Reference13r3:Concept App SoftphoneApp

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There are also other versions of this article available: Reference13r1 | Reference13r3 (this version)


Applies To

  • innovaphone PBX from version 13r3
  • myApps clients version 13r3

Requirements

  • innovaphone PBX
  • myApps native client (Windows, MacOS, iOS or Android) or a Browser (Chrome, Firefox, ...)
  • App(phone) and App(softphone) license per user.
  • Port license per user having a registered softphone

Compatibility

  • Softphone App running in a myApps 13r3 native client is not compatible with a 13r2/13r1 PBX.

Concept

Configuration

The Softphone App is directly loaded from the PBX either in a native client or in a brower.

For configuring the softphone app at a user object

  1. enable the app "softphone".
  2. activate the App(softphone) and App(phone) licenses.
  3. create a device for registration and configure "softphone" as the device app.

Additionally users can add a softphone and the corresponding device themselves using the Profile App, as long as (1.) and (2.) are already configured by the admin.

Standard App, Wake and Push mechanism

myApps client allows to define a default app for telephony.

If the Softphone App is defined as the default app, the PBX will wake the softphone if the user receives a call and the softphone is not running.

Technical Overview

Native client

If the softphone App is loaded in a native client, a signaling module establishes the registration to the PBX and handles signaling messages for the calls.

That means a running Web UI is not needed to establish a connection to the PBX and to start and receive calls. Main advantages of this solution are:

  • Calls are signaled to the user even if the UI is not opened (important in mobile environment to present the call faster to the user)
  • Calls are not terminated if the UI is closed


A first start of myApps triggers an automatic launch of the Softphone App (defined as Standard App) in order to get PBX url, app, hardware id and credentials for connecting to the PBX.

This information is stored locally in the operating system and is only accessible by the user (e.g. Windows Registry).

Following starts of myApps do not require to launch the Softphone since the signaling module is able to connect to the PBX with the stored information.

If the Softphone App is removed as standard app this data is deleted from the operating system. Therefore anytime a new Softphone App is defined as standard app it will be started automatically in order to get the information.

Once myApps is started the signaling module automatically opens a websocket connection to the PBX and registers to it. At this point the signaling module is able to receive calls (as mentioned before this is really important with mobile devices)

While the UI is still not running a native notification will be presented to the user in order to accept or reject the call. In the meantime the Softphone UI will be started since it is defined as standard app but the good point is that the user does not have to wait until the Softphone UI is fully loaded like it happened in 13r1 or 13r2 versions.

If the call is accepted before the Softphone UI runs it will only have audio. Video will be added later if the "Autostart video" setting is on.

When the Softphone UI is started it opens a websocket connection to the new signaling module in order to monitor the calls and to send user commands (terminate call, appSharing, view mode, mute, add/remove video, ...) to the module.

If the softphone interface is closed during a call, the calls are switched to audio and a new notification is displayed to be able to disconnect the call.

Browser

If the Softphone App is loaded in a browser, it uses the WebRTC technology.

The registration to the PBX and signaling is done in Javascript and therefore the Softphone UI needs to run in order to make and receive calls.

This solution does not offer some features which are provided by the native services.

Features

Some functionalities are available even if the Softphone UI is not running and there are also differences between native clients and browsers

Softphone UI not running

Feature Availability
Windows iOS Android macOS Browser[1]
Audio calls only
Accept/reject incoming calls (using OS notification)
Disconnect calls (using OS notification)
Possibility to record calls Recording


Use cases:

  • Smartphones: On the smartphones incoming calls (via Push) can be accepted, while the UI is still loading.
  • Windows: Call is not disconnected when closing Softphone App inside myApps.


Additional features with Softphone UI

In-call feature

Feature Availability
Windows iOS Android macOS Browser[2]
Media: Multi-Video, application sharing, non-persistent chat
Call control: Hold, transfer, park, DTMF
Local 3-party-conference
Additional conference control: Request to speak, list of participants
Display recording state. Start / stop recording?
Call completion
Hide own number, send number
Start external application for call (automatic or manual) External Applications
Detach video
Acoustic "Blubb" when joining a conference

General features (not call-related)

Feature Availability
Windows iOS Android macOS Browser[3]
Favorites (profile picture, dialog monitoring, start call, start chat, pickup, transfer)
Call history (profile picture, start call, start chat, transfer)
Search (profile picture, contact details, start call, start chat, transfer)
Call forwardings (display and configuration)
Call waiting
New ringtones added in 13r3

Other features

Additionally Android Auto is now supported and we also did a general rework of the Softphone UI:

  • Multi-video support in conferences (similar to Conference Web Access)
  • Improved usability

Known problems

Related Articles

  1. This refers to the myApps web application running in a browser with no platform services available
  2. This refers to the myApps web application running in a browser with no platform services available
  3. This refers to the myApps web application running in a browser with no platform services available