Abstract:
A telecommunications system is disclosed that enables a user to pair a desk set that is an extension of a private-branch exchange with a cell phone that is accessible via the Public Switched Telephone Network. One feature of the telecommunications system enables a call that is directed to the user&#39;s desk set to be automatically forwarded to the user&#39;s cell phone. This is advantageous to the user because it provides the illusion to the caller that the user is physically in his or her office when they are not necessarily there. A similar feature also provides the illusion when a third party initiates a call that connects the user&#39;s cell phone to a called party. Such a third party includes a computer telephony application in a telephone telemarketing center, which automatically places many outgoing telephone calls.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to telecommunications in general, and, more particularly, to computer-telephony integration. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    A business that desires to provide employees at one location with telephones has, in general, two options. First, the business can acquire one telephone and one telephone line per employee from the telephone company. Second, the business can acquire one telephone per employee, a small number of telephone lines from the telephone company, and a piece of equipment that enables the employee&#39;s telephones to share the small number of telephone lines. In general, the second option is substantially less expensive than the first option, and the piece of equipment that enables the employees&#39; telephones to share the small number of telephone lines is called a “private-branch exchange” or “PBX.” Private-branch exchanges are also capable of providing valuable telecommunications features to their users. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The present invention enables a valuable capability of a telecommunications system. In the prior art, one feature of a telecommunications system enables a user to pair a desk set that is an extension of a private-branch exchange with a cell phone that is accessible via the Public Switched Telephone Network. The feature enables a call that is directed to the user&#39;s desk set to be automatically forwarded to the user&#39;s cell phone. This is advantageous to the user because it provides the illusion to the caller that the user is physically in his or her office when they are not necessarily there. 
         [0004]    A similar feature enables the user to place a call from the cell phone to called party and have the telephone number of the desk set be the caller-ID for the call rather than the telephone number of the cell phone. This is advantageous to the user because it provides the illusion to the called party that the user is physically in his or her office when they are not necessarily there. 
         [0005]    The illustrative embodiment of the present invention also provides the illusion when a third party initiates a call that connects the user&#39;s cell phone to a called party. Such a third party includes a computer telephony application in a telephone telemarketing center, which automatically places many outgoing telephone calls. In the prior art, when a third party initiated a call that connected the user&#39;s cell phone to a called party, the called party said the user&#39;s cell phone number as the caller-ID. This would give the called party the telephone number of the user&#39;s cell phone, which is personal information that the user would prefer to keep private. 
         [0006]    The illustrative embodiment comprises establishing a resultant call between a telephone number T and a telephone number C while transmitting a telephone number D as the calling-party number to said telephone number T; wherein said telephone number C is determined from a combination of said telephone number D and a telephone number F; wherein said telephone number D is within the address space of a private-branch exchange; wherein said telephone number F is within the address space of said private-branch exchange. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  depicts a schematic diagram of the salient components of telecommunications system  100  in accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  depicts a flowchart of the salient task performed by the illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks of task  201  in accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIGS. 4   a ,  4   b ,  4   c , and  4   d  depict graphs of the salient components of the precursor calls and resultant calls. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  depicts a flowchart of the salient task performed by the illustrative embodiment in accomplishing task  301 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks performed by the illustrative embodiment in accomplishing task  302 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  depicts a flowchart of the salient task performed by the illustrative embodiment in accomplishing task  306 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  depicts a flowchart of the salient task performed by the illustrative embodiment in accomplishing task  306 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    Telecommunications System  100 — FIG. 1  depicts a schematic diagram of the salient components of telecommunications system  100  in accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the present invention. Telecommunications system  100  comprises affiliated PSTN terminal  101 ; unaffiliated PSTN terminal  102 ; private-branch exchange (PBX) terminal  103 ; private-branch exchange (PBX) telephone system  104 ; Public Switched Telephone Network  105 ; computer-telephony integration (CTI) application  106 ; and PBX feature extension  107  interconnected as shown. 
         [0016]    Although the illustrative embodiment comprises one affiliated PSTN telecommunications terminal, one unaffiliated PSTN telecommunications terminal, one PBX feature extension, and one PBX telecommunications terminal, it will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention that comprise any number of affiliated PSTN telecommunications terminals, unaffiliated PSTN telecommunications terminals, PBX feature extensions and PBX telecommunications terminals. 
         [0017]    Affiliated PSTN terminal  101  is an telecommunications terminal that corresponds to telephone number C in address space  111  of Public Switched Telephone Network  105 . It will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this specification, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which affiliated PSTN terminal  101  corresponds to a telephone number in the address space of a private branch exchange, such as, for example and without limitation, address space  112  of private branch exchange  104 . In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, affiliated PSTN terminal  101  is a wireless terminal (e.g., cellular telephone, etc.). It will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which affiliated PSTN terminal  101  is a wireline terminal. It will be clear to those skilled in the art how make and use affiliated PSTN terminal  101 . 
