Patent ID: 6807264
Filing Date: 2004-10-19
Classification: H04M,H04Q

Abstract:
A method of operating a computer telephony integration (CTI) system comprising a switch and a CTI controller therefor, and plurality of user workstations, each workstation comprising a computer connected to the CTI controller and a telephone connected to the switch, the system storing, for each user of the system, a respective user-associated profile containing at least the identity of the computer at which the associated user is currently logged on to the CTI controller, the method comprising the steps of:responding to receipt of an incoming call at the switch by retrieve from signalling data of that incoming call a called user identity; accessing the profile associated with the called user to retrieve the identity of the computer at which the called user is currently logged on to the CTI controller; sending an incoming call message in respect of the called user from the CTI controller to that computer; and responding to receipt of said incoming call message at that computer by displaying an indication that an incoming call has been received for the called user; and the method being characterised by the steps of: storing in each user-associated profile, a respective value for the length of time that an incoming call for the associated user is to be allowed to remain unanswered before routing the call to an answering facility, said value being referred to hereafter as a countdown value; further responding to receipt of the incoming call by retrieving said countdown value from the profile associated with that called user; starting a call-associated countdown from the retrieved countdown value; and further responding to receipt of said incoming call message at that computer by additionally displaying the current value of said call-associated countdown.