EP0872106A1

EP0872106A1 - System for rerouting telephone traffic within a telecom network

Info

Publication number: EP0872106A1
Application number: EP96908417A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Peter Ljungqvist; Staffan Kjellqvist
Original assignee: LINTEKO ELEKTRONIK AB
Current assignee: LINTEKO ELEKTRONIK AB
Priority date: 1995-03-23
Filing date: 1996-03-13
Publication date: 1998-10-21
Also published as: SE9501061D0; WO1996029812A1; SE9501061L; SE503366C2; AU5165896A

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for directing telephone traffic within a telephone network, comprising a telephone exchange unit (2) which is manned by a first telephone operator (23) or the like, telephone extension apparatus (21, 22) connected thereto, and a telephone operator manned equipment (3), wherein the telephone exchange unit includes, among other things, an interception unit (27) and the equipement (3) includes, among other things, an interception circuit (31). When a telephone extension apparatus (21) belonging to the telephone exchange unit has informed the interception unit (27) that it is unavailable and that all calls directed to this apparatus shall be forwarded to the telephone operator (23), and when said telephone operator is temporarily indisposed to receive incoming calls, each call directed to the telephone operator is forwarded to an alternative, equipment-associated answering position manned by a second telephone operator (32). The telephone exchange unit (2) is connected to the equipment (3) via a connection (13) intended for data traffic, whereby current interception information relating to telephone extension apparatus (21, 22) connected to the telephone exchange unit (2) can be sent from the interception unit (27) to the interception circuit (31) and therewith made available to the second telephone operator (32) associated with the alternative call answering position.

Description

System for rerouting Telephone Traffic within a Telecom

Network.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a system for directing or monitoring telephone traffic within a telephone network.

Application of the present invention requires a telephone network which includes a public telephone system that includes coupling means and system subscribers, at least one telephone exchange unit connected to the telephone system and served by at least one call answering position, such as a telephone operator or some like facility, telephone extension apparatus connected to said call answering position, and also the presence of operator-served equipment.

The invention also requires the telephone exchange to include among other things a switching unit, a call forwarding facil¬ ity, a control unit and a call intercept unit.

The operator-manned equipment includes an interception circuit, among other things.

The invention is based on a situation in which an extension telephone set belonging to the telephone exchange unit has informed the call intercept unit that it is unavailable to incoming calls and that any call to this extension number shall be forwarded to a call-answering position associated with the telephone exchange unit, and in which the call-answering position is, at that moment in time, indisposed and unable to deal with an incoming call to the extension number or apparatus concerned.

In such conditions, each call arriving at the call-answering position of the telephone exchange unit shall be capable of being forwarded to an alternative answering position served by an operator belonging to said operator-manned equipment.

Each call is forwarded to said call-answering position by virtue of the control unit initiating a call to said alterna¬ tive answering position or operator-manned equipment and therewith creating conditions for establishing a connection between the telephone exchange unit and said equipment via a line connection belonging to the public telephone system, and thereby connect the calling subscriber with an operator manning said equipment through the medium of a call forwarding facil¬ ity.

A telephone exchange unit of the aforedescribed kind may be a company internal telephone exchange or private branch exchange which is connected to a public telephone system and therewith serving calling subscribers who may be subscribers to the public telephone system or subscribers to the company internal extension apparatus when the calls are directed to a specific extension apparatus and/or person within the company which the caller cannot reach directly or when a called person within the company has informed the company internal telephone exchange that he/she is unavailable.

Operator-manned equipment of the aforedescribed kind may comprise a telephone exchange which is intended to function as a temporary backup for the telephone exchange unit on those occasions when said call-answering position is unable to answer calls. This equipment is connected to the same public telephone system as the telephone exchange unit and may therewith be installed at a place remote from the telephone exchange unit and belong to a completely different company than the earlier mentioned.

By call-answering position is meant in the following descrip- tion and in the Claims a telephone operator, another extension apparatus or an automatic answering function, able to receive and expedite calls that are placed directly to an extension telephone apparatus belonging to the telephone exchange unit but forwarded to the call-answering position when an extension telephone apparatus is unavailable or when a call intercept system has been informed that said apparatus is unavailable.

