Switch buttons activated from an external network

• US 7,120,243 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2003
• Issued: 10/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Technology Corporation Miami Lakes FLA US
• Inventors: Milton, Stephen M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Creighton
• Application Number:
  US10/387,112
• Publication Number:
  US 20040179666A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,309 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 379/246
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4234 Remote access to features of PBX or home telephone systems-teleworking in a PBX
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A communication system for use in accessing switch functionality from an external endpoint is provided. The system includes:

(a) a switch 104; and

(b) an internal endpoint 106 and an external endpoint 116. Each of the internal and external endpoints is in communication with the switch and associated with a common user. The internal endpoint comprises a plurality of feature activators for activating a plurality of switch-based features, and each feature activator has an associated feature activator identifier and/or an associated feature identifier. The switch comprises a feature access agent 216 operable to (a) receive from the at least one external endpoint a contact comprising a feature activate identifier; (b) determine if the feature activate identifier has a corresponding entry in a stored list of feature activate identifiers associated with a plurality of feature activator identifiers and/or a plurality of feature identifiers; and (c) when the feature activate identifier has a corresponding entry in the stored list, activate at least one of the associated feature activator and feature.

Claims

1. A method for accessing switch functionality from an external endpoint, comprising:

providing a switch, at least one internal endpoint, and at least one external endpoint, each of the at least one internal and external endpoints being in communication with the switch and associated with a common user, wherein the at least one internal endpoint comprises a plurality of feature activators for activating a plurality of features;

receiving from the at least one external endpoint an incoming contact comprising a feature activate identifier;

determining when the feature activate identifier has a corresponding entry in a stored list of feature activate identifiers, the entries in the stored list being associated with at least one of (i) a plurality of feature activator identifiers associated with the plurality of feature activators and (ii) a plurality of feature identifiers associated with the plurality of features; and

when the feature activate identifier has a corresponding entry in the stored list, activating at least one of the associated feature activator and feature.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the contact is received at the external port of the switch from an originator terminal utilizable external to a premises serviced by the switch and not having an extension associated with any internal endpoint serviced by the switch.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step comprises mapping the feature activate identifier associated with the incoming contact to the corresponding entry in the stored list.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the corresponding entry is at least one of the plurality of feature activator identifiers.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the corresponding entry is at least one of the plurality of feature identifiers.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the incoming contact is originated by an originator terminal comprising a wireless terminal coupled to a wireless network external to a premises serviced by the switch.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the incoming contact is originated by an originator terminal comprising a wired terminal coupled to a wired network external to a premises serviced by the switch.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining if a call origination identifier associated with the incoming contact has a corresponding entry in a stored list of external endpoints registered with the switch; and

when the call origination identifier associated with the incoming contact has a corresponding entry in a stored list of external endpoints registered with the switch, processing the incoming contact such that the incoming contact appears to a destination terminal as being originated by an internal extension associated with the switch.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

when the call origination identifier associated with the incoming contact has no corresponding entry in a stored list of external endpoints registered with the switch, continuing the contact as a trunk call.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the internal endpoint associated with the user is associated with the internal extension and further comprising:

determining whether the internal endpoint is available;

when the internal endpoint is available, performing the processing step; and

when the internal endpoint is unavailable, continuing the contact as a trunk call.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein in the activating step the switch processes the associated at least one of the plurality of feature activator identifiers and plurality of feature identifiers as if the user had pressed the associated feature activator in the internal endpoint while the internal endpoint was in service and off hook.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of features are selected from one or more of the following sets of features:

