Phone-independent key expansion module

• US 7,940,906 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Issued: 05/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ShoreTel Incorporated (Mitel Networks Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ShoreTel Incorporated (Mitel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Rucinski, David B., Tonogai, Dale C., Tovino, Michael S. W., Basart, Edwin J.
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, CREIGHTON H
• Application Number:
  US11/479,602
• Publication Number:
  US 20070096947A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,775 Days
• Field of Search: 379/441, 379/434
• US Class Current: 379/142.12
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/247 Telephone sets including user guidance or feature selection means facilitating their use user interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16

Abstract

A button box provides additional keys that can be used in conjunction with a telephone. In one embodiment, a button box is configured by associating it with a telephone and by programming its keys. When a key on the button box is activated, a key press event is sent from the button box to the associated phone. The phone treats the key press event as if a key on the phone itself had been activated and forwards the event to the voice switch appliance associated with the phone. (Alternatively, the key press event is sent from the button box directly to a voice switch appliance.) The button box'"'"'s user interface is controlled by a voice switch appliance.

Claims

1. A button box device configured to enable a user to invoke a call control function, comprising:

a key to which the call control function has been assigned;

a display;

a key press event module configured to send a key press event to a first switch; and

a user interface module configured to receive user interface instructions from a second switch.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a user interface module configured to receive user interface instructions via the packet-switched network.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the key press event module is further configured to send the key press event to a switch via the packet-switched network.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the key press event module is further configured to send the key press event to the switch via a telephone.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the display is configured to indicate the call control function assigned to the key.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the key is programmable.

7. A system configured to enable a user to invoke a call control function using a button box device, comprising:

a switch configured to receive a key press event, wherein the key press event comprises a key identifier, via a packet-switched network and to determine a call control function associated with the key press event;

a button box device configured to send the key press event via the packet-switched network; and

a telephone configured to receive the key press event via the packet-switched network and to send the key press event to the switch, and wherein the button box device is configured to send the key press event to the telephone; and

a storage device containing multiple associations between the key identifier and the call control function, wherein the button box device is associated with the telephone, and wherein the telephone is associated with the user, and wherein an identity of the user indicates one association of the multiple associations.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a storage device containing an association between the key identifier and the call control function.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising a storage device containing multiple associations between the key identifier and the call control function, wherein the key press event further comprises a button box identifier, and wherein the button box identifier indicates one association of the multiple associations.

10. A method for configuring a button box device, comprising:

storing a first association between the button box device and a switch, the switch configured to control a user interface of the button box device;

storing a second association between the button box device and a telephone, the telephone configured to receive a key press event from the button box device; and

storing a third association between a key of the button box device and a call control function, the call control function being invoked when the key is activated.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein button box is communicatively coupled to the phone and the second association occurs responsive to the communicative coupling.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the second association occurs responsive to inputs provided by a user to a management utility.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the second association occurs responsive to inputs provided by a user to an interface on the button box.

14. A method for enabling a user to invoke a call control function using a button box device, comprising:

receiving a key press event, wherein the key press event comprises a key identifier and a button box identifier from the button box device, wherein receiving the key press event from the button box device comprises receiving the key press event from the button box device via a telephone, wherein the button box device is associated with the telephone and the telephone is associated with the user;

determining a call control function associated with the key press event, wherein (1) determining the call control function associated with the key press event comprises identifying an association between the key identifier and the call control function and (2) identifying the association between the key identifier and the call control function comprises identifying the association between the key identifier and the call control function based on an identity of the user; and

executing the call control function.

15. A method for configuring a group of button box devices, comprising:

storing a first association between a first button box device and a switch, the switch configured to control a first user interface of the first button box device;

storing a second association between the first button box device and a telephone, the telephone configured to receive a first key press event from the first button box device;

storing a third association between a first key of the first button box device and a first call control function, the first call control function being invoked when the first key is activated;

storing a fourth association between a second button box device and the switch, the switch configured to control a second user interface of the second button box device;

storing a fifth association between the second button box device and the telephone, the telephone configured to receive a second key press event from the second button box device; and

storing a sixth association between a second key of the second button box device and a second call control function, the second call control function being invoked when the second key is activated.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the second association assigns a first unique identifier to the first button box and the fifth association assigns a second unique identifier to the second button box.

17. A method for enabling a user to invoke a call control function using a button box device, comprising:

receiving a key press event, wherein the key press event comprises a key identifier from the button box device, wherein receiving the key press event from the button box device comprises receiving the key press event from the button box device via a telephone, wherein the button box device is associated with the telephone and the telephone is associated with the user;

determining a call control function associated with the key press event, wherein (1) determining the call control function associated with the key press event comprises identifying an association between the key identifier and the call control function and (2) identifying the association between the key identifier and the call control function comprises identifying the association between the key identifier and the call control function based on an identity of the user; and

executing the call control function.