IP Phone Functionality in Windows CE (Windows CE 5.0)
Windows CE provides two major areas of IP phone functionality:
- Software that implements common IP phone features, either directly or by using other code. These pieces of functionality do not provide a user interface (UI).
- A full-featured UI - the Telephony User Interface (TUI) - that ties the non-UI IP phone functionality together and provides a display to users.
The following diagram shows how the pieces of IP phone functionality included with Windows CE relate.
Note This diagram does not include general Windows CE functionality, even if the IP phone implementation in Windows CE uses this functionality. For example, you can use the Device Management functionality in Windows CE to update the run-time image on an IP phone, but the Device Management Catalog item is not included in the diagram.
.gif "ms907366.tui(en-us,MSDN.10).gif")
The TUI provides UI screens and integration with IP phone hardware buttons. For more information about TUI, see Telephony User Interface Functionality.
TUI obtains most of its underlying functionality from these underlying software modules or components:
- VoIP Application Interface Layer (VAIL). Provides an API for call control, media transport, and call and caller information storage. For more information, see Non-UI IP Phone Functionality.
- Real-time Communications (RTC). Includes a SIP stack that provides call control, presence, and instant messaging functionality. Also provides an RTP implementation for media transport. For more information, see Real-time Communications.
- Exchange Client. Accesses an Exchange server to obtain contact, global address list, and schedule information. For more information, see Non-UI IP Phone Functionality.
- PC integration (PC Authentication). Enables the phone to display private information in a different way depending on whether an associated PC is locked or unlocked. For more information, see Non-UI IP Phone Functionality.
This modular architecture enables you to customize the IP phone you develop.
Without modifying TUI, you can replace components or customize the implementation of a component. By modifying TUI, you can provide additional custom functionality. Because the functionality is provided by distinct pieces of software, you can create solutions using code you have written or purchased from other companies.
VAIL and TUI functionality use RTC. VAIL provides call control and media transport using RTC. TUI provides presence information and instant messaging using RTC. RTC in turn uses its SIP and RTP stacks to implement this functionality. These components can be customized and used independently. For example, you can use your own SIP stack for call control and RTC for media transport.
See Also
Send Feedback on this topic to the authors