Method and apparatus for handling an incoming call

• US 20060115064A1
• Filed: 11/29/2004
• Published: 06/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sangoma US, Inc. (Sangoma Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Eicon Networks Corporation (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Inventors: Mielich, Rainer, Startsev, Vladimir, Burkhardt, Rolf
• Granted Patent: US 7,693,271 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/201.10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/02 Calling substations, e.g. by ringing selective calling H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/428 Arrangements for placing incoming calls on hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems

Abstract

A method for handling an incoming call received at an inbound terminal via an analog line is described. The method comprises receiving the incoming call at the inbound terminal; storing caller ID data enabling identification of incoming call; comparing a stored existing caller ID with the stored current caller ID to determine if an earlier incoming call is being signaled to an application; if the earlier incoming call is being signaled, disconnecting the earlier incoming call; and presenting the incoming call to the application thereby reducing the risk of conflict between incoming calls.

Claims

1. A method for handling an incoming call received via an analog line, said method comprising:

receiving said incoming call;

checking if an earlier incoming call is being signaled to an application;

if said earlier incoming call is being signaled, disconnecting said earlier incoming call; and

presenting said incoming call.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said checking comprises accessing a memory unit comprising incoming call information, further wherein said presenting of said incoming call comprises storing corresponding incoming call information in said memory unit.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said incoming call is presented to an application.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said application is selected from the group consisting of:

voicemail applications, incoming call-based authentication applications, unified messaging applications, automatic call distribution (ACD) servers, Voice over IP (VoIP) gateways and Point of Sales (POS) servers etc.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said signaling signal is provided to an application.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said application is selected from a group consisting of voicemail applications, incoming call-based authentication applications, unified messaging applications, automatic call distribution (ACD) servers, Voice over IP (VoIP) gateways, Point of Sales (POS) Servers.

5. An apparatus for handling an incoming call signal received via an analog line, said apparatus comprising:

a communication port receiving said incoming call signal and providing a received call signal comprising incoming call information representative of said incoming call signal;

a memory unit; and

a processing unit receiving said received call signal and accessing said memory unit using said incoming call information to find out if said memory unit comprises another incoming call information signal representative of an earlier incoming call signal being signaled, said processing unit further providing a signaling signal if said memory unit does not comprise another incoming call information signal.

8. A method for handling an incoming call received at an inbound terminal via an analog line, said method comprising:

receiving said incoming call at said inbound terminal;

storing caller ID data enabling identification of incoming call;

comparing a stored existing caller ID with the stored current caller ID to determine if an earlier incoming call is being signaled to an application;

if said earlier incoming call is being signaled, disconnecting said earlier incoming call; and

presenting said incoming call to said application.