Mitel Corporation, working in cooperation with Intel and Microsoft, has developed the world's first commercially available USB (Universal Serial Bus)-ready telephone. The "Mitel Personal Assistant"* includes a USB telephone hardware device with a standard RJ-11 connector together with a PC application that provides a unique Graphical User Interface (GUI) for call management and a unified in-box for fax, e-mail and voice mail messaging.

Mitel was first to demonstrate a USB-ready telephone at Spring '96 PC Expo in June with the company's TAPI (Telephone Applications Programming Interface)-compliant application, Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft's USB-enabled Windows 95 operating system. The demonstration included transferring a voice message from the phone to a PC via USB and storing the message in the Microsoft Exchange unified message in-box.

USB development tools
Mitel's product development effort made extensive use of Intel development tools, including the Intel 82930 Evaluation Board, the 8x930Ax USB controller and the host Peripheral Development Kit. The first phase of development employed host driver software developed by Intel Architecture Labs and later moved to the Microsoft software stack, reports Mitel Engineering Advisor Graham Thompson.

"We have enjoyed working with Intel on this project," says Thompson. "They have provided tools and silicon enabling us to meet our 'first-to-market' objective. They have been, and continue to be, extremely receptive to Mitel input into their product plans."

Prototyping with the Intel 8x930Ax USB Controller
Thompson adds that the use of the Intel 8x930Ax USB controller enabled Mitel to prototype the USB-ready telephone, allowing engineering evaluation and familiarization with USB technology. Prototyping also enabled Mitel to conduct end-user focus groups with devices that closely resembled the final product.

Mitel Corporation is a leading international communications products supplier, that designs, manufactures and markets systems, sub-systems and microelectronic components for the telephony, CTI (computer telephony integration) and communications industries.