Method and apparatus for detecting and recovering from call waiting interruptions to modem communications

• US 5,940,489 A
• Filed: 03/03/1997
• Issued: 08/17/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mpath Interactive, Inc. (Palktalk.com)
• Original Assignee: Mpath Interactive, Inc. (Palktalk.com)
• Inventors: Cohn, Harold E., Holland, Shannon A., Othmer, Konstantin
• Primary Examiner(s): Wolinsky, Scott
• Application Number:
  US08/807,973
• Time in Patent Office: 897 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93.01, 379/93.08, 379/100.01, 379/100.17, 379/209, 379/215, 379/201, 379/93.35, 379/93.13
• US Class Current: 379/215.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/06 Simultaneous speech and data transmission, e.g. telegraphic transmission over the same conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/428 Arrangements for placing incoming calls on hold

Abstract

A method for detecting and recovering from call waiting during an interactive two-way remote gaming session. Gaming information is exchanged in real time during a gaming session between two players using a telecommunications link, such as the internet or modem. When a call waiting tone is detected by one of the players, the game is suspended. The incoming call is answered and the other player is notified that the first player is in the process of answering the incoming call. When the incoming call is finished, communications is automatically re-established between the two players, and the game continues at the point just before it was interrupted.

Claims

1. In a real-time multiple computer environment including a first computer system participating in a real-time computer application with a second computer system via synchronized communications over a telephone line connected between said first computer system and said second computer system, a method comprising the steps of:

(a) during said synchronized communications, said first computer system detecting a call waiting signal on said telephone line, said call waiting signal indicating that a third party is attempting to communicate with a user of said first computer system via said telephone line;

(b) in response to detecting said call waiting signal, said first computer system notifying said second computer system of a disruption of said synchronized communications due to said call waiting signal, said first computer system further suspending said real-time computer application and terminating said synchronized communications; and

(c) after completion of a third party telephone call between said user and said third party, said first computer system calling said second computer system via said telephone line, said first computer system further unsuspending said real-time computer application and re-establishing said synchronized communications over said telephone line with said second computer system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said first computer system notifies said second computer system of disruption due to said call waiting signal by sending a further signal to said second computer system using said telephone line.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said real-time computer application is a video game.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein step (c) is further augmented by said first computer system generating a prompt, and delaying said unsuspending of said real-time computer application until an activation of said prompt occurs.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said real-time computer application is a video game.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein step (c) is further augmented by said first computer system generating a prompt, and delaying said unsuspending of said real-time computer application until an activation of said prompt occurs.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said real-time computer application is a video game.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said real-time computer application is a video game.

9. In a networked environment including a first party system communicating with a second party system via synchronized communications over a telecommunications link connected between said first party system and said second party system, a method for detecting and recovering from data communications interference caused by the activation of a call waiting feature, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) during said synchronized communications, said first party system detecting a call waiting tone on said telecommunications link, said call waiting tone indicating that a third party system is attempting to communicate with said first party system via said telecommunications link;

(b) in response to detecting said call waiting tone, said first party system notifying said second party system of a disruption of said synchronized communications due to said call waiting tone, said first party system further suspending said synchronized communications; and

(c) after completion of a third party telephone call between said first party system and said third party system, said first party system unsuspending and re-establishing said synchronized communications over said telecommunications link with said second party system.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the communications exchanged between the first party system and the second party system comprises gaming information for a game.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the game between the first party system and the second party system is re-established at a point where the game was suspended due to the detection of the call waiting tone.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of applying a notch filter at a particular frequency to determine whether there is a signal at a predetermined frequency corresponding to the call waiting tone.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of sending a predetermined touch-tone to the second party system to notify the second party that the first party is accepting said third party telephone call.

14. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of displaying an icon, wherein the icon is selected after completion of said call with said third party to initiate the synchronization between the first party system and the second party system.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of the first party system automatically calling the second party system to re-establish said synchronization in response to the icon being selected.

16. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of the second party system periodically calling the first party system until the first party system accepts the call from the second party system.

17. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of ignoring the call waiting tone and continuing the communications between the first party system and the second party system.