DESCRIPTION OF THE BACKGROUND ART

Systems for directing or monitoring telephone traffic within a telephone network in the aforedescribed manner are known to and used in the art.

A general example of the earlier known standpoint of techniques in this regard are telephone exchanges whose size require the services of more than just a few telephone operators.

In the case of telephone exchanges of this size, it is known to connect the telephone exchange with other connections belonging to permanent telephone networks where two or more telephone exchanges cooperate over network groups. The telephone lines used in this regard belong to the public telephone system to which the coacting telephone exchanges or switching units belong.

By network group is not meant solely conventional network groups but also so-called "virtual" network groups.

With the aid of such dedicated line connections in network groups, telephone exchanges are able to cooperate with one another in a manner which allows an exchange of telephone operator services between the telephone exchanges so that a telephone operator in one telephone exchange is able to serve telephone extension apparatus that are connected to a com¬ pletely different telephone exchange. Call intercept informa¬ tion necessary to achieve this interexchange cooperation is made accessible over the network groups used.

In order to be economically viable, cooperation of this nature requires the traffic between the mutually cooperating telephone exchanges to be adequately intensive and to require the use of the necessary number of dedicated lines or connections belong¬ ing to a public telephone system.

In the case of smaller companies in which a telephone exchange unit is manned by between one, two or three people, there is seldom or never a need to be included in a "virtual" network system of the aforedescribed kind or to have specially dedi¬ cated telephone lines belonging to the public telephone system to be connected constantly to another telephone exchange. The costs entailed by such an arrangement would exceed the value of those advantages that are afforded thereby.

It is also known that in order for two or more telephone exchanges to be able to cooperate with one another via a network group, it is necessary for the exchanges to be mutually compatible, meaning in practice that the exchanges will preferably originate from one and the same manufacturer and therewith possess the particular properties required for satisfactory cooperation.

It is thus known to enable a telephone operator service to be switched temporarily from one call-answering position to an alternative call-answering position via a network group, wherein the regular call-answering position and the alternative call-answering position comprise two telephone exchanges which are connected to and included in one and the same public telephone system and which cooperate with one another via said network group. Also known is the situation where a telephone extension apparatus or a person connected to a telephone exchange unit has informed a call intercept unit that the apparatus or person is unavailable to incoming calls and that each incoming call shall be forwarded automatically to a selected call-answering position, and where this particular call-answering position, for instance a telephone operator or the like, is temporarily indisposed and unable to answer a call, and where the telephone exchange unit does not cooperate with any other form of equipment via network groups or other dedicated lines, and where the incoming call can be forwarded further to an alterna¬ tive answering position via said telephone exchange unit, with the aid of known techniques.

In a situation of the aforedescribed nature, it is also known that under the aforesaid conditions all calls can be forwarded to said call-answering position or to said alternative call- answering position via the public telephone system.

It is a known feature of such systems that a person who calls an unavailable telephone extension apparatus can be forwarded to said alternative call-answering position, where the call is received by a telephone operator or some functionally corre¬ sponding means. With the aid of known techniques, the telephone operator is then able to call another, unoccupied and manned telephone extension apparatus belonging to said telephone exchange unit, via the public telephone system.

In this call-answering position, the call is coupled from the caller to the telephone exchange unit and from there to the alternative answering position over the public telephone system, and from said alternative answering position back to the telephone exchange unit over the public telephone system.

When the call has been connected to an anticipated unoccupied extension apparatus in the aforedescribed manner, circuits in the telephone exchange unit are able to establish that an incoming call passes in a loop between the telephone exchange unit and the alternative answering position, wherein the call can be connected directly to the unoccupied extension apparatus via the telephone exchange unit and the remaining two connec- tions over the public telephone system released.

Release of the two remaining connections over the public telephone system can take place before the caller has been answered. For instance, if the anticipated unoccupied extension apparatus does not answer the call, the call is connected back to the call-answering position and since this position was temporarily indisposed to receive calls, the call is again forwarded to said alternative call answering position, this time perhaps to another telephone operator serving said alternative answering position.

A call can thus be connected backwards and forwards a number of times and occupy a number of lines belonging to the public telephone system, therewith incurring costs that are not unsubstantial.

Neither does this system provide a fully acceptable telephone operator service, since the telephone operator manning the alternative call-answering position does not have access to necessary call intercept information belonging to the telephone exchange unit.

