Patent Abstract:
A method and apparatus provide terminal status information by a telecommunication terminal as audio information by generating terminal status information by a telecommunication terminal; establishing a direct connection by a monitor computer to the telecommunication terminal via a direct link to the telecommunication terminal; transmitting the generated terminal status information to the monitor computer by the telecommunication terminal via the direct link; converting the generated terminal status information to audio terminal status information by the monitor computer; and presenting the audio terminal status information to a user of the telecommunication terminal. In addition, the method and apparatus establish a firewall by the telecommunication terminal to prevent the monitor computer from communicating on a network to which the telecommunication terminal is connected whereby the monitor computer is also denied access to other devices connected to the network.

Full Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This patent application is a Continuation In Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/251,249, filed on Sep. 20, 2002. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/251,249 is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates to telecommunication switching systems, and in particular, to the provision of status information. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Within the prior art, it is well known to convert visual terminal status information to audio information so that visually impaired people can receive the status information. Terminal status information includes, but is not limited to, caller identification (name and number), call operations, telephony terminal states, and notification that a new voicemail message has arrived. The prior art has provided the audio information for terminal status information by utilizing special hardware to perform voice synthesis. This hardware was designed specifically for visually impaired users, and consequently, was expensive. In addition, the special hardware was connected between the telephone set of the user and the telecommunication system. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A method and apparatus provide terminal status information by a telecommunication terminal as audio information by generating terminal status information by a telecommunication terminal; establishing a direct connection by a monitor computer to the telecommunication terminal via a direct link to the telecommunication terminal; transmitting the generated terminal status information to the monitor computer by the telecommunication terminal via the direct link; converting the generated terminal status information to audio terminal status information by the monitor computer; and presenting the audio terminal status information to a user of the telecommunication terminal. In addition, the method and apparatus establish a firewall by the telecommunication terminal to prevent the monitor computer from communicating on a network to which the telecommunication terminal is connected whereby the monitor computer is also denied access to other devices connected to the network. 
     Further, the method and apparatus provide terminal status information intended for visual presentation as audio information by establishing a direct connection by a monitor computer to a telecommunication terminal via a direct link to the telecommunication terminal; receiving terminal status information intended for visual presentation by the telecommunication terminal via a network from an endpoint; transmitting terminal status information intended for visual presentation to the monitor computer by the telecommunication terminal via the direct link; converting the terminal status information intended for visual presentation to audio terminal status information by the monitor computer; and presenting the audio terminal status information to a user of the telecommunication terminal. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  illustrates, in block diagram form, an embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates, in block diagram form, an embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates, in pictorial form, an embodiment of an IP telephone set; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates, in block diagram form, an embodiment of an IP telephone set; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates, in flow chart form, operations performed by an embodiment of a status control routine; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates, in flow chart form, operations performed by an embodiment of an audio control routine; 
         FIGS. 7-9  illustrate, in flow chart form, operations performed by an embodiment of a monitor computer; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates, in block diagram form, an embodiment of a monitor computer; 
         FIG. 11  illustrates, in block diagram form, an embodiment; and 
         FIG. 12  illustrates, in block diagram form, an embodiment of an IP communication terminal. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  11  illustrate embodiments for implementing the invention. In  FIG. 1 , control computer  101  performs the overall control functions for conventional telephones  107 - 108  and IP telephone sets  112 - 113 . IP telephone sets  112 - 113  may be IP telephone set  4624  manufactured by Avaya Inc. or a similar telephone set. Switching network  105  performs the switching of not only audio information but also control information to and from computer  101  to the telephone sets. Computer  101  is interconnected to wide area network (WAN)  111  via network trunk  106 . Control computer  101  controls the activity of IP telephone sets  112 - 113  by the transmission of terminal status information and the receipt of terminal status information from the IP telephone sets via WAN  111 . Control computer  101  controls telephones  107 - 108  by the transmission of status and reception of control information via switching network  105 . Telephone sets  107 - 108  can be analog telephone sets, ISDN telephone sets, or proprietary digital protocol telephones sets. Monitor computer  118  is utilized to provide the audio information representing the visual status signals of one of the IP telephone sets. Monitor computer  118  can be a desktop PC, laptop, a pocket PC, or a hand held unit. Telecommunication switching system  100  is connected to public switching network  116  via CO trunks  109  and trunks  114 . 
