Computer telephony (CT) network serving multiple telephone switches
First Claim
1. A computer telephony (CT) network for a private branch exchange (PBX) telephone system network including in combination:
- a plurality of private branch exchange (PBX) systems using a common software application and linked together through a network, each of the PBX systems having a unique address;
a gateway processing system located on the network with one of the plurality of PBX systems, the gateway processing system having a plurality of application sockets with each application socket corresponding a CT application;
a memory in the gateway processing system for storing a translation table identifying extension numbers on each of the PBX systems and combining these extension numbers with the unique addresses for each PBX system to provide mapping information for sending a command from any of the application sockets to a node socket for the PBX system, the node socket representing a physical location for an affected party extension number.
20 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An enhanced computer telephony (CT) network design for a private branch exchange (PBX) telephone system network improves the computer telephony interface (CTI) capabilities of the network. Bi-directional data from remote telephone switching nodes of different PBX systems, each using a common software application, is combined into a single data stream by the network to simplify control of the remote PBX systems. Commands to, and events received from, the different PBX switching nodes are combined by use of a gateway to automatically and transparently route digital information for control of the correct remote system node.
26 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A computer telephony (CT) network for a private branch exchange (PBX) telephone system network including in combination:
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a plurality of private branch exchange (PBX) systems using a common software application and linked together through a network, each of the PBX systems having a unique address;
a gateway processing system located on the network with one of the plurality of PBX systems, the gateway processing system having a plurality of application sockets with each application socket corresponding a CT application;
a memory in the gateway processing system for storing a translation table identifying extension numbers on each of the PBX systems and combining these extension numbers with the unique addresses for each PBX system to provide mapping information for sending a command from any of the application sockets to a node socket for the PBX system, the node socket representing a physical location for an affected party extension number. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for expanding PBX systems from a single PBX system to multiple interconnected PBX systems including the steps of:
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providing a gateway at a PBX system for translating bi-directional commands over a packet network to a community of PBX nodes, each utilizing a common software application; and
providing a translation table in the gateway to allow PBX network changes and rearrangements by translating addresses for the PBX systems and individual extension numbers for individual devices to transparently route a system event through the gateway from and to the different PBX nodes. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. A telecommunications system comprising:
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a remote site communicating with a gateway site over a packet network;
the remote site having, a plurality of individual PBX nodes identifiable by a unique IP address for the node, each PBX node including a plurality of associated endpoints and each endpoint identified by an extension number, and each PBX node communicating with a PSTN; and
the gateway site having, a CT gateway processor having a software application executing thereon for unifying a plurality of bi-directional data to and from the remote site and the gateway site, a plurality of node communication ports wherein each of the ports interacts with one of the PBX nodes, a gateway stream system that periodically polls the node communication ports to retrieve data received from the PBX nodes, a memory having retrievable storage comprising the plurality of extension numbers for the endpoints and the plurality of IP addresses for the PBX nodes, the gateway stream system receiving an event from one of the PBX nodes at its corresponding node communication port and, in combination with the memory, addressing the event and sending the event to an intended application socket and sending control commands from the processor to the PBX nodes. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for linking multiple CTI applications to control a network of multiple interconnected PBX systems such that the PBX systems appear to the CTI applications as a single PBX system, the method comprising:
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coupling the CTI applications and the PBX systems to a gateway function over a packet network;
processing, at the gateway, bi-directional data routed between the CTI applications and the PBX systems;
using a translation table in the gateway to selectively route commands from one of the CTI applications to the applicable PBX system;
using a translation table in the gateway to selectively route events from one of the PBX systems to the applicable CTI application; and
operating a service within the gateway to make modifications to the translation table in response to a change comprising a PBX network or a device change, such that the change appears transparent to the CTI applications. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification