Held party call-back arrangement

• US 5,436,967 A
• Filed: 02/01/1994
• Issued: 07/25/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hanson, Thomas C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dwyer, James L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dharia, Parag
• Application Number:
  US08/190,805
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 379/215, 379/208, 379/210, 379/212, 379/213, 379/67, 379/88, 379/89, 379/266, 379/265, 379/216, 379/140, 379/209, 379/162, 379/393, 379/163, 379/201, 379/309
• US Class Current: 379/210.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4283 Call holding circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/48 Arrangements for recalling a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing

Abstract

In response to a first party (19) being on hold a call that had been established between the first party and a second party (11), the second, holding, party is given an option, by an automated arrangement such as an adjunct processor (21) associated with the first party'"'"'s local switching system (15), of either remaining on hold or being called back. If the holding party chooses to be called back, the held call is torn down. Later, when the first party attempts to take the call off hold, the automated arrangement instead causes a new call to be placed to the calling telephone number of the torn-down call and to be established between the parties to serve as a substitute for the torn-down call.

Claims

1. A call-processing method comprising the steps of:

in response to a first party placing on hold a first call that is established between the first party and a second party, tearing down the first call; and

in response to the first party attempting to take the first call off hold, setting up a new, second, call between the first party and the second party.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the step of tearing down comprises the steps of

notifying the second party of an option to either remain on hold or be called back, and

in response to receiving a selection from the second party of the option to be called back, tearing down the first call; and

the step of setting up comprises the steps of

in response to detecting an attempt by the first party to take the first call off hold, notifying the first party of the tearing down of the first call, and

in response to said detection, setting up the new second call between the first party and the second party.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of:

placing the first call on hold prior to the step of notifying the second party; and

in response to receiving said selection from the second party of the option to remain on hold, maintaining the first call on hold until the first party takes the first call off hold.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein

the step of notifying the first party comprises the step of

notifying the first party of an option to have or not to have a connection with the second party re-established;

and

the step of setting up comprises the step of

in response to receiving a selection from the first party of the option to have the connection re-established, setting up the new second call to serve as a substitute for the first call.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of setting up comprises the steps of:

setting up the new second call to the second party; and

in response to the new second call being answered by the second party, connecting the new second call to the first party.

6. A call-processing method comprising the steps of:

in response to a first party placing on hold a first call that is established between the first party and a second party, inquiring of the second party whether the second party wishes to remain on hold or wishes to be called back;

in response to receiving an indication from the second party that the second party wishes to be called back, tearing down the first call;

in response to receiving said indication, monitoring the first party to detect an attempt by the first party to take the first call off hold;

in response to detecting said attempt, notifying the first party of the tearing down; and

in response to said detecting, setting up a new, second, call between the first party and the second party to serve as a substitute for the first call.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of inquiring comprises the steps of

in response to a signal from the first party to place the first call on hold, placing the first call on hold;

in response to said placing, inquiring whether the second party wishes to remain on hold or wishes to be called back.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of

in response to receiving the indication from the second party that the second party wishes to remain on hold, maintaining the first call on hold.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein

the step of notifying the first party comprises the steps of

notifying the first party of an option to have or not to have a connection with the second party re-established;

and

the step of setting up comprises the step of

in response to receiving a selection from the first party of the option to have the connection re-established, setting up the new second call.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of setting up the new second call comprises the steps of

setting up the new second call to the second party, and

in response to the new second call being answered by the second party, connecting the new second call to the first party.

11. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of in response to receiving the first call from the second party and a call address of the second party, connecting the first call to the first party to establish the first call between the first party and the second party;

wherein

the step of setting up comprises the step of

setting up the new second call to the call address of the second party to re-establish a call connection between the first party and the second party.

12. A method of processing a call in a telecommunications arrangement comprising a switching system, and a terminal and an adjunct processor connected to the switching system, comprising the steps of:

in response to receiving a first call and a calling number for the first call at the switching system, the switching system connecting the first call to the terminal and supplying the calling number to the adjunct processor;

the terminal placing the first call on hold;

in response to the placing on hold, the adjunct processor announcing on the first call an option to either remain on hold or be called back;

in response to the adjunct processor receiving via the call a selection of the call-back option, the adjunct processor causing the switching system to tear down the call and the adjunct processor monitoring the terminal for an attempt to take the first call off hold;

the terminal attempting to take the call off hold;

in response to the attempt, the adjunct processor notifying the terminal of the tearing down of the first call;

in response to the attempt, the adjunct processor causing the switching system to establish a new, second, call to the calling number of the first call; and

in response to establishment of the second call, the adjunct processor causing the switching system to connect the second call to the terminal.

13. An arrangement comprising:

means for tearing down a first call that is established between a first party and a second party, in response to the first party placing the first call on hold; and

means for setting up a new, second, call between the first party and the second party, in response to the first party attempting to take the first call off hold.