It can also be mentioned that in order for a telephone exchange unit to be able to utilize those call forwarding functions that are necessary in exchanging services with another telephone exchange unit in the aforedescribed manner, the telephone exchange unit must be connected to the public telephone system by a digital connection, meaning that these services cannot be obtained with older analog telephone exchange units. SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

TECHNICAL PROBLEMS

When considering the earlier standpoints of technique as described in the aforegoing, it will be seen that a technical problem resides in realizing those conditions that are required of and those difficulties and problems that are met with a system for routing or directing telephone traffic within a telephone network in order to create conditions in which call forwarding in a telephone exchange unit connected to a public telephone network to other equipment connected to the same public telephone network can be maintained without reducing the service and with essentially only one telephone line in the public telephone network being connected up on each occasion, such that the service is utilized without utilizing to this end network groups and therewith cooperating exchange units or dedicated lines of the earlier known kind.

It will also be seen that a technical problem resides in realizing the possibilities that can be afforded by always connecting a line belonging to the public telephone network from the telephone exchange unit that has ordered forwarding of its calls, meaning that no costs for using the public telephone network will fall on the equipment that offers the call forwarded operator service.

Another technical problem is one of realizing the conditions that are necessary to enable current call intercept information concerning telephone extension apparatus connected to said telephone exchange unit to be available in a call intercept circuit belonging to said equipment and therewith available to the telephone operator manning said equipment.

It will also be seen that a technical problem resides in realizing how conditions can be created which will enable a telephone operator manning the equipment to which a call has been forwarded from the telephone exchange unit upon receipt of a call and on establishing speech contact with the caller to search for an unoccupied extension apparatus belonging to said telephone exchange unit without needing to initiate a call and without needing to utilize another line in the public telephone network.

It will also be seen that a further technical problem is one of realizing the possibilities that are afforded when the tele- phone operator is able to initiate release of a line connection between the caller and the telephone operator and to initiate a connection set-up between said caller and the unoccupied extension apparatus without needing to use another line belonging to the public telephone network.

It will also be seen that another technical problem is one of realizing the possibilities that are afforded when a control unit and a call intercept unit, both belonging to one and the same telephone exchange unit, can be caused to check calls from the caller and the line connection between said telephone exchange unit and said equipment in a manner which will enable a switching unit belonging to said telephone exchange unit to be controlled by the control unit to enable said incoming call and said connected line to be dealt with individually.

Another technical problem in this regard is one of realizing the possibilities that can be created by allowing the line connected between said telephone exchange unit and said equipment to be either released or kept for further use after the switching unit has connected the caller to an unoccupied extension apparatus chosen by the telephone operator and belonging to the telephone exchange unit.

Another technical problem is one of realizing the conditions that must be provided and also the procedures that are required in order for the telephone operator manning said equipment to be able to supply a caller with information from the call intercept unit belonging to said telephone exchange unit.

Another technical problem is one of realizing the possibilities that can be made available to the telephone operator manning said equipment in obtaining access to a loudspeaker system, or Tannoy system, after connecting said caller with an unoccupied extension apparatus, so that the telephone operator is able to call a person who is expecting to receive a call via an extension apparatus belonging to said telephone exchange unit but who is perhaps not in the immediate vicinity of said extension apparatus.

It will be seen that another technical problem is one of realizing how provisions can be made which when the aforesaid unoccupied telephone extension apparatus belonging to the telephone exchange unit is still unavailable after the lapse of a predetermined time period and when the line connected between said telephone exchange unit and said equipment is released will enable the caller to be connected to the telephone operator who earlier performed the service.

Another technical problem is one of realizing how the possibil¬ ities of exchanging necessary information between the call intercept unit and the call intercept circuit can be achieved in a simple and cost-effective manner.

It will also be seen that a technical problem resides in realizing how the possibilities of enabling said system to be used even when said call intercept circuit is not comprised of a traditional interception computer.

It will also be seen that a technical problem resides in creating conditions whereby a call incoming to the telephone exchange unit can be forwarded to an alternative answering position without needing to use the switching unit belonging to the telephone exchange unit to forward the call. It will also be seen that a technical problem resides in creating conditions which will also enable an analog telephone exchange unit to cooperate with other telephone exchange units via a public telephone system with services which are only offered through digital connections belonging to the public telephone system.

