System and method for providing a remote user with a virtual presence to an office

A server system at an office site, comprising:

• at least one communication device configured to be able to support a communication link with a remote site having a user communication device;
• an interface to a telephony server configured to provide telephony functionality to a plurality of office users over a plurality of office communication lines;
• an interface to a local area network configured to provide data communication;
• and
• wherein the server system is configured to automatically provide access for said user communication device to said local area network and to said telephony server in response to said user communication device connecting to the office site, wherein the server system is configured to automatically invoke a call forwarding operation in response to said user communication device connecting to the office site so that calls intended to reach the user at said office site are forwarded to the server system, wherein the server system sends said calls to said user communication device over said communication link, wherein the server system is further configured to send data communications from said office data network to said user communication device over said communication link while sending said calls to said user communication device over said communication link.

A system, comprising:

• a user communications device physically located remotely from a corporate office, wherein the user communications device is operated by the remote user, wherein the user communications device is adapted for coupling to a transmission media;
• wherein the user communications device transmits communications to the corporate office;
• a server located at the corporate office, wherein the server is coupled to a telephony server and a local area network, wherein the server is further coupled to the transmission media, wherein the server is configured to receive communications from said user communications device;
• a memory configured to store information identifying said user communication device;
• a communication device configured to couple the server to the transmission media, wherein said communication device is operable for providing voice, data and telephony control information to the user communications device;
• wherein communications intended for the remote user of said user communications device are forwarded from either of the telephony server or the local area network to said server which sends said communications to said user communications device;
• wherein the server uses said information stored in said memory to determine if said communications received by either of the local area network or the telephony server are intended for the remote user of said user communications device.

A method, comprising:

• a user communications device connecting to a corporate office;
• the user communications device providing information to a server at the corporate office after said user communications device connects to the corporate office, said information including an identity of the user operating the user communications device;
• a server storing said information provided by the user communications device;
• and
• the server communicating telephony control information with said user communications device, wherein said user communications device operates as an extension to the telephony server located at the corporate office.

A method, comprising:

• a user communications device connecting to a server at a corporate office;
• the user communications device providing information to the server at the corporate office after the user communications device connecting to the corporate office, said information including an identity of the user operating said user communications device;
• the server storing said information provided by the user communications device;
• a telephony server in the corporate office receiving communications from a party, wherein said communications are intended for a telephone in the corporate office associated with the user of said user communications device;
• and
• the server sending said communications from said telephony server to said user communications device.

A method, comprising:

• a user communications device connecting to a host office;
• the user communications device providing information to a server at the host office after said user communications device connecting to the host office, said information including an identity of a remote user of said user communications device;
• the server storing said information provided by the user communications device;
• the user communications device connecting to a host office local area network, wherein said user communications device operates as a node to said local area network;
• the user communications device operating as an extension of a telephony server in the host office;
• the host office receiving communications from a party, wherein said communications are intended for the remote user of said user communications device;
• and
• the server automatically sending said communications from said host office to said user communications device.

A system, comprising:

• a plurality of user communications devices physically located in a branch office, wherein the branch office is located remotely from a corporate office, wherein the user communications devices are operated by a plurality of workers at the branch office;
• a branch office server physically located in the branch office and coupled to each of said plurality of user communications devices, wherein said branch office server includes one or more communications devices for coupling to a transmission media, wherein the branch office server transmits communications to the corporate office, wherein said communications include information identifying said branch office server;
• a server located at the corporate office and operable for coupling to a telephony server and a local area network located in the corporate office, wherein the branch office server is operable to connect to the server, wherein the server includes:
• a plurality of interfaces to transmission media, wherein one or more of said plurality of interfaces receives communications from said branch office server;
• a memory for storing said information received from said branch office server, and
• a communication device coupled to said memory and said plurality of interfaces for providing voice, data and telephony control information to the branch office server;
• wherein the server sends communications received by either of the local area network or the telephony server which are intended for workers in said branch office from either of the telephony server or the local area network to said branch office server in said branch office, wherein the server uses said information stored in said memory to determine if said communications received by either of the local area network or the telephony server are intended for one of said plurality of workers in said branch office.

A server system, comprising:

• one or more interfaces for coupling to a telephony server and a local area network;
• one or more interfaces for coupling to a transmission media, wherein the one or more interfaces for coupling to a transmission media are for receiving communications from a user communications device physically located remotely from the server system;
• a memory for storing information received from a user communications device;
• and
• a communications device coupled to said memory and coupled to said one or more interfaces for coupling to a transmission media, wherein said communications device is operable to provide voice, data and telephony control information to the user communications device, wherein the server sends communications received by either of the local area network or the telephony server which are intended for the remote user of the user communications device from either of the telephony server or the local area network to the user communications device, wherein the server uses said information stored in said memory to determine if said communications received by either of the local area network or the telephony server are intended for the remote user of said user communications device.

