Telephone system with programmable line appearances

• US 6,801,609 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2001
• Issued: 10/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitel Networks Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitel Knowledge Corporation (Mitel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Fullarton, Sonya, Pinard, Debbie
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BENNY QUOC
• Application Number:
  US09/843,409
• Publication Number:
  US 20020031211A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,258 Days
• Field of Search: 379/201.02, 379/156, 379/157, 379/201.12, 379/207.02, 379/265.04
• US Class Current: 379/201.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2471 Configurable and interactive telephone terminals with subscriber controlled features modifications, e.g. with ADSI capability [Analog Display Services Interface] systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers H04M3/42; administration or customization of services H04M3/42136; by downloading data to substation equipment H04M3/42178
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/673 the user being required to key in a code
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42229 Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42238 in systems with telephone lines with multiple users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42272 whereby the subscriber registers to the terminals for personalised service provision

Abstract

A telephone system for permitting multiple users to log in to a plurality of line appearances on a multi-line telephone set in order to access personalized services associated with individual user profiles for the users. The telephone set is provided with individual displays and message notification lights for the individual line appearances. Users identify themselves by logging in to a particular line appearance via telephone key input of user name and password, or other suitable log in function.

Claims

1. A telephone system with multiple programmable line appearances, comprising:

a telephony server for providing personalized communications services;

a telephone set having a plurality of line appearances; and

a plurality of software agents for logging individual users having respective predetermined user profiles into respective ones of said line appearances such that an individual user, when logged in, is provided with access via a respective line appearances to predetermined ones of said personalized communications services of said telephony server in accordance with a user profile respective of said individual user;

said plurality of software agents further provided for logging said individual user out of said respective line appearance such that another individual user is provided, when logged in, with access via said respective line appearance to predetermined ones of said personalized communications services in accordance with a user profile respective of said another individual user.

2. The telephone system of claim 1, further comprising at least one of an external communications line and an internal communications line over which said telephony server provides said personalized communications services.

3. The telephone system of claim 2, wherein said external communications line is connected to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).

4. The telephone system of claim 2, wherein said external communications line is connected to the Internet.

5. The telephone system of claim 2, wherein said internal communications line is a Local Area Network (LAN).

6. The telephone system of claim 2, wherein said internal communications line is a Wide Area Network (WAN).

7. The telephone system of claims 4, further comprising at least one phone hub for connecting said telephone set to said telephony server via said LAN.

8. The telephone system of claim 7, wherein said plurality of software agents are implemented in a least one of said telephony server and said phone hub and include a phone manager agent for controlling said telephone set and a plurality of user agents representing said individual users and containing said user profile.