Telephone system with monitor on hold feature

• US 5,195,087 A
• Filed: 07/07/1992
• Issued: 03/16/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T, Inc.
• Original Assignee: AT&T, Inc.
• Inventors: Klinger, Joseph G., Bennett, Raymond W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Olms, Douglas W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HSU, ALPUS
• Application Number:
  US07/912,064
• Time in Patent Office: 252 Days
• Field of Search: 370/58.1, 370/58.2, 370/58.3, 370/62, 370/66, 370/67, 370/110.1, 379/67, 379/88, 379/93, 379/94, 379/158, 379/161, 379/202, 379/204, 379/205, 379/206, 379/215, 379/217, 379/387
• US Class Current: 370/264
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/80 Telephone line holding circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4283 Call holding circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 9/003 Transmission of control signals from or to the key telephone set; signalling equipment at key telephone set, e.g. keyboard or display equipment keyboard equipment in semi-automatic systems H04M3/62

Abstract

An arrangement providing a monitor-on-hold feature for telephone station apparatus. The exemplary apparatus includes a handset transmitter and receiver, a speaker, and four user control buttons. A user is given the capability to move a connection for a first call from the handset to the speaker by simply actuating one of the buttons, the PRIVACY button. A connection is thereafter completed to the handset to answer a second call in privacy by actuating a second button, the NEWCALL button, while continuing to monitor the first call via the speaker. The capability to move connections is provided by a microprocessor-controlled switch included within the apparatus to selectively interconnect the two communications channels used for the two calls, with the handset and the speaker. Alternatively, the moving of connections is effected within the switching system serving the telephone station.

Claims

1. A method of providing a monitor-on-hold feature for a telephone station apparatus comprising a handset for transmitting and receiving audible voice communication and a speaker physically isolated from said handset for transmitting to a user audible voice communication, but incapable of receiving audible voice communication from said user, said apparatus being connectable to two communication channels, said method comprising

connecting a first one of said channels to said handset for a first telephone call,

in response to a first user action, disconnecting said first channel from said handset and connecting said first channel to said speaker to monitor said first call, and

in response to a second user action during the continued monitoring of said first call, connecting a second one of said channels to said handset for a second telephone call.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising

in response to a third user action during the continued monitoring of said first call and after connecting said second channel to said handset, disconnecting said first channel from said speaker and connecting said first channel to said handset to combine said first and second calls for a conference call.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2 further comprising

in response to a fourth user action after combining said first and second calls for said conference call, disconnecting said first and second channels from said handset and connecting said first and second channels to said speaker to monitor both of said first and second calls.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising

in response to a third user action during the continued monitoring of said first call and after connecting said second channel to said handset, exchanging connections such that said first channel is connected to said handset for said first call and said second channel is connected to said speaker to monitor said second call.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said monitored first call is an established call between at least two other station sets.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said apparatus is connected via said two communication channels to a switching system, said method further comprising

said switching system directing said second call to said apparatus in response to receipt of a directory number assigned to a user of said apparatus.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said channels are included in a switching system and said connecting and disconnecting of said channels are performed by said switching system.

8. Telephone station set apparatus connectable to two subscriber channels, said apparatus comprising

a handset means for transmitting and receiving audible voice communication,

a speaker physically isolated from said handset means for transmitting to a user audible voice communication said speaker being incapable of receiving audible voice communication from said user,

switch means for selectively interconnecting said first and second channels with said handset means and said speaker, and

control means responsive to user actions for controlling the selective interconnections effected by said switch means,

said control means being responsive to a first user action when a first one of said channels is connected by said switch means to said handset means for a first telephone call, for controlling said switch means to disconnect said first channel from said handset means and to connect said first channel to said speaker to monitor said first call,

said control means being further responsive to a second user action during the continued monitoring of said first call, for controlling said switch means to connect a second one of said channels to said handset means for a second telephone call.

9. Apparatus in accordance with claim 8, said control means being further responsive to a third user action during the continued monitoring of said first call and after connection by said switch means of said second channel to said handset means, for controlling said switch means to disconnect said first channel from said speaker and to connect said first channel to said handset means to combine said first and second calls for a conference call.

10. Apparatus in accordance with claim 9, said control means being further responsive to a fourth user action after combining said first and second calls for said conference call, for controlling said switch means to disconnect said first and second channels from said handset means and to connect said first and second channels to said speaker to monitor both of said first and second calls.

11. Apparatus in accordance with claim 8, said control means being further responsive to a third user action during the continued monitoring of said first call and after connection by said switch means of said second channel to said handset means, for controlling said switch means to exchange connections such that said first channel is connected to said handset means for said first call and said second channel is connected to said speaker to monitor said second call.

12. Apparatus in accordance with claim 8 wherein said monitored first call is an established call between at least two other station sets.

13. Apparatus in accordance with claim 8 further comprising first and second buttons, wherein said control means comprises a microprocessor responsive to actuation of said first and second buttons, and wherein said first and second user actions correspond actuation of said first and second buttons respectively.

