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The present invention improves upon the prior art approaches described herein by employing a "Setless Extender" (also referred to herein as "Setless Gateway"), co-located with a local telephone system, e.g., a PBX system, that is equipped with a "proxy" function. As used herein, the term "set" is used to denote a general telephone device. The term "setless" is used herein to describe the lack of a direct connection to a telephone device. Thus, a Setless Extender describes a device, associated with a PBX system, that provides PBX functions to a user without requiring a direct connection from the user to the PBX system. The setless extender is permanently connected to the PBX, but has an on-demand connection to the user. For a "receive" (i.e., incoming) call, the setless extender signals the user's telephone device (by placing a call or some other mechanism) and if the call is answered and accepted, it routes the received call's voice to the telephone device. For a "place" (i.e., outgoing) call, the user connects to the setless extender (by dialing in or some other mechanism), is authenticated (via password and/or dialback), and issues commands to go offhook and send dialing digits. In both cases the setless extender monitors the connection for user commands that can invoke features of the PBX and routes voice from the PBX to the user's telephone device.

The advantages of the proxy as described herein are as follows 1) It is automated 2) It supervises the calls placed and received 3) It rings the telephone device concurrently with the receive call (i.e., the calling party does not experience delay) 4) The user can access all the call features and telephone facilities accessible via their deskset without the need for a physical deskset 5) It extends the line to a remote location 6) It supports "receive" and "place" call usage 7) It can offer more advanced security features 8) It can support a broad range of telephone devices 9) The user can modify its characteristics. For example, the "call forwarding" feature of directing a receive call to a remote, external telephone device can be enabled/disabled via remote commands originated by the user. 10) The user can be notified that a receive call to the extended telephone device is being forwarded from the PBX (i.e., "call acceptance" feature) 11) User can change destination of call forwarding feature "on the fly." If the current destination (e.g., the user's regular cell phone) fails, the user can contact the proxy and change the phone number to which future calls should be forwarded (e.g., to a secondary cell phone or another remote telephone device).

Since the user actively accepts any incoming PBX call, the Setless Extender user can choose to be "connected" to the work world and accept the call, or choose to be "disconnected" and ignore the call. The caller is not forwarded to the worker's cell phone network, but rather stays in the corporate PBX to be typically sent to the worker's corporate voicemail system. The user actually has two options if he/she wishes to be disconnected from the work world. In one case, the user can enable call forwarding, but decline to accept a call that is forwarded. In the other case, the user can disable call forwarding, so that incoming calls to the PBX are handled by the PBX system directly, without being transferred to a remote telephone device.

Users are now able to originate calls from a Setless Extender by using keypad entries to simulate digital deskset actions. For example, pressing `*` `*` `*` equates to <Offhook>; pressing `#` `#` `T` equates to the <Transfer> key. Outgoing calls originate from the PBX. Calls to the PBX are automatically forwarded to the "Setless" extended phone. Other embodiments of the invention may include decoding non-DTMF voice information as PBX commands (e.g., the user may say "Hold" instead of pressing `#` `#` `H`.

The foregoing and other objects are achieved by the invention which in one aspect comprises a system for extending a local telephone system to a remote telephone device, including a PBX system that includes a first bearer channel and a second bearer channel, and a setless gateway. The setless gateway is electrically coupled to the first bearer channel and to the second bearer channel of the PBX system. The system establishes a communications path from the remote telephone device to the setless gateway via the second bearer channel of the PBX system. The system further establishes a communications path from the setless gateway to a public switched telephone network via the first bearer channel of the PBX system. The setless gateway provides a communications path between the first bearer channel and the second bearer channel.

In another embodiment of the invention, the setless gateway receives one or more signaling commands from a remote source, and responds to the one or more signaling commands by performing one or more functions corresponding to the one or more signaling commands.

In another embodiment of the invention, the remote source includes the remote telephone device.

In another embodiment of the invention, the remote telephone device produces one or more DTMF signals that correspond to the one or more signaling commands.

In another embodiment of the invention, the setless gateway receives and recognizes one or more voice commands that correspond to the one or more signaling commands.

Another embodiment of the invention further includes a data network coupled to the setless gateway. The data network is also coupled to a computer system such that the setless gateway communicates with the computer system via the data network. The remote source providing the signaling commands includes the computer system.

In another embodiment of the invention, the setless gateway first detects an incoming call from the public switched telephone network via the first bearer channel, then places an outgoing call to the remote telephone device via the second bearer channel.

In another embodiment of the invention, the setless gateway loops the incoming call to the remote telephone device via the second bearer channel if remote telephone device answers the outgoing call.

In another embodiment of the invention, the setless gateway directs the PBX system to handle the incoming call if the remote telephone device does not answer the outgoing call.

In another embodiment of the invention, the remote telephone device provides one or more signaling commands to the setless gateway directing the setless gateway to forward the incoming call to the remote telephone device via the second bearer channel.

In another embodiment of the invention, the remote telephone device provides one or more signaling commands to the setless gateway directing the setless gateway to forward the incoming call to the remote telephone device via the second bearer channel, and to allow the PBX system to handle the incoming call if the remote telephone device does not accept the incoming call.

