Abstract:
A communication system is disclosed including a first digital telephone set, a second digital telephone set, or its processing equivalent, having a private branch exchange (PBX)-paging server interface, and a PBX operative between the first digital telephone set and the second digital telephone set, wherein the second digital telephone set transmits text messages received from the first digital telephone set to a paging server via the PBX-paging server interface and wherein the paging server transmits the text messages to a pager. Also disclosed is a communication method including the steps of keying-in a text message on a first digital telephone set, transmitting the text message, via a private branch exchange (PBX), from the first digital telephone set to a second digital telephone set having a PBX-paging server interface, transmitting the text message, via the PBX-paging server interface, from the second digital telephone set to a paging server, transmitting the text message from the paging server to a pager, and displaying the text message on the pager.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority from the following U.S. Provisional Patent Application, the disclosure of which, including all appendices and all attached documents, is incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes: U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/329,166, of Michael S. Wengrovitz and Andrew Nelson entitled, NOVEL USAGE OF DIGITAL TELEPHONE SET KEYBOARD/DISPLAY FOR GENERATING TEXT MESSAGES TO ALPHANUMERIC PAGERS, CELLPHONES AND PDAs,” filed Oct. 12, 2001. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a communication system and method for providing messages and notifications to a user via a telephone set enabled with an alphanumeric keypad. More particularly, this invention relates to a communication system, and method for using same, that incorporate a telephone set enabled with an alphanumeric keypad and display, a private branch exchange (PBX) and a paging server integrated therewith for permitting a recipient to receive via an appliance enabled to receive alphanumeric messages. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Paging is an important element of enterprise communication systems. Many enterprises routinely distribute electronic pagers to their employees and catalog the corresponding pager IDs within the corporate directory database. 
     Pagers often have multi-line, scrollable, backlit displays that present alphanumeric characters, including a callback number, time and date information, and brief text messages. Some cellular telephones receive text pages if the appropriate service is enabled, and various personal digital assistants (PDAs) also receive pages if they are equipped with the appropriate reception hardware and service. 
     National, regional, and premise-based paging systems accept input via protocols such as Telocator Alphanumeric Protocol (TAP), enhanced TAP, Simple Network Paging Protocol (SNPP), and Wireless Communication Transfer Protocol (WCTP). 
     Protocols such as SNPP and WCTP support two-way pager operation. 
     In one presently common paging method, the calling user dials the telephone number of a particular pager, and inputs a callback number by depressing the appropriate combination of touchtone (Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency) keys. After the calling user confirms that the callback number has been correctly entered, the corresponding numeric message is sent to the pager. Due to limitations in present systems, typically only numeric information is sent when the above method is used. 
     In a second method, the calling user dials the pager number and is then forwarded, typically via an Interactive Voice Response (IVR), to a human operator who also functions as a transcriber by first listening to the caller&#39;s message and then typing the message into a system. The resultant transcribed message is then sent as a text message to the paged recipient. Although this method provides for both numeric and text messages, it requires that a human operator be present to correctly transcribe each message. 
     In a third method, the calling user who wishes to send a text message uses a dedicated text entry terminal as an input device to enter the text message along with the desired pager number. Enterprise workers who send many pages to multiple recipients on a daily basis typically use this method. The method can be highly inconvenient since a limited number of text entry terminals in centralized locations must be shared by multiple users. 
     In a fourth method, the calling user enters a text message into a personal computer (PC) via a keyboard and, in turn, the computer, through its digital processing and input/output devices, transmits the message to the pager. The software applications executable on the PC for this method of keyboard entry includes: a standard e-mail client; an instant-messaging application; a dedicated software application; or a web-based client within a client-server application. Efficient practice of this fourth method requires that the calling user have access to a PC and be familiar with the operation of the specific dedicated software application. Also, since standard desktop PCs are known to be less than completely reliable, particularly when contrasted with telephone sets, a PC used in this method may crash, lock-up, or otherwise fail to execute. As such, this method of data entry has questionable applicability in life-critical paging applications such as those in hospitals and healthcare delivery systems. 
     At present, the keypads and displays on PBX digital telephone sets are not used for creating and sending text to external pagers, Personal Digital Appliances (PDAs), cellular telephones and the like. Usage of the PBX telephone set keyboard and display has a number of advantages over existing methods for creating and sending text to pagers. Specifically, both numeric and text-based messages can be sent, and there is no need for a human operator to transcribe text messages. Further, usage of the PBX telephone set eliminates the need for the user to share access to a limited number of centralized text entry terminals, since each user can access his personal telephone set for message composition. Finally, the reliability and ease-of-use of PBX telephone sets can be exploited, as compared to desktop PC software applications which can crash or lock-up. 
