Handling different communications types by using agents to implement communication goal commands

• US 6,675,194 B1
• Filed: 05/05/1999
• Issued: 01/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitel Networks Corporation
• Original Assignee: Zarlink Semiconductor Inc. (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pinard, Deborah L., Peres, Eliana M. O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrell, Robert B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pollack, Melvin H
• Application Number:
  US09/305,873
• Time in Patent Office: 1,707 Days
• Field of Search: 709/202, 709/204, 709/228, 709/200, 709/203, 379/90, 379/90.01, 379/93.01, 379/93.07, 379/93.09, 379/100.18, 379/100.12, 379/100.15, 370/352
• US Class Current: 709/202
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/54525 Features introduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/54583 Software development, e.g. procedural, object oriented, software generation, software testing

Abstract

A communication system includes a plurality of desktop controller agents receiving goal commands and invoking a process to achieve the goals. A plurality of resource agents each in communication with an associate device receives and stores goals from a desktop controller agent and operates the associated device in response to goals received from the desktop controller agent. A network interconnects all of the agents and carries goals between the agents. Communications folders for the user agents are maintained and include a log of communications made using devices associated with a respective desktop controller agent. Attachments can be selected to accompany communications made using the devices.

Claims

1. A method of operating a communications system comprising the steps of:

providing a user agent for each user of said communications system, each user agent having at least one role;

creating a desktop controller agent for a user when said user access said communications system, said desktop controller agent selecting resources necessary for said desktop controller agent to provide the user agent associated with said user, with communications facilities said user agent requires to perform said at least one role, said desktop controller agent receiving communication goal commands (goals) from said associated user agent and invoking processes to achieve said communication goals, said communication goals instructing the handling of different types of communications;

creating resource agents for the selected resources, each in communication with an associated device, each resource agent storing communication goals received from said associated desktop controller agent and operating said associated device in response to said communication goals thereby to achieve said communication goals;

interconnecting all of said agents and carrying communication goals between said agents;

maintaining at least one communications folder for each of said user agents, each communications folder including a log of communications carried out in response to communication goals generated by said associated user agent; and

selectively including attachments to accompany outgoing communications carried out in response to said communications goals.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein a communications folder is maintained for each role performed by said associated user agent.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said different types of communications include two or more of voice calls, video calls, appointments, shared data calls, emails, voice mails and facsimile messages.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein each desktop controller agent has jurisdiction over a user interface agent, logs of communications being accessed via said user interface agent.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said user interface agent is resident on a computer and displays said logs of communications on a monitor of said computer.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said attachments are selected using said computer.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said different types of communications are associated with account codes.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the resource agents created for the selected resources include a dial tone generator agent, a connection agent and a phone agent, said dial tone generator agent operating a dial tone generator, said dialing signal detector agent operating a dialing signal translator, said connection agent operating a connection control resource and said phone agent operating a phone driver coupled to a telephone device, said communications goals including goals including signals defining the operation of tasks in processing a telephone call between agents.

9. The method of claim 3 wherein said role agents store said communications folders, said role agents creating entries for the logs of communications as communications are carried out in response to said communication goals.

10. The method of claim 9 where said role agents execute scripts to create log entries.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said role agents sort said log entries and generate reports.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said role agents are responsive to said user agents and configure said logs of communications to display entries in list or calendar formats.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein said desktop controller agents create operating system monitor agents to monitor operating systems of computers, the role agents being responsive to the desktop controller agents to create logs of created files, said role agents allowing file entries to be linked to entries in logs of communications.

42. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of selectively executing routines to sort entries in said logs of communications thereby to generate reports.

14. A communications system comprising:

a user agent for each user of said communication system, each user agent having at least one role;

a desktop controller agent for each user accessing said communication system, said desktop controller agent selecting recourses necessary for said desktop controller agent to provide the user agent associated with said user, with the communications facilities said user agent requires to perform said at least one role, said desk top controller agent receiving communication goal commands (goals) and invoking processes to achieve said communication goals, said communications goals including the handling of different types of communications;

resource agents for the selected resources, each in communication with an associated device, each resource agent storing communication goals received from said associated desktop controller agent and operating said associated device in response to said communication goals thereby to achieve said communication goals;

a network interconnecting all of said agents and carrying communication goals between said agents;

at least one communications folders for each of said user agents, each said communications folder including a log of communications carried out in response to communication goals generated said associated user agent; and

attachments to accompany outgoing communications carried out in response to said communication goals.

15. A communications system as defined in claim 14 wherein a communications folder is maintained for each role performed by said associated user agent.

16. A communications system as defined in claim 15 wherein said different types of communications include two or more of voice calls, video calls, appointments, shared data calls, emails, voice mails and facsimile messages.

17. A communications system as defined in claim 16 wherein each desktop controller agent has jurisdiction over a user interface agent, said logs of communications being accessed via said user interface agent.

18. A communications system as defined in claim 17 wherein said user interface agent is resident on a computer and displays logs of communications on a monitor of said computer.

19. A communications system as defined in claim 18 wherein said attachments are selected using said computer.

20. A communications system as defined in claim 19 wherein said different types of communications are associated with account codes.

21. A communications system as defined in claim 15 wherein the resource agents created for the selected resources include a dial tone generator agent, a dialing signal detector agent, a connection agent and a phone agent, said dial tone generator agent operating a dial tone generator, said dialing signal detector agent operating a dialing signal translator, said connection agent operating a connection control resource and said phone agent operating a phone driver coupled to a telephone said communication goals including signals defining the operation of tasks in processing a telephone call between agents.

