Telephone to computational device association
View Patent ↗The present invention allows for dynamic association of a computational device, such as a personal computer or personal digital assistant, with a telephone terminal. A computer-telephone adaptor or like function implemented in a telephony switch or other telephony device will receive authentication indicia. The authentication indicia may be provided by the computational device that is to be associated with the telephone terminal, or through other means. The authentication indicia may be provided by a user or generated by the computational device or by other means. To confirm the association, the user must enter confirmatory authentication indicia corresponding to the original authentication indicia through the telephone terminal.
1. A method for associating computational devices with telephone terminals comprising:
a) receiving authentication indicia from a computational device in a request to associate a telephone terminal with the computational device;
b) receiving confirmatory authentication indicia originally provided via the telephone terminal; and
c) processing the authentication indicia and the confirmatory authentication indicia to determine whether to associate the computational device with the telephone terminal.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising establishing an association between the computational device and the telephone terminal.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving duration indicia identifying a duration for an association between the computational device and the telephone terminal.
4. The method of claim 3 further comprising terminating the association between the computational device and the telephone terminal when the duration expires.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein when the authentication indicia does not correspond to the confirmatory authentication indicia, an association between the computational device and the telephone terminal is not established.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the confirmatory authentication indicia is provided by a user of the computational device.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the authentication indicia is provided by a user of the computational device.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the authentication indicia is generated by the computational device.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein an address of the telephone terminal is provided with the request.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the address is a directory number.
11. The method of claim 1 further comprising effecting establishment of a call to the telephone terminal in which the confirmatory authentication indicia is obtained via the telephone terminal.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the call is established and the confirmatory authentication indicia is obtained using an interactive voice response system.
13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
a) receiving information pertaining to an occurrence associated with the telephone terminal; and
b) sending the information to the computational device wherein the computational device takes action based on the information.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein the information relates to a call being initiated to the telephony terminal.
15. The method of claim 13 wherein the information comprises caller identification information.
16. The method of claim 13 wherein the information is provided to a user via the computational device.
17. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
a) receiving instructions from the computational device to control an operation associated with the telephone terminal; and
b) effecting the operation associated with the telephone terminal.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein the operation is establishing a call to another device from the telephone terminal.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein the call is established by effecting ringing of the telephone terminal and a connection is established with the device when the telephone terminal is answered.
20. A system for associating computational devices with telephone terminals comprising:
a) at least one communication interface; and
b) a control system associated with the at least one communication interface and adapted to:
i) receive authentication indicia from a computational device in a request to associate a telephone terminal with the computational device;
ii) receive confirmatory authentication indicia originally provided via the telephone terminal; and
iii) process the authentication indicia and the confirmatory authentication indicia to determine whether to associate the computational device with the telephone terminal.
21. The system of claim 20 wherein the control system is further adapted to establish an association between the computational device and the telephone terminal.
22. The system of claim 20 wherein the control system is further adapted to receive duration indicia identifying a duration for an association between the computational device and the telephone terminal.
23. The system of claim 22 wherein the control system is further adapted to terminate the association between the computational device and the telephone terminal when the duration expires.
24. The system of claim 20 wherein when the authentication indicia does not correspond to the confirmatory authentication indicia, an association between the computational device and the telephone terminal is not established.
25. The system of claim 20 wherein the confirmatory authentication indicia is provided by a user of the computational device.
26. The system of claim 20 wherein the authentication indicia is provided by a user of the computational device.
27. The system of claim 20 wherein the authentication indicia is generated by the computational device.
28. The system of claim 20 wherein an address of the telephone terminal is provided with the request.
29. The system of claim 28 wherein the address is a directory number.
30. The system of claim 20 wherein the control system is further adapted to effect establishment of a call to the telephone terminal in which the confirmatory authentication indicia is obtained via the telephone terminal.
31. The system of claim 30 wherein the call is established and the confirmatory authentication indicia is obtained using an interactive voice response system.
32. The system of claim 20 wherein the control system is further adapted to:
a) receive information pertaining to an occurrence associated with the telephone terminal; and
b) send the information to the computational device wherein the computational device takes action based on the information.
33. The system of claim 32 wherein the information relates to a call being initiated to the telephony terminal.
34. The system of claim 32 wherein the information comprises caller identification information.
35. The system of claim 32 wherein the information is provided to a user via the computational device.
36. The system of claim 20 wherein the control system is further adapted to:
a) receive instructions from the computational device to control an operation associated with the telephone terminal; and
b) effect the operation associated with the telephone terminal.
37. The system of claim 36 wherein the operation is establishing a call to another device from the telephone terminal.
38. The system of claim 37 wherein the call is established by effecting ringing of the telephone terminal and a connection is established with the device when the telephone terminal is answered.