The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 26, 1998
Filed:
Dec. 07, 1994
Ross J LaBarbera, Plano, TX (US);
Barry W Barge, Richardson, TX (US);
Digital Techniques, Inc., Allen, TX (US);
Abstract
There is disclosed an apparatus for providing automatic call distribution and auto-attendant capabilities to a digital telephone switch not having those capabilities. Digital interface circuitry is provided to emulate the appearance of a digital telephone connected to the telephone switch. The telephone switch is programmed to automatically route incoming calls to the interface circuitry and also to transmit the status of other digital telephones connected to the telephone switch to the interface circuitry. A processor is provided which determines the busy/idle state of other telephones connected to the switch, and transmits to the telephone switch a transfer command which re-routes the incoming telephone call to an idle telephone. Storage circuitry is provided for storing a user-defined algorithm for distributing incoming calls to the available digital telephones. Storage circuitry is also provided for storing digital audio messages for replay to the incoming calls when the incoming calls are placed on hold by the processor means.