Data Race, Inc.

Other

W B Barker

Leven E Staples

Kenneth L Witt

Ken Witt

Disclosed is a system and method for providing a remote user with a virtual presence to an office. The method allows a user operating a remote computer system to receive a fax on a first communication line while simultaneously performing voice communications on the first communication line. The first communication line has an associated first telephone number. The remote computer system includes a user telephony communication device coupled to the first communication line. The method includes establishing a connection between the user telephony communication device and a virtual presence server. The user telephony communication device connects through the first communication line to the virtual presence server. The virtual presence server is located remotely from the user telephone communication device. A fax transmission is made to a second telephone number. The fax transmission is forwarded to the virtual presence server. The virtual presence server transits the fax transmission to the user telephony communication device. The user telephony communication device performs voice communications on the first communications line as the virtual presence server transmits the fax transmission to the user telephony communication device. The user telephony communication device is operable to receive the fax transmission for display by the user.

System and method for providing a remote user with a virtual presence to an office

A system and method for enabling a subscriber to receive incoming telephone calls on a telephone line and ring all of the telephones connected to a first conductor pair inside the subscriber's premises, wherein the first conductor pair would have normally been connected to the line. The telephones may be rung even when the subscriber is performing data communications with a remote data site on the telephone line. This obviates the necessity of the subscriber having to purchase a second telephone line for incoming calls while data communications are being performed, thus reducing access costs. The system and method shown advantageously employs a wiring device to reroute the telephone line from the first conductor pair connected to the phones to a second conductor pair normally not used. The system and method further employs a modem which receives telephone signals from the telephone line via the second conductor pair. The modem comprises a Central Office (CO) simulator circuit coupled to the first conductor pair which regenerates the telephone signals, such as a ringing voltage, to the telephones via the first conductor pair. When the modem is performing data communications with a remote data site, the remote data site also sends signals, such as data frames or IP packets, to the modem indicating that an incoming call has been placed to the telephone line. In response to the received signals, the modem controls the CO simulator to ring the extensions. The modem further comprises a relay which couples the first conductor pair to the second conductor pair when the modem is on hook with respect to the second conductor pair, thereby enabling normal speech communications to be performed by the subscriber on the telephone line. The relay couples the first conductor pair to the CO simulator when the modem is off hook with respect to the second conductor pair, thereby enabling the CO simulator to ring the telephones. In an alternate embodiment, the relay is comprised within an external wiring device coupled between the modem and conductor pairs and also includes a ring generator to alleviate the modem from having a ring generator for low power or real estate-constrained applications, such as in a notebook computer.

System and method for ringing other subscriber telephones connected to a telephone line during data communications on the telephone line

A system and method for enabling a remote user to maintain a virtual presence at a corporate office and behave substantially as if the user were physically present at the corporate office. First the remote user establishes a virtual presence connection at the corporate office, including providing identification and security information. Once the remote user is connected, the virtual presence server instructs the corporate PBX to automatically forward all calls to the remote user. The virtual presence server also routes email, faxes, and LAN data to the remote user. The virtual presence server also extends the corporate PBX and corporate LAN features to the remote user, just as if the remote user were physically located in the corporate office. According to the invention, the remote user makes outgoing telephone calls, sends faxes, transmits data, sends email and performs Internet access as if the remote user were physically present in the corporate office. The virtual presence server and/or the user communication device also performs a call forwarding operation to call forward telephone calls made to the user's home to the virtual presence server at the corporate office. These calls are then routed through the virtual presence server to the user's home. Thus the user can receive home telephone calls while the user is connected to the corporate office, wherein the home telephone calls are received on the same telephone line which is being used for the virtual presence connection.

System and method for providing a remote user with a virtual presence to

A system and method for enabling a remote user to maintain a virtual presence at a corporate office and behave substantially as if the user were physically present at the corporate office. The remote user's telephone behaves as a PBX extension, and the remote user may send and receive faxes and email, have Internet access and maintain LAN connectivity, substantially as if the user were present at the corporate office. The remote computer system includes an individual remote worker unit or communication device, and the remote computer executes virtual presence software according to the present invention. The corporate office includes a virtual presence server according to the invention which connects to the corporate PBX and also to the corporate LAN. The virtual presence server executes software which enables the remote user to maintain a virtual presence at the corporate office. First the remote user establishes a virtual presence at the corporate office, including providing identification and security information. Once the remote user is connected, the virtual presence server instructs the corporate PBX to automatically forward all calls to the remote user. The virtual presence server also routes email, faxes, and LAN data to the remote user. The virtual presence server also extends the corporate PBX and corporate LAN features to the remote user, just as if the remote user were physically located in the corporate office. According to the invention, the remote user makes outgoing telephone calls, sends faxes, transmits data, sends email and performs Internet access as if the remote user were physically present in the corporate office. Likewise, incoming calls, faxes, data transmissions and email received at the corporate office are routed to the remote user as if the remote user were physically present in the corporate office. Therefore, a co-worker or external party who telephones the user at the corporate office, or sends email or a fax to the user at the corporate office, is unaware that the user is actually not physically located at the corporate office, but rather is at a remote location. The present invention also includes methods for disconnecting and re-establishing virtual presence to reduce message rate charging.

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San Antonio, TX, United States of America

W B Barker