Softphone over Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS)

• US 9,800,620 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2014
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vmware LLC (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: VMware, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Govindankutty, Sivaprasad Kundoor, Jose, Jubish Kulathumkal
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazaro, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shitayewoldetsad, Berhanu
• Application Number:
  US14/277,819
• Publication Number:
  US 20150288727A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,258 Days
• Field of Search: 709203-226, 379218, 379 88
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/00 Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1059 End-user terminal functionalities specially adapted for real-time communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1073 Registration or de-registration

Abstract

Techniques for delivering telephone access are provided. In one embodiment, a server system can determine a telephone number assigned to a user operating a client device. The server system can further retrieve, based on the telephone number, softphone configuration data from a telephony service, where the softphone configuration data enables a softphone associated with the client device to register itself, and the telephone number, with the telephony service. The server system can then transmit the softphone configuration data to the client device.

Claims

1. A method for delivering telephone

access, the method comprising:

receiving a user logon at a server system, the server system configured to selectively provide user access to one or more of a plurality of services in response to the user logon including a remote desktop and telephone access;

receiving, at the server system, a telephone access request originating from a user operating a client device;

determining, by the server system, a telephone number assigned to the user operating the client device associated with the user logon;

retrieving, by the server system based on the telephone number, softphone configuration data from a telephony service, wherein a softphone is a virtual or physical end user telephony device, and wherein the softphone configuration data, in response to activation of a softphone associated with the client device by a user operating the client device, enables the softphone to register itself, and the telephone number, with the telephony service, wherein registering with the telephony service indicates to the telephony service that the smartphone is ready and authorized to consume telecommunications functions with respect to the telephone number including providing a data connection between the softphone and the telephony service to send and receive calls using the telephone number; and

transmitting, by the server system, the softphone configuration data to the client device,

wherein the server system is part of a cloud-based server platform configured to deliver the remote desktop for a cloud-based virtual machine to the user, and wherein the softphone configuration data is transmitted to the client device without transmitting the remote desktop together with the softphone configuration data to the user such that the client device provides telephone access independent of the remote desktop.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the

telephone number assigned to the user comprises:

transmitting a query to a directory service configured to maintain predefined mappings between a plurality of users and a plurality of telephone numbers, the query including information identifying the user; and

receiving the telephone number in response to the query.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting the softphone configuration data to the client device comprises:

generating, based on the softphone configuration data, an encrypted softphone startup file; and

transmitting the encrypted softphone startup file to the client device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the client device is configured to activate the softphone using the softphone configuration data, wherein the activating causes the softphone to register itself, and the phone number, with the telephony service, and wherein the registering allows the softphone to establish a data connection with the telephony service for sending and receiving telephone calls using the telephone number.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing, in a database accessible to the server system, a copy of the softphone configuration data and a database entry identifying the user, the telephone number, and a file path of the stored copy;

receiving a telephone access request from the user via another client device;

retrieving, based on the database entry, the copy of the softphone configuration data from the database; and

transmitting the copy of the softphone configuration data to said another client device.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining that another softphone has an active data connection with the telephony service for sending and receiving telephone calls using the telephone number; and

transmitting a request to the telephony service to terminate the active data connection.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the softphone is provided as a remote application for the client device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration data includes security credentials that enable the softphone to be allocated a telephony connection.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration data includes parameters used to create a telephony session.

10. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon computer software executable by a server system, the computer software embodying a method for delivering telephone access to a user operating a client device, the method comprising:

receiving a user logon at a server system, the server system configured to selectively provide user access to one or more of a plurality of services in response to the user logon including a remote desktop and telephone access;

receiving, at the server system, a telephone access request originating from the user operating the client device associated with the user logon;

determining a telephone number assigned to the user operating the client device;

retrieving, based on the telephone number, softphone configuration data from a telephony service, wherein a softphone is a virtual or physical end user telephony device, and wherein the softphone configuration data, in response to activation of a softphone associated with the client device by a user operating the client device, enables the softphone to register itself, and the telephone number, with the telephony service, wherein registering with the telephony service indicates to the telephony service that the smartphone is ready and authorized to consume telecommunications functions with respect to the telephone number including providing a data connection between the softphone and the telephony service to send and receive calls using the telephone number; and

