Enterprise mobility user

• US 8,060,071 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2006
• Issued: 11/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arlington Technologies, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Bertagnole, Albert G., Meis, Jeffrey, Crowley, Jennifer L., Rolfs, Mark T., Chavez, David L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Corsaro; Nick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ngo; Chuong A
• Application Number:
  US11/502,200
• Publication Number:
  US 20080039080A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,924 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414, 455/417, 455/433, 455/414.1, 455/432.1, 455/432.3, 455/453.1, 455/453.2, 370/259, 370/310, 370/352, 370/356, 37920101-21104, 379/212.01
• US Class Current: 455/417
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42238 in systems with telephone lines with multiple users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42272 whereby the subscriber registers to the terminals for personalised service provision

Abstract

In one embodiment, an enterprise network is provided that includes a mobility agent 150 associated with a switch/server 100 or 104. The mobility agent creates a visitor application record 172 associated with a second communication device 140b. The visitor application record is associated with a first subscriber. A second subscriber is normally associated with the second communication device, and the first subscriber with a first communication device 136a. In response to creating the visitor application record, the native communication device record is associated with a virtual communication device having the same public and/or private numbers as the second communication device 140b.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

(a) receiving a voice call for one of a first and a second subscriber, wherein the first subscriber currently has a first communication device as a home station but is currently registered at a second communication device, wherein the first and second communication devices are serviced by differing switches and/or servers and are concurrently enabled for communication; and

(b) applying the following rules;

(B1) when the voice call is for the first subscriber, the voice call is received first by a first switch and/or server, and the first switch and/or server determines from an application record that the first subscriber is currently registered at the second communication device and forwards, to a second switch and/or server, a call set up message associated with the received voice call; and

(B2) when the voice call is for the second subscriber, the voice call is received first by the second switch and/or server, and the second switch and/or server treats the voice call as mandated by a native station record associated with the second communication device,

wherein the second subscriber is able to receive incoming calls to the second communication device, make calls remotely using, as call origination information, a number of the second communication device, and access remotely features of the second communication device and the first subscriber is able to receive incoming calls at, make outgoing calls from, and access first communication device features from the second communication device thereby permitting the second subscriber to be a remote user of the home station while the home station is in use by the another subscriber.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein when rule (B1) applies:

the first switch and/or server and not the second switch and/or server controls the voice call; and

the first switch and/or server generates and sends an appearance update message update message containing a private number for the first communication device, a private number for the second communication device, an identifier of the voice call, and a call appearance selected for the voice call, whereby a common call appearance is used for the first and second communication devices for the voice call.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein when rule (B2) applies:

the second switch and/or server does not ring the second communication device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein outgoing voice calls from the first subscriber using the second communication device are processed by the second switch and/or server, wherein call origination features accessed by the first subscriber using the second communication device are at the first switch and/or server, and wherein button status update messages are exchanged between the first and second switches and/or servers to provide updates on button status changes at the first and second communication devices.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the second switch and/or server, a request from the first subscriber to be associated with the second communication device, wherein the second communication device is controlled by the second switch/server and the first communication device is controlled by a first switch and/or server;

notifying, by the second switch and/or server, the first switch/server of the request; and

associating, by the second switch/server, the second communication device with the first subscriber, whereby the first subscriber is able to make outgoing calls from and receive incoming calls at the second communication device and to access at least some features accessible by the first subscriber at the first communication device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second communication device is normally associated with a second subscriber, wherein the request notification comprises a number of the second communication device, a number of the first communication device, and the first communication device type and wherein the associating step comprises the sub-steps:

the first switch and/or server creating a home application record and a button map of the first communication device;

the first switch and/or server forwarding a first communication device type, button map, message waiting state indicator, first communication device number, and first subscriber'"'"'s name to the second switch/server;

using the first communication device type, button map, message waiting state indicator, first communication device number, and first subscriber'"'"'s name, the second switch and/or server creating a visitor application record associating the first subscriber with the second communication device; and

the second switch and/or server reconfiguring the second communication device as defined in the visitor application record.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second communication device is normally associated with the second subscriber, wherein the second switch and/or server comprises a native communication device record for the second communication device, wherein the first switch and/or server comprises a visitor application record for the second communication device, wherein the native communication device record is associated with the second subscriber, and the visitor application record is associated with the first subscriber, wherein the native communication device record is, while the first subscriber is associated with the second communication device, associated with a virtual communication device, wherein the virtual communication device and second communication device have a common number, wherein the first switch and/or server comprises a home communication device record for the first communication device, the home communication device record configuring the first communication device for the first subscriber and a home application record to redirect incoming calls for the first communication device to the second communication device, wherein the first and second communication devices are at least one of circuit-switched and time division multiplexed, wherein at least most of the following features are available to the first subscriber while the first subscriber is associated with the second communication device:

bridging an incoming call to the first subscriber onto the first communication device, call coverage, speed-dialing, ringing patterns, customized button labels, abbreviated dial list, automatic call back, automatic message waiting, automatic intercom, busy indication for another extension or trunk, call appearance, call forwarding, call forward (busy/do not answer), dial intercom, extension to cellular, exclusion, personal Central Office-line, send all calls, internal extension group, priority calling, and attendant calling, wherein, for outgoing calls from the second subscriber device, a number of the first communication device is sent as calling party information while the first subscriber is associated with the second communication device, wherein, when an outgoing call to a universal emergency number is made from the second communication device, the first subscriber is disassociated automatically with the second communication device, and wherein the visitor application record comprises at least the following information;

the first subscriber'"'"'s name, the first communication device'"'"'s number, the second communication device'"'"'s number, the first subscriber'"'"'s home security information, the first and second communication device types, call state information, and a second communication device button record having a set of a plurality of buttons identical to a set of a plurality of buttons on the first communication device and wherein the native communication device record comprises at least the following information;

second subscriber'"'"'s name, second communication device'"'"'s private number, second communication device'"'"'s public number, second subscriber'"'"'s home security information, second communication device type, second communication device'"'"'s button record configured for the second subscriber, class of service for the second communication device, and call state information, wherein the home communication record comprises at least the following information;

first subscriber'"'"'s name, first communication device'"'"'s private number, first communication device'"'"'s public number, first subscriber'"'"'s home security information, first communication device type, first communication device button record configured for the first subscriber, class of service for the first communication device, and call state information, and wherein the home application record comprises at least the following information;

the number of the second communication device and the second communication device type, a pointer to a home station record for the first station, and wherein the home communication device record and home application record are associated with one another.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein, when an incoming call is directed by the first switch and/or server to the second switch and/or server, the first switch and/or server sends to the second switch and/or server a call appearance selected for the call and wherein, when an outgoing call is directed by the second switch and/or server to the first switch and/or server, the second switch and/or server sends to the first switch and/or server a call appearance selected for the call.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein, while the first subscriber is associated with the second communication device, incoming calls to the second subscriber are processed as defined in a native communication device record and not directed to the second communication device, and incoming calls to the first subscriber are directed by the first switch and/or server to the second switch and/or server and by the second switch/server to the second communication device, and outgoing calls from the first subscriber initiated using the second communication device are directed by the second switch/server to the first switch and/or server setup with called destination.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising processor executable instructions to perform the steps of claim 1.