     SUMMARY 
     The several embodiments of the present invention provide text messaging to pagers and other electronic devices, the communications being initiated at a digital telephone set with a keyboard, and without both human message transcription and modifications to existing PBX telephone systems to which the initiating digital telephone set is in communication. The communication system embodiments of the present invention have a first digital telephone set, a second digital telephone set, or its processing equivalent, having a private branch exchange (PBX)-paging server interface, and a PBX operative between the first digital telephone set and the second digital telephone set, wherein the second digital telephone set transmits text messages received from the first digital telephone set to a paging server via the PBX-paging server interface and wherein the paging server transmits the text messages to a pager. The communication method embodiments of the present invention have the steps of keying-in a text message on a first digital telephone set, transmitting the text message, via a private branch exchange (PBX), from the first digital telephone set to a second digital telephone set having a PBX-paging server interface, transmitting the text message, via the PBX-paging server interface, from the second digital telephone set to a paging server, transmitting the text message from the paging server to a pager, and displaying the text message on the pager. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, and in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a system block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention where one-way paging is performed; 
     FIG. 2 is a system block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention where two-way paging is performed; 
     FIG. 3 is a system block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention where multiple paging systems are used; 
     FIG. 4 is a system block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention where a network connection between the PBX and the paging system interface is used; 
     FIG. 5 is a system block diagram of an embodiment involving a PC-based integration between the PC and the paging server; and 
     FIG. 6 is a system block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention where the paging system interface and paging server are combined within the same appliance. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A method and system for the entering of page information by enterprise workers is provided in the following several embodiments of the present invention. The system architecture  100  for one embodiment using telephone set keypads and displays to create and send messages to destination pagers, paging devices, cellphones and PDAs is depicted in FIG.  1 . In this embodiment, the user preferably creates a text message by using the keyboard  102  of a digital telephone set  104 . 
     The telephone keyboards  102  of the several embodiments of the present invention preferably have the built-in QWERTY keyboard  102  and displays  106  already incorporated within some PBX  110  digital telephone sets  104  found on the desktops of enterprise workers. Several digital telephone sets  104 , including the Alcatel® 4035™ and 4020™, for example, incorporate a built-in QWERTY keypad  102  and a multi-line LCD display  106 . However, the keypad  102  and display  106  are not presently used or enabled for sending messages to external paging systems  128 . Rather, the keypad  102  is presently used to perform dial-by-name, and the display  106  is presently used to provide other auxiliary information to the caller, such as call progression state, caller identification (ID), voicemail parameters, and prompting information. In an exemplary Alcatel® system, the keypad  102  and display  106  are also presently enabled and used to perform text messaging from one telephone set to another telephone set. In this mode, the user preferably composes a text message on the keyboard  102 . When the message is fully composed, the user sends this message from his digital set  104  to another digital set, and not to an external pager device  132 . 
     In the several embodiments of the present invention, the message being composed is displayed character-by-character on the display  106  of the digital telephone set  104 . By viewing the display  106  and using the editing keys of the keyboard  102 , the calling user can make appropriate modifications, additions, and deletions to the message prior to committing to transmission. The user may also enter the pager destination ID within the text message. Preferably when the user is satisfied with the message content, a “send” button on the telephone set  104  is depressed and the message is sent through the PBX  110  to a destination telephone set  114 . The destination set preferably is a standard digital telephone set  114  with a keyboard  118  and display  116 . The destination telephone set  114  exposes digital information it receives through use of a PBX-Paging Server Interface Module  120 . 
     In the system embodiment of the present invention, the digital information preferably is forwarded  122  by the PBX-Paging Server Interface Module  120  from the destination telephone set  114  to a Paging Server  124 . The Paging Server  124  preferably decodes the digital information, extracts the ID of the destination pager  132 , and reformats the message within the protocol expected by the paging system  128  and sends this message  126  to the paging system  128 . The paging system preferably then transmits the message  128  to the destination pager  132 . 
     The PBX  110  preferably views the message transmission  108  as a standard text message sent from one digital telephone  104  set to another  114 . To achieve the new functionality without changing the existing PBX hardware, software or operating system, this embodiment uses the destination set  114  to expose its received digital data  112  via a special interface module, which is referred to as a PBX-Paging Server Interface Module  120 . The PBX-Paging Server Interface Module  120  preferably exposes the two-way digital signaling into and out-of the destination set  114 . This digital data preferably is then sent  122  on to the Paging Server  124 , the Paging System  128 , and the pager  132 . 
