Method and apparatus for communicating with one of plural devices associated with a single telephone number during a disaster and disaster recovery
A system for (and a method of) selectively establishing communication with one of plural devices associated with a single telephone number during a disaster or disaster recovery period. In a preferred embodiment, the system includes two wireless connection units, each connected between a respective private branch exchange (PBX) network and a public switched telephone network. Each wireless connection unit preferably serves as a gateway between its respective PBX network and one or more remote communication devices. The wireless connection units replicate each others databases. In the event of a disaster that destroys or renders one of the wireless connect/PBX networks inoperable, telephone calls destined for the inoperable network are seamlessly routed to the operable wireless connect/PBX network. Since the operable wireless connection unit contains information for both networks, inbound, outbound and extension to extension calls for each network can be handled despite the disaster.
1. A telecommunication device comprising:
a storage medium for storing a first database associated with a first enterprise telecommunication network for a location A, the first database comprising a plurality of first telephone extensions at the location A of the first enterprise telecommunication network and correlating each first telephone extension to a respective first enterprise telephone number and a respective first wireless device number,
the storage medium for storing a second database associated with a second enterprise telecommunication network for a location B, the second database comprising a plurality of second telephone extensions at the location B of the second enterprise telecommunication network and correlating each second telephone extension to a respective second enterprise telephone number and a respective second wireless device number, thereby replicating a third database storing the plurality of second telephone extensions at the location B of the second enterprise telecommunication network; and
a processor coupled to the storage medium and the first enterprise telecommunication network, said processor being adapted to:
receive a copy of the second database from the second enterprise telecommunication network,
store the copy of the second database in the storage medium,
receive a communication destined for one of the second telephone extensions of the second enterprise telecommunication network,
identify a dialed second telephone extension associated with the received communication, and
use the identified dialed second telephone extension to route the received communication to the respective second wireless device number associated with the identified second telephone extension.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is adapted to transmit a copy of the first database to a device connected to the second enterprise telecommunication network.
3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is adapted to receive the copy of the second database from a wireless communication medium.
4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is adapted to receive the copy of the second database from the Internet.
5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is adapted to route the received communication to the respective second wireless device number by dialing the second wireless device number and connecting a communication path between the processor and the received communication to the communication path between the processor and a wireless device associated with the dialed second wireless device number.
6. The device of claim 1 , wherein said processor is adapted to provide access to services of the first enterprise telecommunication network to a wireless device associated with a second wireless device number.
7. The device of claim 6 , wherein said processor is adapted to provide access to services of the first enterprise telecommunication network to a wireless device associated with a first wireless device number.
8. The device of claim 1 , wherein said second database further comprises at least one enterprise preference associated with each second telephone extension and associated respective second wireless device number.
9. The device of claim 8 , wherein said processor is adapted to provide access to services of the first enterprise telecommunication network to a wireless device associated with a second wireless device number based on the at least one enterprise preference associated with the second wireless device number.
10. A telecommunication device comprising:
a storage medium for storing a first database associated with a first private branch exchange network for a location A, the first database comprising a plurality of first telephone extensions at the location A of the first private branch exchange network and correlating each first telephone extension to a respective first enterprise telephone number, a respective first wireless device number, a respective first user preference and a respective first enterprise preference,
the storage medium for storing a second database associated with a second private branch exchange network for a location B, the second database comprising a plurality of second telephone extensions at the location B of the second private branch exchange network and correlating each second telephone extension to a respective second enterprise telephone number, a respective second wireless device number, a respective second user preference and a respective second enterprise preference, thereby replicating a third database storing the plurality of second telephone extensions at the location B of the second private branch exchange network; and
a processor coupled to the storage medium and the first private branch exchange network, said processor being adapted to:
receive a telephone call from a wireless telephone associated with a second wireless device number stored in the second database,
identify the second wireless telephone number associated with the wireless telephone placing the call,
use the identified second wireless telephone number to retrieve from the second database a second telephone extension of the second private branch exchange network,
retrieve the respective second user preference and respective second enterprise preference associated with the retrieved second telephone extension,
generate a simulated dial tone,
send the simulated dial tone to the wireless telephone, and
provide telecommunication access to the first private branch exchange network based on the retrieved respective second user preference and respective second enterprise preference.
11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the respective second enterprise preference comprises an access group defining authorized outbound call access rights for a user of the wireless telephone.
12. The device of claim 10 , wherein said processor is further adapted to allow the wireless telephone to place a new call to a first enterprise telephone number using the services of the first private branch exchange network.
13. The device of claim 10 , wherein the respective second user preference comprises a dial tone timeout period, wherein a user of the wireless telephone is prevented from placing a new call through the first private branch exchange network after the dial tone timeout period expires.
14. The device of claim 10 , wherein said processor is further adapted to allow the wireless telephone to place a new call, using the services of the first private branch exchange network, to a telephony device not associated with the first or second private branch exchange networks.
15. A telecommunication device comprising:
a storage medium for storing a first database associated with a first enterprise telecommunication network for a location A, the first database comprising a plurality of first telephone extensions at the location A of the first enterprise telecommunication network and correlating each first telephone extension to a respective first enterprise telephone number, a respective first wireless device number, a respective first user preference and a respective first enterprise preference,
the storage medium for storing a second database associated with a second enterprise telecommunication network for a location B, the second database comprising a plurality of second telephone extensions at the location B of the second enterprise telecommunication network and correlating each second telephone extension to a respective second enterprise telephone number, a respective second wireless device number, a respective second user preference and a respective second enterprise preference, thereby replicating a third database storing the plurality of second telephone extensions at the location B of the second enterprise telecommunication network; and
a processor coupled to the storage medium and the first enterprise telecommunication network, said processor being adapted to:
receive a copy of the second database from the second enterprise telecommunication network,
store the copy of the second database in the storage medium,
receive a telephone call from a wireless telephone associated with a second wireless device number stored in the second database,
identify the second wireless telephone number associated with the wireless telephone placing the call,
use the identified second wireless telephone number to retrieve a second telephone extension of the second enterprise telecommunication network,
retrieve the respective second user preference and respective second enterprise preference associated with the retrieved second telephone extension,
determine, based on the retrieved respective second user preference and respective second enterprise preference, whether the wireless telephone can be provided access to services of the first enterprise telecommunication network, and
if it is determined that the wireless telephone can be provided access to services of the first enterprise telecommunication network, the processor is further adapted to generate and send a simulated dial tone to the wireless telephone to alert the wireless telephone that access to the first enterprise telecommunication network has been granted.
16. The device of claim 15 , wherein if it is determined that the wireless telephone cannot be provided access to the services of the first enterprise telecommunication network, the processor is further adapted to perform unauthorized call processing.
17. The device of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further adapted to allow the wireless telephone to place a new call using the services of the first enterprise telecommunication network to a first telephone extension of the first enterprise telecommunication network.
18. The device of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further adapted to allow the wireless telephone to place a new call using the services of the first enterprise telecommunication network to a telephony device not associated with the first or second enterprise telecommunication networks.
19. The device of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further adapted to:
receive a communication destined for one of the second telephone extensions of the second enterprise telecommunication network, identify the second telephone extension associated with the received communication, and use the identified second telephone extension to route the received communication to the respective second wireless device number associated with the identified second telephone extension.
20. The device of claim 15 , wherein said processor is adapted to provide access to services of the first enterprise telecommunication network to a wireless device associated with a first wireless device number.