22. A communications system as defined in claim 15 wherein role agents store the one communications folders for the roles performed by said user agent and create entries for the logs of communications as communications are carried out.

23. A communications system as defined in claim 22 wherein said role agents execute scripts to create said log entries.

24. A communications system as defined in claim 23 wherein said role agents sort said logs of communications and generate reports.

25. A communications system as defined in claim 24 wherein said role agents are responsive to said user agents to configure said logs of communications to display entries in list or calendar formats.

26. A communications system as defined in claim 15 wherein said desktop controller agents create operating system monitor agents to monitor operating systems of computers, the role agents being responsive to the desktop controller agents to create logs of created files, said role agents allowing file entries to be linked to entries in logs of communications.

43. A communications system according to claim 14 further including selectable executable routines to sort entries in said logs of communications thereby to generate reports.

27. A communications system comprising:

a plurality of process agents receiving goal commands (goals) in the form of signals defining tasks to be performed to establish telephone calls;

a plurality of connection agents, each in communication with an associated telephone interface circuit and receiving and storing goals from a process agent and operating said associated telephone interface circuit in response to goals received from a process agent to establish a telephone call from one telephone interface circuit to another; and

a network interconnecting all of said agents and carrying goals between said agents thereby, said connection agents locally controlling connection of said telephone interface circuits to channels of said network, wherein said connection agents are operable to connect said telephone interface circuits to silence locally to place telephone calls on hold in response to on-hold goal commands.

28. A communications system as defined in claim 27 wherein said connection agents are operable to connect said telephone interface circuits to multiple channels to conference telephone calls in response to conference goal commands.

29. A communications system as defined in claim 28 wherein said connection agents are operable to condition said telephone interface circuits to swap connections between channels to swap telephone calls in response to swap goal commands.

30. A communications system as defined in claim 27 wherein said network is at least one of a public switched telephone network, a wide area network, an internet connection and an intranet connection.

31. A method of operating a communications system comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of process agents receiving goal commands (goals) in the form of signals defining tasks to be performed to establish telephone calls;

providing a plurality of connection agents, each in communication with an associated telephone interface circuit and receiving and storing goals from a process agent and operating said associated telephone interface circuit in response to receiving said goals from a process agent to establish a telephone call from one telephone interface circuit to another;

interconnecting all of said agents and carrying goals between said agents; and

locally controlling connection of said telephone interface circuits to channels of said network via said connection agents, wherein said locally controlling step-, includes connecting said telephone interface circuits to silence too place telephone calls on hold in response to on-hold goal commands.

32. The method of claim 32 further comprising the step of, during said locally controlling step, connecting said telephone interface circuits to multiple channels to conference telephone calls in response to conference goal commands.

33. The method of claim 32 further comprising the step of, during said locally controlling step, conditioning said telephone interface circuits to swap connections between channels to swap telephone calls in response to swap goal commands.

34. A communications system comprising:

a network having a plurality of channels;

a plurality of telephone devices connectable to one or more channels of said network to establish telephone connections between telephone devices; and

switch means acting between each of said telephone devices and said network, each said switch means being locally controlled to connect said associated telephone device to selected channels of said network, wherein each said switch means is actuable to connect said associated telephone device to silence to place a telephone connection on hold.

35. A communications system as defined in claim 34 wherein each switch means is actuable to connect said associated telephone device to multiple channels of said network to conference telephone connections.

36. A communications system as defined in claim 35 wherein each switch means is actuable to swap connections between channels of said network to swap telephone connections.

37. A communications system as defined in claim 34 wherein said network is at least one of a public switched telephone network, a wide area network, an internet connection and an intranet connection.

38. A method of operating a communications system comprising the steps of:

providing a user agent for each user of said communications system, each user agent having at least one role;

creating a desktop controller agent for a user when said user accesses said communications system, said desktop controller agent selecting resources necessary for said desktop controller agent to provide the user agent associated with said user, with communications facilities said user agent requires to perform said at least one role, said desktop controller agent receiving communication goal commands (goals) from said associated user agent and invoking processes to achieve said communication goals, said associated user agent and invoking processes to achieve said communication goals, said communication goals instructing the handling of different types of communications;

creating resource agents for the selected resources, each in communication with an associated device, each resource agent storing communication goals received from said associated desktop controller agent and operating said associated device in response to said communication goals thereby to achieve said communication goals;

interconnecting all of said agents and carrying communication goals between said agents;

maintaining at least one communications folder for each of said user agents, each communications folder including a log of communications carried out in response to communication goals generated by said associated user agent; and

selectively executing routines to sort entries in each said log of communications thereby to generate reports.

39. The method of claim 38 further including the step of configuring said logs of communications to display entries in list or calendar formats.

40. A communications system comprising:

a user agent for each user of said communication system, each user agent having at least one role;

a desktop controller agent for each user accessing said communication system, said desktop controller agent selecting resources necessary for said desktop controller agent to provide the user agent associated with said user, with the communications facilities said user agent requires to perform said at least one role, said desktop controller agent receiving communication goal commands (goals) and invoking processes to achieve said communication goals, said communication goals including the handling of different types of communications;

of resource agents for the selected resources, each in communication with an associated device, each resource agent storing communication goals received from said associated desktop controller agent and operating said associated device in response to said communication goals thereby to achieve said communication goals;

a network interconnecting all of said agents and carrying communication goals between said agents;

at least one communications folders for each of said user agents, each said communications folder including a log of communications carried out in response to communication goals generated by said associated user agent; and

selectable executable routines to sort entries in each said log of communications thereby to generate reports.

41. A communications system as defined in claim 40 wherein routines are selected and executed to configure said logs of communications to display entries in list or calendar formats.