       FIG. 2  illustrates another embodiment for implementing the invention. Control computer  202  is controlling the operations of IP telephone sets  207 - 208  with respect to telecommunication operations by the transmission and reception of control information via WAN  204 . Service circuits  206  under the control of control computer  202  provide tone generation, conferencing, etc. via WAN  204  to IP telephone sets  207 - 208 . For a telecommunication call which is only between two IP telephone sets, the IP telephone sets communicate via WAN  204  for the transmission of audio information. Public switching network  201  is interconnected to WAN  204  via IP trunk  203 . Monitor computer  209  and server  219  perform similar functions to those performed by monitor computer  118  and server  119  of  FIG. 1 . 
     Consider now an example of how monitor computer  118  would provide audio terminal status information for IP telephone set  112  in one embodiment of the invention. To perform its operations, monitor computer  118  establishes communication with IP telephone set  112  via link  121 . Link  121  can be a USB link, infrared link, wireless link, Bluetooth link, wired link, or any other type of link well known to those skilled in the art. 
     Control terminal status information transmitted from computer  101  to IP telephone set  112  is relayed to monitor computer  118  by IP telephone set  112 . In one embodiment of the invention, monitor computer  118  is responsive to the terminal status information being received from IP telephone set  112  which will cause different indicators to be lit on IP telephone set  112  to convert this terminal status information into audio information that monitor computer  118  presents to the user via a speaker, headphones, or other types of audio transducers attached to monitor computer  118 . As will be discussed later, the user of monitor computer  118  has the capability for determining what type of terminal status information will be presented in audio information and also how often. 
     In the previous example, the embodiment utilized the audio reproduction capability of monitor computer  118  to present the audio terminal status information to the user. In another embodiment, monitor computer  118  transmits the audio terminal status information to IP telephone set  112  via link  121  for presentation to the user. Monitor computer  118  is responsive to the terminal status information being transmitted to IP telephone set  112 , to convert the terminal status information to audio terminal status information, and to transmit this audio terminal status information via link  121  to IP telephone set  112 . In response to the audio terminal status information from monitor computer  118 , IP telephone set  112  presents this information to the user via the internal CODEC of IP telephone set  112 . The output of the CODEC of IP telephone set  112  presents the audio terminal status information to the user in the same audio stream as is being utilized for the actual telecommunication call. Alternatively, IP telephone set  112  could utilize a built-in speaker such as one used as a speaker phone to present this information. Alternately, as is well known to those skilled in the art, IP telephone set  112  could also convert the received audio terminal status information to information to be presented to the user using another conversion technique rather than that used by its CODEC. 
     The previous embodiments described for  FIG. 1  can be implemented on the system illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
     In an embodiment of an IP telephone set in order to protect the systems of  FIGS. 1 and 2  from a security breach via the IP telephone set by a monitor computer, the IP telephone set has a firewall not to prevent access to the IP telephone set from the systems of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; but rather, to protect the systems from access by the monitor computer. The access to the monitor computer is restricted only to the IP telephone set, and the monitor computer can not access the systems via the IP telephone set when the firewall is used. Note, an IP telecommunication terminal of  FIG. 11  could also employ a firewall. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an embodiment of IP telephone set  112 . The user of IP telephone set  112  speaks and listens through handset  302 . Although not illustrated in  FIG. 3 , IP telephone set  112  also has a speaker and microphone for conference calls. Display  301  is utilized to display the telephone number being dialed by keypad  309  during the placement of an outgoing call and displays the name and telephone number of the calling party for an incoming call. IP telephone set  112  has a number of telephone lines that could be selected with each line being denoted by a pair of indicators and a button. For example, indicators  303  and  304  and button  307  indicate line  1 . Indicators  305  and  306  and button  308  indicate line  2 . If the user is active on line  1 , indicator  304  will be on as well as indicator  303 . If the user has a caller on hold on line  2 , indicator  305  will flash. The user of IP telephone set  112  selects line  1  by activating button  307 . Similarly, the user activates line  2  by activating button  308 . 
