FORCED HOLD CALL HANDLING IN A VOP ENVIRONMENT

• US 20090285203A1
• Filed: 07/27/2009
• Published: 11/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Stucker, Brian, Wagner, Olga, Ress, David P., Gentry, William D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,233,591 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/18 with means for reducing interference or noise; with means for reducing effects due to line faults with means for protecting lines
• 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 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1325 Priority service
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1326 Consultation call, broker's call, call hold, toggling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13271 Forced release
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1337 Operator, emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet

Abstract

The present invention provides a technique for providing a forced hold service such as is used for an emergency services call, which is supported at least in part over a packet network. The forced hold service acts to effectively hold a connection for the call with a called party, even when the caller takes an action that would normally end a call, such as going on hook, pressing end, or the like. When the caller takes an action that would normally end the call, the forced hold service allows the caller to automatically reconnect to the emergency services provider over the held connection upon going offhook, pressing send, or the like. Alternatively, the emergency services provider can effectively re-engage the call wherein the caller is reconnected over the held connection upon going offhook, pressing send, or the like.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a packet communication interface; and

a control system associated with the packet communication interface and adapted to;

send to a service node a session initiation message to establish a forced hold call;

establish a packet communication session for the forced hold call;

detect a disconnect event indicative of an attempt by a caller to disconnect or hold the forced hold call; and

send to the service node a hold message instructing the service node to place the packet communication session on hold upon detecting the disconnect event.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein upon detecting a disconnect event for a non-forced hold call, the control system is further adapted send to the service node an end message instructing the service node to end a packet communication session for the non-forced hold call.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control system is further adapted to:

monitor dialed digits dialed by a caller to initiate the forced hold call;

determine the dialed digits correspond to a forced hold related call; and

generate the session initiation message to comprise information indicating that the forced hold call is a forced hold related call, such that the forced hold call is identified as a forced hold related call to the service node when the session initiation message is sent to the service node to establish the forced hold call.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control system is further adapted to receive a response message from the service node indicating that the forced hold call is a forced hold related call.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control system is further adapted to detect and ignore a flash event received during the forced hold call.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control system is further adapted to:

detect a reconnect event indicative of the caller attempting to reconnect the forced hold call after receiving the disconnect event; and

send to the service node a restore message instructing the service node to restore the packet communication session from hold, such that communications for the forced hold call can resume.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control system is further adapted to:

receive a ringback message from the service node indicative of an operator attempting to restore the forced hold call from hold;

effect delivery of a ringback alert to the caller upon receiving the ringback message; and

reestablish communications over the packet communication session for the forced hold call.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a user interface associated with the control system and adapted to facilitate voice communications and receive user input.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an analog telephone interface adapted to facilitate communications with an analog telephone, wherein the dialed digits are received via the analog telephone interface and the forced hold call is established with the analog telephone via the analog telephone interface.