected to the PSTN and the public data network, the integrated telecommunication collaboration system including a communications agent for synchronizing and observing a voice agent and a data agent, the communications agent having interfaces for a plurality of service agents, the system also including an integration agent connected to the communications agent for processing user input, making requests of the communications agent, the integration agent having interfaces for a plurality of applications.