Method and apparatus for an automatic barge-in system

• US 6,563,915 B1
• Filed: 01/09/1998
• Issued: 05/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Salimando, Steven Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Harry S.
• Application Number:
  US09/005,256
• Time in Patent Office: 1,950 Days
• Field of Search: 379/201, 379/204, 379/205, 379/207, 379/208, 379/243, 379/244, 379/201.01, 379/201.02, 379/207.04, 379/207.05, 379/207.13, 379/208.01, 379/48, 379/196, 379/197, 379/198, 379/204.01
• US Class Current: 379/208.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/20 with means for interrupting existing connections; with means for breaking-in on conversations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/428 Arrangements for placing incoming calls on hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/58 Arrangements for transferring received calls from one subscriber to another; Arrangements affording interim conversations between either the calling or the called party and a third party substation line holding circuits H04M1/80

Abstract

The invention provides a system that includes a method and apparatus for automatically barging-in on telephone calls. When a first party is talking to a second party, a third party may be automatically connected to the first party and the second party given an option to hold or leave a voice mail message. In addition, when a first party is connected to a stored information service provider, a third party may be automatically connected to the first party and a bookmark is set in the stored information. If the call between the first party and the third party does not exceed a predetermined time limit, the first party may resume the stored information service from the location of the bookmark.

Claims

1. A method for operating an automatic barge-in system for barging-in on a first call between a first party and at least one other barged-out party, comprising:

receiving a second call from a barge-in party;

connecting a second call from the barge-in party with the first party, based on a first party profile that indicates that the first party desires to be connected to the barge-in party; and

disconnecting the first call between the first party and the barged-out party if the second call is connected to the first party, wherein the barged-out party is a stored information service provider.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

placing the barged-out party on hold.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a message from the barged-out party; and

storing the message in the database.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

providing the barged out party'"'"'s message to the first party after the call between the first party and the barge-in party terminates.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

setting a counter to a value; and

decrementing the counter, wherein when the value of the counter equals zero, the barged-out party is provided another message.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

re-connecting the barged-out party with the first party if the call between the first party and the barge-in party terminates.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

calling back the barged-out party when the call between the first party and the barge-in party terminates.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

placing a marker to identify a position in the stored information where the call was interrupted.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

setting a counter to a value;

decrementing the counter, wherein when the value of the counter equals zero, the first party is logged-off the stored information service.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

re-connecting the first party to the stored information service provider if the call between the first party and the barge-in party terminates; and

restarting the stored information service at the marker.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a third call from another barge-in party;

connecting the third call from the another barge-in party with the first party, based on the first party profile; and

disconnecting the second call between the first party and the barge-in party if the third call is connected to the first party.

12. An automatic barge-in device for operating an automatic barge-in system for barging-in on a first call between a first party and at least one other barged-out party, comprising:

a memory; and

a controller that receives a second call from a barge-in party, connects the second call from the barge-in party with the first party, based on a first profile that indicates that the first party desires to be connected to the barge-in party and disconnects the first call between the first party and the barged-out party if the second call is connected to the first party, wherein the barged-out party is a stored information service provider.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the controller places the barged-out party on hold.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein the controller receives a message from the barged-out party and stores the message in the memory.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the controller provides the barged-out party'"'"'s message to the first party after the call between the first party and the barge-in party terminates.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the controller sets a counter to a value and decrements the counter, wherein when the value of the counter equals zero, the controller provides the barged-out party with another message.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the controller re-connects the barged-out party with the first party if the call between the first party and the barge-in party terminates.

18. The device of claim 12, wherein the controller calls back the barged-out party when the call between the first party and the barge-in party terminates.

19. The device of claim 12, wherein the controller places a marker to identify a position in the stored information service where the call was interrupted.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the controller sets a counter to a value and decrements the counter, wherein when the value of the counter equals zero, the controller logs the first party off the stored information service.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the controller re-connects the first party to the stored information service provider if the call between the first party and the barge-in party terminates and restarts the stored information service at the marker.

22. The device of claim 12, wherein the controller receives a third call from another barge-in party, connects the third call from the another barge-in party with the first party, based on the first party profile, and disconnects the second call between the first party and the barge-in party if the third call is connected to the first party.