Wireless answer and hold feature

• US 6,393,272 B1
• Filed: 06/02/1999
• Issued: 05/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Agere Systems Guardian Corp. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mooney, Philip D., Cannon, Joseph M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vuong, Quochien B.
• Application Number:
  US09/324,482
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412, 455/413, 455/414, 455/415, 455/417, 379/88.18, 379/88.19, 379/88.2, 379/88.21, 379/88.23, 379/211.01, 379/215.01, 379/142.01
• US Class Current: 455/413
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/642 storing speech in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72513 On hold, intercom or transfer communication modes

Abstract

In one embodiment according to the invention, a telephone includes an answer and hold feature, whereby, in response to a user input, the telephone answers an incoming call, issues an outgoing greeting and maintains a connection status. Thus, the called party can unobtrusively cause the call to be held in the connected status until a time when the called party can conveniently enter into a conversation. For example, a wireless telephone according to the invention may include a controller, a user input unit, and an outgoing message unit. The controller may be adapted to cause the outgoing message unit to output a particular outgoing message in response to an incoming call and a particular indication from the user input unit. The controller may be further adapted to maintain a connection status of the incoming call so that a user can communicate at a point in time subsequent to the initiation of the outgoing message. In another embodiment according to the invention, a method of handling an incoming call in a wireless telephone includes the steps of providing an indication of the incoming call, receiving a particular user input, outputting a particular outgoing message in response to the particular user input, and maintaining a connection status of the incoming call.

Claims

1. A wireless telephone comprising:

a controller;

a user input unit; and

an outgoing message unit,

wherein the controller is adapted to cause the outgoing message unit to output a particular outgoing message in response to an incoming call and a particular indication from the user input unit, wherein the controller is adapted to maintain a connection status of the incoming call so that a user can communicate at a point in time subsequent to the initiation of the outgoing message, and wherein the controller is further adapted to transfer the incoming call to a voicemail system based on receipt of another incoming call.

2. A wireless telephone as recited in claim 1, wherein the user input unit comprises a button.

3. A wireless telephone as recited in claim 2, wherein the button is part of a keypad.

4. A wireless telephone as recited in claim 1, wherein the wireless telephone is a cellular telephone.

5. A wireless telephone as recited in claim 1, wherein the transfer to the voicemail system is based on user input.

6. A wireless telephone as recited in claim 1, wherein the transfer of the voicemail system is based on the passage of a predetermined amount of time since the output of the particular outgoing message.

7. A wireless telephone as recited in claim 1, wherein the transfer to the voicemail system is based on an input from an incoming caller.

8. A wireless telephone as recited in claim 7, wherein the input from the incoming caller is preceded by another particular outgoing message.

9. A wireless telephone as recited in claim 1, wherein the controller is further adapted to evaluate call related information associated with the incoming call, and wherein the output of the particular outgoing message and the maintenance of the connection are based on the call related information.

10. A wireless telephone as recited in claim 9, wherein the call related information comprises Caller ID data.