Still another technical problem is one of realizing how the telephone exchange unit shall be constructed with regard to both software and hardware in order to be able to solve the aforesaid technical problems.

Another technical problem is one of realizing how said equip¬ ment shall be constructed with regard to both software and hardware in order to solve the aforesaid technical problems.

SOLUTION

With the intention of providing a solution to one or more of the aforesaid technical problems, the present invention takes as its starting point a system for directing telephone traffic within a telephone network that comprises a public telephone system with associated coupling means and system subscribers, a telephone exchange unit connected to the public telephone system, and equipment also connected to the same public telephone system, wherein the telephone exchange unit includes, among other things, a switching unit, a call forwarding facility, a control unit, and a call intercept unit, and the equipment includes a call intercept circuit, among other things.

When a telephone extension apparatus belonging to the telephone exchange unit has informed the call intercept unit that it is unavailable and that any calls to this apparatus shall be forwarded to a call-answering position belonging to the telephone exchange unit, and when said call-answering position is temporarily indisposed and unable to answer an incoming call, each call incoming to the call-answering position belonging to said telephone exchange unit can be forwarded to an alternative call-answering position which may be manned by an equipment-associated telephone operator or by some function- ally corresponding means.

In the event of a call being made to said telephone extension apparatus, the control unit initiates forwarding of the call to the alternative answering position or to said equipment and therewith create conditions for connecting the telephone exchange unit to said equipment via a line connection with the public telephone system, thereby connecting the call and the caller to the telephone operator associated with said equip¬ ment.

In accordance with the invention, the call intercept unit cooperates with said equipment through the medium of a connec¬ tion which is logically separated from the connected line belonging to the public telephone system.

By a connection which is logically separated from a line is meant that a connection and a line are able to share one and the same conductor physically, such as data communication and speech communication on one and the same conductor, although this is nevertheless considered as two separate connections. However, in practice, it may concern two physically separate conductors.

In accordance with the invention, this connection enables current interception information relating to telephone exten¬ sion apparatus connected to said telephone exchange unit to be transmitted from said call intercept unit to said equipment and thereby to its interception circuit.

When a connection is made between a caller and a telephone operator associated with the equipment and speech contact is established between the caller and the telephone operator, the telephone operator searches among the information available in the interception circuit for an unoccupied extension apparatus belonging to the telephone exchange unit.

The telephone operator is therewith able to activate release of a line connected between the caller and the telephone operator via said connection and said control unit, and to initiate the set-up of a connection between the caller and the unoccupied extension apparatus, wherein said line release and said connection set-up are effected by the switching unit belonging to said telephone exchange unit.

In accordance with proposed embodiments that lie within the scope of the inventive concept, the two lines belonging to the public telephone system and connected respectively from the caller to said telephone exchange unit and from said telephone exchange unit to said equipment can be handled individually by the telephone exchange unit, therewith enabling the telephone operator associated with said equipment to instruct the control unit belonging to said telephone exchange unit, via said connection, to connect the incoming call to an unoccupied telephone extension apparatus belonging to said telephone exchange unit, wherewith the control unit functions to cause the switching unit to effect said connection while, at the same time, enabling the line between the telephone exchange unit and said equipment to be kept open or released, in accordance with instructions from the telephone operator.

The telephone operator associated with said equipment can supply the caller with information from the interception unit, by collecting current information available in the interception circuit.

After having set-up a connection between the caller and an unoccupied telephone extension apparatus belonging to the telephone exchange unit, the telephone operator associated with said equipment is able to connect the line connected between the telephone exchange unit and said equipment to a loudspeaker system via said connection and said control unit, therewith enabling the telephone operator to call a person who is expecting a call on a telephone extension apparatus but who is perhaps not in the immediate vicinity of said apparatus.

The identity of the telephone operator associated with said equipment and having performed a service can be stored in a memory belonging to the telephone exchange unit, at least for the period of time in which the caller is connected to the telephone exchange unit.

The memory may also be included within said equipment, in which information relating to the telephone operator associated with said equipment and having carried out a service is stored for a given period of time, for instance three minutes.

