System and method for adding services to computer telephone systems

Claim 2

A computer program product including a computer readable medium having computer readable program code means embodied thereon, for a computer-based telephone system for providing telephone services to incoming callers thereto, said computer program product comprising: first computer readable program code means for determining call information pertaining to an incoming telephone call; second computer readable program code means including a database for identifying a service object corresponding to said call information and for identifying a library in which said service object is defined, said service object defining a behavior of a service to be performed in response to said incoming telephone call; and third computer readable program code means for executing said service object.

Claim 3

The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein: said call information includes an identification of said incoming telephone call.

Claim 4

The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein: said call information includes an identification of the telephone number called by the caller of said incoming telephone call.

Claim 5

The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein: said call information includes identification of the time said incoming telephone call was received by said computer-based telephone system.

Claim 6

The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein: said first computer readable program code means includes a control object which queries said database for said service object identification, said service object inheriting characteristics of said control object.

Claim 7

The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein: said second computer readable program code means includes a fourth computer readable program code means for invoking an object factory function on said identified service object.

Claim 8

A computer program product including a computer readable medium having computer readable program code means embodied thereon, for a computer-based telephone system for providing telephone services to incoming callers thereto, said computer program product comprising: first computer readable program code means for determining call information pertaining to an incoming telephone call; second computer readable program code means for identifying a service object corresponding to said call information, said service object defining a behavior of a service to be performed in response to said incoming telephone call; and third computer readable program code means for executing said service object, said first computer readable program code means, said second computer readable program code means and said third computer readable program code means form a dynamically bound object-oriented system.

Claim 9

A computer program product including a computer readable medium having computer readable program code means embodied thereon, for a computer-based telephone system for providing telephone services to incoming callers thereto, said computer program product comprising: first computer readable program code means for determining call information pertaining to an incoming telephone call; second computer readable program code means for identifying a service object corresponding to said call information, said service object defining a behavior of a service to be performed in response to said incoming telephone call; and third computer readable program code means for executing said service object, said first computer readable program code means, said second computer readable program code means and said third computer readable program code means form a dynamically bound object-oriented system.

Claim 12

The method of claim 8 , wherein said accessing step comprises the step of: accessing said library based upon said identification therefor obtained in querying the database.

Claim 13

The method of claim 9 , wherein said accessing step further comprises the step of: performing an object factory function on said library.

Claim 14

The method of claim 9 , wherein said step of accessing said library comprises the steps of: loading said library; and operating on said library to receive said service object.

Claim 15

A computer-based telephone system for providing various telephone services, comprising: a processing unit; memory operatively associated with said processing unit; a plurality of service objects, each of said plurality of service objects defining a behavior corresponding to a telephone service and being defined within a library; database means, operatively associated with said memory, for storing locations of said plurality of service objects, said locations of said service objects being provided by said database means based upon call information and including identification of at least one library having said service objects; and system software stored in said memory, said system software cooperating with said processing unit in performing telephone services and including a control object, said control object determining call information pertaining to an incoming telephone call to said computer-based telephone system and requesting an identification of at least one of said service objects to perform a telephone service to the caller of the incoming telephone call, based upon the call information.

Claim 16

A computer-based telephone system for providing various telephone services, comprising: a processing unit; memory operatively associated with said processing unit; a plurality of service objects, each of said plurality of service objects defining a behavior corresponding to a telephone service and being defined within a library; database means, operatively associated with said memory, for storing locations of said plurality of service objects, said locations of said service objects being provided by said database means based upon call information and including identification of at least one library having said service objects; and system software stored in said memory, said system software cooperating with said processing unit in performing telephone services and including a control object, said control object determining call information pertaining to an incoming telephone call to said computer-based telephone system and requesting an identification of at least one of said service objects to perform a telephone service to the caller of the incoming telephone call, based upon the call information.

Claim 17

The computer-based telephone system of claim 12 , wherein: said database means further provides identification of said service object to perform said telephone service.

