Active telephone directory method and apparatus

Abstract

An active telephone directory method and telephone apparatus are provided for automated, flexible and efficient telephone usage. An active telephone directory for predefined telephone numbers is stored. The active telephone directory stores for each predefined telephone number an associated condition and a specified action for the associated condition. Responsive to dialing one predefined telephone number, checking for the associated condition for the dialed predefined telephone number is performed. Responsive to identifying the associated condition, the specified action for the associated condition for the dialed predefined telephone number is performed. The active telephone directory stores historical usage data for each predefined telephone number including a number of calls and total time. When an event to display address entry is identified, then a predefined telephone number for the address entry is displayed with stored usage information.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.