When the unoccupied telephone extension apparatus belonging to the telephone exchange unit is still unavailable after a predetermined time period has lapsed, and when the line connected between the telephone exchange unit and said equip¬ ment has been released, the control unit is able to utilize the stored information concerning the telephone operator who has earlier carried out a service to establish a connection between said telephone exchange unit and said equipment via a line belonging to the public telephone system while, at the same time, transmitting said information to said equipment over the connection established between the control unit and said equipment, thereby enabling the caller to be reconnected with the telephone operator that earlier carried out the service.

The interception unit for the connection connecting the equipment is comprised of a conductor belonging to the public telephone system and used solely for data traffic and then solely during those time periods required to exchange necessary information between the interception unit and said equipment, meaning that the conductor will be used for only fractions of a second. The costs involved will therewith be considerably lower than the costs involved by a constantly connected, dedicated telephone line.

The aforesaid interception circuit may comprise either a terminal which solely displays the interception information available in the interception unit, or a traditional inter¬ ception computer or comparable unit.

The aforesaid telephone exchange unit may be a combined private branch exchange and computer unit equipped with the necessary hardware and software.

Similarly, the aforesaid equipment may comprise a combined private branch exchange and computer unit equipped with the necessary hardware and software.

ADVANTAGES

Those advantages that are primarily significant to the present invention reside in the creation of conditions whereby tele¬ phone operator services can be readily forwarded from a call answering position in a telephone exchange unit to an alterna¬ tive answering position belonging to a completely different equipment, without needing to utilize constantly connected telephone lines or network groups and without requiring the two units, i.e. the telephone exchange unit and said equipment, to be mutually compatible and of specific makes.

This enables companies with small telephone exchanges or companies with large telephone exchanges and a temporary need for increased telephone operator resources to forward certain telephone operator services from one call answering position to an alternative call answering position, wherein a telephone operator belonging to said alternative call answering position is able to offer a full service with access to the interception information available in the regular call answering position. Furthermore, routines concerning call billing in conjunction with forwarding of calls in accordance with the aforegoing can be simplified because the connection of new lines via the public telephone system is effected by the call forwarding telephone exchange unit.

The primary characteristic features of a system according to the present invention are set forth in the characterizing clause of the following Claim 1.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the invention at present preferred and having features significant thereto will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

Figure 1 illustrates schematically a system for directing telephone traffic within a telephone network which includes, among other things, a telephone exchange unit

Figure 2 is a block schematic of a telephone exchange unit shown in Figure 1, with associated components and functions; and

Figure 3 is a block schematic illustrating in relation to

Figure 1 alternative connection of an interception unit between a public telephone system and a tele¬ phone exchange unit. DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT AT PRESENT PREFERRED

Figure 1 illustrates a system for directing telephone traffic within a telephone network A. The network A includes a public telephone system 1 having switching means and subscribers not shown.

At least one telephone exchange unit 2 connected to the telephone system is served by a call answering position 23, such as a telephone operator or some functionally equivalent means.

The telephone exchange unit 2 has telephone extension apparatus 21, 22 connected thereto and cooperates, or coacts, with equipment 3.

As illustrated in Figure 2, the telephone exchange unit 2 includes, among other things, a switching unit 24, a call forwarding function 25, a control unit 26 and a call inter- ception unit 27.

The equipment 3 includes, among other things, a call inter¬ ception circuit 31.

Telephone exchange units of the kind referenced 2 and telephone-operator manned equipment of the kind referenced 3 are functionally complex equipment and the following descrip¬ tion solely deals with those functions that are necessary to provide an understanding of the present invention.

An extension apparatus 21 associated with, or belonging to, the telephone exchange unit 2 has a facility which enables it to inform the interception unit 27 that it is unavailable and that all calls directed to this extension apparatus shall be forwarded to a telephone operator or the like 23 belonging to the telephone exchange unit. When a person 11 calls the aforesaid unavailable extension apparatus 21 via the public telephone system 1 and the call reaches the control unit 26, the control unit is informed by the interception unit 27 that the extension number, or appara- tus, called is unavailable, whereupon the control unit 26 causes the switching unit 24 to switch the call to the call answering position in which a telephone operator, or equiva¬ lent, is assumed to be available to receive the call and to inform the caller 11 why the called number, or apparatus, is unavailable and to forward the caller to another extension number, or apparatus, if the caller so desires.