Claim 18

The computer-based telephone system of claim 12 , wherein: said control object invokes an object factory function on said service object identified by said database means.

Claim 19

The computer-based telephone system of claim 12 , wherein: said call information includes a telephone number corresponding to a destination of a telephone call.

Claim 20

A computer-based telephone system for providing various telephone services, comprising: a processing unit; memory operatively associated with said processing unit; a plurality of service objects that are dynamically bound, each of said plurality of service objects defining a behavior corresponding to a telephone service; and system software stored in said memory, said system software cooperating with said processing unit in performing telephone services and including a control object, said control object determining call information pertaining to an incoming telephone call to said computer-based telephone system and requesting an identification of at least one of the service objects to perform a telephone service to the caller of the incoming call, based upon the call information.

Claim 21

A computer-based telephone system for providing various telephone services, comprising: a processing unit; memory operatively associated with said processing unit; a plurality of service objects that are dynamically bound, each of said plurality of service objects defining a behavior corresponding to a telephone service; and system software stored in said memory, said system software cooperating with said processing unit in performing telephone services and including a control object, said control object determining call information pertaining to an incoming telephone call to said computer-based telephone system and requesting an identification of at least one of the service objects to perform a telephone service to the caller of the incoming call, based upon the call information.

Claim 22

A computer program product including a computer readable medium having computer readable program code means embodied thereon, for a computer-based telephone system for providing telephone services to incoming callers thereto, said computer program product comprising instructions for: determining call information pertaining to an incoming telephone call; querying a configuration database for and receiving therefrom an identification of a library having a plurality of service objects including an appropriate service object to perform a telephone service to a caller of the incoming telephone call, based upon the call information; receiving from the library an identification of the appropriate service object within the library; receiving the appropriate service object from the library, the appropriate service object defining a behavior of the telephone service to be performed for the caller of the incoming telephone call; and executing said appropriate service object.

Claim 23

A computer program product including a computer readable medium having computer readable program code means embodied thereon, for a computer-based telephone system for providing telephone services to incoming callers thereto, said computer program product comprising instructions for: determining call information pertaining to an incoming telephone call; querying a configuration database for and receiving therefrom an identification of a library having a plurality of service objects including an appropriate service object to perform a telephone service to a caller of the incoming telephone call, based upon the call information; receiving from the library an identification of the appropriate service object within the library; receiving the appropriate service object from the library, the appropriate service object defining a behavior of the telephone service to be performed for the caller of the incoming telephone call; and executing said appropriate service object.

Claim 24

The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein: said call information includes an identification of said incoming telephone call.

Claim 25

The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein: said call information includes an identification of the telephone number called by the caller of said incoming telephone call.

Claim 26

The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein: said call information includes identification of the time the incoming telephone call was received by said computer-based telephone system.

Claim 27

The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein at least some of said instructions form a control object and said appropriate service object is adapted to inherit characteristics of said control object.

Claim 28

The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein said control object, said service objects and said configuration database form a dynamically bound object-oriented system.

Claim 29

The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein the instruction for querying the configuration database queries the configuration database for the identification of the library having the appropriate service object from a plurality of libraries of service objects.

Claim 32

The method of claim 24 , further comprising: performing an object factory function on said library to receive the identification of the appropriate service object.

Claim 33

The method of claim 24 , further comprising: loading said library; and operating on said library to receive said appropriate service object.

Claim 34

A computer-based telephone system for providing various telephone services, said computer-based telephone system comprising: a processing unit; a memory operatively associated with said processing unit; a plurality of libraries stored in said memory, each library having one or more service objects therein, each said service object defining a behavior of a telephone service; a configuration database, stored in said memory, having information relating to the plurality of libraries; and system software stored in said memory, said system software cooperating with said processing unit in performing telephone services, including a control object, said system software determining call information pertaining to a telephone caller, querying the configuration database for and receiving therefrom an identification of the library having the appropriate service object to perform the telephone service for the telephone caller, based upon the call information, receiving from the identified library an identification of the appropriate service object within the library, receiving the appropriate service object from the identified library, the appropriate service object defining a behavior of the service to be performed for the telephone caller, and executing said appropriate service object.

