Importance

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Abstract

The present invention affords a predefined class of authorized users of the PSTN (public switched telephone network) access to extended telephone services through public communication networks external to the PSTN, the latter networks including the web and Internet, in situations wherein the users have only a single telephone line that is shared for receiving both extended telephone services and standard telephone services, and wherein the extended services are deliverable while the shared line is connected to the external network. The shared line can be a line serving a residence or business establishment containing equipment for communicating through the external network(s) and equipment used in standard telephony (e.g. standard telephones, standard facsimile receivers, standard computer fax modems, etc.). The extended services can be activated automatically, by interaction between users and computer intelligence in the PSTN, without assistance from human representatives of the PSTN. Resource management intelligence of the PSTN is adapted to link to the external networks for communicating with and delivering extended telephone services to authorized users. Extended telephone services include variations of presently standard telephone services such as call waiting, caller ID, call forwarding facsimile image transmittal, voice mail, etc. Such variations are implemented by adapting computers performing resource management functions in the PSTN (e.g. programmably) to intercept telephone activities at switch ports within the PSTN, which activities are directed as standard functions to shared telephone lines instantly connected to an external network, and route transmissions associated with the extended services through the external network and shared telephone line; i.e. without interrupting the existing connection between the external network and the shared line. Thus, a user of a telephone line connected to the web or Internet can receive extended telephone services through that line without interrupting the connection to the web or Internet.

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First Claim