The telephone operator has access to current interception information through the interception unit 27 and is therewith able to immediately inform the caller of unoccupied extension apparatus.

However, when the call answering position 23 is temporarily indisposed and unable to answer incoming calls, for instance because the telephone operator is unable to attend the call answering position for some reason or another, the telephone operator will have informed the interception unit 27 that each call arriving at the call answering position associated with said telephone exchange unit shall be forwarded to an alterna- tive call answering position manned by an equipment-associated telephone operator 32.

This forwarding function is effected in response to a call to said unavailable extension apparatus 21 by virtue of said control unit 26 first being informed by the interception unit 27 that the extension apparatus 21 is unavailable, indicating that the call shall be connected to the call answering position 23, whereupon the control unit is informed that the call answering position is temporarily indisposed to receive the call, indicating that the call shall be forwarded to the alternative call answering position 3. As a result, the control unit 26 initiates a call connection with the alternative answering position or the equipment 3 through the medium of the forwarding function 25, wherewith the telephone exchange unit 2 is connected to the equipment 3 by a connected line 12 belonging to the public telephone system 1 and the call and the caller 11 are connected to the telephone operator 32 associated with the equipment 3.

The control unit 26 and the interception unit 27 are connected with the equipment 3 by a connection 13 which -is separate to the line 12 belonging to the public telephone system.

Interception information concerning telephone extension apparatus connected to the telephone exchange unit can be sent from the interception unit 27 to the interception circuit 31 via the control unit 26, the connection 13 and the equipment 3.

This transmission of information takes place as soon as a change occurs in the interception information stored in the interception unit 27 or whenever interception information is required by the telephone operator 32 associated with the equipment 3, which means that the telephone operator 32 will always have access to current information relating to the extension apparatus belonging to the telephone exchange unit 2.

When a connection and speech contact are established between a caller 11 and a telephone operator 32 associated with the equipment, the telephone operator 32 searches for an unoccupied or free extension apparatus belonging to the telephone exchange unit, such as the extension apparatus 22, with the aid of the information currently available in the interception circuit 31.

The telephone operator 32 can therewith activate the release of a connected line 12 between the caller 11 and the telephone operator 32, via said connection and said control unit, and initiate a connection set-up between the caller ( line 14 ) and the unoccupied extension apparatus 22.

BAD ORIGINS- g This release and establishment of a connection set-up are effected by the switching unit 24 belonging to the telephone exchange unit.

This enables the switching unit 24 to be controlled by the telephone operator 32 without needing to use further lines that belong to the public telephone system 1.

The control unit 26 can be caused to control both the line 14 associated with the incoming call from the caller 11 and the line 12 connected between the telephone exchange unit 2 and the equipment 3 such as to enable the switching unit 24 to be controlled via the control unit and also enable the incoming line 14 and the connected line 12 to be handled individually, whereby the control unit 26 will cause the switching unit to connect the incoming line 14 to an unoccupied extension apparatus 22 chosen by the telephone operator and belonging to the telephone exchange unit in accordance with instructions sent from the control unit 26 to the telephone operator 32 associated with the equipment 3, via the connection 13.

After the switching unit has connected the caller 11 with the unoccupied telephone extension apparatus 22 belonging to the telephone exchange unit and chosen by the telephone operator, the line 12 connection between the telephone exchange unit 2 and the equipment 3 can either be released or kept for further use.

For instance, subsequent to having established a connection between the incoming line 14 and an unoccupied telephone extension apparatus 22 belonging to the telephone exchange unit via the line 12 connected between said telephone exchange unit and said equipment, the line 12 can be connected to a loud¬ speaker system 28 by the telephoned operator 32 with the aid of the switching unit 24, said connection 13 and said control unit 26, so as to enable the telephone operator to broadcast a message to a person who expects to receive a call on a tele- phone extension apparatus 22 but who is perhaps not in the immediate vicinity of said apparatus.

Information relating to the identity of the equipment-associ- ated telephone operator 32 who has earlier carried out a service may be stored in a memory 29 belonging to the telephone exchange unit, at least for the period of time in which the caller 11 is connected to the telephone exchange unit 2.

