Method and apparatus for telephone call reorigination

A method for telephone call reorigination wherein reorigination is obtained by caller activation of a feature key on a DTMF telephone to produce a DTMF tone following an initial verification of caller authorization, comprising the steps of:

• (a) detecting the DTMF tone prior to verification whenever said tone is of at least a first minimum duration to thereby cause a continued requirement for verification;
• (b) following verification and prior to answer by a called party, detecting the DTMF tone when its duration is at least of said first minimum duration to thereby permit caller reorigination;
• and
• (c) during any period of communication between the caller and a called party, detecting the DTMF tone only when said tone is of at least a second minimum duration which is longer than the first and said second minimum duration is of sufficient length to prevent spurious reoriginations and to thereby permit reorigination only when said tone is at least of said second minimum duration.

A system for telephone call reorigination wherein reorigination is obtained by caller activation of a feature key on a DTMF telephone to produce a DTMF tone following an initial verification of caller authorization, comprising:

• (a) a first means, operative prior to verification, for detecting the DTMF tone whenever said tone is of at least a first minimum duration, said first means being responsive to cause a continued requirement for verification;
• (b) a second means, operative following verification and prior to answer by a called party, for detecting the DTMF tone when the tone duration is of at least said first minimum duration, said second means being responsive to thereby permit caller reorigination;
• and
• (c) a third means, operative during any period of communication between the caller and a called party, for detecting the DTMF tone only when said tone is of a second minimum duration which is longer than the first and of sufficient length to prevent spurious reoriginations and to thereby permit reorigination only when said tone is longer in duration than said second minimum duration.