Method and system for providing a camp-on hold service

• US 20070121878A1
• Filed: 11/11/2005
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jain, Mukul, Patel, Labhesh, Shaffer, Shmuel, Caballero-McCann, Denise
• Granted Patent: US 8,102,985 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/215.10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4286 Notifying a held subscriber when his held call is removed from hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0045 where the text-based messaging service is an instant messaging service

Abstract

A method for providing a camp-on hold service comprises detecting a hold condition between a first user and a second user and establishing a call hold by placing the call on hold. The method also comprises receiving a request from the second user to camp-on to the call hold and monitoring the status of the first user during the call hold. The method also comprises receiving an indication that the first user is available to continue communications with the second user and notifying the second user that the first user is available to continue communications with the second user.

Claims

1. A method for providing a camp-on hold service, comprising:

detecting a hold condition to place a call between a first user and a second user on hold;

establishing a call hold by placing the call on hold;

receiving a request from the second user to camp-on to the call hold;

monitoring a status of the first user during the call hold;

receiving an indication that the first user is available to continue communications with the second user; and

notifying the second user that the first user is available to continue communications with the second user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting a hold condition to place a call on hold comprises receiving, from the first user, a hold request to place the call, between the first user and the second user, on hold.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an indication that the first user is available to continue communications with the second user comprises receiving from the first user a request to take the call off hold.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein notifying the second user that the first user is available to continue communications comprises notifying the second user via instant massaging that the first user is available to continue communications.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein notifying the second user that the first user is available to continue communications comprises notifying the second user using a phone of the second user that the first user is available to continue communications.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein notifying the second user that the first user is available to continue communications comprises notifying the second user via e-mail that the first user is available to continue communications.

7. The method of claim 1:

wherein the first user uses a first phone and the second user uses a second phone to communicate on the call;

further comprising, after receiving the request to camp-on from the second user, receiving a request from the second user to notify the second user via a third phone when the first user is available to continue communications with the first user;

wherein notifying the second user that the first user is available to continue communications with the second user comprises notifying the second user via the third phone that the first user is available to continue communications with the second user; and

further comprising establishing communications between the first user using the first phone and the second user using the third phone.

8. The method of claim 1:

further comprising, upon establishing the call on hold, automatically establishing an instant messaging session between the first user and the second user; and

wherein notifying the second user that the first user is available to continue communications with the second user comprises notifying the second user via the instant messaging session that the first user is available to continue communications with the second user.

9. A system for providing a camp-on hold service, comprising:

a processor operable to;

detect a hold condition to place a call between a first user and a second user on hold; and

establish a call hold by placing the call on hold;

an interface coupled to the processor and operable to receive a request from the second user to camp-on to the call hold;

the processor operable to monitor a status of the first user during the call hold;

the interface operable to receive an indication that the first user is available to continue communications with the second user; and

the processor operable to notify the second user that the first user is available to continue communications with the second user.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor operable to detect a hold condition to place a call on hold comprises the processor operable to receive, from the first user, a hold request to place the call, between the first user and the second user, on hold.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the interface operable to receive an indication that the first user is available to continue communications with the second user comprises the interface operable to receive from the first user a request to take the call off hold.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor operable to notify the second user that the first user is available to continue communications comprises the processor operable to notify the second user via instant massaging that the first user is available to continue communications.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor operable to notify the second user that the first user is available to continue communications comprises the processor operable to notify the second user using a phone of the second user that the first user is available to continue communications.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor operable to notify the second user that the first user is available to continue communications comprises the processor operable to notify the second user via e-mail that the first user is available to continue communications.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein:

the first user uses a first phone and the second user uses a second phone to communicate on the call;

the interface is further operable to, after receiving the request to camp-on from the second user, receive a request from the second user to notify the second user via a third phone when the first user is available to continue communications with the first user;

the processor operable to notify the second user that the first user is available to continue communications with the second user comprises the processor operable to notify the second user via the third phone that the first user is available to continue communications with the second user; and

the processor is further operable to establish communications between the first user using the first phone and the second user using the third phone.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein:

the processor is further operable to, upon establishing the call on hold, a processor operable to automatically establish an instant messaging session between the first user and the second user; and

the processor operable to notify the second user that the first user is available to continue communications with the second user comprises a processor operable to notify the second user via the instant messaging session that the first user is available to continue communications with the second user.

17. Logic embodied in a computer readable medium, the computer readable medium comprising code operable:

detect a hold condition to place a call between a first user and a second user on hold;

establish a call hold by placing the call on hold;

receive a request from the second user to camp-on to the call hold;

monitor a status of the first user during the call hold;

receive an indication that the first user is available to continue communications with the second user; and

notify the second user that the first user is available to continue communications with the second user.

18. The medium of claim 17, wherein the code operable to detect a hold condition to place a call on hold comprises code operable to receive, from the first user, a hold request to place the call, between the first user and the second user, on hold.

19. The medium of claim 17, wherein the code operable to receive an indication that the first user is available to continue communications with the second user comprises code operable to receive from the first user a request to take the call off hold.

20. The medium of claim 17, wherein the code operable to notify the second user that the first user is available to continue communications comprises code operable to notify the second user via instant massaging that the first user is available to continue communications.

21. The medium of claim 17, wherein the code operable to notify the second user that the first user is available to continue communications comprises code operable to notify the second user using a phone of the second user that the first user is available to continue communications.

22. The medium of claim 17, wherein the code operable to notify the second user that the first user is available to continue communications comprises code operable to notify the second user via e-mail that the first user is available to continue communications.

23. The medium of claim 17, wherein:

the first user uses a first phone and the second user uses a second phone to communicate on the call;

the code is further operable to, after receiving the request to camp-on from the second user, receive a request from the second user to notify the second user via a third phone when the first user is available to continue communications with the first user;

the code operable to notify the second user that the first user is available to continue communications with the second user comprises code operable to notifying the second user via the third phone that the first user is available to continue communications with the second user; and

the code is further operable to establish communications between the first user using the first phone and the second user using the third phone.

24. The medium of claim 17 wherein:

the code is further operable to, upon establishing the call on hold, automatically establish an instant messaging session between the first user and the second user; and

the code operable to notify the second user that the first user is available to continue communications with the second user comprises code operable to notify the second user via the instant messaging session that the first user is available to continue communications with the second user.

25. A system for providing a camp-on hold service, comprising:

means for detecting a hold condition to place a call between a first user and a second user on hold;

means for establishing a call hold by placing the call on hold;

means for receiving a request from the second user to camp-on to the call hold;

means for monitoring a status of the first user during the call hold;

means for receiving an indication that the first user is available to continue communications with the second user; and

means for notifying the second user that the first user is available to continue communications with the second user.