     The PBX-Paging Server Interface Module  120  preferably is hardware that inserts directly into a digital phone, also termed “plugware,” and is drawn preferably from electrical and electronic circuitry supportive of first party computer-telephony integration (CTI) and the Microsoft® Windows® Telephony Application Program Interface (TAPI) applications. First party CTI applications typically include PC-based dialing for outbound telephone calls, and PC-based screen display of caller-ID for inbound telephone calls. The input, output and processing specifications for first party CTI hardware typically allow the PC screen and keyboard to be utilized in addition to the telephone display and pushbutton set. First party CTI hardware modules typically have a serial port that is connected to a PC. 
     Embodiments of the present invention include those that have a PBX  110  storing a series of fixed messages and/or message phrases; stored selected messages provided to assist the user in composing each message. For example, several types of emergency messages, as well as several types of standard messages, are pre-constructed. As a result, the user may select from these pre-constructed messages to simplify message composition. 
     Embodiments of the present invention include using groups of standard destinations that are predefined by the system and/or the user. For example, the message is directed by the calling user to be sent to “group1,” “group2,” or the like, separately or in combinations via keystroke codes. So that the members of such identified groups are defined with the Paging Server  124  in these several embodiments, the Paging Server  124  is enabled to work in collaboration with the PBX  110 . That is, multiple group recipients and message formats are identified by tag information known to both the PBX  110  and the Paging Server  124 . For example, if the user composed or selected the message of “Group ID2: Emergency Code 126”, the Paging Server  124  next interprets the “Group ID2” message portion as a tag, or keystroke code, to identity the group of 17 intended recipients to which the message would then be sent. Expanding the example, the Paging Server  124 , interprets the “Emergency Code 126” message, or keystroke codes, portion so that corresponding text message “Code Blue, Floor 1, Ward 2, Room 6” would be composed and sent. 
     In several embodiments of the present invention, the Paging Server  124  modifies the message by appending attributes from a list including the caller ID, time, date, priority, or by otherwise reformating the message. Further, the Paging Server  124  is configurable to schedule the delivery of the message at a later time. 
     Alternative embodiments of the present invention have communication channels of the system  200  operating in a two-way mode as illustrated in FIG.  2 . In these embodiments, the acknowledgment or selection from the pager  232  travels backwards through the system  200  to the originating set  104 . For example, pager  232  is enabled to receive a text message  130  and transmit a message  230 , paging system  228  is enabled to send to and receive from the pager and is enabled to receive from and send to  226  the paging server  224 , PBX-Paging Service Interface Module  220  is enabled to send to and receive from the paging server  224 . The message or acknowledgment sent from the pager set would then be presented on the display of  106  of telephone set  104 . 
     In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the system delivers text messages to pagers, telephone sets or combinations of both. Thus, when a message is sent to “group1” comprised of paging units and telephone sets, the PBX delivers this message to telephone sets within “group1,” of which one of the sets is the receiving telephone set  114 . The Paging Server  228  then delivers the message that has arrived at the receiving telephone set  114  to all paging units  232  within group1 according to its group membership definition. 
     In an alternative embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the Paging Server  324  is enabled as a paging protocol converter whereby each message generated by the digital telephone set is translated by the Paging Server  324  according to the one or more paging systems (e.g.,  128 ,  328 ,  329 ) of its one or more destination pagers (e.g.,  132 ,  332 ,  333 ) via protocol appropriate transmissions (e.g.,  130 ,  330 ,  331 ). A Paging Server  324  of this embodiment translates between the message intended for the digital set and the protocol required by the one or more of paging systems (e.g.,  128 ,  328 ,  329 ) to which it interfaces. The embodiment disclosed herein is scalable to accommodate a plurality of concurrent paging system protocols and translations by the paging server thereof. The protocols of the various paging systems accommodated by the embodiment disclosed include, but are not limited to, TAP, extended TAP, SNPP, WCTP and/or Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP). Table look-up procedures are used in the protocol conversion so that, for example, if “interface 128” is an extended TAP system, the Paging Server  324  uses a look-up procedure to determine the command syntax in a table for extended TAP so as to reformat the message. The paging protocol converting embodiments extend from “plugware” embodiments presently disclosed to the emulated interface embodiments disclosed below. 
     In an alternative embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the system  400  has PBX  410  that delivers  412  the text message to a digital telephone  414  enabled to receive telephonic communications  413  according to Internet Protocol (IP) via the IP-enabled network (IP Network)  470 . This IP telephone set  414  is further enabled by a PBX-Paging Server Interface Module  120 . 
