System and method for remote access to a telephone
View Patent ↗An improved system and method for remote access from a variety of remote clients to an office telephone is provided. In the preferred embodiment, access to an office information center is through the Internet using a web-compliant remote client. The office information center includes a web server having a web page stored thereon and a PBX system. During a remote session, incoming calls to the PBX are routed to the remote client in real time. In addition, the remote client is able to view, manage and control voice mail messages using all the functions programmed to the office telephone from the remote client. Upon termination of the remote session, PBX ports are re-established to the office telephone and any alternations made by the remote client are updated.
1. A system for remote access to a telephone, the system comprising:
a communication device having a display, an input mechanism and a web browser, said communication device in a location remote from said telephone;
an information center comprising;
a local area network providing communication pathways within said information center;
a private branch exchange (PBX) system providing delivery of external and internal telephone calls and messaging to and from said information center;
a web server programmed to provide a dynamic web-based graphical user interface (GUI) accessible by said communication device; and
said telephone coupled to said local area network, said web server and said PBX system, and said telephone receives, from said PBX system, an information indicative of a telephone call; and
a web-based communication channel coupling said communication device and said information center to cause a remote access session,
whereby, said communication device initiates said session by accessing said dynamic web-based GUI and during said session, said communication device receives and displays said information indicative of said telephone call from said PBX system via said dynamic web-based GUI, thereby transferring complete management functions of said information indicative of said telephone call to said communication device.
2. The system for remote access of claim 1 , wherein said telephone comprises a multi-function desktop keyset.
3. The system for remote access of claim 2 , wherein said telephone further comprises a workstation coupled to said keyset.
4. The system for remote access of claim 1 , wherein said communication device comprises one of a cellular phone, a portable computer, an on-premise device, a personal digital assistant or a stationary computing device.
5. The system for remote access of claim 1 , wherein said web server comprises an authentication system.
6. The system for remote access of claim 1 , wherein said web-based GUI comprises a web page which when accessed prompts a security protocol on said server.
7. The system for remote access of claim 6 , wherein said security protocol comprises an authentication system.
8. The system for remote access of claim 1 , wherein during said session, said telephone is inoperable.
9. The system for remote access of claim 1 , wherein said telephone comprises a phantom extension.
10. The system for remote access of claim 1 , further comprising a unified messaging server (UMS) coupled to said PBX system.
11. The system for remote access of claim 10 , further comprising a database coupled to said UMS for storing a voice mail message.
12. The system for remote access of claim 1 , wherein said information indicative of a telephone call comprises real-time live communication.
13. The system for remote access of claim 1 , wherein said information indicative of a telephone call comprises a voicemail message.
14. The system for remote access of claim 13 , wherein said information comprises data to display said voicemail message on said display of said communication device.
15. The system for remote access of claim 10 , further comprising an OAI link coupling said UMS and said PBX system.
16. The system for remote access of claim 15 , wherein said OAI link comprises a plurality of channels.
17. The system for remote access of claim 1 , wherein said PBX system comprises an Internet protocol controller (IPC).
18. The system for-remote access of claim 17 , further comprising a plurality of transmission packets comprising voice channel and call control information said local area network from said IPC.
19. The system for remote access of claim 8 , wherein during said session, said telephone displays a notification of the inoperable state.
20. A system for establishing a remote access session to an office telephone via an Internet connection, the system comprising:
an office center comprising;
a web server having a protocol conversion software and a dynamic GUI website stored thereon;
a network providing communication pathways within said office center;
a private branch exchange (PBX) system having a plurality of station ports and configured to receive and deliver a telephone call to said office telephone via at least one of said ports; and
an Internet protocol controller (IPC), comprising 8 appearances corresponding to an equal number of office telephones, and being coupled to said PBX system and configured to translate telephone-related information related to said office telephone into one or more packets for transmission over said network to said web server; and
a web-compliant portable communication device having a display and a web browser, during said session, said device displaying said dynamic GUI website and said web browser having a conversion software for bi-directional conversion of data transceived between said portable communication device and said web server,
whereby, said portable communication device couples to said network and to one of said ports and receives said telephone call in real-time.
21. The system of claim 20 , wherein said office telephone comprises a multi-function desktop keyset.
22. The system of claim 21 , wherein said office telephone further comprises a workstation coupled to said keyset.
23. The system of claim 20 , wherein said packets comprises compressed speech and text.
24. The system of claim 20 , wherein said conversion software on said web browser downloaded form said web sewer to said portable communication device.
25. The system of claim 20 , wherein said office telephone comprises a phantom extension.