US 7,680,511 B2 · Method and apparatus for communicating via virtual office telephone extensions

Abstract

A system for (and a method of) selectively establishing communication with at least one wireless device associated with a single telephone number serving as a virtual office extension is provided. In a preferred embodiment, the system includes a wireless connect unit in communication with an enterprise private branch exchange (PBX) network. The wireless connect unit preferably serves as a gateway between the PBX and one or more remote communication devices, including at least one wireless device, associated with a virtual extension telephone number. The remote wireless device can be used as a standard PBX office telephone for both inbound and outbound telephone calls. Thus, features of the PBX network (e.g., voice mail, direct extension dialing, corporate calling plan, etc.) are available to the remote wireless device even though it is not physically connected to the PBX. When the system receives an incoming call, it can route the call to a remote wireless device associated with a virtual extension, or to combination of devices simultaneously, or as desired by the user.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A method of providing access to an enterprise telecommunication network to a wireless telephone for an outgoing telephone call, said method comprises:

receiving a first telephone call from the wireless telephone;
identifying a wireless telephone number of the wireless telephone;
using the wireless telephone number to retrieve an enterprise telephone extension associated with the enterprise telecommunication network;
retrieving at least one user preference and at least one enterprise preference associated with the retrieved enterprise telephone extension;
generating a simulated dial tone;
sending the simulated dial tone to the wireless telephone in response to the first telephone call from the wireless telephone to indicate the wireless telephone's connection to the enterprise telecommunication network;
and
providing the wireless telephone with telecommunication access to the enterprise telecommunication network for an second telephone call based on the retrieved at least one user preference and the retrieved at least one enterprise preference.

5 more elements

A telecommunication device comprising:

a storage medium for storing at least one user preference and at least one enterprise preference associated with each extension of an enterprise telecommunication network;
and
a telephony interface coupled to the storage medium and the enterprise telecommunication network, said telephony interface being adapted to:
receive a first telephone call from a wireless telephone,
identify a wireless telephone number of the wireless telephone,
use the wireless telephone number to retrieve a first enterprise extension telephone number associated with an extension of the enterprise telecommunication network and with the wireless telephone,
retrieve the at least one user preference and enterprise preference associated with the retrieved first enterprise extension telephone number from the storage medium,
determine whether the wireless telephone can be provided access to services of the enterprise telecommunication network,
and if it is determined that the wireless telephone can be provided access to services of the enterprise telecommunication network, the interface is further adapted to generate and send a simulated dial tone to the wireless telephone in response to the first telephone call from the wireless telephone to indicate the wireless telephone's connection to the enterprise telecommunication network to and thereby alert the wireless telephone that access to the enterprise telecommunication network has been granted for a second telephone call.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for communicating via virtual office telephone extensions

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for communicating via virtual office telephone extensions

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims12