Control interface for linking a computer supported telephony application with a PBX switch utilizing CSTA protocols

• US 6,993,124 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2001
• Issued: 01/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Unify Inc. (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Communications Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Hettish, Mark Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): AL AUBAIDI, RASHA S
• Application Number:
  US09/864,009
• Publication Number:
  US 20020186830A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,714 Days
• Field of Search: 379/229, 379/265.09, 379/15.01, 379/9.03, 379/231
• US Class Current: 379/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/24 with provision for checking the normal operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements

Abstract

A control interface for linking a computer supported telephony application with a PBX switch utilizing CSTA protocols utilizes ActiveX properties, methods, events, and pages to access all of the events and services provided by the CSTA protocols. Common paradigms such as Invoke_—ID and timers are built in to the interface. The interface further provides statistics and diagnostics via property pages.

Claims

1. A control interface for linking a computer supported telephony application with a PBX switch utilizing CSTA protocols, said control interface comprising:

(a) a computing platform coupled to the PBX switch;

(b) a computer supported telephony application running on said computing platform; and

(c) component based interface objects running on said computing platform, said component based interface objects defining properties, methods, and events, said properties, methods and events being mapped to control substantially every event and service of said PBX switch, wherein said computer supported telephony application controls substantially every event and service of said PBX switch via said component based interface objects;

wherein said component based interface objects is ActiveX;

wherein the control interface includes a heartbeat message manager, and heartbeat messages and replies are automatically generated.

2. A control interface according to claim 1, wherein ActiveX properties are mapped to session configuration.

3. A control interface according to claim 1, wherein ActiveX includes property pages and said property pages are mapped to session configuration.

4. A control interface according to claim 1, wherein ActiveX methods and events are mapped to startup and teardown a connection between said computer supported telephony application and the PBX switch.

5. A control interface according to claim 1, wherein substantially all CSTA and private data fields are supported.

6. A control interface according to claim 1, wherein the control interface includes an invoke ID manager, and invoke ID generation is automatic and configurable.

7. A control interface according to claim 1, wherein the control interface includes an invoke ID manager, and invoke ID timing is automatic and configurable.

8. A control interface according to claim 1, wherein said heartbeat messages and replies are configurable.

9. A control interface according to claim 1, wherein statuses and errors are automatically logged.

10. A control interface according to claim 9, wherein said statuses and errors are viewable via ActiveX property pages.

11. A method for linking a computer supported telephony application with a PBX switch utilizing CSTA protocols, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) coupling a computing platform to the PBX switch;

(b) running a computer supported telephony application on said computing platform; and

(c) running component based interface objects on said computing platform, said component based interface objects defining properties, methods, and events, said properties, methods and events being mapped to control substantially every event and service of said PBX switch, wherein said computer supported telephony application controls substantially every event and service of said PBX switch via said component based interface objects;

wherein said component based interface objects is ActiveX;

wherein component based interface objects manage heartbeat messages, and heartbeat messages and replies are automatically generated.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein ActiveX properties are mapped to session configuration.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein ActiveX includes property pages and said property pages are mapped to session configuration.

14. A method according to claim 11, wherein ActiveX methods and events are mapped to startup and teardown a connection between said computer supported telephony application and the PBX switch.

15. A method according to claim 11, wherein substantially all CSTA and private data fields are supported.

16. A method according to claim 11, wherein component based interface objects manage invoke ID generation, and invoke ID generation is automatic and configurable.

17. A method according to claim 11, wherein component based interface objects manage invoke ID timing, and invoke ID timing is automatic and configurable.

18. A method according to claim 11, wherein said heartbeat messages and replies are configurable.

19. A method according to claim 11, wherein statuses and errors are automatically logged.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein said statuses and errors are viewable via ActiveX property pages.