Advanced call waiting processing
First Claim
1. Apparatus for processing telephone calls to a called tip and ring telephone during a first telephone call, the apparatus comprising:
- means for detecting a second telephone call destined to said called tip and ring telephone while said tip and ring telephone remains on said first telephone call; and
means for receiving a message from said called tip and ring telephone while said tip and ring telephone remains on said first telephone call, said message indicating that said second telephone call is to be transferred;
wherein said message is received prior to said second telephone call being answered.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An enhanced call waiting (ECW) feature is provided by a switch serving a called subscriber who, while still on a first telephone call, receives a subsequent telephone call. According to ECW, the switch provides service so that the called party may select from processing treatments for the second call which, in addition to the conventional processing of a) placing the first telephone call on hold and answering the second telephone call request, or b) simply declining the subsequent telephone call request, include treatments such as: 1) declining acceptance of the subsequent telephone call request but signaling the subsequent telephone call originator, via a message, to call again at a predetermined time or at the end of a specified period of time; 2) declining acceptance of the subsequent telephone call request and signaling the subsequent telephone call originator, via a message, that the called subscriber will return the call at a predetermined time or at the end of a specified period of time; 3) bridging the subsequent telephone call originator with the first telephone call to establish a conference; 4) directing, via a message, that the telephone call be transferred to another telephone number, e.g., a secretary or voice messaging system, that is specified as part of the message; or 5) disabling call waiting while the called subscriber remains on the first call, (i) for this particular caller, (ii) for all callers except those listed on a so-called "exception" list, or (iii) for all callers.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. Apparatus for processing telephone calls to a called tip and ring telephone during a first telephone call, the apparatus comprising:
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means for detecting a second telephone call destined to said called tip and ring telephone while said tip and ring telephone remains on said first telephone call; and means for receiving a message from said called tip and ring telephone while said tip and ring telephone remains on said first telephone call, said message indicating that said second telephone call is to be transferred; wherein said message is received prior to said second telephone call being answered. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. Apparatus for processing telephone calls to a called tip and ring telephone during a first telephone call, the apparatus comprising:
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means for detecting a second telephone call destined to said called tip and ring telephone during continued existence of said first telephone call to said called tip and ring telephone; and means for receiving a message from said called tip and ring telephone while said tip and ring telephone remains on said first telephone call, said message indicating that said second telephone call is to be transferred; wherein said message is received without said second telephone call being routed to said called telephone. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. Apparatus for processing telephone calls to a called tip and ring telephone during a first telephone call, the apparatus comprising:
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means for detecting a second telephone call destined to said called tip and ring telephone during continued existence of said first telephone call at said tip and ring telephone; means for receiving a message from said called tip and ring telephone while said tip and ring telephone remains on said first telephone call, said message indicating that said second telephone call is to be transferred; and means for transferring said second telephone call to a destination other than said called telephone without said second telephone call being answered prior to its being transferred.
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17. A method for use in a switch for processing telephone calls to a called tip and ring telephone during a first telephone call, the apparatus comprising:
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detecting a second telephone call destined to said called tip and ring telephone during continued existence of said first telephone call at said called tip and ring telephone; receiving a message from said called tip and ring telephone during continued existence of said first telephone call at said called tip and ring telephone, said message indicating that said second telephone call is to be transferred; and transferring said second telephone call to a destination other than said called telephone without said second telephone call being answered prior to its being transferred. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for use in a switch for processing telephone calls to a called tip and ring telephone during a first telephone call, the apparatus comprising:
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detecting a second telephone call destined to said called tip and ring telephone during continued existence of said first telephone call; and receiving a message from said called tip and ring telephone indicating that said second telephone call is to be transferred while said telephone remains on said first call; wherein said message is received prior to said second telephone call being answered.
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Specification