Method and system for answer-mode identification of a telephony device

• US 20080123840A1
• Filed: 01/03/2006
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rao, B. Raghavendra
• Granted Patent: US 8,867,709 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/428.03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/247 Telephone sets including user guidance or feature selection means facilitating their use user interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2473 Telephone terminals interfacing a personal computer, e.g. using an API (Application Programming Interface) details of API H04M7/0021
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2476 for a visually impaired user illuminating or arrangements for improving visibility of characters on dials H04M1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/68 Circuit arrangements for preventing eavesdropping
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72481 for visually impaired users

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for the identification of the mode of a telephony device in a network are provided. A call initiation signal is received from a mode-identifying telephony device. The call initiation signal is used to communicate with a mode-selecting telephony device. Thereafter, the mode at the mode-selecting telephony device is detected and an answer mode signal, including the information regarding the answering mode of the mode-selecting telephony device, is sent to the mode-identifying telephony device.

Claims

1. A method for identifying a mode of a telephony device in a network, the method comprising:

receiving a call initiation signal from a mode-identifying telephony device for communicating with a mode-selecting telephony device;

detecting a mode of the mode-selecting telephony device, wherein the mode is selected by the mode-selecting telephony device; and

sending an answer mode signal to the mode-identifying telephony device, wherein the answer mode signal comprises information regarding the mode of the mode-selecting telephony device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mode comprises an answering mode of the mode-selecting telephony device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting the mode comprises receiving the answer mode signal from the mode-selecting telephony device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the detecting the mode further comprises pressing a predefined key at the mode-identifying telephony device.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the detecting the mode further comprises pressing a predefined key at the mode-selecting telephony device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending the answer mode signal comprises indicating the mode of the mode-selecting telephony device at the mode-identifying telephony device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the indicating the mode comprises displaying an icon on a display screen.

8. A method for identifying a mode of a telephony device in a network, the method comprising:

receiving a call initiation signal from a mode-identifying telephony device for communicating with a mode-selecting telephony device;

detecting a mode of the mode-selecting telephony device, wherein the mode comprises information pertaining answering mode of the mode-selecting telephony device;

sending an answer mode signal to the mode-identifying telephony device, the answer mode signal comprising the mode of the mode-selecting telephony device; and

indicating the mode of the mode-selecting telephony device, wherein the mode of the mode-selecting telephony device is displayed as an icon on a display screen on the mode-identifying telephony device.

9. A system for identifying a mode of a telephony device in a network, the system comprising:

a mode-selecting telephony device;

a mode-identifying telephony device for identifying the answering mode of the mode-selecting telephony device;

a call manager comprising;

means for receiving a call initiation signal, wherein the call initiation signal is received from the mode-identifying telephony device for communicating with the mode-selecting telephony device;

means for detecting a mode of the mode-selecting telephony device, wherein the mode comprises information pertaining answering mode of the mode-selecting telephony device; and

means for sending an answer mode signal, wherein the answer mode signal is sent to the mode-identifying telephony device, the answer mode signal comprising the mode of the mode-selecting telephony device.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising means for notifying the mode of mode-selecting telephony device to the mode-identifying telephony device, wherein notifying includes displaying the mode of mode-selecting telephony device on a display screen at the mode-identifying telephony device.

11. An apparatus for identifying the mode of a telephony device in a network, the apparatus comprising

a processor;

a machine-readable medium including instructions executable by the processor comprising

one or more instruction for receiving a call initiation signal, wherein the call initiation signal is received from a mode-identifying telephony device for communicating with a mode-selecting telephony device;

one or more instruction for detecting a mode of the mode-selecting telephony device, wherein the mode comprises information pertaining answering mode of the mode-selecting telephony device; and

one or more instruction for sending a answer mode signal, wherein the answer mode signal is sent to the mode-identifying telephony device, the answer mode signal comprising the mode of the mode-selecting telephony device.

12. A machine-readable medium including instructions for identifying the mode of a telephony device in a network executable by the processor comprising

one or more instruction for receiving a call initiation signal, wherein the call initiation signal is received from a mode-identifying telephony device for communicating with a mode-selecting telephony device;

one or more instruction for detecting a mode of the mode-selecting telephony device, wherein the mode comprises information pertaining answering mode of the mode-selecting telephony device; and

one or more instruction for sending a answer mode signal, wherein the answer mode signal is sent to the mode-identifying telephony device, the answer mode signal comprising the mode of the mode-selecting telephony device.