Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of informing an agent of a follow-up call to the agent from a telephone subscriber comprised of on receiving the follow-up call from the telephone subscriber, detecting that the agent is busy, storing a callback number of the telephone subscriber, storing at least part of a message provided by the telephone subscriber in association with the callback number, determining the identity of a specific agent to which the call is to be directed, and routing the message and the callback number to the specific agent when the specific agent becomes free.

Abstract: A distributed voice system and method provides voice scripting and voice messaging to a call processing system. According to this system and method, audio voice is recorded in frames and the frames encapsulated into data packets. The data packets are stored in a database as voice scripts or voice messages. To play back a voice script or voice message, its packets are sequentially retrieved from the database. As soon as the first packet is retrieved, the data are extracted therefrom and playback can begin. As the voice is being played back to a user 106, subsequent packets are retrieved, the data extracted therefrom, and the data buffered for playback. In this manner, a voice script or a voice message can be played back without interruption.

Abstract: A system and method for preventing fraudulent calling activities of computer data systems such as a Private Branch Exchanges (PBX) accessed through dial-up telephone lines via a remote maintenance or administration port. The system is readily adaptable to existing PBX systems without the need to alter PBX hardware or software configurations. The system includes a device to passively monitor calling activity conducted through the remote port of the PBX without alerting the caller in order to detect a condition of activity indicative of fraud. The monitoring device may include rule based expert system software to analyze call transmission data for activities outside the norm that are indicative of fraud. Alternatively, the monitoring device may include software or hardware for comparing call digit origination data to a database of authorized call activity contained within the monitoring device.

Abstract: In a method for automatically controlling a call-waiting-interruption restriction for a communication system, a subscriber is supplied with a call-waiting service permitting an interruption processing when an interruption call occurs. The subscriber is also supplied with a call-waiting-interruption restriction service for restricting the interruption processing even when the interruption call occurs. The interruption processing to the second subscriber is automatically restricted, when a first subscriber supplied with the call-waiting-interruption restriction service is in communication with a second subscriber supplied with the call-waiting service.

Abstract: A system (10) includes a calling party (12) that initiates a call to a ported customer (14). Upon receiving the call from calling party (12), switch (16) generates a trigger indicating that ported customer (14) is now being serviced by another switch (20). Switch (16) transfers the call to a service node (22) that includes a database (28) containing routing information. Service node (22) routes the call to switch (20) now providing service to ported customer (14). Several variations of calls to ported customer (14) are described.

Abstract: A method for controlling the flow of a first call record campaign to a second call record campaign, by a telephony system. Wherein after determining that a first call record campaign is not being driven to its maximum capacity and there are no more call records to dial, the system assigns a second campaign attribute to agents having a first campaign attribute. In response, the system initiates processing of the second call record campaign by processing a call record from the second call record campaign. The system detects the completion of additional call records from the first call record campaign and initiates processing of a corresponding number of call records from the second call record campaign, thereby seamlessly transitioning from the ending of the first call record campaign to the beginning of the second call record campaign.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is provided for forwarding incoming calls by utilizing a subscriber defined routing list. The routing list may comprise alternate telephone numbers to which calls placed to the subscriber's number(s) will be routed. Subscribers may establish routing lists that allow incoming calls to be forwarded to other numbers for either all of their numbers or for selected groups of one or more numbers. Each group of numbers is identified by a unique group number. Incoming calls are forwarded according to a time-of-day or day-of-week, a percentage allocation, a specific date, an originating location of the calling party, or inputs by the calling party to prompts. Subscribers may use the group number to activate and configure forwarding options associated with subscriber numbers associated with the group.

Abstract: Calls made to a toll-free 800 service subscriber are routed to a subscriber's primary location via a telephone network switch operating in conjunction with a specially configured adjunct processor. The adjunct processor routes the call from the calling party to the primary location through a first call leg extending between the calling party, switch and adjunct processor. A second call leg is extended from the adjunct processor, through the switch to an alternate destination. The first and second call legs are bridged within the adjunct processor for completing the call from the calling party to the alternate location. After the called is bridged, the two call legs are released to and from the adjunct processor while merging the two legs within the switch so as to conserve adjunct processor resources for further incoming calls.

Abstract: A telephone answering device includes a digital recording and playback circuit for digitizing, recording and playing back a message from a telephone line; an audio random access memory for storing messages digitized by the digital recording and playback circuit; and a control unit, coupled to the audio random access memory. The control unit initially performs a test of only part of the memory in an amount sufficient to enable a user to perform predetermined basic functions, immediately after power is supplied to the device, without testing a remainder of the memory. Thereafter, a continuous repetitive series of tests of at least the remainder of the memory is performed while waiting for user input, to determine failed sections of the memory that are to be avoided during recording of a message. The failed sections of the memory, that are to be avoided during recording of a message after the determination, are marked.