         [0018]    Unaffiliated PSTN terminal  102  is an telecommunications terminal that corresponds to telephone number T in address space  111  of Public Switched Telephone Network  105 . It will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which unaffiliated PSTN terminal  102  corresponds to a telephone number in the address space of a private branch exchange, such as, for example and without limitation, address space  112  of private branch exchange  104 . In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, unaffiliated PSTN terminal  102  is a wireless terminal (e.g., cellular telephone, etc.). It will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which unaffiliated PSTN terminal  102  is a wireline terminal. It will be clear to those skilled in the art how to make and use unaffiliated PSTN terminal  102 . 
         [0019]    PBX terminal  103  is a telecommunications terminal that corresponds to telephone number D in address space  112  of private branch exchange  104 . It will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which PBX terminal  103  corresponds to a telephone number in address space  111  of the Public Switched Telephone Network or the address space of another private branch exchange. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, terminal  103  is a wireline terminal. It will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which terminal  103  is a wireless terminal. It will be clear to those skilled in the art how to make and use terminal  103 . 
         [0020]    Private-branch exchange  104  is a switch that provides telecommunications service to PBX terminal  103 . Private branch exchange  104  comprises a data structure that associates the telephone number that corresponds to the PBX terminal  103  with the telephone number that corresponds to affiliated terminal  101 . An example of such a data structure is depicted in Table 1. 
         [0000]                                  TABLE 1                   Data Structure That Associates the Telephone Number That       Corresponds to PBX Terminal 103 with the Telephone Number       That Corresponds to Affiliated Terminal 101                Telephone Number   Telephone Number           That Corresponds   That Corresponds to           to PBX Terminal 103   Affiliated Terminal 101                       D   C                        
Although the illustrative embodiment associates one pair of telephone numbers, it will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention that associate any number of pairs.
 
         [0021]    Furthermore, private-branch exchange  104  comprises feature extension  107  that corresponds to telephone number F in address space  112  of private-branch exchange  104 . In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, feature extension  107  is not a telecommunications terminal for a user. In contrast, feature extension  107  is a trigger that initiates an task by private-branch exchange  104 . In particular, a call to feature extension  107  causes private-branch exchange  104  to extend the call to the telephone number that is associated with the telephone number from which the call originates. In other words, when private-branch exchange  104  receives a call that is placed to feature extension F from telephone number D, PBX  104  uses the telephone number of the calling party—in this case D—and the data structure of Table 1 to determine the telephone number to which the call is extended—in this case telephone number C. 
         [0022]    It will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which feature extension  107  corresponds to a telecommunications terminal for a user. 
         [0023]    In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, the operation of private-branch exchange  104  and PBX terminal  103  can be directed by computer-telephony integration application  106  in well-known fashion. The details of how to make and use private-branch exchange  104  are described in detail below and in the following drawings. 
         [0024]    Public Switched Telephone Network  105  is the public telephone network. It will be clear to those skilled in the art how to make and use Public Switched Telephone Network  105 . 
         [0025]    Computer telephony integration (CTI) application  106  is a combination of hardware and software that directs the operation of private-branch exchange  104  and PBX terminal  103 . In particular the CTI application provides the functionality described in detail below and in the accompanying figures. It will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which CTI application  106  is absent and its functionality is performed by private-branch exchange  104  or by a natural person or by a combination of private-branch exchange  104  and by a natural person. 
         [0026]    In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, CTI application  106  runs on an independent general-purpose processor. It will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which CTI application  106  runs on an adjunct processor of private-branch exchange  104 , a component of one or more of the terminals of telecommunication system  100 , or on a special-purpose processor. The details of how to make and use CTI application  106  are described in detail below and in the following drawings. 
         [0027]    Operation of the Illustrative Embodiment— FIG. 2  depicts a flowchart of the salient task performed by the illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0028]    Task  201  comprises establishing a resultant call between telephone number T and telephone number C while transmitting telephone number D as the calling party number to telephone number T. The details of how to perform task  201  are described in detail below and in the following drawings. 
         [0029]    Establish Resultant Call— FIG. 3  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks of task  201  in accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0030]    At task  301 , CTI application  106  directs private-branch exchange  104  to establish a first precursor call from telephone number D to the telephone number that is associated with telephone number D (i.e., telephone number C). The details of task  301  are described in detail below and in the accompanying figures. 
         [0031]    In response to task  301 , private-branch exchange  104  establishes at task  302  the first precursor call from telephone number D to telephone number C.  FIG. 4   a  depicts a graph of the salient components of first precursor call  421 , which comprises connection  401 - 1  and connection  401 - 2 . The details of task  302  are described in detail below and in the accompanying figures. 
