Patent ID: 6529502
Filing Date: 2003-03-04
Classification: H04L,H04M,H04Q

Abstract:
In an integrated system for managing voice and data communications of an office, the office having a plurality of computers coupled to the system over one or more packet buses in the system and a plurality of telephones coupled to the system and communicating with one or more TDM buses in the system, wherein the system provides voice and data communications to a plurality of users in the office under control of a first processor in the system, wherein associated with each of at least certain users is at least one computer and at least one telephone, wherein the system is coupled to at least one telecommunications network, a method comprising the steps of:receiving in the system, under control of the first processor in the system, a voice message from a first user over the one or more TDM buses, wherein, under control of the first processor and a switch/multiplexer in the system, voice communications are currently coupled between one or more of the plurality of telephones and one or more of the telephones and/or the telecommunications network via the one or more TDM buses; coupling the voice message to a second processor in the system; processing the voice message with the second processor in the system, wherein the voice message is converted into a data format; receiving, under control of the first processor in the system, data indicating a designated set of second users to receive the voice message from the first user, wherein the set of second users includes one or more second users having computers coupled to the system over the one or more packet buses; and selectively sending to the set of second users, under control of the first processor in the system, the data formatted voice message at least in part using the one or more packet buses of the system; wherein voice communications that stay in a circuit-switched form are provided via the one or more TDM buses, and wherein packet-based communications are selectively coupled to the at least one telecommunications network via the one or more TDM buses.