     Pairs of indicators and buttons, such as indicator  309  and button  311 , may be used for activating a variety of operations. One is to automatically dial a party that had been preprogrammed by the user or to activate a feature such as using the conference facilities of IP telephone set  112 . If button  311  is activated, indicator  309  will turn on. Indicator  312  and button  314  have similar functions. In general, there would be a number of such combinations of indicators and buttons as illustrated by  309 ,  311 ,  312 , and  314 . All button activation information is transmitted to control computer  101 , and control computer  101  controls the state of the indicators. Conductor  316  provides the communication for link  121  or  221 . This conductor  316  may be a mechanical connector if link  121  or  221  is a USB link or a infrared or wireless port for a infrared or wireless link. One skilled in the art could readily envision conductor  316  being located on a different surface of IP telephone set  112 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates, in block diagram form, one embodiment of IP telephone set  112 . Processor  402  provides the overall control for the functions of IP telephone set  112  by executing programs and storing and retrieving data from memory  401 . A processor such as processor  402  may also be referred to as a central processing unit or a computer. Processor  402  connects to WAN  111  or  204  via interface  403 . Processor  402  interfaces to handset  423  via interface  407 , to speaker phone  406  via interface  404  and connects to visual display and buttons  419  via interface  409 . Visual display and buttons  419  is all of the indicators, buttons keypad, and display of IP telephone set  112 . Interface  421  provides an interface to monitor computer  118 . Processor  402  performs the operations of IP telephone set  112  by executing the routines illustrated in memory  401 . 
     Operating system  412  provides the overall control and the necessary protocol operations. Operating system routine  412  provides all control functions required to implement the TCP/IP protocol as is well known to those skilled in the art. CODEC  414  encodes and decodes the audio information for communication with handset  423  or conference speaker and microphone  406  for communication with WAN  111  or  204 . Overall control of the call processing is performed by the IP telephone set  112  under the control of call processing routine  416 . The communication and control of the various interfaces illustrated in  FIG. 4  is provided by interfaces routine  417 . Audio generator routine  414  implements other software methods for reproducing sounds for utilization with the invention. 
     Terminal status control routine  408  terminates the communication that is established by monitor computer  118  via interface  421  to receive the terminal status information from IP telephone set  112  as described in the previous examples. Terminal status control routine  408  is responsive to messages from monitor computer  118  to establish the communication that allows monitor computer  118  to communicate with terminal status control routine  408 . When monitor computer  118  initiates communication with IP telephone set  112 , it establishes communication with interface  421  and terminal status control routine  408  of IP telephone set  112 . Terminal status control routine  408  receives information from call processing routine  416  concerning control information received via WAN  111  to update indicators or display  301  of visual display and buttons  419 . Similarly, terminal status control  408  receives actuation information for buttons or the keypad of block  419  from call processing routine  416 . Terminal status control  408  transmits this terminal status information to monitor computer  118 . 
     Audio control routine  411  also establishes communication with monitor computer  118  in a manner similar to terminal status control routine  408 , as described in the previous examples, to have IP telephone set  112  reproduce the audio terminal status information. In this manner, monitor computer  118  and audio control routine  411  are interconnected. The operating system of the IP telephone set  112  then directs future audio messages from monitor computer  118  to audio control routine  411 . Similarly, messages from audio control routine  411  to link  121  are transmitted to monitor computer  118 . The speaker of unit  406  or the receiver of handset  302  can be utilized for this reproduction of the audio terminal status information. Audio control  411  can utilize CODEC routine  414  to reproduce this audio terminal status information or audio generator routine  418 . The audio information is transferred via the appropriate handset to either the speaker or receiver. 
     Firewall routine  422  controls all access to the WAN via interface  403 . Firewall routine  422  will allow software elements such as operating system  412  or call processing routine  416  access to the WAN but will not allow status control routine  408  to communicate via the WAN. Firewall routine  422  prevents status control routine  408  or audio control routine  411  from communicating via the WAN so as to prevent the monitor computer from getting unauthorized access to the WAN. This is done to protect the data security of the systems illustrated in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  11 . Note, firewall routine  422  will prevent any routine having direct communication with the monitor computer from communicating with the WAN. Firewall routine  422  operates in a manner well known to those skilled in the art. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates, in flowchart form, operations performed by an embodiment of a status control routine such as status control routine  408  of  FIG. 4 . After being started in block  500 , decision block  501  determines if the routine is active with respect to receiving terminal status information from an IP telephone set. Active in this case means that there is communication set up between the monitor computer and an IP telephone set by the operating system. If the answer is no, decision block  502  determines a device has been connected to has been connected to connector  316 . This may indicate that a monitor computer is attempting to establish communication with a status control routine. If the answer is yes, decision block  503  determines if the correct device has been connected. If the answer is no, control is transferred back to decision block  501 . If the answer is yes, block  504  makes the state active and sends a message to the operating system to establish the communication with the monitor computer. Note, that one skilled in the art could readily envision that blocks  501 - 504  could be performed within the operating system or some other routine. 
