PBX with short messaging service on a telephone display

Abstract

Method and apparatus for sending and displaying short messages from data network users which are linked to a telephonic network. The telephonic network comprises telephones, each with a display for visually displaying short messages to subscribers of the telephonic network. The apparatus holds a dialogue between the data network users and a software agent embedded in the telephonic network. The dialogue provides the telephonic network the content, the sender ID and the address information of each short message, stores the content and address information in a database, and displays the content of the messages on the telephone display of each destined subscriber.

1 . A method for sending and displaying short messages from at least one data network user to at least one subscriber of a telephonic network, said telephonic network having at least one telephone, said at least one telephone having a display for visually displaying said short messages.  
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising holding a dialogue between the data network users and a software agent embedded in the telephonic network, said dialogue providing said telephonic network the content and the address information of each short message, storing said content and address information in a database, and displaying the content of said messages on the telephone display of each destined subscriber.  
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the short message is sent as a single message, said message containing the content and the address information of each short message.  
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one telephone from said plurality of telephones having a display and an indicating circuitry for providing indications about arriving messages.  
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said telephonic network is a PBX.  
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the telephonic network is connected to said data network via a LAN, said LAN connecting a plurality of local users and being capable of exchanging addressable data between each data network user and each local user.  
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one telephone of said telephonic network having a display, an indicating circuitry for providing indications about arriving messages, and means for retrieving messages from said database.  
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein the storage of short messages comprises: 
 a) generating a first data structure, in which all messages destined to the same extension are linked;    b) generating a second data structure, in which each message is separately stored according to its destined extension;    c) storing each arriving short message in said second data structure;    d) organizing said stored short messages with links between messages destined to the same extension; and    e) storing said linked messages and the remaining unlinked messages in said first data structure.    
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the data network is a packet switched network.  
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the data network is the Internet or an Intranet.  
     
     
         11 . Apparatus for receiving and displaying short messages from at least one data network user to at least one telephone of a telephonic network, said at least one telephone having a display for visually displaying said short messages, in which, said at least one telephone is connected to a PBX, which comprises: circuitry and software for receiving a message from said data network users, and circuitry for displaying the content of said messages on the telephone display of each destined subscriber.  
     
     
         12 . Apparatus according to  claim 11 , further comprising a call manager embedded in the telephonic network, circuitry for providing said call manager the content, the sender ID and the address information of each short message, a database, and circuitry for storing said content and address information in said database.  
     
     
         13 . Apparatus according to  claim 11 , further comprising telephones with no display.  
     
     
         14 . Apparatus according to  claim 11 , comprising circuitry for storing messages for retrieval, and circuitry for providing retrieval.  
     
     
         15 . Apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein at least one telephone from said plurality of telephones having a display and an indicating circuitry for providing indications about arriving messages.  
     
     
         16 . Apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein said telephonic network is directly connected to said data network.  
     
     
         17 . Apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein said telephonic network is connected to said data network via a IAN, said LAN connecting a plurality of local users and being capable of exchanging addressable data between each data network user and each local user.  
     
     
         18 . Apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the data network is a packet switched network.  
     
     
         19 . Apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein said data network is an IP network.  
     
     
         20 . Apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the circuitry comprises a plurality of peripheral interface cards being connected to telephonic subscribers and/or to a LAN for establishing communication paths between said telephonic subscribers and a plurality of data network users via said LAN.