Computer network-based auto-attendant method and apparatus

• US 6,956,848 B1
• Filed: 06/13/2000
• Issued: 10/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Altigen Communications Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Altigen Communications Incorporated
• Inventors: Keung, Donggun, Zhang, Yi, Hu, Gilbert, Sun, Shirley
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Wellington
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mais, Mark A
• Application Number:
  US09/593,821
• Time in Patent Office: 1,953 Days
• Field of Search: 370/356, 370/395.52, 370/395.54, 370/352, 370/354, 379/210
• US Class Current: 370/356
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/527 Centralised call answering arrangements not requiring operator intervention
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/537 Arrangements for indicating the presence of a recorded message , whereby the presence information might include a preview or summary of the message
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for operating a telecommunications system includes a telephone call from an external telephone line, determining a computer network address and switching data in response to the telephone call, coupling the telecommunications system with a remote telecommunications system at the computer network address, transmitting switching data from the telecommunications system to the remote telecommunications system via the Internet, coupling the telephone call to an auto attendant at the remote telecommunications system in response to the switching data.

Claims

1. A method for operating a telecommunications system comprises:

receiving, at a first telecommunications system, a telephone call from an external telephone line, wherein the first telecommunications system is coupled to a packetized network and connected to a telephone trunk line, wherein the telephone trunk line includes the external telephone line;

determining, at the first telecommunications system, that the telephone call will be transferred to an auto attendant process running on a second telecommunications system, wherein the second telecommunications system is remote from the first telecommunications system, wherein the second telecommunications system is coupled to the packetized network and connected to a telephone trunk line;

determining the computer network address of the second telecommunications system and switching data associated with the auto attendant process in response to the telephone call;

coupling the first telecommunications system with the second telecommunications system at the computer network address;

transmitting switching data associated with the auto attendant process from the first telecommunications system to the second telecommunications system via the packetized network and the Internet; and

coupling the telephone call to the auto attendant process located at the second telecommunications system in response to the switching data associated with the auto attendant;

wherein the first telecommunications system does not provide auto attendant functionality in response to the telephone call.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving additional input from the external telephone line; and

transmitting the additional data to the second telecommunications system;

wherein the additional data is processed by the auto attendant located at the second telecommunications system.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the additional data comprises data selected from the group consisting of:

DTMF tones, voice data.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

receiving a plurality of auto attendant option data from the auto attendant process located at the second telecommunications system in the first telecommunications system in response to the additional data; and

outputting audio messages to the external telephone line in response to the plurality of auto attendant option data.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the audio messages comprise menu selection messages selected from the group consisting of dial by name menu selection, a directory menu selection, dial by extension menu selection, call-back selection.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising receiving a menu selection from the external telephone line in response to the audio messages.

7. A telecommunications system operated according to the method of claim 1.

8. A method for operating a distributed telecommunications system comprises:

receiving a telephone call from an external telephone line into a first telecommunications system, wherein the first telecommunications system is coupled to a packet-based network and connected to a telephone trunk line, and wherein the telephone trunk line includes the external telephone lines;

determining a computer network address of a second telecommunications system and switching data in response to input data from the external telephone line, wherein the second telecommunications system is remote from the first telecommunications system, wherein the second telecommunications system is coupled to the packet-based network and connected to a telephone trunk line;

coupling the first telecommunications system with the second telecommunications system located at the computer network address via the packet-based network;

transmitting switching data from the first telecommunications system to the second telecommunications system;

coupling the telephone call to an auto attendant running on the second telecommunications system in response to the switching data;

receiving auto attendant menu data from the auto attendant on the second telecommunications system in the first telecommunications system via the packet-based network; and

providing audio data to the external telephone line in response to the auto attendant menu data;

wherein the first telecommunications system lacks an auto attendant running thereon.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the audio data comprises audio selected from the group consisting of:

a directory of selectable options, a directory of selectable names, a menu of options.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving input data from the external telephone line in response to the audio data.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the input data comprises data selected from the group consisting of:

DTMF tone, voice data.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the first telecommunications system includes a CODEC, and

wherein the second telecommunications system includes a CODEC.

13. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

receiving another telephone call from an external telephone line into a third telecommunications system, wherein the third telecommunications system is coupled to the packet-based network and to a telephone trunk line, and wherein the telephone trunk line includes the external telephone line;

determining the computer network address of the second telecommunications system and switching data in response to input data from the external telephone line, wherein the second telecommunications system is remote from the third telecommunications system;

coupling the third telecommunications system with the second telecommunications system located at the computer network address via the packet-based network;

transmitting switching data from the third telecommunications system to the second telecommunications system;

coupling the other telephone call to the auto attendant running on the second telecommunications system in response to the switching data;

receiving additional auto attendant menu data from the auto attendant on the second telecommunications system to the third telecommunications system via the packet-based network; and

providing audio data to the external telephone line in response to the additional auto attendant menu data;

wherein the third telecommunications system also lacks an auto attendant running thereon.

14. The method of claim 13

wherein the additional auto attendant menu data and the auto attendant menu data are different.

15. A method for operating a distributed telecommunications system comprises:

receiving a telephone call from a telephone extension coupled to a first telecommunications system;

selecting a routing identifier associated with a centralized auto attendant running upon a second telecommunications system;

determining a computer network address identifier of the second telecommunications system and connection data associated with the centralized auto attendant in response to the telephone call;

coupling the first telecommunications system with the second telecommunications system located at the computer network address;

transmitting connection data associated with the centralized auto attendant from the first telecommunications system to the second telecommunications system located at the computer network address via a computer network;

coupling the telephone call to the centralized auto attendant in response to the connection data associated with the centralized auto attendant;

transmitting data associated with menu options from the centralized auto attendant to the telephone extension; and

transmitting a caller input in response to the data associated with menu options from the first telecommunications system to the centralized auto attendant,

wherein the first telecommunications system is connected to telephone lines and coupled to a packet-based network;

wherein the second telecommunications system is connected to telephone lines and coupled to the packet-based network; and

wherein the first telecommunications system does not include auto attendant functionality in response to the routing identifier.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

receiving additional data from the telephone extension; and

transmitting the additional data to the second telecommunications system located at the computer network address;

wherein the additional data is processed by an auto attendant located at the second telecommunications system and not by an auto attendant on the first telecommunications system.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein, the first telecommunications system does not have an auto attendant running thereon.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the centralized auto attendant is a process running on the second telecommunications system.