Method and apparatus for treating externally-originated calls as coming from internal switch extensions

A communication system switch for use in processing an incoming call received at an external port of the switch, the switch comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• a memory;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory, the processor being operative to determine if an identifier associated with the incoming call has a corresponding entry in a stored list of external endpoints registered with the switch, the incoming call being a call initiated by entering at an originator terminal of the system a called number associated with a particular destination terminal supported by the switch, the identifier being extracted by the switch directly from the incoming call without requiring any further interaction between the switch and the originator terminal of the incoming call, and to process the incoming call such that the incoming call appears to the destination terminal as being originated by an internal extension associated with the switch if the identifier associated with the incoming call has a corresponding entry in the stored list of external endpoints registered with the switch;
• wherein the switch is configured such that upon determining that the identifier associated with the incoming call has a corresponding entry in the stored list of external endpoints, the incoming call is automatically processed such that the incoming call appears to the destination terminal as being originated by an internal extension associated with the switch, without requiring any further exchange of call setup information between the originator terminal and the switch.

An article of manufacture comprising a machine-readable storage medium storing one or more programs for use in processing an incoming call received at an external port of a communication system switch, wherein the one or more programs when executed implement the steps of:

• determining if an identifier associated with the incoming call has a corresponding entry in a stored list of external endpoints registered with the switch, the incoming call being a call initiated by entering at an originator terminal of the system a called number associated with a particular destination terminal supported by the switch, the identifier being extracted by the switch directly from the incoming call without requiring any further interaction between the switch and the originator terminal of the incoming call;
• and
• processing the incoming call such that the incoming call appears to the destination terminal as being originated by an internal extension associated with the switch if the identifier associated with the incoming call has a corresponding entry in the stored list of external endpoints registered with the switch;
• wherein the switch is configured such that upon determining that the identifier associated with the incoming call has a corresponding entry in the stored list of external endpoints, the incoming call is automatically processed such that the incoming call appears to the destination terminal as being originated by an internal extension associated with the switch, without requiring any further exchange of call setup information between the originator terminal and the switch.