(a) features that are invoked prior to placing a contact, (b) features that are invoked during a contact, (c) features that are non-contact associated that do not require display interactions, (d) features that are non-contact associated that require display interactions, (e) features that are operated against contacts not associated with the activating station, and (f) features that are operated against an alerting contact.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of features comprise a plurality of the following features:

analog bridged appearance select, abbreviated dialing, active appearance select, automatic appearance select, automatic call back, automatic intercom, autodial, bridged appearance selection, call appearance selection, call forwarding all, call forwarding busy/no answer, call forwarding deactivation, call park, call unpark, call pick-up, conference no answer, conference, calling party number block, calling party number unblock, dial intercom, directed call pick-up, drop last added party, drop call, exclusion (which prevents a user from being active on the same call on a physical port and a trunk port), extend call off-switch enable (to enable the mapping agent), extend call off-switch disable (to disable the mapping agent), group page, handover, held appearance select, hunt night service, last number dialed, malicious call trace activation, malicious call trace deactivation, manual message waiting, priority call, send all calls, manual signaling, transfer on hang up, transfer to voice mail, and trunk night service.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the feature activate identifier is associated with an internal extension associated with the switch.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein, in the stored list, the plurality of feature activator identifiers are based upon activator position on the internal endpoint.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one internal endpoint comprises a plurality of internal endpoints, each of the plurality of internal endpoints having a plurality of corresponding feature activators and wherein a common feature activate identifier defines a first feature for a first internal endpoint and a second feature for a second internal endpoint and the first and second features are different.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing audible feedback to the user after the activating step, the audible feedback indicating the success or failure of feature activation.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining if a contact has been originated by the activating step;

when a contact has been originated by the activating step, providing the user with a dial tone; and

when a contact has not been originated by the activating step, terminating the contact and restoring the internal endpoint to a prior hook state.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein, in the activating step, the user selects an idle call appearance on the internal endpoint.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein, in the activating step, a party is conferenced into an active contact.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein, in the activating step, an active contact with the user is transferred to another party.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein an active contact with the user is redirected to the user'"'"'s voice mail administered by the switch.

23. A computer readable medium containing executable instructions to perform the steps of claim 1.

24. A logic circuit configured to perform the steps of claim 1.

25. A communication system for use in accessing switch functionality from an external endpoint, comprising:

a switch; and

at least one internal endpoint and at least one external endpoint, each of the at least one internal and external endpoints being in communication with the switch and associated with a common user, wherein the at least one internal endpoint comprises a plurality of feature activators for activating a plurality of features;

wherein the switch comprises a feature access agent operable to (a) receive from the at least one external endpoint a contact comprising a feature activate identifier;

(b) determine when the feature activate identifier has a corresponding entry in a stored list of feature activate identifiers the entries in the stored list being associated with at least one of (i) a plurality of feature activator identifiers associated with the plurality of feature activators and (ii) a plurality of feature identifiers associated with the plurality of features; and

(c) when the feature activate identifier has a corresponding entry in the stored list, activate at least one of the associated feature activator and feature.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the contact is received at the external port of the switch from an originator terminal utilizable external to a premises serviced by the switch and not having an extension associated with any internal endpoint serviced by the switch.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the feature access agent maps the feature activate identifier associated with the incoming contact to the corresponding entry in the stored list.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the corresponding entry is at least one of the plurality of feature activator identifiers.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein the corresponding entry is at least one of the plurality of feature identifiers.

30. The system of claim 25, wherein the incoming contact is originated by an originator terminal comprising a wireless terminal coupled to a wireless network external to a premises serviced by the switch.

31. The system of claim 25, wherein the incoming contact is originated by an originator terminal comprising a wired terminal coupled to a wired network external to a premises serviced by the switch.

32. The system of claim 25, wherein the switch further comprises a call origination mapping agent operable to (a) determine if a call origination identifier associated with the incoming contact has a corresponding entry in a stored list of external endpoints registered with the switch and (b) when the call origination identifier associated with the incoming contact has a corresponding entry in a stored list of external endpoints registered with the switch, process the incoming contact such that the incoming contact appears to a destination terminal as being originated by an internal extension associated with the switch.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the mapping agent is further operable to (c), when the call origination identifier associated with the incoming contact has no corresponding entry in a stored list of external endpoints registered with the switch, continue the contact as a trunk call.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the internal endpoint associated with the user is associated with the internal extension and wherein the mapping agent is further operable to (c) determine whether the internal endpoint is available;

(d) when the internal endpoint is available, perform the processing function; and

(e) when the internal endpoint is unavailable, continue the contact as a trunk call.

