Method for carrying out a service for appointment management as well as a server, subscriber switch and terminal

The invention relates to a method for performing a service for Schedule management according to the preamble of claim 1, and a Server a subscriber switching device and a terminal Terilnehmer therefor.

The management of the daily routine, for example, with respect to telephone calls Voice conferencing, video conferencing, personal meetings or meetings with several parties, requires extensive appointments. Dabe frequently it to scheduling conflicts. This is to eliminate a considerable time and effort associated, particularly when for these tasks is not staffed staffed secretariat. Of particular importance here is the synchronous communication. On continuous work flow is not possible, if a constantly tolling Phone permanently forcing interruptions.

Known support so-called groupware solutions such as Lotus Notes communication within workgroups. This solution, however, only within companies and equipment of employees with appropriate hardware and software possible. For clear Scheduling and management are also on the Internet or corporate intranet available online calendars known. a high profile has for example the Internet Calendar Internet service provider YAHOO achieved. However, these online calendars are accessible only by means of appropriate Internet terminals. In addition, these online calendars have no connection existing telephone networks.

The invention is based on the object of providing a method and means for Increase effectiveness of communication within and outside Company to create.

The object is achieved by a method according to the teaching of claim 1, and a server according to the teaching of claim 8, a Local exchange according to the teaching of claim 11 or a Terminal achieved according to the teaching according to the teaching of claim 12th

The service for appointment management is a kind of electronic Secretariat represents and manages in particular the meeting times of Employee, with no restriction on individual Forms of communication occurs. About personal communication masks specifies a subscriber time slot to which he for certain Forms of communication available. Setting the Communication mask is made by the user via a suitable Terminal. Here, the communication mask either in the terminal itself or in a server, which means an appropriate terminal is called to be saved. Via a graphical preferably UI is the user his personal calendar shown. This calendar is divided into several areas, where displayed particular days of the week or hours of the day will. In the calendar fields can be suitably specify time ranges for different forms of communication. These are, for example, telephone calls, Sprachkonfer Enets, Video conferences, personal meetings or meetings with one or several parties. So the user can specify, for example, that he every day except Saturday and Sunday 9:00 to 11:00 for incoming phone calls is available, or that he at one given day 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. visitor receives or Meetings can participate.

In a further embodiment, the user can for certain time window specify that certain actions carried out or certain Information on calling subscriber is transmitted. It can also for certain time frame certain callers to be transferred specify options.

Advantageous developments emerge from the dependent claims or are below with reference to an embodiment described.

Below, the term subscriber is on described both for Methods participating person as well as the by the persons used terminal be used.

A (participants) A communicates with a (participants) B. B has in this example an electronic secretary.<ul><li>B establishes communication mask for incoming Phone calls a. The mask defined time window, a daily time window from 9:00 is provided until 11.00 am. Within this window, the participant takes B calls contrary. Outside of these times are for incoming calls an announcement will be connected with a voice menu. The Language menu will allow the caller in an emergency Nevertheless an immediate call to the subscriber B can cause.</li><li>A chooses to 17:00 on his phone the phone number of B.</li><li>The telecommunications system is connected to the B, switches the incoming call automatically to an announcement device. This announcement means tells the caller A, B that currently not want to be disturbed.</li><li>In addition, the announcement device to announce that B an electronic Secretariat has, on the one about favorable times can inform accordingly the communication mask. The Announcement may also indicate on which way for this Meetings can be organized. </li><li>The announcement means informed of the possible alternatives for the further procedure of A:<sl><li>1. A can hang up and, via a corresponding terminal For example, a personal computer, connect to the receive electronic Secretariat.</li><li>2. A can be obtained by selecting a certain number on his Phone in an urgent case a direct call to Participants B cause.</li><li>3. A can by selecting another point an announcement Listening to him, the time window for the receipt of Telephone calls telling by B.</li><li>4. If A uses a terminal that allows this, it can be directly, for example, by choosing a particular point a Connecting to the electronic Secretariat. To is preferably a WAP-enabled device.</li></sl></li></ul>

Selecting one of the options by the announcement device offered, may through touch tone or voice commands occur.<ul><li>If A is connected to the electronic secretary of B appear on the terminal display a menu from which particular you have these options:</li><li>The desired form of communication, namely telephone conversation, Voice conferencing, video conferencing, personal meeting, meeting with several parties or other form of communication,</li><li>the required time, namely as soon as possible, today at ... AM, morning, in ... days, this week, this month or another time,</li><li>the expected time period for communication, namely, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, ... hours, 1 day, or other Time period, and</li><li>the reason for the communication desire.</li></ul>

Some of these options require additional information, namely particular location information when a personal meeting or a Meeting to be held at a particular location.<ul><li>After selecting the desired options and enter additional Information will be forwarded this information to a program, which is located on a server on the Internet or Intranet. This program has access to a database, which the Schedule of B hosts.</li><li>The program determines consideration of the adjusted Communication masks at least one possible date for the desired communication and causes the display of this Information on the display of the terminal A.</li><li>A confirmed the date or select a date from the proposed appointments made. It may also the proposed dates refuse. In this case, the Program looking for an alternative date.</li><li>A disconnects from the electronic secretary of B.</li><li>If, at the agreed form of communication to electronic communication, the parameters are the passed telecommunications system that the agreed Time automatically causes the establishment of a connection.</li></ul>

The announcement means may also utilize an Internet subscriber address report (URL) on the electronic Secretariat in-house can be reached on the Internet or Intranet.

The service described is also suitable for managing meeting rooms, the rental of equipment and for other management tasks. Also conceivable is a private use. For example, is a Participants basically every Thursday 19:00 to 22:00 not by telephone because he in this period usually for Bowling goes. He therefore establishes communication mask. This triggers during the time slot 19:00 to 22:00 every Thursday an action so from that every incoming call is switched to an announcement. The announcement includes a voice menu, in the Choose the caller can, if he wants to leave a message or if his reputation directly to Bowling Alley to be diverted.<ul><li>The owner of an online date section manages this through a WEB page on the intranet or Internet, to which it suitable to a Terminal, for example PC, Screen Phone, WAP-enabled Mobile device or WAP-enabled organizer, accesses. He can date information on all assigned dates certain confirm or cancel appointments or add your own dates modify or delete. About upcoming appointments he is nearing Start automatically notified if there is not a electronic form of communication is. This can be through sending a Short Message SMS to his mobile telephone, by a call with a corresponding message or by an e-mail done. If a name already in futures or deleted changed, an automatic notification of affected communication partner. This may in turn by the Sending short messages SMS, by phone calls with a appropriate announcement or by e-mail.</li></ul>

The communication forms and functions for calendar management need not necessarily be stored in a server. You can also as a standalone feature a subscriber switching device the connected subscribers available to stand. It is also conceivable, the corresponding functions in a integrating terminal. If the case can at the beginning or at the End of certain time window corresponding instructions to perform given the proposed actions, including the Vermittiungseinrichtung will. In this way, as a diversion, an announcement or certain appointment management functions are realized.

The invention is not limited to the above-stated Embodiment. Rather, a number of variants are conceivable, which contain the basic idea of ​​the invention.