Call waiting service in multimedia-capable network

• US 6,628,763 B1
• Filed: 05/31/2001
• Issued: 09/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Mani, Babu V.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAN, WING F
• Application Number:
  US09/871,042
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93.35, 379/93.23, 379/93.09, 379/93.01, 379/90.01, 379/142.01, 379/142.08, 379/215.01, 379/207.15, 379/211.02
• US Class Current: 379/93.35
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13003 Constructional details of switching devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1305 Software aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13109 Initializing, personal profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1315 Call waiting
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13196 Connection circuit/link/trunk/junction, bridge, router, gateway
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13248 Multimedia
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0016 Arrangements providing connection between exchanges

Abstract

A call treatment system and method in a multimedia-capable network for providing an enhanced call waiting service wherein multiple calls waiting to be serviced are accorded different treatments based on multimedia responses. When a network element serving a subscriber currently engaged in an established call connection with a party receives an indication that an incoming call is being directed towards the subscriber from at least one calling party, a multimedia session engine is invoked by the network element to launch a call treatment application for the subscriber. If the number of calls allowed to wait on the subscriber exceeds a predetermined maximum value, the incoming call is accorded a predetermined default treatment. Otherwise, the call treatment application is operable to query a subscriber profile associated with the subscriber to determine a suitable multimedia interface to be presented for effectuating a response using a browser-based interactive system.

Claims

1. A call treatment method for use in a multimedia-capable network, comprising the steps:

receiving, at a network element serving a subscriber currently engaged in an established call connection with a party, an indication that an incoming call is being directed towards said subscriber from at least one calling party;

responsive to the step of receiving said indication, invoking by said network element a multimedia session engine to launch a call treatment application for said subscriber;

querying a subscriber profile by said call treatment application to determine a multimedia interface to be presented to said subscriber for effectuating a response to said incoming call; and

activating by said subscriber, without disrupting said established call connection, at least a portion of said multimedia interface to provide a response to said incoming call.

2. The call treatment method for use in a multimedia-capable network as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the steps:

determining if the number of calls allowed to wait on said subscriber has reached a predetermined threshold; and

if so, providing a predetermined default treatment with respect to said incoming call.

3. The call treatment method for use in a multimedia-capable network as set forth in claim 2, further comprising the step of determining if said incoming call is effectuated from a multimedia-capable terminal, and if so, providing said response to said incoming call using a multimedia response.

4. The call treatment method for use in a multimedia-capable network as set forth in claim 3, wherein said multimedia interface includes a plurality of software buttons activatable by a browser program for effectuating a drag-and-drop interaction with said subscriber as part of providing said multimedia response to said incoming call.

5. The call treatment method for use in a multimedia-capable network as set forth in claim 4, wherein said multimedia response from said first subscriber comprises transmitting a stored audio clip towards said at least one calling party.

6. The call treatment method for use in a multimedia-capable network as set forth in claim 4, wherein said multimedia response from said subscriber comprises transmitting a live audio clip towards said at least one calling party.

7. The call treatment method for use in a multimedia-capable network as set forth in claim 4, wherein said multimedia response from said subscriber comprises transmitting at least one of a stored video clip and a stored still photo towards said at least one calling party.

8. The call treatment method for use in a multimedia-capable network as set forth in claim 4, wherein said multimedia response from said subscriber comprises transmitting at least one of a live video clip and a live still photo towards said at least one calling party.

9. The call treatment method for use in a multimedia-capable network as set forth in claim 4, wherein said multimedia response from said subscriber comprises transmitting a text message towards said at least one calling party.

10. The call treatment method for use in a multimedia-capable network as set forth in claim 4, wherein said multimedia response from said subscriber is dependent on a calling party profile associated with said at least one calling party.

11. The call treatment method for use in a multimedia-capable network as set forth in claim 4, wherein said multimedia response from said subscriber is dependent on a time-of-day parameter associated with said incoming call.

12. The call treatment method for use in a multimedia-capable network as set forth in claim 4, wherein said multimedia response from said subscriber is dependent on an order of arrival parameter associated with said incoming call.

13. A call treatment system for use in a multimedia-capable network, comprising:

a network element for serving a subscriber currently engaged in an established call connection with a party, said network element operating to receive an indication that an incoming call is being directed to said subscriber from at least one calling party;

a multimedia session engine associated with said network element operable to launch a call treatment application for said subscriber responsive to said indication;

logic means associated with said call treatment application for querying a subscriber profile to determine a multimedia interface to be presented to said subscriber for effectuating a response to said incoming call; and

means for activating by said subscriber, without disrupting said established call connection, at least a portion of said multimedia interface to provide a multimedia response to said incoming call.

14. The call treatment system for use in a multimedia-capable network as set forth in claim 13, wherein said multimedia interface includes a plurality of software buttons activatable by a browser program for effectuating a drag-and-drop interaction with said subscriber as part of providing said multimedia response to said incoming call.

15. The call treatment system for use in a multimedia-capable network as set forth in claim 14, wherein said multimedia response from said subscriber comprises transmitting towards said at least one calling party at least one of a stored audio clip, a live audio clip, a stored video clip, a stored still photo, a live video clip, a live still photo, and a text message.

16. The call treatment system for use in a multimedia-capable network as set forth in claim 14, wherein said multimedia response from said subscriber is dependent on a service profile associated with said at least one calling party.

17. The call treatment system for use in a multimedia-capable network as set forth in claim 14, wherein said multimedia response from said subscriber is dependent on a time-of-day parameter associated with said incoming call.

18. The call treatment system for use in a multimedia-capable network as set forth in claim 14, wherein said multimedia response from said subscriber is dependent on an order of arrival parameter associated with said incoming call.

19. A computer-accessible medium operable with a network element disposed in a multimedia-capable next-generation network, said computer-accessible medium carrying a sequence of instructions which, when executed by at least one processing entity associated with said multimedia-capable next-generation network, cause the following steps to be performed:

upon receiving, at said network element serving a subscriber currently engaged in an established call connection with a party, an indication that an incoming call is being directed towards said subscriber from at least one calling party, invoking by said network element a multimedia session engine to launch a call treatment application for said subscriber;

querying a subscriber profile by said call treatment application to determine a multimedia interface to be presented to said subscriber for effectuating a response to said incoming call; and

activating by said subscriber, without disrupting said established call connection, at least a portion of said multimedia interface to provide a multimedia response to said incoming call.

20. The computer-accessible medium operable with a network element disposed in a multimedia-capable next-generation network as set forth in claim 19, wherein said multimedia interface includes a plurality of software buttons activatable by a browser program for effectuating a drag-and-drop interaction with said subscriber as part of providing said multimedia response to said incoming call.

21. The computer-accessible medium operable with a network element disposed in a multimedia-capable next-generation network as set forth in claim 20, wherein said multimedia response from said subscriber comprises transmitting towards said at least one calling party at least one of a stored audio clip, a live audio clip, a stored video clip, a stored still photo, a live video clip, a live still photo, and a text message.

22. The computer-accessible medium operable with a network element disposed in a multimedia-capable next-generation network as set forth in claim 20, wherein said multimedia response from said subscriber is dependent on a calling party profile associated with said at least another calling party.

23. The computer-accessible medium operable with a network element disposed in a multimedia-capable next-generation network as set forth in claim 20, wherein said multimedia response from said subscriber is dependent on a time-of-day parameter associated with said incoming call.

24. The computer-accessible medium operable with a network element disposed in a multimedia-capable next-generation network as set forth in claim 20, wherein said multimedia response from said subscriber is dependent on an order of arrival parameter associated with said incoming call.