35. The system of claim 25, wherein the feature access agent processes the associated at least one of the plurality of feature activator identifiers and plurality of feature identifiers as if the user had pressed the associated feature activator in the internal endpoint while the internal endpoint was in service and off hook.

36. The system of claim 25, wherein the plurality of features are selected from one or more of the following sets of features:

(a) features that are invoked prior to placing a contact, (b) features that are invoked during a contact, (c) features that are non-contact associated that do not require display interactions, (d) features that are non-contact associated that require display interactions, (e) features that are operated against contacts not associated with the activating station, and (f) features that are operated against an alerting contact.

37. The system of claim 25, wherein the plurality of features comprise a plurality of the following features:

analog bridged appearance select, abbreviated dialing, active appearance select, automatic appearance select, automatic call back, automatic intercom, autodial, bridged appearance selection, call appearance selection, call forwarding all, call forwarding busy/no answer, call forwarding deactivation, call park, call unpark, call pick-up, conference no answer, conference, calling party number block, calling party number unblock, dial intercom, directed call pick-up, drop last added party, drop call, exclusion (which prevents a user from being active on the same call on a physical port and a trunk port), extend call off-switch enable (to enable the mapping agent), extend call off-switch disable (to disable the mapping agent), group page, handover, held appearance select, hunt night service, last number dialed, malicious call trace activation, malicious call trace deactivation, manual message waiting, priority call, send all calls, manual signaling, transfer on hang up, transfer to voice mail, and trunk night service.

38. The system of claim 25, wherein the feature activate identifier is associated with an internal extension associated with the switch.

39. The system of claim 25, wherein, in the stored list, the plurality of feature activator identifiers are based on activator position on the internal endpoint.

40. The system of claim 25, wherein the at least one internal endpoint comprises a plurality of internal endpoints, each of the plurality of internal endpoints having a plurality of corresponding feature activators and wherein a common feature activate identifier defines a first feature for a first internal endpoint and a second feature for a second internal endpoint and the first and second features are different.

41. The system of claim 25, wherein the switch further comprises service circuits to provide audible feedback to the user after the feature is activated, the audible feedback indicating the success or failure of feature activation.

42. The system of claim 25, wherein the feature access agent is further operable to (d) determine if a contact has been originated by feature activation;

(e) when a contact has been originated by feature activation, cause the user to be provided with a dial tone; and

(f), when a contact has not been originated by the activating step, cause termination of the contact and restoration the internal endpoint to a prior hook state.

43. The system of claim 25, wherein the feature access agent, in response to the feature activate identifier, selects an idle call appearance on the internal endpoint.

44. The system of claim 25, wherein the feature access agent, in response to the feature activate identifier, conferences a party into an active contact with the user.

45. The system of claim 25, wherein the feature access agent, in response to the feature activate identifier, transfers an active contact with the user to another party.

46. The system of claim 25, wherein the feature access agent, in response to the feature activate identifier, redirects an active contact with the user to the user'"'"'s voice mail administered by the switch.

47. A memory of a communication system, comprising:

a stored list, the stored list comprising;

(i) a plurality of feature activate identifiers; and

(ii) a corresponding at least one of (a) a plurality of feature activator identifiers corresponding to a plurality of feature activators on a terminal and (b) a plurality of feature identifiers associated with a plurality of features, wherein the plurality of feature activators are operable to activate the plurality of features.

48. The memory of claim 47, wherein the stored list comprises the plurality of feature activator identifiers.

49. The memory of claim 48, wherein each of the feature activator identifiers identify a corresponding feature activator by a position of the feature activator on the terminal and wherein the terminal is internal to a premises administered by a switch.

50. The memory of claim 47, wherein the stored list comprises the plurality of feature identities.

51. The memory of claim 47, wherein the feature activate identifiers are each defined by an internal extension associated with a switch.