Call waiting-caller identification notification device

• US 6,317,488 B1
• Filed: 11/09/1999
• Issued: 11/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Xylon LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Notify Corporation
• Inventors: DePond, Paul F., Larson, Gaylan
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoosain, Allan
• Application Number:
  US09/436,912
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/88.11, 379/88.12, 379/88.17, 379/88.19, 379/93.35, 379/201, 379/210-212, 379/215, 379/201.01, 379/210.11, 379/215.01, 379/142.08, 370/352, 370/389, 370/401, 370/404, 370/427, 370/259
• US Class Current: 379/93.35
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/573 Line monitoring circuits for detecting caller identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/80 Telephone line holding circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4281 when the called subscriber is connected to a data network using his telephone line, e.g. dial-up connection, Internet browsing

Abstract

An Internet Call Waiting Device (ICW) detects a Call Waiting signal even when a modem is currently using the phone line. Upon sensing the Call Waiting signal, the internet Call Waiting device alerts the user using one or more flashing lights and/or generating audible signals that the user can hear. If the user has a Call Waiting-Caller ID service the caller'"'"'s name and number are also displayed if it is available from the phone company. After being notified, the user can choose to ignore the call or take the call by picking up a telephone. If the user picks up the telephone, the ICW signals the central office to put the first modem connection on hold. A connection is then made with the second call. When the second call is completed and the user hangs up the telephone for the second call, the ICW signals the central office to reconnect the first modem call. The ICW includes a signal detector for detecting a Call Waiting or Call Waiting-Caller ID signal on the phone line. A switch automatically disconnects the modem from the phone line when a Call Waiting-Caller ID signal is detected by the signal detector. A signal generator then enables a central office switch to transmit Caller ID information while the modem is disconnected from the phone line.

Claims

1. A telephone call manager, comprising:

a signal detector that detects when a Call Waiting-Caller ID signal is generated on a phone line at a local phone location;

a switch that connects and disconnects the modem from the phone line;

a signal generator at the local phone location that acknowledges receipt of the Call Waiting-Caller ID tone enabling Call-Waiting Caller ID signals to be sent directly over the same phone line at the same local phone location; and

a controller at the local phone location causing the switch to disconnect the modem from the phone line and causing the signal generator to acknowledge the Call Waiting-Caller ID signal when the Call Waiting-Caller ID signal is detected, the controller then receiving Caller ID information over the phone line while the modem is disconnected and then automatically causing the switch to reconnect the modem to the phone line after the Caller ID information is received.

2. A telephone call manager according to claim 1 including an indicator or alarm that is automatically activated by the controller when the displaying the Call Waiting-Caller ID signal that is sent directly from a central office to the phone location and is detected at the local phone location.

3. A telephone call manager according to claim 2 wherein the indicator is a character display identifying that a call is waiting.

4. A telephone call manager according to claim 3 wherein the controller automatically disconnects the modem from the telephone line and connects the modem to a power supply when a local phone pickup is detected.

5. A telephone call manager according to claim 4 wherein the hook flash generator automatically generates another hook-flash when a local phone hang up is detected.

6. A telephone call manager according to claim 1 including a hook flash generator that automatically generates a hook-flash on the phone line when a local phone pickup is detected.

7. A telephone call manager according to claim 1 including Call Waiting deluxe buttons that each cause the signal generator to send a different signal directing the central office to handle the incoming call differently.

8. A telephone call manager according to claim 7 wherein the signal generator generates different signals that initiate the following central office switch functions:

forward incoming call to voice mail;

connect incoming call to an announcement;

or

notice the incoming call to hold.

