Method and apparatus for alerting multiple telephones for an incoming call
First Claim
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1. A method for providing alerting signals at a plurality of telephones, said method comprising:
- responsive to receiving an incoming call comprising a destination directory number at a local switching system, translating said destination directory number into one or more previously stored identifications of lines served by said local switching system and one or more previously stored directory numbers not served by said local switching system said identified lines and directory numbers being associated with said destination directory number;
alerting said one or more identified lines;
placing outgoing calls to said one or more directory numbers; and
terminating said incoming call to said one or more identified lines and directory numbers from which an answer is detected.
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Abstract
A system for alerting a plurality of telephones in response to an incoming call to a destination directory number. A handling switch sends a query to a centralized database requesting routing instructions, and the database returns the directory numbers of the plurality of telephones to be alerted for incoming calls to the destination directory number. The busy/idle status of all of the plurality of telephones is checked, and an alerting signal is sent to all idle telephones. The handling switch is notified as to which alerted telephone has an off-hook appearance first, and the incoming call is routed to that telephone.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A method for providing alerting signals at a plurality of telephones, said method comprising:
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responsive to receiving an incoming call comprising a destination directory number at a local switching system, translating said destination directory number into one or more previously stored identifications of lines served by said local switching system and one or more previously stored directory numbers not served by said local switching system said identified lines and directory numbers being associated with said destination directory number; alerting said one or more identified lines; placing outgoing calls to said one or more directory numbers; and terminating said incoming call to said one or more identified lines and directory numbers from which an answer is detected. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method for providing alerting signals at a plurality of telephones, said method comprising:
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responsive to receiving an incoming call comprising a destination directory number at a local switching system, translating said destination directory number into one or more identifications of lines served by said local switching system and one or more directory numbers not served by said local switching system; alerting said one or more identified lines; placing outgoing calls to said one or more directory numbers; terminating said incoming call to said one or more identified lines and directory number from which an answer is detected; and ceasing alerting to the other lines where answer was not detected.
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6. A method for providing alerting signals to a plurality of telephones responsive to one incoming call, said method comprising:
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receiving said call at a switching service point; said switching service point querying a database shared by a plurality of switching service points; said database sending said switching service point a primary and secondary destination telephone numbers in response to said query; said switching service point initiating calls to said primary and secondary destination telephone numbers, wherein at least one of said primary and said secondary destination telephone numbers are associated with a telephone connected to another switching service point; and terminating said incoming call to the first of said primary and secondary telephones from which answer is detected.
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7. A switching system having a processor for providing alerting signals at a plurality of telephones, said switching system comprising:
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means responsive to an incoming call comprising a destination directory number for translating said destination directory number into one or more identifications of lines served by a first local switching system and one or more directory numbers not served by said first local switching system; means for alerting said one or more identified lines; means for placing outgoing calls to said one or more directory numbers; means for determining a first of said one or more identified lines and directory numbers from which answer is detected; and means for terminating said incoming call to said first of said one or more identified lines and directory numbers responsive to said determining means. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. A method for providing alerting signals at a plurality of telephones, said method comprising:
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responsive to receiving an incoming call comprising a destination directory number at a local switching system, translating said destination directory number into one or more identifications of lines served by said local switching system and one or more directory numbers not served by said local switching system; alerting said one or more identified lines; placing outgoing calls to said one or more directory numbers; and terminating said incoming call to a first of said one or more identified lines and directory number from which answer is detected.
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Specification