Shoretel, Inc.

Mitel Networks Corporation

Shortel, Inc.

Michael S W Tovino

Glen K Okita

Meigy Tsai

Iouri Achmanov

Richard A Winslow

Ashvinkumar H Patel

Dale C Tonogai

Edwin Basart

Lois Okino

David B Rucinski

Amy S Pendleton

Jeffrey W Ridley

Olaf D K Brandt

Florin Micle

AshvinKumar H Patel

A system for unified communication, according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprises a CAS communicatively coupled to a client. The CAS comprises a server communicatively coupled to a CAS application and a number of service providers. The server receives from the client a CAS message encoded in a CAS format and including a request for a unified communication service. The server communicates with the CAS application to determine a service type for the request. The server sends the request to one of the number of service providers. The server sends a reply message to the client.

Unified communication

A method can include receiving a request from a requestor to a given resource, which requestor is registered to access a set of one or more resources. The request includes a ticket that includes signature data generated by an authenticating entity in response to authenticating the requestor. The signature data may be decrypted to provide a decrypted signature. The ticket may be validated in response to the request based on evaluating the decrypted signature. A response can be provided to the requestor based on the validation, and the response can grant the requestor access to the given resource if the validation determines the ticket to be authentic and authorized for the given resource or the response can deny the requestor access to the given resource if the validation determines to reject the ticket.

Distributed authentication

A client application server (CAS) can include a presence layer configured to compute a published presence state for a client of the given CAS that characterizes at least one of an ability and a willingness of the client to communicate with another communication endpoint. The presence layer can also be configured to provide the published presence state for the client to a presence layer of at least another CAS according to a subscription request provided from the another CAS.

Managing presence state

A system for simulated communication is described. A simulator module generates simulated communication information. A Graphical User Interface module ('GUI module') generates graphical data based at least in part on the simulated communication information. The graphical data creates the appearance of an ongoing communication between a reserved agent and a third party user that is not yet occurring. The GUI module sends the graphical data to a display associated with the reserved agent device so that the display depicts a simulated communication.

Simulated communication

A telephony system is presented that enables a phone to access a directory and use the directory in conjunction with other phone functions. The system includes a server with a telephony management software (TMS) unit, a telephony application programming interface (TAPI) unit, and an application unit. The application unit includes a control module, a function module, a filter module, a presentation module, a phone interface module, and a storage interface module. A server sends a signal to a phone regarding the contents of a directory. A server also enables a user to navigate through the directory, filter the directory, and perform call functions on phone numbers associated with directory entries.

Directory features in a distributed telephony system

A unified communication server or Client Application Server (CAS) comprises a client communication module, a status determination module, an operation determination module, an object manager, and a permissions module. The CAS enables communication between a client device and a plurality of communication services. The CAS receives requests for services from the client devices. The CAS interacts with a plurality of service providers offering different functionality and responds to requests or provides listings of available services in a unified manner despite the service offerings and service providers being disparate. The present invention also includes a number of methods including a method for operating a unified communication server, a method for generating a list of possible operations, a method for determining the status of a user and a method for determining permissions of a user.

Server for providing unified communications

A system for providing enhanced history information across multiple clients comprises a call application server having a history system, a telephony system and a history cache. The call application server advantageously maintains a history records for each user of the system. The enhanced history system is particularly advantageous because regardless of the endpoint (e.g., phone, thin client, personal call manager or standalone IP phone) with which the user is interacting, the history information specifically for that user is delivered by the call application server to that endpoint. Furthermore, the call application server allows the user to access history information using end points which heretofore were unable to provide history functionality. Finally, the call application server makes the history records universal across all endpoints with which the user interacts, in contrast to prior art, which had limited call history information specific to a particular endpoint.

Maintaining history information for a user across multiple types of end points

A system and a method are disclosed for reducing interaction between a server and an endpoint while executing features on an endpoint. The endpoint, and not the application server, includes part or all of the implementation of UI logic and feature logic. The endpoint therefore does not have to rely on server's instructions for executing a feature. The endpoint also includes an endpoint determination module for determining the parts of the UI logic and feature logic implemented on the endpoint and the parts implemented on a switch or a server.

Telephony system with intelligent endpoints or intelligent switches to reduce dependency of endpoints on application server

A telephony system is presented that enables one user to monitor another user's extension and perform functions on calls destined for the other user's extension. The system includes a server with a telephony management software (TMS) unit, a telephony application programming interface (TAPI) unit, and an application unit. The application unit includes a control module, association module, presentation module, park module, monitoring device interface module, and storage interface module. A server sends information to a monitoring device regarding the status of a monitored extension and calls offering on that extension. A server also enables a user to navigate through multiple calls offering and park a selected call.

Extension monitoring in a distributed telephony system

One or more possibilities that are normally displayed in response to input from a user are augmented with real time information. Displaying real time information for one or more of the possibilities enables the user to take such information into account in deciding whether or not to continue with an action that the user was in the process of performing. For example, if a partial data entry provided by the user is indicative of an extension number to be dialed to place a phone call, and if a telephone call manager that receives the user's input displays call activity indicating that the user's intended callee is already on the phone, the user may decide to wait until the callee becomes available (as indicated by a change in callee's call activity).

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Bend, OR, United States of America

Michael S W Tovino