Method and system for voice call completion using information retrieved from an open application on a computing machine

摘要

A method and apparatus for call completion using information extracted from an active application (62) on a computing machine (18,20,36) is described. Call initiation may be accomplished using a "warm-line" feature in which a default number is dialled after a predetermined time of an off-hook condition of a voice terminal (34), if no digits are dialled after the voice terminal is taken off-hook. The number dialled is a number used to connect the voice terminal to Computer-controlled Telephony Integration hardware (CTI) (44). On receipt of the call, a query is sent to an IP address associated with the subscriber to retrieve information from an active application for completing a second leg of the call. The information may be a telephone number, or information which would permit the retrieval of a telephone number such as a name and address or an e-mail address. The CTI hardware is used to complete the second leg of the call and the two calls are joined together. The advantage is a fast, convenient method of completing calls without dialling digits or manually converting one form of information into a diallable number.