Priority call on busy
First Claim
1. A method for setting a priority level of a call, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving a request for changing a priority level of a call from an originator of the call without first learning that a trunk connection may be busy;
changing the priority level of the call based on the received request; and
handling the call based on the changed priority level of the call, wherein the step of changing the priority level of the call includes the step of advancing the call in a call holding queue.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and a system for setting a priority level of a call in which a request is received for changing a priority level of a call to one of a plurality of available call priority levels, the priority level of the call is changed based on the received request, and the call is handled based on the changed priority level of the call. The request for changing the priority level of the call can be a request for a central office service feature for changing the priority of the call, receipt a call routed to a predetermined telephone number, such as an 800, an 888, a 900 or a charge-to-caller number, or receipt of a DTMF signal indicating the requested priority level. A message can be generated providing a menu for changing the priority level of the call having at least one available priority level with an associated charge rate for each available priority level. When the priority level of the call is changed, the call can be advanced in a call holding queue, a lower priority call can be interrupted or the call can be routed on a high-priority trunk capacity available for high-priority calls.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. A method for setting a priority level of a call, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving a request for changing a priority level of a call from an originator of the call without first learning that a trunk connection may be busy;
changing the priority level of the call based on the received request; and
handling the call based on the changed priority level of the call, wherein the step of changing the priority level of the call includes the step of advancing the call in a call holding queue. - View Dependent Claims (2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
interrupting a call having a call priority level that is lower than the changed priority level of the call, and making a trunk capacity used by the interrupted call available for handling the call.
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17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the step of handling the call based on the changed priority level of the call includes the step of routing the call on the trunk capacity made available for handling the call.
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18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of changing the priority level of the call includes the step of making a high-priority capacity of a trunk available for handling the call.
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19. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of receiving the request for changing a priority level of a call includes the step of generating a message indicating to a caller of the call a menu for changing the priority level of the call.
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20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the step of generating the message includes the step of indicating at least one available priority level of the call, each available priority level being selectable by the caller.
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21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the step of indicating at least one available priority level includes the step of indicating a charge rate associated with each available priority level.
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3. A method for setting a priority level of a call, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving a request for changing a priority level of a call from an originator of the call without first learning that a trunk connection may be busy;
changing the priority level of the call based on the received request; and
handling the call based on the changed priority level of the call, wherein the step of receiving the request includes the step of generating a message indicating to the originator of the call a menu of selectable priority levels available for changing the priority level of the call and a charge rate associated with each available priority level.
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4. A method for setting a priority level of a call, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving a request for changing a priority level of a call from an originator of the call;
changing the priority level of the call based on the received request; and
handling the call based on the changed priority level of the call;
wherein the priority level for the call is set by the originator of the call before the call is dialed.
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22. A system for setting a priority level of a call, comprising:
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a call status indication generator generating an indication signal related to a status of a call for a dialed number; and
a processor receiving a request for a selected priority level from a caller of the call before the call is dialed and being responsive to the received request by changing a priority level of the call based on the received request, and handling the call based on the changed priority level of the call. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification