PBX system for interworking digital telephone with personal computer and controlling method thereof

A communication apparatus, comprising:

• a private branch exchange system comprising:
• a switch having a connector;
• an interface unit being connected to said connector of said switch;
• at least one digital telephone unit being connected to said interface unit;
• and
• at least one computer unit being connected to said interface unit;
• said interface unit transmitting a first message generated from said switch to said at least one computer unit, said interface unit transmitting a second message received from said at least one telephone unit to said switch and said at least one computer unit, said interface unit transmitting a third message generated from said computer unit to said switch, said interface unit transmitting a fourth message generated from said switch to said at least one telephone unit and to said at least one computer unit, said first message corresponding to a computer-directed message, said second message corresponding to a call origination event, said third message corresponding to a call-related event, said fourth message corresponding to a response message in accordance with said call-related event.

A method, comprising:

• interconnecting a digital telephone and a computer unit in a private branch exchange system having an interface unit connecting the digital telephone to the computer unit, said interconnecting further comprising:
• when an incoming call is terminated in said digital telephone, sending information about the incoming call to said computer unit;
• and
• when said computer unit originates a call, setting said digital telephone to a call origination state.

A private branch exchange system, the system comprising:

• a switch including a call processor and a digital line interface, the switch being in communication with a network;
• an interface module being connected directly to said switch, said switch separating said interface module from the network;
• at least one computer being connected directly to said interface module, said at least one computer comprising:
• an input/output processor being connected to said interface module to process signals transmitted from said at least one computer unit and received to said at least one computer unit;
• an event processor receiving and controlling a first message and a second message received from said interface module through said input/output processor, said event processor receiving and controlling additional messages;
• a command transmitter transmitting a command received from said input/output processor and additional commands;
• an application program operator executing an application routine, the application routine enabling said computer unit to record a time and date the first and second messages are received, the additional messages and the additional commands being generated by the application routine;
• and
• a user interface interfacing a user with said at least one computer unit;
• at least one digital telephone being connected directly to said interface module, said interface module separating said switch from said at least one computer, said interface module separating said switch from said at least one digital telephone;
• said interface module transmitting the first message generated from said switch to said at least one computer, said interface module transmitting the second message received from said at least one digital telephone to said switch and to said at least one computer, the first message corresponding to a computer-directed message, the second message corresponding to a call origination event.