Instant activation and provisioning for telecommunication services on a mobile device

• US 9,930,473 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2016
• Issued: 03/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RingCentral Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RingCentral Incorporated
• Inventors: Vendrow, Vlad, Shah, Praful, Shmunis, Vladimir
• Primary Examiner(s): Gelin, Jean
• Application Number:
  US15/268,317
• Publication Number:
  US 20170006405A1
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• Field of Search: 4554141, 455418, 455419, 455420, 4554261, 4554262, 4555541, 4555542, 455555
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/08 menus for interactive user guidance
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/66 user interface aspects for indicating selection options for a communication line
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4234 Remote access to features of PBX or home telephone systems-teleworking in a PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/105 PBS [Private Base Station] network H04W84/12 - H04W84/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/16 WPBX [Wireless Private Branch Exchange]

Abstract

Methods and systems for instant activation of virtual PBX services on a mobile device are disclosed. In one aspect, a user request for activating virtual PBX services is received on a mobile device. An available primary identification number for the virtual PBX services is retrieved from a telecommunication service provider (TSP). A user interface is presented on the mobile device including a first interface portion presenting the available primary identification number and a second interface portion configured to receive a user identifier. Upon receiving the user input specifying the user identifier and while the user interface is still presented on the mobile device, a user instruction for activating the virtual PBX services is received. Upon receiving the user instruction, the user identifier is sent to the TSP. Then, a confirmation is received from the TSP.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a request for activating a subset of private branch exchange (PBX) services with a telecommunication service provider (TSP) on a mobile device;

identifying, by an application running on the mobile device, user information necessary for the TSP to activate the subset of PBX services;

determining, by the application running on the mobile device, at least a portion of the necessary user information from information stored on the mobile device;

presenting, by the application running on the mobile device, a user interface for activating the subset of virtual PBX services, the user interface being pre-populated with the necessary user information determined from the information stored on the mobile device;

receiving a user instruction for activating the subset of virtual PBX services through the user interface;

sending, by the application running on the mobile device, an activation request to the TSP; and

activating the subset of virtual PBX services.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a confirmation from the TSP indicating that the subset of virtual PBX services has been successfully activated.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the subset of virtual PBX services comprises an additional extension, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving configuration data for the additional extension from a second mobile device.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving contact information for a user to be associated with the additional extension;

requesting configuration parameters for the additional extension using the contact information; and

receiving the configuration data from the second mobile device in response to the request.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the subset of virtual PBX services includes multi-extension virtual PBX services that configure a plurality of extensions, and wherein the user information necessary for the TSP to activate the subset of virtual PBX services comprises information identifying a respective user for each of the plurality of extensions.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

transmitting, to each user associated with any of the plurality of extensions, a notification that the virtual PBX services have been activated.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the notification transmitted to each of the users comprises a request to configure the respective extension corresponding to the user.

8. A system comprising one or more computers and one or more storage devices storing instructions that when executed by the one or more computers cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request for activating a subset of private branch exchange (PBX) services with a telecommunication service provider (TSP) on a mobile device;

identifying, by an application running on the mobile device, user information necessary for the TSP to activate the subset of PBX services;

determining, by the application running on the mobile device, at least a portion of the necessary user information from information stored on the mobile device;

presenting, by the application running on the mobile device, a user interface for activating the subset of virtual PBX services, the user interface being pre-populated with the necessary user information determined from the information stored on the mobile device;

receiving a user instruction for activating the subset of virtual PBX services through the user interface;

sending, by the application running on the mobile device, an activation request to the TSP; and

activating the subset of virtual PBX services.

9. The system of claim 8, the operations comprising:

receiving a confirmation from the TSP indicating that the subset of virtual PBX services has been successfully activated.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the subset of virtual PBX services comprises an additional extension, and wherein the operations comprise:

receiving configuration data for the additional extension from a second mobile device.

11. The system of claim 10, the operations comprising:

receiving contact information for a user to be associated with the additional extension;

requesting configuration parameters for the additional extension using the contact information; and

receiving the configuration data from the second mobile device in response to the request.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the subset of virtual PBX services includes multi-extension virtual PBX services that configure a plurality of extensions, and wherein the user information necessary for the TSP to activate the subset of virtual PBX services comprises information identifying a respective user for each of the plurality of extensions.

13. The system of claim 12, the operations comprising:

transmitting, to each user associated with any of the plurality of extensions, a notification that the virtual PBX services have been activated.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the notification transmitted to each of the users comprises a request to configure the respective extension corresponding to the user.

15. A computer program product encoded on one or more non-transitory computer readable media, the computer program product comprising instructions that when executed by one or more computers cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request for activating a subset of private branch exchange (PBX) services with a telecommunication service provider (TSP) on a mobile device;

identifying, by an application running on the mobile device, user information necessary for the TSP to activate the subset of PBX services;

determining, by the application running on the mobile device, at least a portion of the necessary user information from information stored on the mobile device;

presenting, by the application running on the mobile device, a user interface for activating the subset of virtual PBX services, the user interface being pre-populated with the necessary user information determined from the information stored on the mobile device;

receiving a user instruction for activating the subset of virtual PBX services through the user interface;

sending, by the application running on the mobile device, an activation request to the TSP; and

activating the subset of virtual PBX services.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, the operations comprising:

receiving a confirmation from the TSP indicating that the subset of virtual PBX services has been successfully activated.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the subset of virtual PBX services comprises an additional extension, and wherein the operations comprise:

receiving configuration data for the additional extension from a second mobile device.