A system, comprising:

• a user communications device physically located remotely from a corporate office, wherein the user communications device is operated by a remote user, wherein the user communications device is adapted for coupling to a transmission media, wherein the user communications device transmits communications to the corporate office, wherein said communications include information identifying said user communications device;
• a telephony server located at the corporate office, wherein the telephony server controls a plurality of telephones;
• a local area network located at the corporate office, said local area network including one or more interconnected computer systems;
• and
• a server located at the corporate office and coupled to said telephony server and said local area network, wherein the user communications device is operable to connect to the server, wherein the server includes:
• a plurality of inputs for coupling to transmission media, wherein one or more of said plurality of inputs receives communications from said user communications device;
• a memory for storing said information received from said user communications device;
• and
• a communication device coupled to said memory for providing voice, data and telephony control information to the user communications device;
• wherein the server sends communications received by either of said local area network or said telephony server which are intended for the remote user of said user communications device from either of said telephony server or said local area network to said user communications device, wherein the server uses said information stored in said memory to determine if said communications received by either of said local area network or said telephony server are intended for the remote user of said user communications device.

A method, comprising:

• a user telephony communications device connecting to a corporate office on a communication line;
• a corporate office server invoking a call forwarding operation to forward telephone calls made to a first telephone number assigned to a user which are intended for the user at the corporate office to said corporate office server;
• and
• the corporate office server communicating telephony control information with the user telephony communications device on the communication line, wherein said communicating telephony control information enables the user telephony communications device to behave as an extension to a telephony server at the corporate office;
• wherein the corporate office server invokes said call forwarding operation and communicates said telephony control information in response to the user telephony communications device connecting to the corporate office.

A system which provides a remote user with access capabilities to a corporate office, comprising:

• a user telephony communications device physically located remotely from the corporate office, wherein the user telephony communications device is operated by the remote user, wherein the user telephony communications device is adapted for coupling to a transmission medium, wherein the user telephony communications device transmits communications to the corporate office on the transmission medium, wherein said communications include information identifying the remote user;
• a telephony server located at the corporate office, wherein the telephony server controls a plurality of telephones, wherein the corporate office includes a first telephone number associated with the remote user, wherein the first telephone number is used to access the remote user at the corporate office;
• and
• a server located at the corporate office and coupled to said telephony server, wherein the user telephony communications device is operable to connect to server, wherein the server includes:
• at least one input for coupling to the transmission medium, wherein said at least one input receives communications from said user telephony communications device on the transmission medium;
• a memory for storing said information received from said user telephony communications device;
• and
• a communication device coupled to said memory and to said at least one input for communicating with the user telephony communications device on the transmission medium;
• wherein the server is operable to invoke a call forwarding operation to forward telephone calls made to said first telephone number which are intended for the user at the corporate office to said server;
• wherein the server is operable to send said telephone calls made to said first telephone number and forwarded to said server to the user telephony communications device on the transmission medium;
• wherein the server is operable to communicate telephony control information with the user telephony communications device on the transmission medium, wherein said telephony control information enables the user telephony communications device to behave as an extension to the telephony server at the corporate office;
• and
• wherein the server is operable to invoke said call forwarding operation and communicate said telephony control information in response to the user telephony communications device connecting to the corporate office and providing said information.

A system which provides a remote user with access capabilities to a corporate office, wherein the system is located at the corporate office, wherein the remote user operates a user telephony communications device physically located remotely from the corporate office, wherein the corporate office includes a first telephone number associated with the remote user, wherein the first telephone number is used to access the remote user at the corporate office, wherein the system includes:

• at least one input for coupling to a transmission medium, wherein said at least one input receives communications from the user telephony communications device on the transmission medium;
• a memory for storing information identifying the user telephony communications device;
• and
• a communication device coupled to the memory and to the at least one input for communicating voice and data information to the user telephony communications device on the transmission medium;
• wherein the system is operable to invoke a call forwarding operation to forward telephone calls made to said first telephone number which are intended for the user at the corporate office to said system;
• wherein the system is operable to send said telephone calls made to said first telephone number and forwarded to said system to the user telephony communications device on the transmission medium;
• wherein the system is operable to communicate telephony control information with the user telephony communications device on the transmission medium, wherein said telephony control information enables the user telephony communications device to behave as an extension to a telephony server at the corporate office;
• and
• wherein the system is operable to invoke said call forwarding operation and communicate said telephony control information in response to the system receiving a communication from the user telephony communications device and receiving said information from the user telephony communications device.