9. A telephone call manager, comprising:

a signal detector that detects when a Call Waiting-Caller ID signal is generated on a phone line;

a switch that connects and disconnects the modem from the phone line;

a signal generator that acknowledges receipt of the Call Waiting-Caller ID tone;

a controller causing the switch to disconnect the modem from the phone line and causing the signal generator to acknowledge the Call Waiting-Caller ID signal when the Call Waiting-Caller ID signal is detected, the controller then receiving Caller ID information over the phone line while the modem is disconnected and then automatically causing the switch to reconnect the modem to the phone line after the Caller ID information is received;

Call Waiting deluxe buttons that each cause the signal generator to send a different signal directing the central office to handle the incoming call differently, wherein the signal generator generates different signals that initiate the following central office switch functions;

forward incoming call to voice mail;

connect incoming call to an announcement;

or

notice the incoming call to hold; and

the controller disconnecting the modem from the phone line when generating any one of the different signals to the central office switch.

10. A telephone call manager, comprising:

a signal detector that detects when a Call Waiting-Caller ID signal is generated on a phone line;

a switch that connects and disconnects the modem from the phone line;

a signal generator that acknowledges receipt of the Call Waiting-Caller ID tone; and

a controller causing the switch to disconnect the modem from the phone line and causing the signal generator to acknowledge the Call Waiting-Caller ID signal when the Call Waiting-Caller ID signal is detected, the controller then receiving Caller ID information over the phone line while the modem is disconnected and then automatically causing the switch to reconnect the modem to the phone line after the Caller ID information is received; and

an internal power supply that is connected to the modem by the switch when the modem is disconnected from the telephone line.

11. A system for detecting incoming calls when a phone line is connected to a local computer, comprising:

a signal detector for detecting a Call Waiting or Call Waiting-Caller ID signal on the phone line at a location of the local computer;

a switch that automatically disconnects the modem from the phone line when a Call Waiting-Caller ID signal is detected by the signal detector; and

a signal generator that enables a central office switch to transmit Caller ID information over the phone line to the location of the local computer while the modem is disconnected from the phone line.

12. A system according to claim 11 including an indicator that is activated by the signal detector when the detector detects a Call Waiting signal.

13. A system according to claim 11 including a display for displaying the Caller ID information sent by the central office at the local computer location.

14. A system according to claim 11 wherein the switch maintains the modem in an offhook condition when disconnected from the phone line and then automatically reconnects the modem to the phone line when a local telephone is hung up.

15. A system for detecting incoming calls when a phone line is connected to a local computer, comprising:

a signal detector for detecting a Call Waiting or Call Waiting-Caller ID signal on the phone line;

a switch that automatically disconnects the modem from the phone line when a Call Waiting-Caller ID signal is detected by the signal detector;

a signal generator that enables a central office switch to transmit Caller ID information while the modem is disconnected from the phone line; and

a hook flash generator that automatically generates a hook-flash on the phone line when a local telephone pickup or local speaker phone talk enable is detected, the switch at the same time causing the modem to disconnect from the phone line and connect to an internal power supply.

16. A telephone call manager for controlling incoming calls on a phone line, comprising:

a signal detector that detects a Call Waiting signal sent by a central office switch at a local phone line location;

a switch that automatically disconnects a modem from the phone line when the Call Waiting signal is detected at the local phone line location by the signal detector;

a signal generator that generates different tone sequences that provide Call directions to a central office switch from the local phone line location after the modem is disconnected from the phone line;

a set of Call Waiting buttons that direct the signal generator to generate different signals on the phone line that direct the central office switch to conduct different Call Waiting functions, the Call Waiting buttons at the same time causing the switch to disconnect the modem from the phone line and then reconnect the modem to the phone line after one of the different signals is generated by the signal generator.

17. A telephone call manager according to claim 16 wherein the different signals initiate the following Call Waiting functions:

forward incoming call to voice mail;

connect incoming call to an announcement;

or

notice the incoming call to hold.

18. A telephone call manager according to claim 16 including an indicator that is automatically activated when a Call Waiting signal is detected by the signal detector.

19. A telephone call manager according to claim 16 including a power supply to maintain the modem in an offhook condition when disconnected from the phone line.