14. Apparatus in accordance with claim 13 further comprising third and fourth buttons, and wherein said microprocessor is further responsive to actuation of said third button for controlling an exchange of interconnections by said switch means, and responsive to actuation of said fourth button for controlling disconnection by said switch means of at least one connection to said first audio means.

15. Apparatus in accordance with claim 8 wherein said speaker is integral with a telephone station set of said apparatus.

16. Apparatus in accordance with claim 8 wherein said speaker is separate from a telephone station set of said apparatus.

17. A method of controlling the selective interconnection of a plurality of communication channels to a handset and a speaker in a telephone station set, said method comprising

in response to a NEWCALL signal from a user, connecting said handset to an idle one of said channels,

in response to a PRIVACY signal from said user, moving, to said speaker, the connection of said channels that are connected to said handset,

in response to an EXCHANGE signal from said user, exchanging connections such that said channels connected to said handset prior to receipt of said EXCHANGE signal are thereafter connected to said speaker, and such that said channels that are connected to said speaker are thereafter connected to said handset;

and

in response to a CANCEL signal from said user, disconnecting said handset from at least one of said channels that are connected to said handset prior to receipt of said CANCEL signal.

18. A telephone station set apparatus connectable to first and second communication channels, said apparatus comprising

CANCEL, EXCHANGE, NEWCALL and PRIVACY user control buttons,

first and second switch-hook means connected to said first and second communication channels, respectively, each of said switch-hook means having on-hook and off-hook states,

first and second hybrid means for interfacing said first and second communication channels, respectively, to a first signal path and a second signal path,

switching means selectively connecting said first signal path and said second signal path to a first audio means for transmitting and receiving audible voice communication and to a second audio means for transmitting audible voice communication,

control means for controlling said first and second switch-hook means and said switching means responsive to said PRIVACY button during the off-hook state on said first communication channel for a first call, for disconnecting said first communication channel from said first audio means and connecting said first communication channel to said second audio means to monitor said first call, said control means further responsive to said NEWCALL button for connecting said first audio means to said second of said communication channels and for changing the state of said switch-hook means of said second communication channel to off-hook to establish a second call,

said control means is responsive to said CANCEL button for disconnecting said first audio means;

and

said control means is responsive to said EXCHANGE button for disconnecting said first communication channel from said second audio means and said second communication channel from said first audio means, and connecting said second communication channel to said second audio means to monitor said second call and connecting said first communication channel to said first audio means for said first call.

19. A combination for providing a monitor-on-hold feature for telephones, said combination comprising an ISDN switching system connected to a telephone network and an ISDN telephone station set, said ISDN switching system responsive to a switching system control means and connected via a digital subscriber line comprising first and second B-channels and a D-channel to said ISDN telephone station set,

said ISDN telephone station set including

NEWCALL and PRIVACY user control buttons,

splitter/combiner means for digitally interfacing said first and second B-channels and said D-channel of said digital subscriber line with a first B-channel path, a second B-channel path, and a D-channel path, respectively,

a first coder/decoder for converting between digital voice signals, received from said first B-channel via said splitter/combiner means and said first B-channel path, and analog voice signals,

a second coder/decoder for converting between digital voice signals, received from said second B-channel via said splitter/combiner means and said second B-channel path, and analog voice signals,

first audio means connectable to said first B-channel path for audibly transmitting and receiving voice communication,

second audio means connectable to said second B-channel path for audibly receiving voice communication,

speaker switch means having a first position for selectably connecting said second audio means to said second B-channel and a second position disconnecting said second audio means from said second B-channel, and

station set controller means responsive to actuation of said PRIVACY button during a first telephone call comprising a connection from said switching system to said first audio means via said first B-channel, said splitter/combiner means, said first B-channel path and said first coder/decoder, for placing said speaker switch means in said first position and sending a message to said switching system on said D-channel via said D-channel path, said splitter/combiner means and said D-channel to said switching system control means,

said switching system control means responsive to said message for controlling said switching system to route said first call to said second audio means of said station set via said second B-channel, said splitter/combiner means, said second coder/decoder, and said second B-channel path to monitor said first call,

said station set controller means further responsive to actuation of said NEWCALL button for sending a second message to said switching system on said D-channel via said D-channel path, said splitter/combiner means and said D-channel to said switching system control means,

said switching system control means responsive to said second message for controlling said switching system to connect said first B-channel to said first audio means via said splitter/combiner means, said first coder/decoder, and said first B-channel path as a second call.

20. The combination of claim 19 further including a CANCEL button and wherein said station set controller means is responsive to said CANCEL button for sending a third message to said switching system control means,

said switching system control means responsive to said third message for disconnecting said first audio means.

21. The combination of claim 19 further including an EXCHANGE button and wherein said station set controller means is responsive to said EXCHANGE button for sending a fourth message to said switching system control means,

said switching system control means responsive to said fourth message for disconnecting said first B-channel from said second audio means and said second B-channel from said first audio means, and for connecting said second B-channel to said second audio means to monitor said second call and said first B-channel to said first audio means for said first call.