When the unoccupied extension apparatus 22 belonging to the telephone exchange unit is still unavailable after a prede¬ termined length of time and when the line 12 connected between the telephone exchange unit and said equipment is released, the control unit 26 is able to connect the telephone exchange unit 2 with the equipment 3 on the basis of this information in the memory 29, via a new line connection 12' belonging to the public telephone system, whereafter the caller 11 can be connected with the telephone operator 32 who has earlier carried out the service.

The information is available in the control unit when the memory 29 is allocated to the telephone exchange unit, or in the equipment 3 when the memory (29) is allocated thereto. The aforedescribed connection can be established in both instances.

This enables a caller 11 to obtain the assistance of the same telephone operator 32 a number of times, which enables the telephone operator 32 to provide a good and effective service.

The connection 13 which connects the interception unit to the equipment is comprised of a conductor or line which belongs to the public telephone system 1 and which is used solely for data traffic and then only during those time periods that are required to exchange necessary information between the inter- ception unit and the equipment.

This means that the conductor or connection 13 is used only for fractions of a second, therewith greatly lowering the costs in relation to the cost entailed by a constantly connected, dedicated telephone line.

The equipment 3 may be more or less advanced, wherewith the interception circuit may comprise an existing interception computer belonging to the equipment or may comprise a simple terminal which merely discloses the interception information available in the interception unit 27 and which is used only for this purpose.

Figure 3 illustrates a further embodiment in which the control unit 26 of the Figure 2 embodiment is comprised of a separate control unit 26' which is separate from the telephone exchange unit 2 and which is connected between the public telephone system 1 and the telephone exchange unit 2.

The control unit 26' enables a call to be forwarded directly to an alternative answering position 3, for instance, in accor- dance with interception information 27 available in the telephone exchange unit, without using the switching unit 24 belonging to said telephone exchange unit 2 to this end.

The control unit 26' may also be programmed to convert digital information to analog information, and vice versa, therewith enabling an analog telephone exchange unit to be connected to the control unit 26', which, in turn, is connected to the public telephone system via a digital connection, whereby the analog telephone exchange unit obtains access to all, or at least a number of, those services that would otherwise only be available to digital-type telephone exchange units.

Depending on the type of telephone exchange available to a user, the telephone exchange unit 2 may comprise a combination of a private automatic branch exchange and a computer unit equipped with the necessary hardware and software. Certain types of private automatic branch exchanges already incorporate the aforedescribed functions, while other, smaller private branch exchanges may need to be supplemented with additional hardware and/or computer power. It may also be necessary to add the software required to implement the aforedescribed func¬ tions.

Similar to the telephone exchange unit, the equipment 3 may also comprise a combination of a private branch exchange and a computer unit with necessary hardware and software.

It will be understood that the invention is not restricted to the aforedescribed and illustrated exemplifying embodiment thereof and that modifications can be made within the scope of the following Claims.

Claims

1. A system for directing telephone traffic within a tele¬ phone network (A), comprising a public telephone system (1) having switching means and system-associated subscribers, at least one telephone exchange unit (2) connected to the telephone system, a manned call answering position (23), such as a telephone operator manned position having telephone extension apparatus connected thereto, and a telephone operator manned equipment (3), wherein the telephone exchange unit includes, among other things, a switching unit (24), a call forwarding function (25), a control unit (26), and an intercep¬ tion unit (27), and wherein the equipment includes among other things an interception circuit (31), wherein the system further includes a function whereby when a telephone extension appara¬ tus (21) belonging to the telephone exchange unit has informed the interception unit that it is unavailable and that all calls directed to this apparatus shall forwarded to a call answering position (23) belonging to the telephone exchange unit, and said call answering position is indisposed and unable to answer an incoming call, each call incoming to said first call answer¬ ing position can be forwarded to an alternative, second call answering position in the form of an equipment-associated telephone operator (32), wherein the call is forwarded to said telephone extension apparatus (21) by virtue of the control unit initiating a call to said alternative, second answering position or to said equipment and therewith creating conditions for connecting the telephone exchange unit (2) to the equipment (3) via a connected line (12) belonging to the public telephone system (1) and thereby connect the call and the caller (11) to the equipment-associated telephone operator (32), characterized in that

