Self-configurable telephony architecture

• US 7,773,739 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2006
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: 3Com Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Savla, Kalpesh, Kalidindi, Rama Raju
• Primary Examiner(s): ADDY, THJUAN KNOWLIN
• Application Number:
  US11/348,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20070126266A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,645 Days
• Field of Search: 379/201.02, 379/201.04, 379/88.03, 379/201.03, 379/201.05, 379/201.01, 379/201.12, 379/201.08, 345/738
• US Class Current: 379/201.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42136 Administration or customisation of services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/44 Additional connecting arrangements for providing access to frequently-wanted subscribers, e.g. abbreviated dialling at the subscriber's set H04M1/27; automatic redialling H04M3/424
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for automating the process of configuring a telephone system. More specifically, the techniques disclosed herein enable a telephone system to monitor the behavior of users of that system and to configure the users'"'"' preferences based on their observed behavior. For example, the system may observe that a particular user frequently dials a particular telephone number manually. In response to this observation, the system may automatically configure the frequently-dialed telephone number as a speed dial number for that user. As a result, the user may dial the number in the future by pressing a speed dial button rather than by entering the number manually. Such an automatic configuration process may enable the telephone system to be adapted to its users'"'"' needs more quickly and accurately, and with less effort on behalf of the users, than is possible using conventional systems that require their users to perform configuration manually.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

(A) receiving telephone system data descriptive of past actions performed using a telephone system by a user of the telephone system;

(B) identifying a preference of the user based on the received telephone system data, comprising;

(B)(1) identifying a feature of the telephone system;

(B)(2) identifying a frequency of use of the feature by the user;

(B)(3) determining, based on the frequency of use, whether to configure the preference for the user; and

(C) configuring the identified preference, based on the received telephone system data, only if it is determined that the preference should be configured for the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the telephone system data comprises at least one kind of data selected from the group consisting of log data, call detail record data, and user database data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein (B) further comprises:

(B)(4) identifying a preference type based on the received telephone system data;

(B)(5) identifying the preference based on the identified preference type; and

(B)(6) identifying a value for a parameter of the preference;

and wherein configuring the preference comprises storing the value in the parameter of the preference.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(D) prompting the user to confirm configuration of the identified preference;

and wherein (C) comprises configuring the identified preference only if the user confirms configuration of the identified preference and it is determined that the preference should be configured for the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring the identified preference comprises:

(1) identifying an input selection means associated with a telecommunications device of the user in the telephone system; and

(2) mapping the identified input selection means solely to the feature for the user.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the telecommunications device comprises a telephone and wherein the input selection means comprises a feature button on the telephone.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein (B) (3) comprises:

(B)(3)(a) identifying a threshold value for the feature; and

(B)(3)(b) determining that the feature should be configured for the user if the frequency of use exceeds the threshold value.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein (B)(3)(a) comprises identifying a threshold value that is a constant value associated with the feature.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein (B)(3)(a) comprises identifying a threshold value that is relative to at least one frequency of use of at least one other feature of the telephone system.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the feature comprises a telephone dialing feature, wherein the frequency of use of the feature by the user comprises a frequency of dialing of a particular telephone number by the user, and wherein configuring the identified preference comprises assigning the particular telephone number to a speed dial slot associated with the user.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the feature comprises a telephone call forwarding feature, wherein the frequency of use of the feature by the user comprises a frequency of forwarding of telephone calls to a particular telephone number by the user, and wherein configuring the identified preference comprises associating the call forwarding feature with the particular telephone number.

10. A telephone system comprising:

a store of telephone system data descriptive of past actions performed using a telephone system by a plurality of users of the telephone system;

preference identification means for identifying a preference of one of the plurality of users based on the telephone system data, comprising;

feature identification means for identifying a feature of the telephone system;

frequency identification means for identifying a frequency of use of the feature by the user;

determination means for determining, based on the frequency of use, whether to configure the preference for the user; and

configuration means for configuring the identified preference, based on the received telephone system data, only if it is determine that the preference should be configured for the user.

11. The telephone system of claim 10, wherein the telephone system data comprises at least one kind of data selected from the group consisting of log data, call detail record data, and user database data.

12. The telephone system of claim 10, wherein the preference identification means comprises:

means for identifying a preference type based on the received telephone system data;

means for identifying the preference based on the identified preference type; and

means for identifying a value for a parameter of the preference;

and wherein the configuration means comprises means for storing the value in the parameter of the preference in the user database data.

13. The telephone system of claim 10, further comprising:

unified messaging means for prompting the user to confirm configuration of the identified preference, and

wherein the configuration means comprises means for configuring the identified preference only if the user confirms configuration of the identified preference and it is determined that the preference should be configured for the user.

14. A computer-implemented method comprising:

(A) identifying a plurality of frequencies of use of a plurality of features of a telephone system by a user of the telephone system, the plurality of features having a current mapping to a plurality of input selection means of a telecommunications device of the user of the telephone system;

(B) identifying, based on the plurality of frequencies of use, a new mapping of the plurality of features to the plurality of input selection means; and

(C) remapping the plurality of features to the plurality of input selection means using the new mapping, wherein the new mapping maps each of the plurality of input selection means to a single corresponding one of the plurality of features.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the telecommunications device comprises a telephone and wherein the plurality of input selection means comprise a plurality of feature buttons on the telephone.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein (B) comprises:

(B) (1) sorting the plurality of frequencies of use to produce a sorted plurality of frequencies of use; and

(B) (2) identifying the new mapping based on the sorted plurality of frequencies of use.

17. A telephone system comprising:

a telecommunications device of a user of the telephone system, the telecommunications device comprising a plurality of input selection means;

means for identifying a plurality of frequencies of use of a plurality of features of a telephone system by a user of the telephone system, the plurality of features having a current mapping to the plurality of input selection means of the telecommunications device;

means for identifying, based on the plurality of frequencies of use, a new mapping of the plurality of features to the plurality of input selection means; and

means for remapping the plurality of features to the plurality of input selection means using the new mapping, wherein the new mapping maps each of the plurality of input selection means to a single corresponding one of the plurality of features.

18. The telephone system of claim 17, wherein the telecommunications device comprises a telephone and wherein the plurality of input selection means comprise a plurality of feature buttons on the telephone.

19. The telephone system of claim 17, wherein the means for identifying the new mapping comprises:

means for sorting the plurality of frequencies of use to produce a sorted plurality of frequencies of use; and

means for identifying the new mapping based on the sorted plurality of frequencies of use.