Importance

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Abstract

An automatically progressively-activated and reset 'send-all-calls' (SAC) feature provides the following functionality. In response to receipt at a switching system of each call for a destination subscriber station that has the feature enabled, the system retrieves a stored specified period of time for which a call directed to the station is allowed to go unanswered at the station, and then shortens the stored specified period, thereby progressively hastening activation of SAC for a subsequent call. If the retrieved period is of nonzero duration, the switching system directs the received call to the destination station. If the retrieved period is of zero duration, or if the directed received call goes unanswered at the destination station for the duration of the retrieved period, the switching system redirects the call to a call-coverage facility in the manner of a standard SAC feature. In response to the detection, at any time, of switch-hook activity at the destination station, the switching system lengthens the stored specified period to a predetermined maximum length, thereby automatically resetting the progressive SAC feature.

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First Claim