Method for controlling IP phone and application program for the same

• US 8,503,435 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2010
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tecom Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Tecom Company Limited
• Inventors: Lo, Che-Sheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Phung, Luat
• Assistant Examiner(s): BELETE, BERHANU D
• Application Number:
  US12/961,866
• Publication Number:
  US 20120140765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 709350-356, 370350-356, 370/357, 370/389
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

A method for controlling an IP phone and an application program for the same are disclosed. The application program is installed in a computer for connecting the computer and a proximal IP phone via a wired or wireless network. A subscriber sends data and commands to the proximal IP phone via application programs in the computer for controlling the proximal IP phone. The computer establishes connection with a remote phone via an expanded function of the proximal IP phone controlled by the application program.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an IP phone used between a computer and a proximal IP phone, the computer and the proximal IP phone being connected to the same local area network, wherein an application program is installed and executed at the computer, the control method comprising:

a) establishing connection between the computer and the proximal IP phone;

b) providing a graphical user interface (GUI) web page by the application program to offer a plurality of virtual keys respectively corresponding to hardware functions of the proximal IP phone on the computer, wherein the plurality of virtual keys comprising a plurality of virtual BLF (Busy Lamp Field, BLF) keys, a plurality of virtual operation keys and a plurality of virtual expansion keys, the plurality of virtual BLF keys corresponding to BLF key functions of the proximal IP phone, the plurality of virtual operation keys corresponding to operation key functions of the proximal IP phone, and the plurality of virtual expansion key corresponding to undefined functions of the proximal IP phone, wherein the quantity of the plurality of the virtual BLF keys is larger than the quantity of the physical BLF keys of the proximal IP phone, so that when the computer controls the proximal IP phone, the application program is used for expanding hardware functions of the proximal IP phone;

if the proximal IP phone is a low cost device having basic functions and does not have enough BLF keys, or does not have BLF keys to cause inconvenient in field application, the plurality of virtual BLF keys simulates the function as additional BLF keys and adds additional virtual BLF keys to the proximal IP phone;

if an operation panel of the proximal IP phone is too simple to meet subscriber demands and does not have enough operation keys, the function performed by the proximal IP phone is accordingly limited and is inconvenient to subscribers, the function of the proximal IP phone cannot be performed at the same time, or subscribers have to purchase additional hardware devices for using functions of the undefined operation keys, the plurality of virtual expansion keys are associated with corresponding undefined function and save additional hardware cost for subscribers via setting up at the GUI web page;

c) using the GUI web page for transferring data between the computer and the proximal IP phone;

d) sending first control command to the proximal IP phone according to the data;

e) establishing connection by the proximal IP phone with remote phone according to the first control command; and

f) establishing connection by the computer with the remote phone via the proximal IP phone.

2. The method for controlling an IP phone of claim 1, wherein the remote phone is an IP phone, and the proximal IP phone establishes voice connection with the remote phone via the Internet.

3. The method for controlling an IP phone of claim 1, wherein the remote phone is a landline phone, the proximal IP phone establishes voice connection with the remote phone via public switched telephone network (PSTN).

4. The method for controlling an IP phone of claim 1, wherein the data in the step c comprising telephone number data of the remote phone, the first control command in the step d is a telephone dialing out command.

5. The method for controlling an IP phone of claim 4, wherein the telephone number data is retrieved from emails or address books of email accounts in the computer, or input via the GUI web page.

6. The method for controlling an IP phone of claim 4, wherein the telephone number data is retrieved on web pages via connecting to the Internet at the computer or the proximal IP phone.

7. The method for controlling an IP phone of claim 1, wherein the data in the step c comprises telephone number data of the remote phone, and text message data of subscribers, and the first control command in the step d is a text message sending command.

8. The method for controlling an IP phone of claim 1, wherein the step further comprises steps:

a01) searching available proximal IP phones in the neighborhood of the computer;

a02) determining if a corresponding application program exists, and a proximal IP phone not corresponding to other computers exist in the neighborhood of the computer; and

a03) inputting identification password if yes following step a02.

9. The method for controlling an IP phone of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

g) sending disconnect control command to the proximal IP phone by the computer following step f; and

h) disconnecting the connection with the remote phone by the proximal IP phone according to the disconnect control command.

10. A non-transitory application program installed in a computer, when the computer loads and executes the application program, a method for controlling an IP phone is executed for controlling a proximal IP phone, wherein the computer and the proximal IP phone are connected within the same local area network, and the application program for controlling the IP phone comprising:

a) searching available proximal IP phones in the neighborhood of the computer;

b) determining if a proximal IP phone corresponding to the application program and not controlled by other computers exists in the neighborhood of the computer;

c) establishing connection between the computer and the proximal IP phone if yes following step b;

d) providing a Graphical User Interface (GUI) web page by the application program to offer a plurality of virtual keyss respectively corresponding to hardware functions of the proximal IP phone on the computer, wherein the plurality of virtual keys comprising a plurality of virtual BLF (Busy Lamp Field, BLF) keys, a plurality of virtual operation keys and a plurality of virtual expansion keys, the plurality of virtual BLF keys corresponding to BLF key functions of the proximal IP phone, the plurality of virtual operation keys corresponding to operation key functions of the proximal IP phone, and the plurality of virtual expansion key corresponding to undefined functions of the proximal IP phone, wherein the quantity of the plurality of the virtual BLF keys is larger than the quantity of the physical BLF keys of the proximal IP phone, so that when the computer controls the proximal IP phone, the application program is used for expanding hardware functions of the proximal IP phone;

if the proximal IP phone is a low cost device having basic functions and does not have enough BLF keys, or does not have BLF keys to cause inconvenient in field application, the plurality of virtual BLF keys simulates the function as additional BLF keys and adds additional virtual BLF keys to the proximal IP phone;

if an operation panel of the proximal IP phone is too simple to meet subscriber demands and does not have enough operation keys, the function performed by the proximal IP phone is accordingly limited and is inconvenient to subscribers, the function of the proximal IP phone cannot be performed at the same time, or subscribers have to purchase additional hardware devices for using functions of the undefined operation keys, the plurality of virtual expansion keys are associated with corresponding undefined function and save additional hardware cost for subscribers via setting up at the GUI web page;

e) using the GUI web page for transferring data between the computer and the proximal IP phone;

f) sending first control command to the proximal IP phone according to the data;

g) establishing connection by the proximal IP phone with remote phone according to the first control command; and

h) establishing connection by the computer with the remote phone via the proximal IP phone.