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OwnerLeven E. Staples, W. B. Barker +1inventors
InventorsLeven E. Staples, W. B. Barker, Kenneth L. Witt
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A system and method for enabling a remote user to maintain a virtual presence at a corporate office and behave substantially as if the user were physically present at the corporate office. The remote user's telephone behaves as a PBX extension, and the remote user may send and receive faxes and email, have Internet access and maintain LAN connectivity, substantially as if the user were present at the corporate office. The remote computer system includes an individual remote worker unit or communication device, and the remote computer executes virtual presence software according to the present invention. The corporate office includes a virtual presence server according to the invention which connects to the corporate PBX and also to the corporate LAN. The virtual presence server executes software which enables the remote user to maintain a virtual presence at the corporate office. First the remote user establishes a virtual presence at the corporate office, including providing identification and security information. Once the remote user is connected, the virtual presence server instructs the corporate PBX to automatically forward all calls to the remote user. The virtual presence server also routes email, faxes, and LAN data to the remote user. The virtual presence server also extends the corporate PBX and corporate LAN features to the remote user, just as if the remote user were physically located in the corporate office. According to the invention, the remote user makes outgoing telephone calls, sends faxes, transmits data, sends email and performs Internet access as if the remote user were physically present in the corporate office. Likewise, incoming calls, faxes, data transmissions and email received at the corporate office are routed to the remote user as if the remote user were physically present in the corporate office. Therefore, a co-worker or external party who telephones the user at the corporate office, or sends email or a fax to the user at the corporate office, is unaware that the user is actually not physically located at the corporate office, but rather is at a remote location. The present invention also includes methods for disconnecting and re-establishing virtual presence to reduce message rate charging.
A system which provides a remote user with a virtual presence to a corporate office, comprising:
A method for providing a remote user operating a user communications device with a virtual presence at a corporate office, wherein the corporate office includes a telephony server, wherein the corporate office further includes a virtual presence server which routes communications between the corporate office and the user communications device, the method comprising:
A method for providing a user of a user communications device with a virtual presence at a corporate office, wherein the corporate office includes a telephony server and a local area network, wherein the corporate office further includes a virtual presence server which automatically routes communications between the corporate office and the user communications device, the method comprising:
A method for providing a remote user operating a user communications device with a virtual presence at a corporate office, wherein the corporate office includes a telephony server and a local area network, wherein the corporate office further includes a virtual presence server which routes communications between the corporate office and the user communications device, the method comprising:
A system which provides a plurality of workers at a branch office with a virtual presence to a corporate office, comprising:
A virtual presence server system which provides a remote user with a virtual presence to a corporate office, wherein the virtual presence server is located at the corporate office, comprising:
The system of claim 81, wherein said virtual presence server is further operable to automatically reconnect to the user communications device in response to an external party initiating communications and in response to the user communications device not being connected to the corporate office;
A system which provides a remote user with a virtual presence to a corporate office, comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.