     If the answer is yes in decision block  501  or no in decision block  502 , control is transferred to decision block  506 . Decision block  506  determines if there is new terminal status information from the call processing routine. For certain types of links, the monitor computer may have to periodically poll the IP telephone set. If the answer is no, control is transferred to decision block  507  which determines if communication has been lost with the monitor computer. The operating system would normally detect this loss of communication and inform the status control routine in a manner well known to those skilled in the art. If the answer is no in decision block  507 , control is transferred to block  509  which performs normal processing before returning control back to decision block  501 . If the answer in decision block  507  is yes, control is transferred to block  508  which sets the state to non-active before returning control back to decision block  501 . 
     Returning to decision block  506 , if a terminal status message has been received from the call processing routine, block  511  transmits this message to the monitor computer before transferring control back to decision block  501 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates, in flowchart form, operations performed by one embodiment of an audio control routine such as audio control routine  411  of  FIG. 4 . After being started in block  600 , decision block  601  determines if the routine is active with respect to receiving terminal status information from an IP telephone set. Active in this case means that there is communication set up to a monitor computer by the operating system. If the answer is no, decision block  602  determines if a connection has been made to connector  316 . This may indicate that a monitor computer is attempting to establish communication with a status control routine. If the answer is yes, decision block  603  determines if the correct device has made the connection. If the answer is no, control is transferred back to decision block  601 . If the answer is yes, block  604  makes the state active and sends a message to the operating system to establish communication between the monitor computer and the IP telephone set. Note, that one skilled in the art could readily envision that blocks  601 - 604  could be performed within the operating system or some other routine. 
     If the answer is yes in decision block  601  or no in decision block  602 , control is transferred to decision block  606 . The latter decision block determines if a voice message has been received from the monitor computer. If the answer is no, control is transferred to block  614  whose operations are described below. If the answer in decision block  606  is yes, decision block  608  determines if the voice message designates that the CODEC routine of the IP telephone should be utilized to present the message to the user. If the answer is yes in decision block  608 , the message is sent to the CODEC routine by block  609 . Note, if the message is sent to the CODEC then the message will be played in the receiver of the IP telephone set that is currently being utilized by the user. 
     Returning to decision block  608 . If the answer is no, decision block  612  determines if the message designates that the audio generator routine is to be used to present the message to the user. If the answer is yes, block  613  transmits the voice message to the audio generator routine before transferring control back to decision block  601 . 
     Returning to decision block  612 , if the answer is no, control is transferred to decision block  614  which determines if communication has been lost with the monitor computer. The operating system would normally detect this loss of communication and inform the status control routine in a manner well known to those skilled in the art. If the answer is no in decision block  614 , control is transferred to block  617  which performs normal processing before returning control back to decision block  601 . If the answer in decision block  614  is yes, control is transferred to block  616  which sets the state to non-active before returning control back to decision block  601 . 
       FIGS. 7-9  illustrate, in flowchart form, operations performed by one embodiment of a monitor computer such as monitor computer  118  of  FIG. 1  where the monitor computer is receiving the terminal status information from an IP telephone set. After being started, in block  700 , block  701  obtains the control routine whose operations are illustrated in  FIGS. 7-9 . The control routine will be obtained from internal memory. After the control routine is obtained and executed, decision block  702  determines if it is necessary to tailor the user interface or the user. This decision is based on whether the system allows such tailoring and whether it is necessary. It may be that the interface has already been tailored for the user, and this information is stored in an interface database. If the answer in decision block  702  is yes, control is transferred to block  902  of  FIG. 9 . If the answer in decision block  702  is no, block  703  waits for a connection to be made to an IP telephone set. 
     After execution of block  703 , control is transferred to decision block  706  which determines if an IP telephone set is connected. If the answer in decision block  706  is no, control is transferred to block  707  which performs error recovery before transferring control back to block  703 . If the answer is decision block  706  is yes, block  708  establishes communication with the operating system of the IP telephone set that is connected. Block  708  establishes communication to the status control routine of that IP telephone set before transferring control to decision block  801  of  FIG. 8 . 
     Decision block  801  determines if terminal status information has been received as a message from the IP telephone set. For certain types of links, decision block  801  may have to periodically poll the IP telephone set. If the answer is no, decision block  802  determines if communication has been lost between the monitor computer and the IP telephone set. If the answer is yes, operations are terminated in block  809 . In addition to transferring control to block  809  upon communication being terminated between the monitored computer and the IP telephone set, decision block  802  also is responsive to user input to terminate operations. If the answer is no in decision block  802 , control is transferred back to decision block  801 . 
