Method and system for integrating a PBX-equipped client and an on-demand database service

• US 8,744,972 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2011
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Casalaina, Marco S., Dvorkin, Jim, Winters, Jason, Yang, Bing, Ourk, Dararith, Chen, Rupert
• Primary Examiner(s): Nigh, James D
• Application Number:
  US13/292,016
• Publication Number:
  US 20120051530A1
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• Field of Search: 705/51, 705/345, 705/346, 379/142.06, 379/142.15
• US Class Current: 705/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 2220/12 Usage or charge determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/56 Arrangements for indicating or recording the called number at the calling subscriber's set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/085 using a television receiver, e.g. viewdata system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42127 Systems providing several special services or facilities from groups H04M3/42008 - H04M3/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42314 in private branch exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/009 in systems involving PBX or KTS networks

Abstract

In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for integrating a private branch exchange (PBX)-equipped client and an on-demand database service. These mechanisms and methods for integrating a PBX-equipped client and an on-demand database service can enable embodiments with additional infrastructure at the client that is better equipped to leverage the on-demand database service. The ability of embodiments to provide such client side infrastructure can enable additional enhanced services in conjunction with telephone calls, etc.

Claims

1. A computer program product, comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method, the method comprising:

providing a user interface to a first party, the user interface retrieved from an on-demand database and customized for the first party, where the user interface is a template capable of being configured differently for different groups of users including configuring a language of the template based at least on a location associated with the users by including in the template labels for user interface components that are to be shown and localized to the language;

detecting, by a device with a private branch exchange (PBX) system, an event relating to a call incoming to a computer telephony integration system of the first party; and

causing communication with an on-demand database service by the computer equipped with the PBX, in response to the detection of the event;

sending information received in association with the event to the on-demand database service;

receiving a response to the communication from the on-demand database service, the response comprising additional information associated with the event including at least;

identification information of a second party that initiated the call, and

an action to reject the call,

wherein the second party that initiated the call is a customer of the first party;

updating the user interface with the additional information received from the on-demand database service by at least including in the user interface the identification information of the second party that initiated the call and a selectable option to employ the action to reject the call; and

providing the updated user interface to the first party for which the call is incoming.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the on-demand database service includes an application platform that allows applications of the on-demand database service to run.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the on-demand database service includes an application platform that enables managing and executing of one or more applications developed by a provider of the on-demand database service.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the on-demand database service includes a multi-tenant database system having hardware and software that is shared by a plurality of users.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the identification information of the second party that initiated the call is a name of the second party.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the additional information with which the user interface is updated further includes an action to hold the call, an action to transfer the call, and an action to initiate a conference for the call.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the user interface is provided to the first party via a network browser of the first party.

8. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising communicating to the on-demand database service data received from at least one of the first party and the second party in conjunction with the call, and storing the data in a database of the on-demand database service.

9. A method, comprising:

providing a user interface to a first party, the user interface retrieved from an on-demand database and customized for the first party, where the user interface is a template capable of being configured differently for different groups of users including configuring a language of the template based at least on a location associated with the users by including in the template labels for user interface components that are to be shown and localized to the language;

detecting, by a device with a private branch exchange (PBX) system, an event relating to a call incoming to a computer telephony integration system of the first party; and

causing communication with an on-demand database service by the computer equipped with the PBX, in response to the detection of the event;

sending information received in association with the event to the on-demand database service;

receiving a response to the communication from the on-demand database service, the response comprising additional information associated with the event including at least;

identification information of a second party that initiated the call, and

an action to reject the call,

wherein the second party that initiated the call is a customer of the first party;

updating the user interface with the additional information received from the on-demand database service by at least including in the user interface the identification information of the second party that initiated the call and a selectable option to employ the action to reject the call; and

providing the updated user interface to the first party for which the call is incoming.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor for;

providing a user interface to a first party, the user interface retrieved from an on-demand database and customized for the first party, where the user interface is a template capable of being configured differently for different groups of users including configuring a language of the template based at least on a location associated with the users by including in the template labels for user interface components that are to be shown and localized to the language;

detecting, by a device with a private branch exchange (PBX) system, an event relating to a call incoming to a computer telephony integration system of the first party; and

causing communication with an on-demand database service by the computer equipped with the PBX, in response to the detection of the event;

sending information received in association with the event to the on-demand database service;

receiving a response to the communication from the on-demand database service, the response comprising additional information associated with the event including at least;

identification information of a second party that initiated the call, and

an action to reject the call,

wherein the second party that initiated the call is a customer of the first party;

updating the user interface with the additional information received from the on-demand database service by at least including in the user interface the identification information of the second party that initiated the call and a selectable option to employ the action to reject the call; and

providing the updated user interface to the first party for which the call is incoming.