Method and apparatus for remotely controlling telephone call-forwarding

A system for remotely controlling call-forwarding of incoming calls comprising:

• a memory storing a registry of special telephone numbers;
• a controller coupled to the memory, and forwarding all future incoming calls, upon receipt of a call from one of the special telephone numbers in the registry, to said one of the special telephone numbers in the registry;
• and
• a caller-ID device determining an originating telephone number upon receiving an incoming call and sending the originating telephone number to the controller;
• wherein the controller compares the originating telephone number with the special telephone numbers in the registry.

A system for remotely controlling call-forwarding of incoming calls comprising:

• a memory storing a registry of special telephone numbers;
• a controller coupled to the memory, and forwarding all future incoming calls, upon receipt of a call from one of the special telephone numbers in the registry, to said one of the special telephone numbers in the registry;
• and
• a user interface device to enable a user to enter at least one telephone number into the registry, wherein the user interface device enables the user to specify a duration of the call-forwarding.

An apparatus for enabling remote control of call-forwarding from a remote telephone comprising:

• a) means for enabling a user to enter special telephone numbers into a registry in a database via the user's telephone;
• b) means for identifying an originating telephone number of an incoming call;
• c) means for comparing the originating telephone number to the special telephone numbers in the registry;
• d) means for forwarding future incoming calls upon receiving a match from said means for comparing to the originating telephone number;
• and
• e) means for deactivating the means for forwarding upon expiration of a predetermined time interval.

An apparatus for automatically forwarding future telephone calls to a remote telephone from a first telephone, comprising:

• a) a caller identification device coupled to the first telephone and outputting caller identification signals;
• b) a memory storing a registry of special telephone numbers;
• and
• c) a controller coupled to the memory and the caller identification device, receiving the caller identification signals from the caller identification device, determining whether a calling number matches one of special telephone numbers in the registry, and forwarding all future incoming calls, upon receipt of a call from one of the special telephone numbers in the registry to said one of the special telephone numbers in the registry.

An apparatus for automatically forwarding future telephone calls to a remote telephone from a first telephone, comprising:

• a) a private exchange disposed within a user's location, coupled to the first telephone and outputting caller identification signals;
• b) a memory for storing a registry of special telephone numbers;
• and
• c) a call-forwarding controller coupled to the memory and the private exchange, receiving the caller identification signals from the private exchange, determining whether a calling number matches one of special telephone numbers in the registry, and forwarding all future incoming calls, upon receipt of a call from one of the special telephone numbers in the registry to said one of the special telephone numbers in the registry.

A method of providing remote control of call-forwarding comprising:

• receiving an incoming call that is directed to a called telephone;
• identifying an originating telephone number of the incoming call;
• determining that the originating telephone is on a list of telephone numbers;
• receiving future incoming calls that are directed to said called telephone;
• and
• forwarding said future incoming calls to said originating telephone number.

An article of manufacture comprising a computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions adapted to be executed by a processor, the instructions which, when executed, cause the processor to:

• receive an incoming call that is directed to a called telephone;
• identify an originating telephone number of the incoming call;
• determine that the originating telephone is on a list of telephone numbers;
• receive future incoming calls that are directed to said called telephone;
• and
• forward said future incoming calls to said originating telephone number.

An apparatus for providing remote control of call-forwarding comprising:

• a means for receiving an incoming call that is directed to a called telephone;
• a means for identifying an originating telephone number of the incoming call;
• a means for determining that the originating telephone is on a list of telephone numbers;
• a means for receiving future incoming calls that are directed to said called telephone;
• and
• a means for forwarding said future incoming calls to said originating telephone number.