In another embodiment of the invention, the remote telephone device provides one or more signaling commands to the setless gateway that direct the setless gateway to not forward the incoming call to the remote telephone device via the second bearer channel. Rather, those signaling commands cause the setless gateway to allow the PBX system to handle the incoming call.

In another embodiment of the invention, the remote telephone device places a call to the direct inward dialing number associated with the second bearer channel, the setless gateway directs the PBX system to accept the call from the remote telephone device, and the setless gateway provides a communications path from the second bearer channel to the first bearer channel. In this embodiment, the system provides the remote telephone device access to the public switched telephone network via the PBX system.

In another embodiment of the invention, the setless gateway further requires authentication from the remote telephone device prior to providing the communications path from the second bearer channel to the first bearer channel.

In another embodiment of the invention, the setless gateway further calls the remote telephone device back prior to providing the communications path from the second bearer channel to the first bearer channel.

In another embodiment of the invention, the remote telephone device provides one or more signaling commands to the PBX system through a series path that includes the second bearer channel, the setless gateway, and the first bearer channel.

In another embodiment of the invention, the remote telephone device produces one or more DTMF signals corresponding to the one or more signaling commands.

In another aspect, the invention comprises a system for extending a local telephone system to a remote telephone device. The system includes a first communications path from the remote telephone device to a setless gateway via a second bearer channel of a PBX system. The system also includes a second communications path from the setless gateway to a public switched telephone network via a first bearer channel of the PBX system. The system further includes a third communications path between the first bearer channel and the second bearer channel through the setless gateway. The system provides an overall communications path from the remote device to the public switched telephone network via the PBX system, such that the remote telephone device has access to one or more features provided by the PBX system.

In another aspect, the invention comprises a system for extending a local telephone system to a remote telephone device. The system includes means for establishing a communications path from the remote telephone device to a setless gateway via a second bearer channel of a PBX system. The system also includes means for establishing a communications path from the setless gateway to a public switched telephone network via a first bearer channel of the PBX system. The system also includes means for providing a communications path between the first bearer channel and the second bearer channel through the setless gateway.

In another aspect, the invention comprises an extending system for forwarding an incoming call to a remote telephone device from a local telephone system. The extending system includes a PBX system including a first bearer channel and a second bearer channel, and a setless gateway, electrically coupled to the first bearer channel and the second bearer channel of the PBX system. The setless gateway receives the incoming call via the first bearer channel, the setless gateway establishes a connection to the remote telephone device through the PBX system via the second bearer channel, and the setless gateway routes the first bearer channel to the second bearer channel.

In another embodiment of the invention, the remote telephone device selectively provides a positive acceptance indication to the setless gateway as a condition to accepting the incoming call.

In another embodiment of the invention, the positive acceptance indication includes one or more signaling commands generated by corresponding keystrokes on the remote telephone device.

In another embodiment of the invention, the remote telephone device provides one or more signaling commands to the setless gateway directing the setless gateway to forward the incoming call to the remote telephone device via the second bearer channel.

In another embodiment of the invention, the remote telephone device provides one or more signaling commands to the setless gateway directing the setless gateway not to forward the incoming call to the remote telephone device via the second bearer channel. These signaling commands direct the setless gateway to allow the PBX system to handle the incoming call.

In another aspect, the invention comprises a method of extending a local telephone system to a remote telephone device. The method includes establishing a communications path from the remote telephone device to a setless gateway via a second bearer channel of a PBX system. The method further includes establishing a communications path from the setless gateway to a public switched telephone network via a first bearer channel of the PBX system. The method also includes providing a communications path between the first bearer channel and the second bearer channel through the setless gateway.

In another aspect, the invention comprises an extending system for extending a local telephone system to a remote telephone device. The extending system includes a PBX system having a first bearer channel, a setless gateway, electrically coupled to the first bearer channel of the PBX system, and a direct link from the remote telephone device to the setless gateway. The extending system establishes a communications path from the remote telephone device to the setless gateway via the direct link to the setless gateway. The extending system further establishes a communications path from the setless gateway to a public switched telephone network via the first bearer channel of the PBX system. The setless gateway provides a communications path between the first bearer channel and the second bearer channel.

In another aspect, the invention comprises an extending system for extending a local telephone system to a remote telephone device. The extending system includes a first communications path from the remote telephone device to a setless gateway via a direct link. The extending system further includes a second communications path from the setless gateway to a public switched telephone network via a first bearer channel of the PBX system. The extending system also includes a third communications path between the first bearer channel and the second bearer channel through the setless gateway. The system provides an overall communications path from the remote device to the public switched telephone network via the PBX system, such that the remote telephone device has access to one or more features provided by the PBX system.

In another aspect, the invention comprises a method of extending a local telephone system to a remote telephone device. The method includes providing a first communications path from the remote telephone device to a setless gateway via a direct link to the setless gateway. The method further includes providing a second communications path from the setless gateway to a public switched telephone network via a first bearer channel of a PBX system. The method also includes providing a third communications path between the first bearer channel and the second bearer channel. The method provides an overall communications path from the remote device to the public switched telephone network via the PBX system, such that the remote telephone device has access to one or more features provided by the PBX system.

Check out our own system here at A.I. by giving us a call. We route calls throughout the world, but all of our agents are here in the United States.  Many of our teams are have members in various states all connected with similar technology.

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