PBX DID and E and M tie trunk integration adapter and method

Claim 2

Adapter apparatus for interfacing between a telephone central office and a private branch exchange (PBX), where said PBX also interfaces with a plurality of telephone extensions and with a voice message system, said apparatus comprising means for detecting and saving a called extension number sent by a central office from a calling party on a direct in dial (DID) trunk line into said PBX, means for detecting if the telephone extension corresponding to said called extension number is busy or does not answer, means, when said called extension is busy or does not answer, for holding up said DID trunk line from said central office, and terminating the call to said PBX, means for signaling said PBX to connect said adapter apparatus through said PBX to said voice message system, means for signaling said voice message system with said saved called extension number, and means for connecting said calling party on said DID trunk line from said central office through said PBX to said voice message system.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for signaling said PBX includes means for originating a new call request on said DID trunk line to said PBX, and means for signaling the extension number of a hunt group representing a group of extensions connected to said voice message system via a group of extension ports in said hunt group.

Claim 4

In an adapter for interfacing between a telephone central office and a private branch exchange (PBX) where said PBX also interfaces with a plurality of telephone extensions and with a voice message system, the method comprising the steps of detecting and saving a called extension number sent by said central office from a calling party on a direct in dial (DID) trunk line into said PBX, detecting if the telephone extension corresponding to said called extension number is busy or does not answer, holding up said DID trunk line from said central office when said extension is busy or does not answer, and terminating the call to said PBX, signaling said PBX to connect said adapter through said PBX to said voice message system, signaling said voice message system with said saved called extension number, and connecting said calling party on said DID trunk line from said central office through said PBX to said voice message system.

Claim 5

In an adapter for interfacing between a telephone central office and a private branch exchange (PBX) where said PBX also interfaces with a plurality of telephone extensions and with a voice message system, the method comprising the steps of detecting and saving a called extension number sent by said central office from a calling party on a direct in dial (DID) trunk line into said PBX, detecting if the telephone extension corresponding to said called extension number is busy or does not answer, holding up said DID trunk line from said central office when said extension is busy or does not answer, and terminating the call to said PBX, signaling said PBX to connect said adapter through said PBX to said voice message system, signaling said voice message system with said saved called extension number, and connecting said calling party on said DID trunk line from said central office through said PBX to said voice message system.

Claim 6

In a telephone system, including a central office, a private branch exchange (PBX), a signaling and voice connection between said central office and said PBX, a plurality of telephone extensions, and a voice message system, adapter apparatus comprising means interfacing between said connection and said PBX for detecting and saving a desired extension number of one of said telephone extensions sent by said central office from a calling party on said trunk line into said PBX, and means for permitting said calling party to be automaticlly connected to an assigned mailbox in said voice message system corresponding to said desired extension number when the desired telephone extension is busy or does not answer.

Claim 7

In a telephone system, including a central office, a private branch exchange (PBX), a signaling and voice connection between said central office and said PBX, a plurality of telephone extensions, and a voice message system, adapter apparatus comprising means interfacing between said connection and said PBX for detecting and saving a desired extension number of one of said telephone extensions sent by said central office from a calling party on said trunk line into said PBX, and means for permitting said calling party to be automaticlly connected to an assigned mailbox in said voice message system corresponding to said desired extension number when the desired telephone extension is busy or does not answer.

Claim 8

The apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said connection is a direct in dial trunk line.

Claim 9

Adapter apparatus for interfacing between an originating private branch exchange (PBX) or tandem switch connected to a destination private branch exchange (PBX) using an E&M tie trunk line where said destination PBX interfaces with a plurality of telephone extensions and with a voice message system, said apparatus comprising means for detecting and saving a called extension number sent by said originating PBX on said E&M tie trunk line from a calling party into said destination PBX, means for detecting if a telephone extension corresponding to said called extension is busy or does not answer, means, when said called extension is busy or does not answer, for holding up said E&M tie trunk line from said originating PBX, and means to terminate the call to said PBX, means for signaling said destination PBX to connect said adapter through said destination PBX to said voice message system, means for signaling said voice message system with said saved called extention number, and means for connecting said calling party on said E&M tie trunk line from said originating PBX through said destination PBX to said voice message system.

