Abstract: A method is disclosed that enables a user of one telecommunications terminal that is engaged in a call to move or “extend” the call to a second telecommunications terminal without notifying any other party on the call of the move. This is particularly useful in many situations. For example, the user might be at work and engaged in a call with a client on the user's wireline desk telephone. If the user needs to leave the office, the user can extend the call to his or her cell phone, while the call is in progress, without notifying the client. This enables the user to leave the office and continue the call on his or her cell phone without having the client ever know that the user is on his or her cell phone and not in the office.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed that enable a telecommunications terminal to securely receive unsolicited content from applications that are external to the terminal. In particular, the present invention enables the terminal to control the interaction with external applications by using a secure, two-task process. In the two-task process of the present invention, the execution of the second task is based on verifying the trustworthiness of address information that is provided in the first task. This is in contrast to a one-task process, in which an untrustworthy server that provides content might hide its own address by substituting a legitimate address.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods are disclosed that provide a plurality of telecommunications management features to a telecommunications terminal that is associated with a corresponding terminal through a private branch exchange. In particular, the illustrative embodiment enables a user to manage the simultaneous use of and interaction between associated telecommunications terminals. This capability can be particularly advantageous when on-premises telecommunications terminals are associated with off-premises telecommunications terminals.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods are disclosed that enable a user to access a telecommunications feature of a private branch exchange (e.g., call forwarding, automatic callback, etc.) by calling, from an off-premises telecommunications terminal, a telephone number that routes to the private branch exchange and that corresponds to the feature. When the telephone number is called, the corresponding telecommunications feature is activated or deactivated, as appropriate. For example, calling “555-1111” from might activate automatic callback, and calling “555-2222” might deactivate automatic callback.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods are disclosed that enable a user of an off-premises telecommunications terminal (e.g., an employee's cell phone, etc.) that is affiliated with a private branch exchange to call the private branch exchange, specifying a desired telephone number to call in the Public Switched Telephone Network. The private branch exchange then calls the desired telephone number, transmitting an on-premises telephone number (e.g., the employee's office phone number, etc.) as the calling party number of the call. In the illustrative embodiment, the on-premises telephone number that is transmitted as the calling party number is determined by referring to a table of off-premises and on-premises telephone numbers that are coupled with each other. Similarly, the present invention enables the user of the off-premises terminal to transfer calls and conference in other parties while providing the corresponding on-premises telephone number to the called party.

Abstract: A method is disclosed that enables a data-processing system, such as a private branch exchange, to detect and disconnect looping communication channels, without some of the costs, disadvantages, and limitations of techniques in the prior art. The illustrative embodiment of the present invention provides detection of looping communication channels at the point where the loop begins. By detecting at the beginning point of the loop, the illustrative embodiment has the advantage of de-allocating call resources sooner than some techniques in the prior art. This enables the call resources to be reused faster for subsequent incoming and outgoing calls. Faster reuse is advantageous because it can lower the call blocking characteristic, which is related to the probability of a new call not being set up due to lack of communication channel resources.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided to update information within a first network (103) via a second network (102) when communication no longer exists with the first network. During operation the first network is accessed via a PSTN (108) message that is never answered by the first network. Based on the called number and caller-identification information, the first network updates its system information.