Instant messaging to and from PBX stations
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for accessing switch functionality from an external endpoint, comprising:
- providing at least one of a switch and server, 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 at least one of a switch and server and being 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 packet-switched text communication comprising an identity of at least one of a feature activator and a feature;
determining, by the switch, that the text communication comprises a feature command and is not intended to be forwarded to a subscriber;
determining, by the switch, based on the source address of the text communication, that the sender has authorization to request invocation of a feature activator and/or feature;
parsing, by the switch, the text communication and comparing, by the switch, the parsed text against a set of feature commands to identity the at least one of the selected feature activator and feature;
determining when the identified at least one of a feature activator and feature has a corresponding entry in a stored list of identifiers, the entries in the stored list of identifiers 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 identified at least one of a feature activator and feature has a corresponding entry in the stored list, activating at least one of the associated feature activator and feature.
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to a message interfacing agent 224 enables a circuit-switched communication device 106, such as a telephone, to receive and respond to electronic messages and the feature server 228 enables external endpoints to access switch/server functionality using packet-switched communications.
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Citations
45 Claims
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1. A method for accessing switch functionality from an external endpoint, comprising:
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providing at least one of a switch and server, 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 at least one of a switch and server and being 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 packet-switched text communication comprising an identity of at least one of a feature activator and a feature; determining, by the switch, that the text communication comprises a feature command and is not intended to be forwarded to a subscriber; determining, by the switch, based on the source address of the text communication, that the sender has authorization to request invocation of a feature activator and/or feature; parsing, by the switch, the text communication and comparing, by the switch, the parsed text against a set of feature commands to identity the at least one of the selected feature activator and feature; determining when the identified at least one of a feature activator and feature has a corresponding entry in a stored list of identifiers, the entries in the stored list of identifiers 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 identified at least one of a feature activator and feature has a corresponding entry in the stored list, activating at least one of the associated feature activator and feature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 44)
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21. A system including a switch being in communication with at least one internal telephone having a plurality of feature activators and associated features and at least one external endpoint, wherein the switch is operable to control feature invocation by the internal telephone, the system comprising:
a feature server operable to; (i) receive, from the at least one external endpoint, an incoming contact comprising a packet-switched text communication comprising an identity of at least one of a selected feature activator and feature; (ii) determine that the text communication comprises a feature command and is not intended to be forwarded to a subscriber; (iii) determine, based on the source address of the text communication, that the sender has authorization to request invocation of a feature activator and/or feature; (iv) parse the text communication and comparing the parsed text against a set of feature commands to identity the at least one of the selected feature activator and feature; (v) determine when the identified at least one of a selected feature activator and feature has a corresponding entry in a stored list of identifiers, the entries in the stored list of identifiers being associated with at least one of (A) a plurality of feature activator identifiers associated with the plurality of feature activators and (B) a plurality of feature identifiers associated with the plurality of features; and (vi) when the identified at least one of a selected feature activator and feature has a corresponding entry in the stored list, activate at least one of the associated identified feature activator and feature. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method, comprising:
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detecting, by a switch, a change of status of a telephone controlled by the switch; determining, by the switch, whether or not an external endpoint has requested notification of the status change; when an external endpoint has requested notification of the status change, generating and sending to the external endpoint a text notification of the status change; receiving from the external endpoint an incoming contact comprising a packet-switched text communication comprising an identity of at least one of a selected feature activator and feature; determining, by the switch, that the text communication comprises a feature command and is not intended to be forwarded to a subscriber; determining, by the switch, based on the source address of the text communication, that the sender has authorization to request invocation of a feature activator and/or feature; parsing, by the switch, the text communication and comparing, by the switch, the parsed text against a set of feature commands to identity the at least one of the selected feature activator and feature; determining when the identified at least one of a selected feature activator and feature has a corresponding entry in a stored list of identifiers, the entries in the stored list of identifiers 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 identified at least one of a feature activator and feature has a corresponding entry in the stored list, activating at least one of the associated identified feature activator and feature. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 45)
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Specification