14. The arrangement of claim 13 wherein:

the tearing-down means comprise

means for notifying the second party of an option to either remain on hold or be called back, and

means responsive to receiving a selection from the second party of the option to be called back, for tearing down the first call; and

the setting-up means comprise

means responsive to an attempt by the first party to take the first call off hold, for notifying the first party of the tearing down of the first call, and

means responsive to said attempt, for setting up the new second call between the first party and the second party.

15. The arrangement of claim 14 further comprising:

means for placing the first call on hold prior to notifying of the second party; and

means responsive to receiving the selection from the second party of the option to remain on hold, for maintaining the first call on hold until the first party takes the first call off hold.

16. The arrangement of claim 14 wherein

the means for notifying the first party comprise

means for notifying the first party of an option to have or not to have a connection with the second party re-established;

and

the setting-up means comprise

means responsive to receiving a selection from the first party of the option to have the connection re-established, for setting up the new second call to serve as a substitute for the first call.

17. The arrangement of claim 14 wherein the setting-up means comprise:

means for setting up the new second call to the second party; and

means responsive to the new second call being answered by the second party, for connecting the new second call to the first party.

18. A call-processing arrangement comprising:

means responsive to a first party placing on hold a first call that is established between the first party and a second party, for inquiring of the second party whether the second party wishes to remain on hold or wishes to be called back;

means responsive to receiving an indication from the second party that the second party wishes to be called back, for effecting a tearing-down of the first call;

means responsive to receiving said indication, for monitoring the first party to detect an attempt by the first party to take the first call off hold;

means responsive to detecting said attempt, for notifying the first party of the tearing down; and

means responsive to said detecting, for effecting a setting-up of a new, second, call between the first party and the second party to serve as a substitute for the first call.

19. The arrangement of claim 18 wherein the inquiring means comprise

means responsive to the first call being placed on hold in response to a signal from a first party to place the first call on hold, for inquiring whether the second party wishes to remain on hold or wishes to be called back.

20. The arrangement of claim 19 further comprising

means for maintaining the first call on hold upon receipt of the indication from the second party that the second party wishes to remain on hold.

21. The arrangement of claim 18 wherein

the means for notifying the first party comprise means for notifying the first party of an option to have or not to have a connection with the second party re-established;

and

the setting-up means comprise

means responsive to receiving a selection from the first party of the option to have the connection re-established, for effecting the setting-up of the new second call.

22. The arrangement of claim 20 wherein the means for setting up the new second call comprise

means for effecting the setting-up of the new second call to the second party, and

means responsive to the new second call being answered by the second party, for effecting a connecting of the new second call to the first party.

23. The arrangement of claim 18 further comprising

means responsive to receiving the first call from the second party and a call address of the second party, for effecting a connecting of the first call to the first party to establish the first call between the first party and the second party;

wherein

the setting-up means comprise

means for effecting the setting-up of the new second call to the call address of the second party to re-establish a call connection between the first party and the second party.

24. A telecommunications arrangement comprising:

a terminal;

an adjunct processor;

a switching system connected to the terminal and to the adjunct processor and responsive to establishment of a first call between the terminal and one of a calling and a called number, for supplying the one of the calling and the called number to the adjunct processor;

hold means in the terminal for placing calls connected to the terminal on hold and taking the on-hold calls off hold., cooperatively with the switching system;

means in the adjunct processor responsive to the first call being placed on hold, for announcing on the first call an option to either remain on hold or be called back;

means in the adjunct processor responsive to receiving via the call a selection of the call-back option, for causing the switching system to tear down the call;

means in the adjunct processor responsive to said receiving, for monitoring the terminal for an attempt to take the first call off hold;

means in the adjunct processor responsive to an attempt to take the first call off hold, for notifying the terminal of the tearing down of the first call;

means in the adjunct processor responsive to the attempt, for causing the switching system to establish a new second call to the calling number of the first call; and

means in the adjunct processor responsive to establishment of the second call, for causing the switching system to connect the second call to the terminal.

25. An adjunct processor for a telecommunications arrangement comprising a terminal having an ability to place calls connected to the terminal on hold and to take the on-hold calls off hold, and a switching system responsive to establishment of a first call between the terminal and one of a called and a calling number for connecting the first call to the terminal and supplying the one of the calling and the called number to the adjunct processor, the adjunct processor comprising:

means responsive to the first call being placed on hold, for announcing on the first call an option to either remain on hold or be called back;

means responsive to receiving via the first call a selection of the call-back option, for causing the switching system to tear down the call;

means responsive to said receiving, for monitoring the terminal for an attempt to take the first call off hold;

means responsive to an attempt to take the first call off hold, for notifying the terminal of the tearing down of the first call;

means responsive to the attempt, for causing the switching system to establish a new second call to the calling number of the first call; and

means responsive to establishment of the second call, for causing the switching system to connect the second call to the terminal.