Abstract: Call completion apparatus is disclosed for enhancing the integration of voice store and forward facilities with calling parties attempting to complete telephone calls to a telephone switching system. The call completion equipment intercepts incoming calls, provides voice prompts to the calling parties, and collects telephone extension digit information. On a determination of the unavailability of the called party, the call completion equipment prompts the calling party concerning an optional connection to voice store and forward equipment. In response to the input of a digit code by the calling party, the call completion equipment consults personality tables, translation tables and call flow control tables to provide all the appropriate information which is outpulsed through the telephone switching system to the voice store and forward facility. The operations of the call completion equipment in establishing communications with the voice store and forward facility are transparent to the calling party.

Abstract: Call processing apparatus for queuing calling parties waiting to be connected to a service position, and for calculating queue position data or wait time data and transmitting the queue data to the calling parties. The queued calling parties can also reach alternate destinations by inputting digit information for routing queued calling parties to such destinations.

Abstract: Call completion apparatus is disclosed for enhancing the integration of voice store and forward facilities with calling parties attempting to complete telephone calls to a telephone switching system. The call completion equipment intercepts incoming calls, provides voice prompts to the calling parties, and collects telephone extension digit information. On a determination of the unavailability of the called party, the call completion equipment prompts the calling party concerning an optional connection to voice store and forward equipment. In response to the input of a digit code by the calling party, the call completion equipment consults personality tables, translation tables and call flow control tables to provide all the appropriate information which is outpulsed through the telephone switching system to the voice store and forward facility. The operations of the call completion equipment in establishing communications with the voice store and forward facility are transparent to the calling party.

Abstract: Call processing apparatus for queuing calling parties waiting to be connected to a service position, and for calculating queue position data or wait time data and transmitting the queue data to the calling parties. The queued calling parties can also reach alternate destinations by inputting digit information for routing queued calling parties to such destinations.

Abstract: Apparatus (24) for connecting an outside caller (10) to an extension (14) of a local exchange (16) having a direct inward system access (DISA) feature includes a processor (90) and a memory (93) coupled to the processor (90) for storing at least one predetermined security code. A dialing information receiver (58) is controlled by the processor (90) to receive dialing information input from the outside caller (10). A second memory (94) is coupled to the processor (90) and the receiver (58) for storing the dialing information. A transmitter (58) is coupled to the processor (90) and the local exchanger (16) for transmitting second dialing information related to the dialing information to the local exchange (16). The processor may make a correlation between the dialing information and the second dialing information, or the dialing information may be passed through unchanged as the second dialing information.

Abstract: Apparatus for recognizing a telephone call supervision signal by comparing its frequency and cadence to the frequency and cadence of a previously learned call supervision signal is provided as part of call completion equipment (10). Call progress tone detector (50) receives a call supervision signal and responds by outputting frequency parametric signals which indicate whether predetermined standard frequencies are present in the received signal. Microprocessor (74) determines the cadence of the received call supervision signal and outputs a corresonding cadence parametric signal. If it is beneficial to learn the received call supervision signal, the frequency and cadence parameters are stored in memory (78). Recognition circuits can then recognize a subsequent telephone call supervision signal by comparing its frequency and cadence parameters to the frequency and cadence parameters stored in memory (78) for at least one learned signal.

Abstract: Call completion equipment (10) is disclosed for use with a switching system (14) for assisting callers to complete telephone calls thereto. If a primary destination telephone set (16) is busy or does not answer, a message is transmitted from a message storage unit (54) to the calling party. The message relates to the selection by the caller of secondary destinations including a switchboard attendent 18, an alternate destination telephone set, a camp-on option or voice messaging facilities. A processor complex (72) processes the digits dialed by the caller in response to the message, using various look-up tables (85-87), and transfers corresponding information to the switching system (14). The switching system (14) completes the call to the secondary destination according to the information. The invention (10) provides automatic camp-on features (87) with regard to predefined telephone sets of the switching system (14).

Abstract: Call processing apparatus for queuing calling parties waiting to be connected to a service position, and for calculating queue position data or wait time data and transmitting the queue data to the calling parties. The queued calling parties can also reach alternate destinations by inputting digit information for routing queued calling parties to such destinations.