Directory Features in a Distributed Telephony System

• US 20140119529A1
• Filed: 01/02/2014
• Published: 05/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ShoreTel Incorporated (Mitel Networks Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ShoreTel Incorporated (Mitel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Tovino, Michael S.W., Winslow, Richard A., Okita, Glen K.
• Granted Patent: US 9,509,841 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/218.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0015 First party call control architectures

Abstract

A telephony system is presented that enables a phone to access a directory and use the directory in conjunction with other phone functions. The system includes a server with a telephony management software (TMS) unit, a telephony application programming interface (TAPI) unit, and an application unit. The application unit includes a control module, a function module, a filter module, a presentation module, a phone interface module, and a storage interface module. A server sends a signal to a phone regarding the contents of a directory. A server also enables a user to navigate through the directory, filter the directory, and perform call functions on phone numbers associated with directory entries.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, from the phone, at a directory server comprising a processor and a memory, request for a directory;

generating, at the directory server, a directory context (1) associated with the phone, (2) comprising a part of the directory and (3) comprising a first set of information about which of one or more entries of the directory are being displayed by the phone at the time of the request; and

transmitting, from the directory server to the phone, a display signal to display a second set of information on the phone, the display signal based on the first set of information about which of one or more entries of the directory are being displayed by the phone at the time of the request.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the directory context comprises a filter for determining the part of the directory associated with the phone.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the directory context comprises a currently selected entry of the directory that is currently displayed on the phone.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the directory context comprises a call function if the call function was performed by the phone prior to requesting the directory.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a navigation direction comprising a desired direction of navigating the directory; and

modifying the directory context based on the navigation direction.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a select signal including a selected entry from the part of the directory associated with the phone, the selected entry including a selected phone number; and

inputting the selected phone number into a call function.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving a call function signal including the call function; and

transmitting, to a switch that performs the call function, the selected phone number and the call function.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the call function comprises one from a group consisting of Dial, Transfer, Conference, PickUP, Park and Unpark.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a filter signal comprising a user filter input;

modifying the directory context based on the user filter input; and

transmitting, to the phone, a presentation signal to display a portion of the modified directory context on the phone.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the filter signal comprises a first filter number or filter character in an entry field of an entry in the directory context and modifying the directory context comprises modifying the directory context such that each remaining entry in the context includes a remaining field having a first number or character that matches the first filter number or filter character.

11. The method of claim 10 comprising:

receiving a second filter signal wherein the second filter signal comprises a second filter number or filter character in the entry field; and

further modifying the directory context such that the remaining field of each remaining entry has the first number or character that matches the first filter number or filter character and a second number or character that matches as the second filter number or character.

12. A directory server system for enabling a phone to display a directory, the system comprising:

a computer processor for executing programmed instructions;

a program memory, coupled to the processor, for storing program instruction steps for execution by the processor;

a phone interface module, executable by the processor in accordance with program instructions in the program memory, for receiving from the phone a request for the directory and transmitting to the phone a display signal to display a first set of information based on a directory context (1) associated with the phone, (2) comprising a part of the directory and (3) comprising a second set of information about which of one or more entries of the directory are being displayed by the phone at the time of the request;

a presentation module, executable by the processor in accordance with program instructions in the program memory, coupled to the phone interface module, for generating the display signal based on the second set of information about which of one or more entries of the directory are being displayed by the phone at the time of the request;

a directory control module, executable by the processor in accordance with program instructions in the program memory, coupled to the phone interface module, for generating the directory context; and

a storage interface module, executable by the processor in accordance with program instructions in the program memory, coupled to the directory control module, configured to store the directory context on a storage.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the directory control module is configured to generate the directory context using a filter for determining the part of the directory associated with the phone.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the directory control module is configured to generate the directory context comprising a currently selected entry of the directory that is currently selected on the phone.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein the directory control module is configured to generate the directory context comprising a call function preceding the request for the directory.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein the phone interface module is configured to receive a navigation direction comprising a desired direction of navigating the directory and the directory control module is configured to modify the directory context based on the navigation direction.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein the phone interface module is configured to receive a select signal including a selected entry from the part of the directory associated with the phone, the selected entry including a selected phone number, and the directory control module is configured to input the selected phone number into a call function.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the phone interface module is configured to receive a call function signal including the call function and transmit, to a switch that performs the call function, the selected phone number and the call function.

19. The system of claim 12 wherein the phone interface module is configured to receive a filter signal comprising a user filter input and to transmit a presentation signal to display a portion of the modified directory context to the phone and the directory control module is configured to modify the directory context based on the user filter input.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the filter signal comprises a first filter number or filter character in an entry field of an entry in the directory context and the directory control module is configured to modify the directory context such that each remaining entry in the context includes a remaining field whose first number or character matches the first filter number or filter character.