Claim 35

A computer-based telephone system for providing various telephone services, said computer-based telephone system comprising: a processing unit; a memory operatively associated with said processing unit; a plurality of libraries stored in said memory, each library having one or more service objects therein, each said service object defining a behavior of a telephone service; a configuration database, stored in said memory, having information relating to the plurality of libraries; and system software stored in said memory, said system software cooperating with said processing unit in performing telephone services, including a control object, said system software determining call information pertaining to a telephone caller, querying the configuration database for and receiving therefrom an identification of the library having the appropriate service object to perform the telephone service for the telephone caller, based upon the call information, receiving from the identified library an identification of the appropriate service object within the library, receiving the appropriate service object from the identified library, the appropriate service object defining a behavior of the service to be performed for the telephone caller, and executing said appropriate service object.

Claim 36

The computer-based telephone system of claim 27 , wherein: said configuration database further provides an identification of said appropriate service object to perform the telephone service.

Claim 37

The computer-based telephone system of claim 27 , wherein: said control object invokes an object factory function on said appropriate service object identified by said configuration database.

Claim 38

The computer-based telephone system of claim 27 , wherein: said call information includes a telephone number corresponding to the telephone caller.

Claim 39

The computer-based telephone system of claim 27 , wherein: said one or more service objects are dynamically bound.

Claim 40

A computer program product including a computer readable medium having computer readable program code means embodied thereon, for a computer-based telephone system for updating telephone services performed by the computer-based telephone system to incoming callers, said computer program product comprising instructions for: defining a new service object corresponding to a new service to be selectively performed by the computer-based telephone system; adding the new service object to a library of service objects maintained by the computer-based telephone system, said new service object defining a behavior of the new service object to be selectively performed; and updating a configuration table associated with the library and maintained by the computer-based telephone system, to reflect the new service object being in the library, the configuration table identifying the library from a plurality of libraries having service objects.

Claim 41

A computer program product including a computer readable medium having computer readable program code means embodied thereon, for a computer-based telephone system for updating telephone services performed by the computer-based telephone system to incoming callers, said computer program product comprising instructions for: defining a new service object corresponding to a new service to be selectively performed by the computer-based telephone system; adding the new service object to a library of service objects maintained by the computer-based telephone system, said new service object defining a behavior of the new service object to be selectively performed; and updating a configuration table associated with the library and maintained by the computer-based telephone system, to reflect the new service object being in the library, the configuration table identifying the library from a plurality of libraries having service objects.

Claim 42

The computer program product of claim 32 , wherein the library to which the new service object is added is an existing library containing existing service objects.

Claim 43

The computer program product of claim 32 , wherein the library to which the new service object is added is a dynamic link library.

Claim 44

In a computer-based telephone system, a method for updating telephone services performed by the computer-based telephone system to incoming callers, said method characterized by including: defining a new service object corresponding to a new service to be selectively performed by the computer-based telephone system; adding the new service object to a library of service objects maintained by the computer-based telephone system, said new service object defining a behavior of the new service to be selectively performed; and updating a configuration table associated with the library and maintained by the computer-based telephone system, to reflect the new service object being in the library, the configuration table identifying the library from a plurality of libraries having service objects.

Claim 45

In a computer-based telephone system, a method for updating telephone services performed by the computer-based telephone system to incoming callers, said method characterized by including: defining a new service object corresponding to a new service to be selectively performed by the computer-based telephone system; adding the new service object to a library of service objects maintained by the computer-based telephone system, said new service object defining a behavior of the new service to be selectively performed; and updating a configuration table associated with the library and maintained by the computer-based telephone system, to reflect the new service object being in the library, the configuration table identifying the library from a plurality of libraries having service objects.

Claim 46

The method of claim 35 , wherein the library to which the new service object is added is an existing library containing existing service objects.

Claim 47

The method of claim 35 , wherein the library to which the new service object is added is a dynamic link library.