System and method for adding services to computer telephone systems

• US 6,330,319 B1
• Filed: 12/23/1998
• Issued: 12/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Optis Wireless Technology, LLC (Brevet Capital)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Moghnie, Hassan Mostapha
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, CREIGHTON H
• Application Number:
  US09/221,631
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• Field of Search: 379/201.01, 379/201.03, 379/201.12, 379/207.02
• US Class Current: 379/201.03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber

Abstract

A computer-based telephone integration system for providing various telephone-related services is disclosed. The computer-based telephone integration system includes a processing unit and memory storing system software. The system software includes a control object for determining call information pertaining to an incoming telephone call and for searching for a service object to perform a telephone service corresponding to the determined call information, and a plurality of service objects, each of which defines the behavior of a telephone service. The computer-based telephone integration system includes a database which, in response to the determined call information, provides an identification of a link library having therein the service object corresponding to the desired telephone service to perform. Subsequent to accessing the identified link library by the control object, the service object is executed, thereby providing the desired telephone service to the caller.

Claims

1. A computer program product including a computer readable medium having computer readable program code means embodied thereon, for a computer-based telephone system for providing telephone services to incoming callers thereto, said computer program product comprising:

first computer readable program code means for determining call information pertaining to an incoming telephone call;

second computer readable program code means including a database for identifying a service object corresponding to said call information and for identifying a library in which said service object is defined, said service object defining a behavior of a service to be performed in response to said incoming telephone call; and

third computer readable program code means for executing said service object.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein:

said call information includes an identification of said incoming telephone call.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein:

said call information includes an identification of the telephone number called by the caller of said incoming telephone call.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein:

said call information includes identification of the time said incoming telephone call was received by said computer-based telephone system.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein:

said first computer readable program code means includes a control object which queries said database for said service object identification, said service object inheriting characteristics of said control object.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein:

said second computer readable program code means includes a fourth computer readable program code means for invoking an object factory function on said identified service object.

7. A computer program product including a computer readable medium having computer readable program code means embodied thereon, for a computer-based telephone system for providing telephone services to incoming callers thereto, said computer program product comprising:

first computer readable program code means for determining call information pertaining to an incoming telephone call;

second computer readable program code means for identifying a service object corresponding to said call information, said service object defining a behavior of a service to be performed in response to said incoming telephone call; and

third computer readable program code means for executing said service object, said first computer readable program code means, said second computer readable program code means and said third computer readable program code means form a dynamically bound object-oriented system.

8. A method of performing a telephone service for a telephone caller, comprising the steps of:

receiving an incoming telephone call from the telephone caller;

determining call information pertaining to said incoming telephone call;

identifying a location of a service object defining the behavior corresponding to a service for the telephone caller, said identifying of said location including querying a database for and receiving therefrom an identification of a library wherein said service object is located and being based upon said call information;

accessing said service object at said location; and

executing said service object.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said accessing step comprises the step of:

accessing said library based upon said identification therefor obtained in querying the database.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said accessing step further comprises the step of:

performing an object factory function on said library.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of accessing said library comprises the steps of:

loading said library; and

operating on said library to receive said service object.

12. A computer-based telephone system for providing various telephone services, comprising:

a processing unit;

memory operatively associated with said processing unit;

a plurality of service objects, each of said plurality of service objects defining a behavior corresponding to a telephone service and being defined within a library;

database means, operatively associated with said memory, for storing locations of said plurality of service objects, said locations of said service objects being provided by said database means based upon call information and including identification of at least one library having said service objects; and

system software stored in said memory, said system software cooperating with said processing unit in performing telephone services and including a control object, said control object determining call information pertaining to an incoming telephone call to said computer-based telephone system and requesting an identification of at least one of said service objects to perform a telephone service to the caller of the incoming telephone call, based upon the call information.

13. The computer-based telephone system of claim 12, wherein:

said database means further provides identification of said service object to perform said telephone service.

14. The computer-based telephone system of claim 12, wherein:

said control object invokes an object factory function on said service object identified by said database means.

15. The computer-based telephone system of claim 12, wherein:

said call information includes a telephone number corresponding to a destination of a telephone call.

16. A computer-based telephone system for providing various telephone services, comprising:

a processing unit;

memory operatively associated with said processing unit;

a plurality of service objects that are dynamically bound, each of said plurality of service objects defining a behavior corresponding to a telephone service; and

system software stored in said memory, said system software cooperating with said processing unit in performing telephone services and including a control object, said control object determining call information pertaining to an incoming telephone call to said computer-based telephone system and requesting an identification of at least one of the service objects to perform a telephone service to the caller of the incoming call, based upon the call information.