     Returning to decision block  801 , if the answer is yes, control is transferred to block  803  which accesses the interface database to determine if the particular terminal status information should be presented to the user. As is discussed with respect to  FIG. 9 , the user or system administrator has the capability of determining which terminal status information will be presented to the user as well as how often a particular type of terminal status information must occur before an instance of the terminal status information is presented to the user. If the answer is no in decision block  803 , control is transferred back to decision block  801 . If the answer is yes in decision block  803 , control is transferred to decision block  804  which determines from the interface database if the terminal status information is to be presented by the monitor computer or transmitted to the IP telephone set for presentation to the user. If the answer in decision block  804  is that the monitor computer should present the information, block  805  accesses the encoded audio message from the interface database along with the audio driver type that is to be utilized, and block  806  transmits the terminal status information to the audio driver of the monitor computer for playout. If the decision in decision block  804  is that the terminal status information is to be presented in audio form to the user on the IP telephone set, block  807  accesses the encoded audio message from the interface database along with the audio driver type that is to be utilized on the IP telephone set. Block  808  then sends a message that contains the encoded audio message and the audio driver type to the audio control routine of the IP telephone set before transferring control back to decision block  801 . 
     Returning to  FIG. 7 , if the answer in decision block  702  is yes that the user interface must be tailored, control is transferred to block  902  of  FIG. 9 .  FIG. 9  illustrates the operations performed by an embodiment in gathering the options of a user wants visual information communicated to them with audio messages. The audio messages can be voice messages or other audio sounds. For example, if the user is talking on one call but has a second call on hold, the user may choose to have the fact that the second call is on hold presented to them as an audio tone or as a voice message. In addition, the user can specify their preference for how often they should receive an audio message with respect to the call on hold. The preference data comprises the various visual messages that can be transmitted to the users IP telephone set and the options that the user has to tailor the resulting audio messages. The interface may be tailored to each individual user or a system administrator may establish one standard interface. In one embodiment, if the system administrator is determining the interface, then, the preference information and accompanying options would be presented in a visual table or other means well known to those skilled in the art. If the information is presented to each user, then in one embodiment the preference information with options is presented as a voice message and the user would select options by responding with voice responses. The voice responses would be interpreted using well known voice-to-text software routines. After receiving control from decision block  702 , block  902  access the preference data for a particular IP telephone set, and block  903  selects the first preference as the selected preference to be presented to the user by block  904 . Block  906  receives the user&#39;s response and converts this response to text and verifies that it is a correct response. Block  907  then stores the received response in the interface database. Decision block  908  determines if there are any preferences that remain to have options selected. If the answer is yes, control is transferred to block  909 . Block  909  selects the next preference from the preference data and transfers control back to block  904 . If the answer in decision block  908  is no, control is transferred back to block  703  of  FIG. 7 . 
       FIG. 10  illustrates, in block diagram form, one embodiment of a monitor computer. Processor  1002  provides the overall control for the functions of a monitor computer by executing programs and storing and retrieving data from memory  1001 . A processor such as processor  1002  may also be referred to as a central processing unit or a computer. Processor  1002  connects to WAN  111  or  204  via interface  1003 . Processor  1002  interfaces to user input device  1011  via interface  1007  and connects to display  1019  via interface  1009 . Processor  1002  interfaces to an IP telephone via interface  1021 . Processor  1002  performs the operations of a monitor computer by executing the routines illustrated in memory  1001 . 
     Operating system  1012  provides the overall control and the necessary protocol operations. Operating system routine  1012  provides all control functions required to implement the TCP/IP protocol as is well known to those skilled in the art. Data is stored in data block  1013 . Interface database  1016  stores preferences and options that define the user interface. Overall control is performed by control routine  1016 . The communication and control of the various interfaces illustrated in  FIG. 10  is provided by interfaces routine  1017 . Audio driver  1018  controls the reproduction of sounds. 
     The monitor computer illustrated in  FIG. 10  may be a personal computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), cell phone, music player, or a specially designed device. In addition, the monitor computer may not have all of the elements illustrated in  FIG. 10 . For example, elements  1004 ,  1006 ,  1009 , and  1019  or some combination of these elements may not be present. 
     In another embodiment,  FIG. 11  illustrates IP network  1101  interconnected to a circuit switched telephone network (CSTN)  1121  via gateways  1116 - 1118 . Circuit switched telephone network  1121  is providing service for devices  1127  or  1129 . IP network  1101  is providing service for terminals  1131 - 1132 . One skilled in the art could readily see that there could be a multitude of devices being interconnected by IP network  1101 . Such devices may be, but are not limited to, computers, voice messaging systems, and instant messaging systems. Similarly, circuit switched telephone network  1121  could also be interconnecting a variety of telephone types and terminal types and systems and switch nodes  1122 - 1126  may be PBX&#39;s or central office switches. 
