Control system for handling direct inward dialed telephone calls

US4401856A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Amtel Communications, Inc. · US

Inventors

• William J. Curtin · Fort Mill, US
• Paul Henning · Schwetzingen, DE
• Kendall E. Post · Madison, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 13, 1981
• Grant date: Aug 30, 1983
• Expiry date: May 13, 2001

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04Q3/625
• WIPO field: Telecommunications
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A control system for enabling direct inward dialed telephone calls received on a single access line from a telephone central office to be answered with identity. The single access line is coupled at the telephone central office to a block of telephone numbers, and incoming calls to any of these numbers are connected to the access line and to an operator at a telephone answering location through the control system, and the number called is decoded by the control system. A DID line ("DID" stands for direct inward dial) on the interface is arranged in the input section of the control system and is coupled to the single access line that receives the telephone calls from the telephone central office. At least the last digit of the telephone number is decoded within the control system and a visual display of the decoded number is then provided for identifying the incoming call. The control system includes an operator interface for enabling an operator at the site of the telephone answering system to be plugged into the control system for being coupled to the incoming calls being transferred along the single access line. A microprocessor controls the operation of the control system.