17. A computer program product including a computer readable medium having computer readable program code means embodied thereon, for a computer-based telephone system for providing telephone services to incoming callers thereto, said computer program product comprising instructions for:

determining call information pertaining to an incoming telephone call;

querying a configuration database for and receiving therefrom an identification of a library having a plurality of service objects including an appropriate service object to perform a telephone service to a caller of the incoming telephone call, based upon the call information;

receiving from the library an identification of the appropriate service object within the library;

receiving the appropriate service object from the library, the appropriate service object defining a behavior of the telephone service to be performed for the caller of the incoming telephone call; and

executing said appropriate service object.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein:

said call information includes an identification of said incoming telephone call.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein:

said call information includes an identification of the telephone number called by the caller of said incoming telephone call.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein:

said call information includes identification of the time the incoming telephone call was received by said computer-based telephone system.

21. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein at least some of said instructions form a control object and said appropriate service object is adapted to inherit characteristics of said control object.

22. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein said control object, said service objects and said configuration database form a dynamically bound object-oriented system.

23. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the instruction for querying the configuration database queries the configuration database for the identification of the library having the appropriate service object from a plurality of libraries of service objects.

24. A method of performing a telephone service for a telephone caller, said method comprising the steps of:

determining call information pertaining to an incoming telephone call;

querying a configuration database for and receiving therefrom an identification of a library having a plurality of service objects including an appropriate service object to perform the telephone service to the telephone caller of the incoming telephone call, based upon the call information;

receiving from the library an identification of the appropriate service object within the library;

receiving the appropriate service object from the library, the appropriate service object defining a behavior of the telephone service to be performed for the caller of the incoming telephone call; and

executing said appropriate service object.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

performing an object factory function on said library to receive the identification of the appropriate service object.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

loading said library; and

operating on said library to receive said appropriate service object.

27. A computer-based telephone system for providing various telephone services, said computer-based telephone system comprising:

a processing unit;

a memory operatively associated with said processing unit;

a plurality of libraries stored in said memory, each library having one or more service objects therein, each said service object defining a behavior of a telephone service;

a configuration database, stored in said memory, having information relating to the plurality of libraries; and

system software stored in said memory, said system software cooperating with said processing unit in performing telephone services, including a control object, said system software determining call information pertaining to a telephone caller, querying the configuration database for and receiving therefrom an identification of the library having the appropriate service object to perform the telephone service for the telephone caller, based upon the call information, receiving from the identified library an identification of the appropriate service object within the library, receiving the appropriate service object from the identified library, the appropriate service object defining a behavior of the service to be performed for the telephone caller, and executing said appropriate service object.

28. The computer-based telephone system of claim 27, wherein:

said configuration database further provides an identification of said appropriate service object to perform the telephone service.

29. The computer-based telephone system of claim 27, wherein:

said control object invokes an object factory function on said appropriate service object identified by said configuration database.

30. The computer-based telephone system of claim 27, wherein:

said call information includes a telephone number corresponding to the telephone caller.

31. The computer-based telephone system of claim 27, wherein:

said one or more service objects are dynamically bound.

32. A computer program product including a computer readable medium having computer readable program code means embodied thereon, for a computer-based telephone system for updating telephone services performed by the computer-based telephone system to incoming callers, said computer program product comprising instructions for:

defining a new service object corresponding to a new service to be selectively performed by the computer-based telephone system;

adding the new service object to a library of service objects maintained by the computer-based telephone system, said new service object defining a behavior of the new service object to be selectively performed; and

updating a configuration table associated with the library and maintained by the computer-based telephone system, to reflect the new service object being in the library, the configuration table identifying the library from a plurality of libraries having service objects.

33. The computer program product of claim 32, wherein the library to which the new service object is added is an existing library containing existing service objects.

34. The computer program product of claim 32, wherein the library to which the new service object is added is a dynamic link library.

35. In a computer-based telephone system, a method for updating telephone services performed by the computer-based telephone system to incoming callers, said method characterized by including:

defining a new service object corresponding to a new service to be selectively performed by the computer-based telephone system;

adding the new service object to a library of service objects maintained by the computer-based telephone system, said new service object defining a behavior of the new service to be selectively performed; and

updating a configuration table associated with the library and maintained by the computer-based telephone system, to reflect the new service object being in the library, the configuration table identifying the library from a plurality of libraries having service objects.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the library to which the new service object is added is an existing library containing existing service objects.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the library to which the new service object is added is a dynamic link library.