a) the control unit is connected with the equipment via a connection (13) which is logically separated from the connected line belonging to the public telephone system; b) current interception information relating to telephone extension apparatus connected to said telephone exchange unit can be transmitted from said interception unit ( 27 ) to said interception circuit (31) via said connection;

c) when said connection and speech contact have been estab¬ lished between a calling subscriber (11) and an equipment- associated telephone operator (32), the telephone operator is able to utilize the intercept information available in the interception circuit (31) to find an unoccupied telephone extension apparatus belonging to said telephone exchange unit; and

d) said telephone operator (32) releases the line connection between the calling subscriber and the telephone operator via said connection ( 13) , and initiates a connection set-up between the caller and the unoccupied telephone extension apparatus, wherein the release of said line connection and the setting-up of a connection between the caller and the unoccupied extension apparatus are effected by the switching unit belonging to said telephone exchange unit.

2. A system according to Claim 1, characterized in that the control unit (26) is caused to control both the incoming line (14) on which a call from the caller (11) is put through, and the line connection (12) established between said telephone exchange unit and said equipment in a manner to enable the switching unit to be controlled via said control unit and to enable the incoming line and said line connection to be handled individually, whereby the control unit causes the switching unit (24) to connect said incoming line to an uπcccupie-' telephone extension apparatus (22) cnosen by the telephone operator and belonging to trrn telephone exchange unit, m accordance with instructions issued by the equipment-associated telephone operator (32) via said connection (13).

3. A system according to Claim 1 and Claim 2, characterized

BAD ORIGINAL A in that subsequent to the switching unit having connected the caller (11) to an unoccupied telephone extension apparatus (22) belonging to the telephone exchange unit and selected by the telephone operator (32), the line connection (12) between the telephone exchange unit and said equipment may either be released or kept open for further use.

4. A system according to Claim 1, characterized in that the equipment-associated telephone operator (32) is able to provide the caller (11) with information belonging to the interception unit, by taking requisite information from the information available in the interception circuit (31).

5. A system according to Claim 1, 2 and 3, characterized in that subsequent to the establishment of a connection between the caller (11) and an unoccupied telephone extension apparatus (22) belonging to the telephone exchange unit, the equipment- associated telephone operator (32) is able to connect said line (12) with a loudspeaker system (28) via the line connection between said telephone exchange unit and said equipment and by controlling said switching unit via said connection ( 13 ) and said control unit ( 26 ) .

6. A system according to Claim 1, 2 and 3, characterized in that information relating to the identity of the equipment- associated telephone operator (32 ) that has carried out a service is stored in a memory (29) belonging to the telephone exchange unit ( 2) and is kept in said memory at least for the time during which the caller (11) is connected to the telephone exchange unit.

7. A system according to Claim 1, 2 and 3, characterized in that information relating to the identity of the equipment- associated telephone operator (32) who has carried out a service is stored in a memory belonging to said equipment (3) for a limited period of time.

8. A system according to Claim 1, 6 or 7, characterized in that when the unoccupied telephone extension apparatus ( 22) belonging to the telephone exchange unit is still unavailable after a predetermined period of time has lapsed, and when the line connection (12) between the telephone exchange unit (2) and said equipment (3) has been released, the control unit (26) is able to utilize the stored information relating to the identity of the telephone operator who has earlier performed a service to connect the telephone exchange unit (2) to said equipment (3) via a line connection (12' ) belonging to the public telephone system ( 1 ) and therewith connect the caller (11) to the telephone operator (32) who has earlier performed said service.

9. A system according to Claim 1, characterized in that the connection (13) connecting the interception unit to said equipment is comprised of a conductor which belongs to the public telephone system ( 1 ) and which is used solely for data traffic.

10. A system according to Claim 9, characterized in that the connection ( 13 ) connecting the interception unit to the equipment is utilized only during those time periods that are required to exchange necessary information between the inter- ception unit (27) and the interception circuit (31).

11. A system according to Claim 1, characterized in that the interception circuit (31) is comprised of a terminal unit which solely discloses the interception information available in the interception unit ( 27 ) .

12. A system according to Claim 1, characterized in that the interception circuit (31) is comprised of an interception computer belonging to said equipment (3 ) .

13. A system according to Claim 1, characterized in that sai control unit (26' ) is comprised of a separate unit which is