Abstract: A telephony voice response system includes a database language sequencer, a database control module having a plurality of procedures callable by the database language for performing database operations, and a telephony control module having a plurality of procedures callable by the database language sequencer for performing telephony operations. The telephony operations can include speaking a predefined prompt onto a telephony channel, receiving and storing DTMF-encoded input from the telephony channel, and recording audio input from the telephony channel. The database language sequencer calls the database control module procedures and the telephony control module procedures in a sequence defined by a program prepared according to a database language. The telephony voice response system can control multiple telephony channels by running a separate task for each such channel under a multitasking operating system.

Abstract: A first chip card is provided for use in a telecommunications terminal which is connected in a telecommunications network. The first chip card exchanges signaling and data directly with the telecommunications network at the telecommunications terminal. The first chip card includes a signaling and dam processor for processing the signaling and data exchanged with the telecommunications network and a signaling and data memory for storing signaling and data received from the telecommunications network and for storing signaling and data processed by the signaling and data processor. A telecommunications protocol processor of the first chip card processes multiple telecommunications protocols including both telecommunications protocols for radios and telecommunications protocols for wired communications. When the first chip card is inserted in the telecommunications terminal, the functionality of the telecommunications terminal is solely determined by the first chip card.

Abstract: The appliance includes: a memory containing a series of telephone numbers; means for addressing said memory; dialing means suitable for transforming an address number into a sequence of multifrequency signals; and a first transducer suitable for transforming said sequence into acoustic signals, and capable of being coupled to the microphone of a telephone handset. According to the invention, the memory further contains, for each number, at least one associated voice signature; a second transducer is provided suitable for picking up a looked-for name as uttered by the user; voice recognition means are provided suitable for analyzing a picked-up name and for transforming it into an associated voice signature; and addressing means are provided comprising association means suitable for finding data in the memory that correspond to that provided by the voice recognition means and for addressing the corresponding position in the memory.

Abstract: A communication system comprising a controller (1) arranged for service implementation. The controller (1) is arranged for extracting a service logical program from a data bank (3) after the controller has received parameters transmitted by a terminal unit (6), and for activating a service in response to a service logical program and second parameters and, in response to a service logical program and first parameters, for providing a service for a subscriber and for transmitting at least one service parameter to the terminal unit (6, 8) and/or, in response to a service logical program and fourth parameters, for deleting a subscriber's authorization to use a service.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for establishing a virtual private line with automatic ring down is provided. The virtual private line uses the SS7 switching network of present telephone systems coupled between the customer premises equipment of two virtual private line customers.

Abstract: The invention relates to an information system for a PABX (1) having extensions (B1-B5), a switchboard (2) for manual switching operations, and a direct inward dialling (DDI) function for switching calls provided with a DDI code directly to the PABX extensions. In the invention, the majority of incoming calls to the PABX are controlled by the information system of the invention, which comprises a database (21) maintaining status information on PABX subscribers, and a central processing unit CPU (20) connected to the database and to a voice message unit (22) controlled by the CPU on the basis of status information retrieved from the database, to deliver the desired voice messages to the calling party.

Abstract: A method of operating a telecommunication network to route a first phone call, from a caller to a channel of a free position of a plurality of positions at a selected destination of a network subscriber, based on voice and data transport capability, and for connecting a second phone call from the caller to a second channel of the same free position to create a multi-channel data call is disclosed. The selected destination is one of a plurality of destinations selected by the network subscriber identified by a common telephone number. Each of the plurality of positions is associated with a discrete telephone number. A plurality of discriminators common to both voice and data calls are established for the call. An additional data rate discriminator is established for a data call corresponding to a requested data rate for the calling party. A database is accessed in response to receiving the common telephone from the calling party for obtaining a destination number for data calls.

Abstract: A method of operating a telecommunication network to route a multi-channel call, made up of phone calls placed at substantially the same time, from a caller at a calling number to an agent position at a selected destination of a network subscriber, based on voice and data transport capability, for increased bandwidth communication is disclosed. The selected destination is one of multiple destinations selected by the network subscriber identified by a common telephone number. Each of the phone calls are associated with a plurality of discriminators common to both voice and data calls. An additional data rate discriminator is established which corresponds to a data rate used by the caller when the phone calls are data calls.

Abstract: A method for displaying an absence message in a private exchange system. More specifically, a method for displaying on a calling party's telephone, a message containing the reason for a called party's absence and the beginning and ending points of the absence in either a time or date format. The method is accomplished by a party registering an absence message on a keyphone, so that a reason for an absence and the period of absence will sent and displayed on variable visual display of the calling party's telephone when the party is called while absent.

Abstract: A telephone exchange (1) with a voice mail device (7), which is able to store voice messages arriving from a first subscriber (2) and intended for a second subscriber (3), in a mailbox (9) assigned to the second subscriber (3), and to send the voice messages to the second subscriber on the second subscriber's request. The telephone exchange (1) is controlled by a control device (5) which contains a control program (10) for controlling the desired mailbox (9), as well as a call number directory (6) that is controlled by the control program (10).

Abstract: A PBX (14) is employed as a feature server for another telecommunications subsystem (11), such as a broadband or a multi-media subsystem or another PBX. The PBX's feature set is thus made available to the other subsystem. Also, inter-PBX feature transparency is implemented thereby.