Patent ID: 7773737

Claim:
A method for direct dialing from a first subscriber with a first terminal in a telephone system to a second subscriber with a plurality of terminals wherein at least one of the plurality of terminals is connected outside the telephone system, the method comprising: the first terminal requesting availability information about the second subscriber by an availability service that is connected outside the telephone system, the availability service being independent of direct dialing to the second subscriber; the first terminal receiving the availability information for the second subscriber, the first terminal identifying a plurality of connection options; the first terminal requesting a direct dial connection to the second subscriber; the first terminal using a module operatively connected to the first terminal to determine a best connection option from the plurality of connection options that is most likely to permit a successful connection to the second subscriber; indicating the best connection option associated with a direct dialing key by illuminating an LED adjacent to the direct dial key associated with the best connection option; actuating the direct dialing key associated with the best connection option such that the first terminal uses the best connection option determined by the module for use in attempting a connection to the second subscriber; the first terminal attempting a connection to the second subscriber via the best connection option determined by the module; and displaying a list of terminals associated with the second subscriber after actuation of the direct dialing key associated with the best connection option during the attempting of the connection to the second subscriber.