Automatic call blocking and routing system and method

An automatic call blocking and routing system comprising:

• an input port;
• a telephone line interface (Subscriber Line Interface Card/SLIC) in communication with the input port;
• an off-hook circuit including an overvoltage protection trisil connected across the input port and a series-connected fast-recovery diode, capacitor, and Zener diode in overvoltage-protecting communication with the input port;
• an output port;
• a switch in communication with the input port and the output port;
• a memory;
• a user-operable control;
• and
• a microprocessor responsive to the user-operable control to store in the memory data indicative of blocked callers, VIP callers, after-hours callers, and predefined business hours;
• the microprocessor responsive to an incoming call received from the input port through the telephone line interface to compare the stored data with caller ID data in the incoming call;
• and
• if the caller ID data matches a blocked caller, to block the incoming call by causing the off-hook circuit to send an off-hook signal to the input port, waiting a predefined interval of time, and causing the off-hook circuit to send an on-hook signal to the input port;
• if the caller ID data matches a VIP caller, to cause the switch to connect the input port to the output port;
• if the incoming call occurs during the predefined business hours, to cause the switch to connect the input port to the output port;
• and
• if the incoming call occurs outside the predefined business hours, to play a prerecorded outgoing message (OGM) to the input port,
• wherein the off-hook circuit comprises a Darlington photo-isolator having a photosensor and a transistor in a Darlington connection in which a collector of the photosensor and a collector of the transistor are connected together and an emitter of the photosensor is connected to a base of the transistor, the transistor in communication with the input port through the fast-recovery diode, the Darlington photo-isolator having an input connected to receive off-hook and on-hook signals from the microprocessor.