Programmable buttons for telephone user interface
A graphical user interface for a telephone system includes programmable buttons which may be customized for individual users or groups of users. The programmable buttons enable user specific functionality to be provided, for example, enabling a button to be defined to record a call at a particular extension with one touch. The programmable buttons are collected onto toolbars and displayed on the user interface.
1. A system comprising:
a telephony system that includes a plurality of telephones;
a computing system that includes a plurality of computing devices separate from the plurality of telephones, where each of the plurality of computing devices is communicatively coupled with at least one of the plurality of telephones, each of the plurality of computing devices having a display associated therewith;
a user interface presented on the display of each of the plurality of computing devices, the user interface being associated with a user of a plurality of users, where for each user of the plurality of users an associated user interface includes:
(i) a first plurality of function defined user interface representations that are common to each user interface in the system, the first plurality of function defined user interface representations being provided on one or more first toolbars and being configured to direct an associated telephone of the plurality of telephones to perform telephony functions; and
(ii) a second plurality of function defined user interface representations that are not common to each user interface in the system, the second plurality of function defined user interface representations being provided on one or more second toolbars and being configured to direct the associated telephone of the plurality of telephones to perform telephony functions and to direct an associated computing device of the plurality of computing devices to perform computer functions external to the telephony system, wherein:
the one or more first toolbars are different from the one or more second toolbars,
the second plurality of function defined user interface representations are defined at a user or group level, the group level including less than the plurality of users, and the first plurality of function defined user interface representations are defined at a system level, where at least some of the second plurality of function defined user interface representations are defined to include a target, one or more target values to invoke associated functionality, and a state icon configured to indicate a status,
the telephony functions of the second plurality of function defined user interface representations are different from the telephony functions of the first plurality of function defined user interface representations,
at least some of the second plurality of function defined user interface representations cause a telephony function to be invoked that prompts the user for at least one of: a group name, a target code, or a target telephone number for execution of the telephony function,
at least others of the second plurality of function defined user interface representations cause a computer function to be invoked that includes at least one of: executing a URL to invoke a program, opening a new window in a client application, or opening a new window on the display into which the user inserts information; and
all of the second plurality of function defined user interface representations are stored in a remote database to enable the user interface presented on the display to be moved to another display associated with another computing device if the user logs off of the associated computing device and logs on to the another computing device.
2. A system as in claim 1 wherein the second plurality of function defined user interface representations comprise buttons.
3. A system as in claim 1 wherein the second plurality of function defined user interface representations display call activity for speed dial buttons.
4. A system as in claim 1 wherein the second plurality of function defined user interface representations change in appearance depending upon whether an active call is selected or not selected.
5. A system as in claim 1 wherein the second plurality of function defined user interface representations display a status icon representing at least one of telephony configuration and instant messenger presence.
6. A system as in claim 1 wherein the plurality of computing devices include personal computers.
7. A system as in claim 1 wherein the second plurality of function defined user interface representations is presented on a single toolbar.
8. A system as in claim 1 wherein the telephony functions invoked by the second plurality of function defined user interface representations include at least one of providing a chime for after-hours calls, paging a particular user, retrying a call later, calling a supervisor, leaving a message for an extension without ringing the extension, sending a flash signal from a trunk associated with a call, sending a Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) message containing information from an active call, monitoring a particular extension, recording a call, or sending a recording to a particular extension.
9. A system comprising:
a plurality of telephones;
a plurality of computing devices separate from the plurality of telephones, where each of the plurality of computing devices is communicatively coupled with at least one of the plurality of telephones, each of the plurality of computing devices having a display screen associated therewith;
a user interface presented on the display screen of each of the plurality of computing devices, the user interface being associated with a user of a plurality of users, where for each user of the plurality of users an associated user interface includes:
a first plurality of buttons, where each button of the first plurality of buttons is common to each user interface, the first plurality of buttons being provided on one or more first toolbars and being configured to direct an associated telephone of the plurality of telephones to perform telephony functions; and
a second plurality of buttons, where each button of the second plurality of buttons is not common to each user interface, the second plurality of buttons being provided on one or more second toolbars and being configured to direct the associated telephone of the plurality of telephones to perform telephony functions and to direct an associated computing device of the plurality of computing devices to perform computer functions, wherein:
the one or more first toolbars are different from the one or more second toolbars,
the second plurality of buttons are defined at a user or group level, the group level including less than the plurality of users, and the first plurality of buttons are defined at a system level, where at least some of the second plurality of buttons are defined to include a target, one or more target values to invoke associated functionality, and a state icon configured to indicate a status,
the telephony functions of the second plurality of buttons are different from the telephony functions of the first plurality of buttons,
at least one of the second plurality of buttons cause a telephony function to be invoked that prompts the user for at least one of: a group name, a target code, or a target telephone number for execution of the telephony function,
at least another one of the second plurality of buttons cause a computer function to be invoked that requires at least one of: executing a URL to invoke a program, opening a new window in a client application, or opening a new window on the display screen into which the user enters information; and
all of the second plurality of buttons are stored in a remote database to enable the user interface to be moved to another display screen associated with another computing device if the user logs off of the associated computing device and logs on to the another computing device.
10. A system as in claim 9 wherein the plurality of computing devices include personal computers.
11. A system as in claim 9 wherein the second plurality of buttons is presented on a single toolbar.
12. A system as in claim 9 wherein the telephony functions invoked by the second plurality of buttons include at least one of providing a chime for after-hours calls, paging a particular user, retrying a call later, calling a supervisor, leaving a message for an extension without ringing the extension, sending a flash signal from a trunk associated with a call, sending a Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) message containing information from an active call, monitoring a particular extension, recording a call, or sending a recording to a particular extension.
13. A method of providing a user of a telephone with a customizable user interface displayed on a display screen associated with a computing device, where the telephone is one of a plurality of telephones and the computing device is one of a plurality of computing devices, each computing device being communicatively coupled with at least one of the plurality of telephones and having a display screen associated therewith, where a user interface is presented on the display screen of each of the plurality of computing devices and each user interface is associated with a user of a plurality of users, where for each user interface the method comprises:
providing a set of standard functions represented by first buttons on one or more toolbars on the user interface, the set of standard functions being configured to direct the telephone of the plurality of telephones to perform telephony functions;
providing a set of non-standard functions represented by second buttons on one or more second toolbars on the user interface, the set of non-standard functions being configured to direct the telephone of the plurality of telephones to perform telephony functions and to direct an associated computing device of the plurality of computing devices to perform computer functions, wherein:
the one or more first toolbars are different from the one or more second toolbars,
the set of non-standard functions are defined at a user or group level, the group level including less than the plurality of users, and the set of standard functions are defined at a system level, where at least some of the set of non-standard functions are defined to include a target, one or more target values to invoke associated functionality, and a state icon configured to indicate a status,
the telephony functions of the set of non-standard functions are different from the telephony functions of the set of standard functions,
at least some of the set of non-standard functions cause a telephony function to be invoked that prompts the user for at least one of: a group name, a target code, or a target telephone number for execution of the telephony function,
at least others of the set of non-standard functions cause a computer function to be invoked that includes at least one of: executing a URL to invoke a program, opening a new window in a client application, or opening a new window on the display screen into which the user enters information; and
all of the set of non-standard functions are stored in a database to enable the user interface presented on the display screen to be moved to another display screen associated with another computing device if the user logs off of the associated computing device and logs on to the another computing device.
14. A method as in claim 13 wherein the plurality of computing devices include personal computers.