Claim 10

Adapter apparatus for interfacing between an originating private branch exchange (PBX) or tandem switch connected to a destination private branch exchange (PBX) using an E&M tie trunk line where said destination PBX interfaces with a plurality of telephone extensions and with a voice message system, said apparatus comprising means for detecting and saving a called extension number sent by said originating PBX on said E&M tie trunk line from a calling party into said destination PBX, means for detecting if a telephone extension corresponding to said called extension is busy or does not answer, means, when said called extension is busy or does not answer, for holding up said E&M tie trunk line from said originating PBX, and means to terminate the call to said PBX, means for signaling said destination PBX to connect said adapter through said destination PBX to said voice message system, means for signaling said voice message system with said saved called extention number, and means for connecting said calling party on said E&M tie trunk line from said originating PBX through said destination PBX to said voice message system.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said means for signaling said destination PBX includes means for originating a new call request on said E&M tie trunk line to said destination PBX, and means for sending the extension number of a hunt group representing a group of extensions connected to said voice message system connected to said destination PBX via a group of extension ports in said hunt group.

Claim 12

In an adapter for interfacing between an originating PBX or tandem switch and a destination private branch exchange (PBX) where said destination PBX also interfaces with a plurality of telephone extensions and with a voice message system, the method comprising the steps of detecting and saving an extension number sent by said originating PBX from a calling party on an E&M tie trunk line into said destination PBX, detecting if the telephone extension corresponding to said called extension number is busy or does not answer, holding up said E&M tie trunk line from said central office when said called extension number is busy or does not answer, and terminating the call to said destination PBX, signaling said destination PBX to connect said adapter through said destination PBX to said voice message system, signaling said voice message system with said saved called extension number, and connecting said calling party on said E&M tie trunk line from said central office through said destination PBX to said voice message system.

Claim 13

In an adapter for interfacing between an originating PBX or tandem switch and a destination private branch exchange (PBX) where said destination PBX also interfaces with a plurality of telephone extensions and with a voice message system, the method comprising the steps of detecting and saving an extension number sent by said originating PBX from a calling party on an E&M tie trunk line into said destination PBX, detecting if the telephone extension corresponding to said called extension number is busy or does not answer, holding up said E&M tie trunk line from said central office when said called extension number is busy or does not answer, and terminating the call to said destination PBX, signaling said destination PBX to connect said adapter through said destination PBX to said voice message system, signaling said voice message system with said saved called extension number, and connecting said calling party on said E&M tie trunk line from said central office through said destination PBX to said voice message system.

Claim 14

Apparatus for use in a telephone system, including an originating private branch exchange (PBX) or tandem switch, a destination private branch exchange (PBX), a signaling and voice connection between said originating PBX or tandem switch and said destination PBX, a plurality of telephone extensions, and a voice message system, said apparatus comprising means interfacing between said connection and said destination PBX for detecting and saving a desired extension number of one of said telephone extensions sent by said originating PBX or tandem switch from a calling party on said connection into said destination PBX, and means for permitting said calling party to be automatically connected to an assigned mailbox in said voice message system corresponding to said desired extension number when the desired telephone extension is busy or does not answer.

Claim 15

Apparatus for use in a telephone system, including an originating private branch exchange (PBX) or tandem switch, a destination private branch exchange (PBX), a signaling and voice connection between said originating PBX or tandem switch and said destination PBX, a plurality of telephone extensions, and a voice message system, said apparatus comprising means interfacing between said connection and said destination PBX for detecting and saving a desired extension number of one of said telephone extensions sent by said originating PBX or tandem switch from a calling party on said connection into said destination PBX, and means for permitting said calling party to be automatically connected to an assigned mailbox in said voice message system corresponding to said desired extension number when the desired telephone extension is busy or does not answer.

Claim 16

The apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said connection is an E&M tie trunk line.