Caller control of internet call waiting

• US 20050238158A1
• Filed: 06/22/2005
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Hong Thi, Silver, Edward Michael, Roberts, Linda Ann
• Granted Patent: US 7,443,973 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/215.10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/20 with means for interrupting existing connections; with means for breaking-in on conversations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4281 when the called subscriber is connected to a data network using his telephone line, e.g. dial-up connection, Internet browsing

Abstract

Caller Control of Internet Call Waiting (ICW) Services are provided to disconnect an active ICW session and data connection and to prevent establishment of a subsequent data connection. In an exemplary embodiment, a calling party places an incoming call to a called telephone number having the active ICW session and data connection. The calling party may enter an authorized code that authorizes disabling of ICW and the data connection. The interrupt code entered by the calling party is received in a telecommunications network, such as, for example the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) or a mobile switching network. The telecommunications network verifies that the interrupt code to enable caller control, and, thereafter, disables the ICW session and data connection.

Claims

1. A method, comprising the steps of:

receiving an incoming communication via a communications network to a called telephone number, the incoming communication including an interrupt code to disconnect a data connection capability associated with the called telephone number;

verifying the interrupt code is valid; and

if the interrupt code is valid;

disconnecting an active data connection, and

preventing establishment of a subsequent data connection until receiving an authorization code to enable the subsequent data connection.

2. A method, comprising the steps of:

communicating an interrupt code with an incoming communication to a called telephone number via a communications network;

verifying the interrupt code is valid; and

if the interrupt code is valid, disabling a capability of the called telephone number to initiate a data connection until a communications connection is established for the incoming communication with the called telephone number and the communications connection is terminated.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

the interrupt code having a capability to disconnect an Internet Call Waiting Session associated with an active data connection of the called phone number.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

sending an interrupt notification message to a communications device associated with the called telephone number, the interrupt notification message comprising information associated with the incoming communication.

5. The method of claim 2, the called telephone number having an off-hook signal.

6. The method of claim 2, the called telephone number having an on-hook signal.

7. The method of claim 4, the information associated with the incoming communication including information on at least one of the following:

a name of a calling party associated with the incoming communication;

a telephone number associated with the calling party; and

an alert indicating disabling of the data connection.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

presenting the interrupt notification message via the communications device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein presenting the interrupt notification message further comprises audibly presenting the interrupt notification message.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein presenting the interrupt notification message further comprises visually presenting the interrupt notification message.

11. A method for controlling a data connection of a called telephone number for which Internet Call Waiting is enabled, comprising the steps of:

detecting an incoming communication to a called telephone number via a communications network, the incoming communication including an authorization code to control a data connection;

processing the authorization code to select a caller control of Internet Call Waiting services profile, the caller control of Internet Call Waiting services profile comprising a name of a calling party associated with the incoming communication, a telephone number associated with the calling party, and an alert providing a status of the data connection, and a control parameter, the control parameter providing a level of authority for disconnecting the data connection, and preventing establishing of a subsequent data connection; and

using the control parameter to control the data connection of the called telephone number.

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

communicating the incoming communication to the called telephone number via an Internet Protocol address associated with the called telephone number.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of using the control parameter to control the data connection of the called telephone number comprises preventing establishment of a subsequent data connection until receiving an authorization code to enable the subsequent data connection.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of using the control parameter to control the data connection of the called telephone number comprises preventing establishment of a subsequent data connection until a communications connection is established for the incoming communication with the called telephone number and the communications connection is terminated.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of:

sending an interrupt notification message to a communications device associated with the called telephone number, the interrupt notification message comprising information associated with the incoming communication.

16. The method of claim 15, the information associated with the incoming communication including information on at least one of the following:

a name of a calling party associated with the incoming communication;

a telephone number associated with the calling party; and

an alert indicating disabling of the data connection.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of:

presenting the interrupt notification message via the communications device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein presenting the interrupt notification message further comprises audibly presenting the interrupt notification message.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein presenting the interrupt notification message further comprises visually presenting the interrupt notification message.