Call restriction arrangement

Claim 2

In a telephone switching system having a plurality of telephone stations, a call restriction arrangement comprising: means responsive to the initiation of a call in said telephone switching system for generating a distinctive signal indicative of the type of call that has been initiated; means for defining the types of calls prohibited to each station of said plurality of telephone stations, wherein said defining means are responsive to said initiated call for generating a distinctive signal indicative of the types of calls prohibited to the one of said plurality of telephone stations associated with said initiated call; rerouting means responsive to the concurrent generation of distinctive signals by said generating means and said defining means indicative that said initiated call is one of said types of calls prohibited to the one of said plurality of telephone stations associated with said initiated call for rerouting said initiated call to one of a plurality of alternate destinations.

Claim 3

The invention of claim 1 wherein said rerouting means contains destination means wherein said destination means are responsive to said defining means for selecting said one of said plurality of alternate destinations to which said initiated call is rerouted.

Claim 4

The invention of claim 2 wherein said call restriction arrangement additionally comprises: means for storing data representative of the original destination of said initiated call; means for expunging said representative data from said storage means, wherein said expunging means are responsive to said rerouting means; means responsive to said expunging means for generating rerouting data representative of said one of said plurality of alternate destinations selected by said destination means; means for inputting said rerouting data into said storage means wherein said inputting means are responsive to said data generating means; and means responsive to said inputting means for completing said initiated call to said one of said plurality of alternate destinations represented by said rerouting data.

Claim 5

The invention of claim 3 wherein said plurality of alternate destinations includes one or more attendant positions.

Claim 6

The invention of claim 3 wherein said plurality of alternate destinations includes one or more tone trunks.

Claim 7

The invention of claim 3 wherein said plurality of alternate destinations includes one or more of said plurality of telephone stations.

Claim 8

The invention of claim 3 wherein said plurality of alternate destinations includes one or more recorded announcement trunks.

Claim 9

In a telephone switching system, having a plurality of telephone stations wherein each of said telephone stations is assigned one of a plurality of classes of service indicative of the types of calls prohibited to said telephone station, a call restriction arrangement comprising: first signal generating means responsive to the initiation of a call in said telephone switching system for generating a distinctive signal indicative of the class of service assigned to the telephone station associated with said initiated call; second signal generating means responsive to said initiated call for producing a distinctive signal indicative of the type of call corresponding to said initiated call; restriction definition means responsive to the production of distinctive signals by said first signal generating means and said second signal generating means for determining whether said initiated call is one of the types of calls prohibited by said class of service assigned to said telephone station associated with said initiated call; prohibition means responsive to a determination by said restriction definition means that said initiated call is prohibited by said indicated class of service for inhibiting completion of said initiated call; selection means responsive to said prohibition means for selecting one of a plurality of alternate destinations for said initiated call; and rerouting means responsive to said selection means for rerouting said prohibited initiated call to said one of said plurality of alternate destinations selected by said selection means.

Claim 10

In a telephone switching system, having a plurality of telephone stations wherein each of said telephone stations is assigned one of a plurality of classes of service indicative of the types of calls prohibited to said telephone station, a call restriction arrangement comprising: first signal generating means responsive to the initiation of a call in said telephone switching system for generating a distinctive signal indicative of the class of service assigned to the telephone station associated with said initiated call; second signal generating means responsive to said initiated call for producing a distinctive signal indicative of the type of call corresponding to said initiated call; restriction definition means responsive to the production of distinctive signals by said first signal generating means and said second signal generating means for determining whether said initiated call is one of the types of calls prohibited by said class of service assigned to said telephone station associated with said initiated call; prohibition means responsive to a determination by said restriction definition means that said initiated call is prohibited by said indicated class of service for inhibiting completion of said initiated call; selection means responsive to said prohibition means for selecting one of a plurality of alternate destinations for said initiated call; and rerouting means responsive to said selection means for rerouting said prohibited initiated call to said one of said plurality of alternate destinations selected by said selection means.

Claim 11

The invention of claim 8 wherein said selection means are responsive to said distinctive signal indicative of said class of service for selecting said one of said plurality of alternate destinations to which said initiated cell is rerouted.

Claim 12

The invention of claim 9 wherein said call restriction arrangement additionally comprises: means for storing data representative of the original description of said initiated call; means for expunging said representative data from said storage means, wherein said expunging means are responsive to said prohibition means; means responsive to said expunging means for generating rerouting data representative of said one of said plurality of alternate destinations selected by said selection means; means for inputting said rerouting data into said storage means wherein said inputting means are responsive to said data generating means; and means responsive to said inputting means for completing said initiated call to said one of said plurality of alternate destinations represented by said rerouting data.

Claim 13

The invention of claim 10 wherein said plurality of alternate destinations includes one or more recorded announcement trunks.

Claim 14

The invention of claim 10 wherein said plurality of alternate destinations includes one or more tone trunks.

Claim 15

The invention of claim 10 wherein said plurality of alternate destinations includes one or more of said plurality of telephone stations.

Claim 16

The invention of claim 10 wherein said plurality of alternate destinations includes one or more attendant positions.

Claim 17

The invention of claim 14 additionally comprising switching means for changing said class of service assigned to one or more of said plurality of telephone stations.

Claim 18

The invention of claim 15 wherein said switching means includes key switch means located at said attendant positions.

Claim 19

In a telephone switching system having a plurality of telephone stations, a class of service call restriction arrangement comprising: means for assigning to each of said plurality of telephone stations, one of a plurality of classes of service, indicative of the types of calls prohibited to each of said plurality of telephone stations, wherein said assignment means are responsive to the initiation of a call in said telephone switching system for generating a class of service indication indicative of the class of service assigned to the one of said plurality of telephone stations associated with said initiated call; first definition means jointly responsive to said assignment means and to said initiated call for generating a distinctive signal indicative of the types of calls prohibited to the telephone station associated with said initiated call; comparison means jointly responsive to said initiated call and to said distinctive signal for generating a prohibition signal whenever said initiated call is one of the types of calls indicated by said distinctive signal to be prohibited to said telephone station associated with said initiated call; and rerouting means jointly responsive to said class of service indication and to said prohibition signal for rerouting said initiated call to one of a plurality of alternate destinations.

Claim 20

In a telephone switching system having a plurality of telephone stations, a class of service call restriction arrangement comprising: means for assigning to each of said plurality of telephone stations, one of a plurality of classes of service, indicative of the types of calls prohibited to each of said plurality of telephone stations, wherein said assignment means are responsive to the initiation of a call in said telephone switching system for generating a class of service indication indicative of the class of service assigned to the one of said plurality of telephone stations associated with said initiated call; first definition means jointly responsive to said assignment means and to said initiated call for generating a distinctive signal indicative of the types of calls prohibited to the telephone station associated with said initiated call; comparison means jointly responsive to said initiated call and to said distinctive signal for generating a prohibition signal whenever said initiated call is one of the types of calls indicated by said distinctive signal to be prohibited to said telephone station associated with said initiated call; and rerouting means jointly responsive to said class of service indication and to said prohibition signal for rerouting said initiated call to one of a plurality of alternate destinations.