     IP network  1101  utilizes the session initiation protocol (SIP). SIP is defined in the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) Request for Comments (RFC) 3261 “SIP: Session Initiation Protocol”, June, 2002. SIP solves the general problem of finding “dialed” endpoints and exchanging critical parameters which endpoints must agree on in order to establish media sessions (calls) across IP network  1101 . The SIP protocol supports the establishment of voice-only sessions or multimedia sessions. SIP endpoints (such as IP communication terminals  1131  and  1132 ) control the supported media types by accepting or rejecting offered media streams. Once the session parameters are exchanged, the endpoint devices send session data directly to each other without using SIP utilizing the RTP protocol to route directly through routers such as routers  1112 - 1114 . 
     SIP has a generalized address structure that supports “dialing” by URL (like an email address) or “dialing” by a number (like a PBX or Public Switched Telephone Network number). This generalized SIP addressing structure is a powerful aspect of SIP service as it effectively bridges circuit-switched and IP domains into a converged addressing domain. 
     SIP proxies (such as proxies  1102 - 1109 ) operating in autonomous network domains interpret the “dialed” addresses and route session requests to other proxies or endpoints registered within the domain. Greater detail on the operations of the system illustrated in  FIG. 11  operating using the SIP protocol can be found in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/217,531 filed Sep. 1, 2005, which is assigned to the same assignee as the present patent application and is hereby incorporated by reference. 
       FIG. 12  illustrates, in block diagram form, greater details of IP communication terminal  1131 . The other communication terminals of  FIG. 11  are similar in design. Block  1134  provides the functions of handset  423 , visual display and buttons  412 , and speaker phone  406  of  FIG. 4 . Direct link interface  1151  provides the interface to the monitor computer. IP network interface  1149  provides the interface to the IP network. 
     Within memory  1136 , the functions of block  1137 - 1139  have already been described in the incorporated patent application. Blocks  1141 - 1147  perform functions as described for blocks  414  and  408 - 422  of  FIG. 4 . As is well known by those skilled in the art, for peer-peer communication between telecommunication terminals, call processing routine  1148  in addition to performing all of the call processing functions also generates the terminal status information that is used to indicate the terminal status to the user and is communicated to terminal status control  1142  which performs the operations illustrated in  FIG. 5 . Call processing routine  1148  may generate more terminal status information than can be displayed by the visual portion of user interface  1134 . However, call processing routine  1148  will transmit all of the terminal status information to terminal status control routine  1142  so that it can be presented as audio information to the user of IP communication terminal  1131 . 
     With respect to monitor computer  1128  providing audio terminal status information for IP communication terminal  1131 , IP communication terminal  1131  and monitor computer  1128  operate in a manner similar to that described for monitor computer  118  providing audio terminal status information for IP telephone set  112  of  FIG. 1 . 
     When the operations of an IP telephone set or monitor computer are implemented in software, it should be noted that the software can be stored on any computer-readable medium for use by or in connection with any computer related system or method. In the context of this document, a computer-readable medium is an electronic, magnetic, optical, or other physical device or means that can contain or store a computer program for use by or in connection with a computer related system or method. The IP telephone set or monitor computer can be embodied in any computer-readable medium for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device such as a computer-based system, processor-containing system, or other system that can fetch the instructions from the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device and execute the instructions. In the context of this document, a “computer-readable medium” can be any means that can store the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. For example, the computer-readable medium can be, but is not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer-readable medium would include the following: a portable computer diskette (magnetic), a random access memory (RAM) (electronic), a read-only memory (ROM) (electronic), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM, EEPROM, or Flash memory) (electronic), an optical fiber (optical), and a portable compact disc read-only memory (CDROM) (optical). 
     In an alternative embodiment, where IP telephone set or monitor computer is implemented in hardware, IP telephone set or monitor computer can be implemented with any or a combination of the following technologies, which are each well known in the art: a discrete logic circuit(s) having logic gates for implementing logic functions upon data signals, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) having appropriate combinational logic gates, a programmable gate array(s) (PGA), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), etc. 
     Of course, various changes and modifications to the illustrated embodiments described above will be apparent to those skilled in the art. These changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without diminishing its intending advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the following claims except insofar as limited by the prior art.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7