Method of assisting a user placed on-hold

• US 20040203660A1
• Filed: 12/09/2002
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Engelsma, Jonathan, Tibrewal, Sanjay
• Application Number:
  US10/314,646
• Publication Number:
  US 20040203660A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42195 Arrangements for calling back a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy H04M3/48
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4286 Notifying a held subscriber when his held call is removed from hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/527 Centralised call answering arrangements not requiring operator intervention
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems

Abstract

A method of assisting a user placed on-hold is provided. The user (20) is connected with a communication node (16) and a called party. The communication node (16) monitors the connection so that if the user (20) is placed on-hold, the user may instruct the node to call back at a call back number when the called party returns to the connection. The user (20) may also instruct the node (16) to leave a message for the called party. The user (20) then disconnects but the node (16) maintains the connection until the called party returns to prompt the node further or to receive the message left by the user.

Claims

1. A method of assisting a user placed on-hold while connected to a called party via a communication node, the method comprising the steps of:

monitoring a first call placed by the user via the communication node to,a called party;

receiving an instruction from the user to call the user back when the called party returns to the connection;

prompting the called party for a command;

receiving the command from the called party; and

calling the user back at a call back number.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

prompting the user to confirm a call back number; and

receiving confirmation of the call back number from the user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of sending a message to the called party to wait for connection with the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the call is established with a first connection between the user and the communication node and a second connection between the communication node and the called party.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the instruction from the user comprises a voice command.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the command from the called party comprises a voice command.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the user is connected via a network access device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the network access device is selected from the group consisting of:

a wireline telephone, a mobile telephone, a paging unit, a radio unit, a wireless data device, an Internet phone, a portable telephone, a wireless telephone, a personal information management device, a personal digital assistant, a personal computer, a network television, an Internet television, an Internet telephone, a portable wireless device, a security system, an information appliances, an e-commerce appliance and a workstation.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the network access device is connected with the communication node via a communication network.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the communication network is selected from the group consisting of:

an intranet, an extranet, an Internet, a local area network, a telephone network, a cellular network, a satellite network, a personal communication system, a TV network, a paging network, an e-mail system, a wireless data networks, a wireless local area network, a wireless local loop/distribution system, and a voice over Internet protocol network.

11. A method of assisting a user placed on-hold while connected to a called party via a communication node, the method comprising the steps of:

monitoring a first call placed by the user via the communication node to a called party;

receiving an instruction from the user to leave a message for the called party when the called party returns to the connection; and

playing the message for the called party.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

prompting the user to provide the message; and

recording the message.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

detecting an environment of the user, the environment including at least one of caller identification and a pre-configured schedule; and

dynamically generating the message via one of either text-to-speech and concatenated audio bites.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

prompting the called party for a command;

receiving the command from the called party; and

if the command from the called party is to play the message, playing the message for the called party.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the user is connected via a network access device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the network access device is selected from the group consisting of:

a wireline telephone, a mobile telephone, a paging unit, a radio unit, a wireless data device, an Internet phone, a portable telephone, a wireless telephone, a personal information management device, a personal digital assistant, a personal computer, a network television, an Internet television, an Internet telephone, a portable wireless device, a security system, an information appliances, an e-commerce appliance and a workstation.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the network access device is connected with the communication node via a communication network.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the communication network is selected from the group consisting of:

an intranet, an extranet, an Internet, a local area network, a telephone network, a cellular network, a satellite network, a personal communication system, a TV network, a paging network, an e-mail system, a wireless data networks, a wireless local area network, a wireless local loop/distribution system, and a voice over Internet protocol network.