     While shown as separate elements in the foregoing figures (FIGS.  1 - 3 ), the interface, server and paging functions are executed as variously incorporated elements as disclosed in alternative embodiments below. In an alternative embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, the receiving hardware, described in FIG. 4 as consisting of a digital telephone set  414  plus a PBX-Paging-Server Interface Module  120 , is replaced by the PBX-paging server interface processing  520  preferably executed by a hosting computer  514 . The processing  520  is preferably based on computer-telephony integration (CTI) and the Microsoft® Windows® Telephony Application Program Interface (TAPI) causes the host computer  514  to receive digital messages  513  from the PBX  410  via the network  470  and transmits the messages  522  to the Paging Server  124 , executing telephone-to-server text message translations as necessary. 
     In this embodiment, by using its CTI-based paging server interface processing  520 , the PC  514  emulates the operation of the digital phone set  414  over the network so that a separate telephone set  414  is not required. The host computer  514  is a general processing computer and in alternative embodiments is a specialized processor and as disclosed in the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2, the communication paths are also alternatively embodied with bi-directionality. 
     An alternative embodiment has the Paging Server  625  hosting the the PBX-paging server interface processing or otherwise executes steps based on computer-telephony integration  520 . This processing  520  preferably causes the Paging Server  625  to receive digital messages  613  from the PBX  410  via the IP Network  470  and transmits the messages  622  to the Paging System  128 . As disclosed in the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2, the communication paths are also alternatively embodied with bi-directionality. Other alternative embodiments have a Paging Server enabled with transmissive capacity and, in some embodiments also with receptive capacity, so that the Paging Server subsumes, or otherwise wholly incorporates the functionality of a Paging System by being in direct communication with pagers of the communication system. 
     In the several embodiments of the present invention, the method of use includes: typing, editing, and composition of the message and pager destination ID via usage of the keyboard and display of a digital telephone set; transmitting the message via a PBX to a destination digital telephone set augmented by a PBX-paging server interface module or a digital signal processing equivalent thereof; receiving the message by the destination digital telephone set; transmitting the message by the destination telephone set to a paging server; and transmitting the message by the paging server to the destination pager. The transmission by the paging server to the pager, in alternative embodiments, includes the step of the paging system transmitting to the pager via the paging system. Additional steps of alternative embodiments include transmitting by the destination pager of a text messaging to the paging system, with the above steps are repeated in reverse order to provide the text message to the originating digital telephone set. Additional steps of alternative embodiments include translating by the paging server the text message into a plurality of paging system protocols and transmitting by the paging server to the plurality of paging systems, and receiving and transmitting the translated text message by each of the paging systems to pagers. Additional steps of alternative embodiments include entering of keystroke codes into the digital telephone set thereby causing the paging server to: use preselected messages from a look-up table or conduct group transmissions, or both. In addition, the paging server in alternative embodiments has an additional step of appending message attributes to the message prior to transmission. 
     Many alterations and modifications may be made by those having ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, enhancements in paging protocols and entirely new paging protocols could be accommodated throughout the several embodiments of the invention without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, it must be understood that the illustrated embodiments have been set forth only for the purposes of example and that it should not be taken as limiting the invention as defined by the following claims. 
     The words used in this specification to describe the several embodiments of the present invention are to be understood not only in the sense of their commonly defined meanings, but to include by special definition in this specification structure, material or acts beyond the scope of the commonly defined meanings. Thus if an element can be understood in the context of this specification as including more than one meaning, then its use in a claim must be understood as being generic to all possible meanings supported by the specification and by the word itself. For example, keyboards and keypads include alternative English language alphanumeric keyboards including Dvorak and alphabetical arrangements as well as alphabetical and character-based keyboards for languages other than English. Likewise, a pager or paging device includes all wireless appliances and electronic devices enabled to receive text messages according to an established paging protocol and in alternative embodiments a pager or paging device includes all wireless appliances and electronic devices enabled to receive and transmit text messages according to an established paging protocol. 
     The definitions of the words or elements of the following claims are, therefore, defined in this specification to include not only the combination of elements which are literally set forth, but all equivalent structure, material or acts for performing substantially the same function in substantially the same way to obtain substantially the same result. 
     In addition to the equivalents of the claimed elements, obvious substitutions now or later known to one with ordinary skill in the art are defined to be within the scope of the defined elements. 
     The claims are thus to be understood to include that which is specifically illustrated and described above; that which is conceptually equivalent, that which can be obviously substituted and that which incorporates the essential idea of the invention as disclosed by its several embodiments.