System and method for enabling custom telephone features on a PBX system

• US 6,798,874 B1
• Filed: 04/16/2002
• Issued: 09/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitel Incorporated (MLN TopCo Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Inter-Tel (Delaware) Incorporated (Mitel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Donelson, Joel, Ohlinger, George F., Hoffman, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Harry S.
• Application Number:
  US10/123,945
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• Field of Search: 379/201.01, 379/201.02, 379/201.04, 379/201.12, 379/207.02, 379/396
• US Class Current: 379/201.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1083 for hotels
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements

Abstract

A telephone system and method is provided including a processing system, such as a CTI system, in communication with a PBX and one or more telephone sets. The user selects a pre-programmed canned message, such as a DND message or status-state, from a list of messages and may further define the message with a user-defined message. The PBX recognizes the canned message and funnels the message to the processing system. The processing system matches the canned message and possibly the user-defined message to a software application stored in the processing system and corresponding to the messages. The user may program the software application to perform a specific function which may be stored in the processing system. The software application is launched and the telephone can be returned to a normal operating state regardless of whether the launched application has completed the intended task.

Claims

1. A telephone system comprising:

a public branch exchange (PBX);

a processing system in communication with said PBX;

one or more telephone sets in two-way communication with said PBX and with said processing system; and

a plurality of pre-programmed messages stored in said PBX; and

a plurality of software applications stored in said processing system, each of said software applications corresponding to one of said pre-programmed messages and a user of said telephone set selecting one of said pre-programmed messages,

wherein said PBX recognizes said one of said pre-programmed messages selected from said telephone set, and

wherein said processing system matches said one of said pre-programmed messages selected by said user with at least one of said plurality of software applications and launches said application in response to said pre-programmed message.

2. The telephone system of claim 1, wherein said PBX permits a transparent communication between said telephone set and said processing system.

3. The telephone system of claim 1, further comprising said user of said telephone set entering a user-defined message wherein said processing system launches said application in response to both said messages.

4. The telephone system of claim 1, wherein said telephone set includes a display and during the launch of said application, said processing system controls said display.

5. The telephone system of claim 1, wherein activation of said pre-programmed message places said telephone set in a status-state.

6. The telephone system of claim 5, wherein said processing system initiates removal of said status-state and returns said telephone set to a normal operating condition regardless of whether said launched application has completed an intended application function.

7. A telephone system comprising:

a public branch exchange (PBX);

a computer telephone integration (CTI) system in communication with said PBX;

a plurality of multi-function telephone sets in two-way communication with said PBX and with said CTI system; and

a plurality of software applications stored in said CTI system, each of said software applications corresponding to a status-state message stored in said PBX and said status-state message being specifically selectable by one of said telephone sets, and

wherein a user of one of said telephone sets selects said status-state message which is recognized by said PBX and said PBX causes one or more associated events to occur from said one of said telephone sets and said CTI system, and

wherein said CTI system identifies said status-state message from said one of said telephone sets and launches said software application corresponding to activation of said status-state message.

8. The telephone system of claim 7, wherein said status-state message comprises a do-not-disturb (DND) message.

9. The telephone system of claim 7, wherein said two-way communication between said multi-function telephone sets and said CTI system comprises a transparent communication link.

10. The telephone system of claim 7, wherein said CTI system initiates removal of said status-state and returns said telephone set to a normal operating condition regardless of whether said launched application has completed an intended application function.

11. A computer-based method providing a system for enabling custom telephone features on a PBX system, said method comprising:

at a user site comprising a telephone set,

(a) receiving a first event from a user representative of a status-state;

(b) displaying a confirmation of said first event in response to the received user'"'"'s event;

(c) transmitting said first event to said PBX;

at the PBX,

(d) receiving said first event from said user site;

(e) recognizing said first event;

(f) communicating said first event to a processing system;

at the processing system,

(g) receiving said first event from said user site via said communication;

(h) identifying an application stored on said processing system corresponding to said first event from said user site; and

(i) transmitting to said user site a second event in response to said first event.

12. The computer-based method of claim 11, further comprising initiating, from the processing system, the removal of said status-state at said user site.

13. The computer-based method of claim 11, further comprising at the processing system, temporarily controlling a display function of said telephone set.

14. The computer-based method of claim 11, wherein said first event comprises a pre-programmed message selected by said user.

15. The computer-based method of claim 11, wherein recognizing said first event at the PBX comprises identifying said first event as a pre-programmed message stored in said PBX.

16. The computer-based method of claim 11, wherein said processing system comprises one or more computer telephone integration systems.

17. The computer-based method of claim 11, wherein said communicating said first event from the PBX to the processing system comprises establishing a transparent communication link.

18. A method for enabling a user to create custom telephone features on a PBX system using a multi-function telephone set (MTS), the method comprising:

receiving, at said PBX, a first data message from said MTS representative of a pre-programmed status-state;

establishing a message transport link between said MTS and a computer telephone integration (CTI) system;

receiving, at said CTI system, said first data message and a second data message, said second data message representative of a user-defined message;

identifying, at said CTI system, a stored software routine corresponding to said messages, said stored software routine being defined by said user; and

launching said stored software routine.