Call Forwarding Based on Determination of Status of Destination
First Claim
1. A method of forwarding a call from a calling party to a called party, the method comprising:
- receiving the call from the calling party;
retrieving call processing instructions from a control device;
determining, prior to forwarding the call, whether a user of the destination station to which the call processing instructions indicate the call is to be forwarded accepts or rejects the call that is to be forwarded, the determination of whether a user of the destination station accepts or rejects the call being made even if the destination station is determined to be available;
wherein the call processing instructions include a telephone number of the destination station if the destination station is available and the user of the destination station accepts the call; and
wherein alternative call processing instructions are retrieved if the destination station is not available or the user of the destination station rejects the call.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a call forwarding system, a call from a calling party for a called party is received at a switching device and in response to the received call the switching device issues a request for call processing instructions to a control device. The call processing instructions request is received at the control device and in response to the received request the control device checks with the destination station to determine the availability thereof. The control device returns call processing instructions to the switching device including a telephone number of the destination station if the destination station is available. Similarly, the control device returns alternative call processing instructions to the switching device if the destination station is not available.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of forwarding a call from a calling party to a called party, the method comprising:
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receiving the call from the calling party;
retrieving call processing instructions from a control device;
determining, prior to forwarding the call, whether a user of the destination station to which the call processing instructions indicate the call is to be forwarded accepts or rejects the call that is to be forwarded, the determination of whether a user of the destination station accepts or rejects the call being made even if the destination station is determined to be available;
wherein the call processing instructions include a telephone number of the destination station if the destination station is available and the user of the destination station accepts the call; and
wherein alternative call processing instructions are retrieved if the destination station is not available or the user of the destination station rejects the call. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. One or more computer-readable media comprising instructions for forwarding a call from a calling party to a called party, the instructions comprising instructions for:
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receiving the call from the calling party;
retrieving call processing instructions from a control device;
determining, prior to forwarding the call, whether a user of the destination station to which the call processing instructions indicate the call is to be forwarded accepts or rejects the call that is to be forwarded, the determination of whether a user of the destination station accepts or rejects the call being made even if the destination station is determined to be available;
wherein the call processing instructions include a telephone number of the destination station if the destination station is available and the user of the destination station accepts the call; and
wherein alternative call processing instructions are retrieved if the destination station is not available or the user of the destination station rejects the call. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A call forwarding system comprising:
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a controller configured to;
receive a service request for call processing instructions for a call from a calling party, retrieve call processing instructions for the call, determine whether a user of a destination station to which the call processing instructions indicate the call is to be forwarded accepts or rejects the call that is to be forwarded, the determination of whether a user of the destination station accepts or rejects the call being made even if the destination station is determined to be available, and forwarding the call processing instructions if the destination station is available and a user of the destination station accepts the call, wherein the call processing instructions include a telephone number of the destination station if the destination station is available and the user of the destination station accepts the call; and
wherein alternative call processing instructions are retrieved if the destination station is not available or the user of the destination station rejects the call. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification