Method and apparatus for an Intelligent Prefix Dialer, eliminating the
necessity for manually dialing a local area code as a prefix to a call
within the same area code in telephone systems in which such action is a
requirement. An Intelligent Prefix Dialer is quiescent and monitors the
dialing sequence from the caller's Customer Premise Equipment, CPE, when
off-hook condition has been sensed. When the caller wishes to dial seven
digits or less of a telephone number, my invention parses a caller
defined default prefix, with the abbreviated digits the caller has dialed
to form a complete telephone number. The Intelligent Prefix Dialer
changes state from quiescent to active and interrupts the call progress
to clear the subscriber's telephone line. The Intelligent Prefix Dialer
then dials the complete telephone number to successfully complete the
call.The Intelligent Prefix Dialer is also user programable to dial
Caller ID Blocking or Caller ID Sending * codes, (i.e., *67 or *82), the
Intelligent Prefix Dialer intersperses the area code in the correct
position before redialing the number, (i.e., *67NPA-Nxx-xxxx) to
successfully complete the call. When required, the Intelligent Prefix
Dialer is user programmable to dial 1 plus code access, (i.e.
1NPA-Nxx-xxxx)Features of the Intelligent Prefix Dialer allow for the
seamless, uninterrupted successful completion of dial sequences which a
caller may initiate, such as, but not limited to, 411, 911, 0,
1-Nxx-xxxx., and various * codes required by the Central Office for
special features subscribed to by the caller.