METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRIORITIZING TELEPHONE CALLS

摘要

A method and apparatus for prioritizing telephone calls that allow the caller to specify priority criteria relating to a call and the recipient to specify priority criteria relating to the treatment of incoming calls. The caller designates a priority of the call. The caller's satisfied priority is stored in a database in the telephone service provider's network, is retrieved from the database when the caller placer a call, and is transmitted with the call through the telephone network. The call recipient designates specified priority criteria for incoming calls. The call recipient's specified priority criteria are stored in a database and retrieved from the database in response to incoming calls. The treatment of a call, i.e. connection, termination or redirection, is based on comparison of the caller' s priority and t:he call recipient' s specified priority criteria.