EP0376525A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automated call handling apparatus
Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1989-12-08
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-12-08
Abstract
Abstract A computer connected to an ISDN switch via an ISDN digital subscriber line, has shared call appearances with a number of telephone stations connected to the switch and on the basis of shared call appearance associated messages from the switch, controls the forwarding of calls directed to the stations with which it has a shared call appearance. The associated messages are interpreted by the computer, which generates station status information. The computer responds to messages associated with predefined ones of the stations to select an alternate destination for the call and to transmit ISDN messages to the switch to cause the call to be forwarded to the selected alternate destination. Calls may be forwarded depending on call type, called number or other criteria. The computer responds to calls forwarded to it in the event that an associated station is busy and connects a holding party to the principal phone when the principal phone is no longer busy. The computer may be connected simultaneously to several ISDN switches via ISDN subscriber lines to receive shared call appearance associated messages from the several switching systems and forward calls for a telephone station connected to one switch, to a telephone station connected to another switch.
Inventors
- 👤 Wayne Alan Davidson
- 👤 Diana Schlag Winter
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 10:25
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/54; H04M3/546; H04M3/42314; H04M3/50; H04M3/51; H04Q; H04Q11/00; H04Q11/04; H04Q11/0428; H04Q2213/00; H04Q2213/1322; H04Q2213/13282
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
87 words
Automated call handling apparatus for use with a telecommunication switching system transmitting associated messages corresponding to call handling information exchanged between said switching system and a telephone station connected thereto, comprising: means for connecting said apparatus to said system; and means responsive to certain of said associated messages indicating an incoming call to said telephone station for selecting an alternate destination for said call and for transmitting to said switching system digital messages for causing said switching system to transfer said call to said selected alternate destination.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
87 words
Automated call handling apparatus for use with a telecommunication switching system transmitting associated messages corresponding to call handling information exchanged between said switching system and a telephone station connected thereto, comprising: means for connecting said apparatus to said system; and means responsive to certain of said associated messages indicating an incoming call to said telephone station for selecting an alternate destination for said call and for transmitting to said switching system digital messages for causing said switching system to transfer said call to said selected alternate destination.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
Automated call handling apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said switching system comprises a plurality of subscriber lines, wherein said station is connected to one of said subscriber lines and wherein said means for selecting is responsive to associated messages transmitted on another of said subscriber lines.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
Automated call handling apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein said other subscriber line is an ISDN subscriber line and said means for selecting is responsive to ISDN shared call appearance associated messages.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
Automated call handling apparatus in accordance with claim 1, and further comprising means for recording information defining different alternate destinations for different types of calls to said station and wherein said means for selecting selects said alternate destination on the basis of said recorded information and call type information defined by said associated messages.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
58 words
Automated call handling apparatus in accordance with claim 1, and further comprising means for recording information defining the identity of certain calls to said station to be forwarded and wherein said means for selecting is responsive to said recorded information and data defined by said associated messages identifying one of said certain calls to select said alternate destination.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
91 words
Automated call handling apparatus in accordance with claim 1, and further comprising: means for recording a first and a second alternate destination for calls directed to said telephone station; and means for recording the identity of calls forwarded to a first alternate destination; and wherein said means for selecting is responsive to said certain of said associated messages for selecting said second alternate destination when said certain associated messages define data identified in said means for recording as relating to a call having been previously forwarded to said first alternate destination.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
91 words
Automated call handling apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising; memory means for recording information defining call activity status of said alternate destination; and wherein said means for selecting is responsive to certain of said associated messages for recording said status information in said memory means and responsive to other of said associated messages and to said recorded information to transmit said digital messages for causing said switching system to connect said call to said selected alternate destination only when the recorded information indicates that the alternate station is idle.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
82 words
Automated call handling apparatus for use with a telecommunication switching system, said system transmitting associated messages corresponding to call handling information exchanged between said switching system and a telecommunication station connected to said system, comprising: computing means; data recording means for recording data; and means for connecting said computing means to said system; said computing means responsive to said associated messages for recording in said recording means data defining call activity for said station and data defining unanswered calls to said station.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
82 words
Automated call handling apparatus for use with a telecommunication switching system, said system transmitting associated messages corresponding to call handling information exchanged between said switching system and a telecommunication station connected to said system, comprising: computing means; data recording means for recording data; and means for connecting said computing means to said system; said computing means responsive to said associated messages for recording in said recording means data defining call activity for said station and data defining unanswered calls to said station.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
48 words
Automated call handling apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein said system comprises subscriber lines for connection to said system and said station is connected to one of said subscriber lines, and wherein said computing means is responsive to associated messages transmitted on another of said subscriber lines.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
Automated call handling apparatus in accordance with claim 9, wherein said other subscriber line is an ISDN line and said computer means is responsive to ISDN shared call appearance associated messages.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
121 words
Call forwarding apparatus for use with a plurality of telecommunication switching systems, each of said systems transmitting associated messages corresponding to call handling information exchanged between said switching systems and telecommunication stations connected to said systems, said apparatus comprising: computer means; and means for connecting said computer means to each of said systems; said computer means responsive to associated messages from one of said systems indicating an incoming call to a station connected to said one system for selecting for said call an alternate destination station connected to another of said systems, and for transmitting to said one system call handling information for causing said one system to connect said call to said alternate destination station connected to said other system.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