         [0032]    At task  303 , CTI application  106  directs private-branch exchange  104  to establish a second precursor call from telephone number D to telephone number T. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, task  303  is distinct from task  301 . It will be clear to those skilled in the art, however, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which tasks  301  and  303  are combined or concurrent or performed in the opposite order. It will be clear to those skilled in the art how to make and use embodiments of the present invention that accomplish task  303 . 
         [0033]    In response to task  303 , private-branch exchange  104  establishes at task  304 , the second precursor call from telephone number D to telephone number T.  FIG. 4   b  depicts a graph of the salient components of first precursor call  421  and second precursor call  422 , which comprises connection  402 - 1  and connection  402 - 2 . In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, task  302  is performed before task  304 . It will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this specification, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which task  302  and task  304  are performed concurrently or in the opposite order. It will be clear to those skilled in the art how to make and use embodiments of the present invention that accomplish task  304 . 
         [0034]    At task  305 , CTI application  106  directs private-branch exchange  104  to combine the first precursor call and the second precursor call to generate a resultant call between telephone number C and telephone number T while transmitting telephone number D as the calling party number to telephone number T. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, task  305  is distinct from task  301  and task  303 . It will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which task  301 , task  303 , and task  305  are combined or concurrent or performed in any order. It will be clear to those skilled in the art how to make and use embodiments of the present invention that accomplish task  305 . 
         [0035]    In response to task  305 , private-branch exchange  104  combines, at task  306 , the first precursor call and the second precursor call to generate the resultant call between telephone number C and telephone number T while transmitting telephone number D as the calling party number to telephone number T. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, the combination of the first precursor call and the second precursor call results in two-party resultant call  423  comprising connection  403 - 1  and connection  403 - 2 , as depicted in  FIG. 4   c . It will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this specification, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which the combination of the first precursor call and the second precursor call results in conference call  424 , as depicted in  FIG. 4   d . Task  306  is described in detail below and in the accompanying figures. 
         [0036]    Direct Establishment of First Precursor Call— FIG. 5  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks performed by the illustrative embodiment in accomplishing task  301 . 
         [0037]    At task  501 , CTI application  106  directs private-branch exchange  104  to establish the first precursor call from telephone number D to telephone number F and to place the first precursor call on hold. It will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which CTI application  106  directs terminal  103 , via private-branch exchange  104 , to establish the first precursor call. It will be clear to those skilled in the art how to make and use embodiments of the present invention that accomplish task  301 . 
         [0038]    Establish First Precursor Call— FIG. 6  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks performed by the illustrative embodiment in accomplishing task  302 . 
         [0039]    At task  601 , private-branch exchange  104  is directed by CTI application  106  to establish a first precursor call from telephone number D to telephone number F and to place the first precursor call on hold. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, CTI application  106  directs private-branch exchange  104  to establish the first precursor call. It will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which CTI application  106  directs terminal  103 , via private-branch exchange  104 , to establish the first precursor call. 
         [0040]    At task  602 , private-branch exchange  104  establishes the first precursor call from telephone number D to telephone number F, in well-known fashion. 
         [0041]    At task  603 , in response to the call to telephone number F, private-branch exchange  104  extends the first precursor call to telephone number C, in well-known fashion. Specifically, calls to telephone number F, a feature extension with the functionality described above, are automatically extended to the telephone number associated with the calling-party telephone number. 
         [0042]    At task  604 , private-branch exchange  104  places the first precursor call on hold, in well-known fashion. 
         [0043]    Transferring the First Precursor Call to the Second Precursor Call— FIG. 7  depicts a flowchart of the salient task performed by the illustrative embodiment in accomplishing task  306 . 
         [0044]    At task  701 , private-branch exchange  104  transfers the first precursor call to the second precursor call to create the resultant call, in well-known fashion. The resultant call does not comprise telephone number D but private-branch exchange  104  continues as part of the resultant call to transmit telephone number D to telephone number T as the calling party number. It will be clear to those skilled in the art how to make and use embodiments of the present invention that accomplish task  701 . 
         [0045]    Conferencing the First Precursor Call and the Second Precursor Call— FIG. 8  depicts a flowchart of the salient task performed by the illustrative embodiment in accomplishing task  306 . 
         [0046]    At task  801 , private-branch exchange  104  conferences the first precursor call and the second precursor call to create the resultant call, in well-known fashion. The resultant call comprises the members of both precursor calls including telephone number D. Private-branch exchange  104  transmits only telephone number D to telephone number T as the calling party number of the resultant call. It will be clear to those skilled in the art how to make and use embodiments of the present invention that accomplish task  801 . 
         [0047]    It is to be understood that the above-described embodiments are merely illustrative of the present invention and that many variations of the above-described embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, in this Specification, numerous specific details are provided in order to provide a thorough description and understanding of the illustrative embodiments of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize, however, that the invention can be practiced without one or more of those details, or with other methods, materials, components, etc.