transmitting the softphone configuration data to the client device,

wherein the server system is part of a cloud-based server platform configured to deliver the remote desktop for a cloud-based virtual machine to the user, and wherein the softphone configuration data is transmitted to the client device without transmitting the remote desktop together with the softphone configuration data to the user such that the client device provides telephone access independent of the remote desktop.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein determining the telephone number assigned to the user comprises:

transmitting a query to a directory service configured to maintain predefined mappings between a plurality of users and a plurality of telephone numbers, the query including information identifying the user; and

receiving the telephone number in response to the query.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein transmitting the softphone configuration data to the client device comprises:

generating, based on the softphone configuration data, an encrypted softphone startup file; and

transmitting the encrypted softphone startup file to the client device.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein the client device is configured to activate the softphone using the softphone configuration data, wherein the activating causes the softphone to register itself, and the phone number, with the telephony service, and wherein the registering allows the softphone to establish a data connection with the telephony service for sending and receiving telephone calls using the telephone number.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein the method further comprises:

storing, in a database accessible to the server system, a copy of the softphone configuration data and a database entry identifying the user, the telephone number, and a file path of the stored copy;

receiving a telephone access request from the user via another client device;

retrieving, based on the database entry, the copy of the softphone configuration data from the database; and

transmitting the copy of the softphone configuration data to said another client device.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage

medium of claim 10 wherein the method further comprises:

determining that another softphone has an active data connection with the telephony service for sending and receiving telephone calls using the telephone number; and

transmitting a request to the telephony service to terminate the active data connection.

16. A server system comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to;

receive a user logon at the server system, the server system configured to selectively provide user access to one or more of a plurality of services in response to the user logon including a remote desktop and telephone access;

receive a telephone access request originating from a user operating a client device;

determine a telephone number assigned to the user operating the client device associated with the user logon;

retrieve, based on the telephone number, softphone configuration data from a telephony service, wherein a softphone is a virtual or physical end user telephony device, and wherein the softphone configuration data, in response to activation of a softphone associated with the client device by a user operating the client device, enables the softphone to register itself, and the telephone number, with the telephony service, wherein registering with the telephony service indicates to the telephony service that the smartphone is ready and authorized to consume telecommunications functions with respect to the telephone number including providing a data connection between the softphone and the telephony service to send and receive calls using the telephone number; and

transmit the softphone configuration data to the client device,

wherein the server system is part of a cloud-based server platform configured to deliver the remote desktop for a cloud-based virtual machine to the user, and wherein the softphone configuration data is transmitted to the client device without transmitting the remote desktop together with the softphone configuration data to the user such that the client device provides telephone access independent of the remote desktop.

17. The server system of claim 16 wherein the instructions that cause the processor to determine the telephone number assigned to the user comprises instructions that cause the processor to:

transmit a query to a directory service configured to maintain predefined mappings between a plurality of users and a plurality of telephone numbers, the query including information identifying the user; and

receive the telephone number in response to the query.

18. The server system of claim 16 wherein the instructions that cause the processor to transmit the softphone configuration data to the client device comprises instructions that cause the processor to:

generate, based on the softphone configuration data, an encrypted softphone startup file; and

transmit the encrypted softphone startup file to the client device.

19. The server system of claim 16 wherein the client device is configured to activate the softphone using the softphone configuration data, wherein the activating causes the softphone to register itself, and the phone number, with the telephony service, and wherein the registering allows the softphone to establish a data connection with the telephony service for sending and receiving telephone calls using the telephone number.

20. The server system of claim 16 wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

store, in a database accessible to the server system, a copy of the softphone configuration data and a database entry identifying the user, the telephone number, and a file path of the stored copy;

receive a telephone access request from the user via another client device;

retrieve, based on the database entry, the copy of the softphone configuration data from the database; and

transmit the copy of the softphone configuration data to said another client device.

21. The server system of claim 16 wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

determine that another softphone has an active data connection with the telephony service for sending and receiving telephone calls using the telephone number; and

transmit a request to the telephony service to terminate the active data connection.