121 words
Call forwarding apparatus for use with a plurality of telecommunication switching systems, each of said systems transmitting associated messages corresponding to call handling information exchanged between said switching systems and telecommunication stations connected to said systems, said apparatus comprising: computer means; and means for connecting said computer means to each of said systems; said computer means responsive to associated messages from one of said systems indicating an incoming call to a station connected to said one system for selecting for said call an alternate destination station connected to another of said systems, and for transmitting to said one system call handling information for causing said one system to connect said call to said alternate destination station connected to said other system.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
Call forwarding apparatus in accordance with claim 11, wherein said telecommunication systems are ISDN systems and said computer means is responsive to ISDN shared call appearance associated messages.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
62 words
Call forwarding apparatus in accordance with claim 11 and further comprising means for recording information defining different alternate destinations for different types of calls to said station connected to said one system, and wherein said computer means selects said alternate destination station on the basis of said recorded information and call type information defined by said associated messages from said one system.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
59 words
Call forwarding apparatus in accordance with claim 11 and further comprising means for recording information defining the identity of certain calls to said station connected to said one system, and wherein said computer means is responsive to said recorded data and data defined by said associated messages identifying one of said certain calls to select said alternate destination station.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
90 words
Call forwarding apparatus in accordance with claim 11, and further comprising: means for recording information defining call activity status for said alternate destination station; and wherein said computer means is responsive to certain of said associated messages for recording said status information in said memory means and responsive to other of said associated messages and said recorded information for transmitting said call handling information for causing said one system to connect said call to said alternate destination station only when said recorded information indicates that said alternate station is idle.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
112 words
Automated call handling apparatus for use with a telecommunication switching system, transmitting associated messages corresponding to call handling information exchanged between said switching system and a telecommunication station connected to said system, said system responsive to an incoming call to forward said call to a predetermined subscriber number when said station is busy, said apparatus comprising: computer means; and means for connecting said computer means to said system; said computer means responsive to a call forwarded to said predetermined number and to said associated messages to transmit to said switching system call handling information for causing said system to connect said call to said station when said station is no longer busy.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
112 words
Automated call handling apparatus for use with a telecommunication switching system, transmitting associated messages corresponding to call handling information exchanged between said switching system and a telecommunication station connected to said system, said system responsive to an incoming call to forward said call to a predetermined subscriber number when said station is busy, said apparatus comprising: computer means; and means for connecting said computer means to said system; said computer means responsive to a call forwarded to said predetermined number and to said associated messages to transmit to said switching system call handling information for causing said system to connect said call to said station when said station is no longer busy.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
65 words
Automated call handling apparatus in accordance with claim 16 and further comprising recorded announcement means, and wherein said computer is responsive to said forwarded call to connect said call to said announcement means prior to transmitting said call handling information and is responsive to information received in response to connecting said call to said announcement means for transmitting a call waiting indication to said station.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
81 words
A method of forwarding telephone calls in a computer connected to a switching system, comprising the steps of: receiving at said computer associated messages corresponding to call handling messages exchanged between said system and a predetermined station connected to said system; in response to said associated messages, recognizing an incoming call to said station; selecting an alternate destination for said call; and transmitting to said system digital messages for causing said system to forward said call to said selected alternate destination.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
81 words
A method of forwarding telephone calls in a computer connected to a switching system, comprising the steps of: receiving at said computer associated messages corresponding to call handling messages exchanged between said system and a predetermined station connected to said system; in response to said associated messages, recognizing an incoming call to said station; selecting an alternate destination for said call; and transmitting to said system digital messages for causing said system to forward said call to said selected alternate destination.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
63 words
The method in accordance with claim 18, wherein the step of transmitting includes the steps of transmitting a message for causing said system to set up a call between said computer and said selected station and the step of sending a message for causing said system to interconnect said incoming call and said call set up between said computer and said selected station.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
120 words
A method of screening in a computer an incoming call for a predetermined station forwarded to said computer from a switching system connected to said computer and transmitting to said computer associated messages indicative of call handling information exchanged between said predetermined station and said switching system, comprising the steps of: answering said call by the computer; connecting said call to recorded announcement equipment connected to said computer; in response to signalling received in association with said call, transmitting to said station a message indicating that a call is waiting; and in response to an associated message from said switching system, transmitting to said system call handling messages for causing said system to connect said incoming call to said station.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
120 words
A method of screening in a computer an incoming call for a predetermined station forwarded to said computer from a switching system connected to said computer and transmitting to said computer associated messages indicative of call handling information exchanged between said predetermined station and said switching system, comprising the steps of: answering said call by the computer; connecting said call to recorded announcement equipment connected to said computer; in response to signalling received in association with said call, transmitting to said station a message indicating that a call is waiting; and in response to an associated message from said switching system, transmitting to said system call handling messages for causing said system to connect said incoming call to said station.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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