Use of wizards/experts in a PBX environment
DCFirst Claim
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1. A computer implemented method for providing assistance to a customer of a computer application which allows a customer to perform maintenance functions on a telecommunication system or analyze telecommunications needs, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) determining what maintenance/assessment functions are available to be performed on the telecommunication system;
(b) prompting a customer as to the maintenance/assessment functions that are available;
(c) querying the customer as to which one or more of the functions the customer has chosen to perform; and
(d) executing the chosen function.
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Abstract
Telecommunication equipment is connected to and controlled by a computer which executes software controlling the digital communication between the telecommunication equipment and the computer. Software in the form of a wizard or expert also executes on the computer and acts to simplify the computer user'"'"'s interaction with the telecommunication equipment and underlying software which controls the telecommunication equipment.
41 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A computer implemented method for providing assistance to a customer of a computer application which allows a customer to perform maintenance functions on a telecommunication system or analyze telecommunications needs, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) determining what maintenance/assessment functions are available to be performed on the telecommunication system;
(b) prompting a customer as to the maintenance/assessment functions that are available;
(c) querying the customer as to which one or more of the functions the customer has chosen to perform; and
(d) executing the chosen function.
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2. An apparatus for computer control of some or all of the functions of a digital telephone, said apparatus comprising:
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(a) a digital telephone;
(b) a computer system, said computer system connected via a means for digital signal communications to a control port of said digital telephone;
(c) a first application program element, said first application program element executed by said computer system and providing information to a customer through display means, said first application program element also monitoring customer input through one or more input means and for commanding the execution of a task at said digital telephone where a plural series of customer inputs at the computer system selects the task for execution; and
(d) a second application program element, said second application program element providing a means for simplifying the selection of the task by querying the customer as to what are the customer'"'"'s requirements as to the task so that the plural series of customer inputs that selects the task for execution is reduced.
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3. An apparatus for computer control and monitoring of some or all of the functions of a network of telephone conferences, said apparatus comprising:
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(a) a network of telephone conferences;
(b) a computer system, said computer system connected via a means for digital signal communications to a control port of said network of telephone conferences;
(c) a first application program element, said application program executed by said computer system to provide information to a customer through display means, said application program also monitoring customer input through one or more input means and for commanding the execution of a task at said network of telephone conferences where a plural series of customer inputs at the computer system selects the task for execution;
(d) a second application program element said second application program element providing a means for simplifying the selection of the task by querying the customer as to what are the customer'"'"'s requirements as to the task so that the plural series of customer inputs that selects the task for execution is reduced.
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4. An apparatus for computer control and monitoring of some or all of the functions of telephone switching equipment, said apparatus comprising:
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(a) a telecommunications switch;
(b) a computer system, said computer system connected via a means for digital signal communications to a control port of said telecommunications switch;
(c) a first application program element, said application program executed by said computer system to provide information to a customer through display means, said application program also monitoring customer input through one or more input means and for commanding the execution of a task at said telecommunications switch where a plural series of customer inputs at the computer system selects the task for execution;
(d) a second application program element, said second application program element providing a means for simplifying the selection of the task by querying the customer as to what are the customer'"'"'s requirements as to the task so that the plural series of customer inputs that selects the task for execution is reduced. - View Dependent Claims (5)
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6. An apparatus for computer maintenance of the functions of telephone switching equipment, said apparatus comprising:
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(a) a telephone switch;
(b) a computer system, said computer system connected via a means for digital signal communications to a control port of said telephone switch;
(c) a first application program element, said application program executed by said computer system to assist a customer in maintaining telephone switching equipment, said application program also providing information to the customer through display means, said application program also monitoring the customer'"'"'s input through one or more input means and providing information to the customer based in part on the user customer;
(d) a second application program element, said second application program element providing a means to simplify the customer'"'"'s access to the information by providing the information through reduced input from the customer than would be required by said first application program element, said second application program element querying the user to determine telecommunication requirements of the customer. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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9. An apparatus for computer maintenance of the functions of telephone equipment, said apparatus comprising:
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(a) telephone equipment;
(b) a computer system, said computer system connected via a means for digital signal communications to a control port of said telephone equipment;
(c) a first application program element, said application program executed by said computer system to assist a customer in maintaining telephone equipment, said application program also providing information to the customer through display means, said application program also monitoring the customer'"'"'s input through one or more input means and providing information to the customer based in part on the customer input;
(d) a second application program element, said second application program element providing a means to simplify the customer'"'"'s access to the information by providing the information through reduced input from the customer than would be required by said first application program element, said second application program element querying the user to determine telecommunication requirements of the customer.
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10. A computer implemented method for assisting a customer in using a control application program for controlling a telecommunications apparatus comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a control application program for controlling a telecommunications apparatus;
(b) initiating in response to customer input an expert application program for operating the control application program;
(c) determining actions which are available on the telecommunication apparatus;
(d) querying the customer regarding the available actions;
(e) detecting an available action selected by the customer; and
(f) in response to detecting a selected action, initiating operations of the control application program by the expert application program to execute the selected action on the telecommunications apparatus.
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11. A device for controlling a telecommunications apparatus comprising:
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a telecommunications apparatus adapted to connect to a telecommunications network for executing a plurality of telecommunication actions;
a computer system having a connection to a control port of said telecommunications apparatus for providing digital signal communications between said telecommunications apparatus and said computer system;
a first application program executed on said computer system for controlling digital signal communications with said telecommunications apparatus and for commanding said telecommunications apparatus to execute at least one of the plurality of telecommunication actions in response to customer input; and
a second application program executed on said computer system for determining actions available on said telecommunications apparatus, for controlling said first application program, and for reducing customer input by querying the customer as to what are the customer'"'"'s requirements as to the execution of an action that has been selected, whereby the second application program controls the first application program with reduced customer input to execute a telecommunications action.
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Specification