Busy/no-answer call completion equipment

A call processing system for use in conjunction with a telephone switching system and operating autonomously therewith for assisting a calling party in completing a telephone call to the switching system, comprising:

• a first communication port directed to the calling party for communications therewith;
• a second communication port connected by a telephone subscriber line to the switching system for communication therewith;
• means for receiving dialing information from the calling party via said first port;
• means for transferring dialing information on said subscriber line to the switching system via said second port;
• means for detecting a response from said switching system via said second port indicating an unavailability of a called party associated with the dialing information;
• means responsive to the detection of said response for signaling the calling party of the unavailability of the called party and of the availability of optional destinations, and soliciting from the calling party information concerning a selection of an optional destination;
• means for receiving information from the calling party concerning the selected optional destination;
• means for transferring information concerning the optional destination to the switching system;
• and
• means for causing a communication path to be established between the calling party and the optional destination.

Auxiliary call processing equipment connected to a telephone switching system for communicating between calling parties and the switching system for assisting calling parties in completing calls to the system, comprising:

• means for receiving a telephone call from a calling party and for transferring the telephone call to the telephone switching system for connection thereof to a called party served by the switching system;
• means for detecting an unavailability of the called party by receiving an audible signal from the telephone switching system of said unavailability;
• means for instructing the calling party of the unavailability of the called party and for instructing the calling party of measures to be taken for placing a second call to an alternate destination associated with the switching system;
• means responsive to a placing of another call by the calling party for transferring said second call to the switching system;
• and
• means for causing the switching system to establish a connection between the calling party and the alternate destination.

A method for providing extended service to a telephone switching system, comprising the steps of:

• connecting a call processor to a telephone subscriber line of the telephone switching system for communicating with the switching system;
• receiving incoming calls to the call processor and signaling the switching system via the subscriber line as to the called party to be rung;
• monitoring the telephone subscriber line by the call processor during an initial stage of the placement of a telephone call to a destination associated with the switching system;
• detecting signals transmitted by the switching system on the telephone subscriber line indicating an unavailability of a completion of the call to the destination;
• said detecting step including comparing signals received from the switching system with a prestored set of signals to determine a type of unavailability of the calling party;
• transmitting a message by the call processor to the calling party concerning the unavailability and of an alternate destination;
• and
• receiving dialing information from the calling party as to an alternate destination and transmitting said dialing information by the call processor to the switching system to thereby allow the completion of a telephone call to the alternate destination.