Method and system for providing enhanced call waiting

• US 6,633,634 B1
• Filed: 10/22/1999
• Issued: 10/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ameritech Corp. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Crockett, Susanne Marie, Maciejewski, James Thomas, Harrington, Claude Lee, Book, Nancy Ann, Hardzinski, Mary Louise, Bossemeyer, Jr., Robert Wesley, McBlain, Thomas Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Agdeppa, Hector
• Application Number:
  US09/425,476
• Time in Patent Office: 1,453 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.12, 379/88.16, 379/88.68, 379/88.21, 379/93.23, 379/142-1-1, 379/142.14
• US Class Current: 379/215.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/428 Arrangements for placing incoming calls on hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4288 Notifying a called subscriber of an incoming call during an ongoing call, e.g. Call Waiting
• 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

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed for providing an enhanced call waiting message to a customer when the customer is busy on a previous call and receives a current call. The call waiting message preferably includes a call waiting indicator and an audible representation of information associated with a current calling party. The call waiting message alerts the customer that a current call is waiting and provides the customer with information that assists the customer in deciding whether or not to take the current call. The call waiting indicator and the information associated with a current calling party are automatically transmitted to the customer without any customer commands.

Claims

1. A method for processing a call from a calling communication station to a called communication station, the method comprising:

(a) using a signal transfer point to obtain information associated with the calling communication station from a database when the called communication station is busy;

(b) transmitting an audible call waiting indicator to the called communication station; and

(c) automatically transmitting an audible representation of the information associated with the calling communication station to the called communication station.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein (a) comprises using a signal transfer point to obtain information associated with the calling communication station in response to the receipt of a query.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein (a) comprises accessing a caller identification with name database.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein (a) comprises obtaining the identity of a caller at the calling communication station and the telephone number associated with the calling communication station.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein (b) comprises transmitting a single tone to the called communication station.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein (b) comprises transmitting a plurality of tones to the called communication station.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein (c) comprises transmitting an audible representation of an identity of a caller at the calling communication station and the telephone number associated with the calling communication station to the called communication station.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein (c) comprises:

(c1) transmitting at least one tone preceding the information associated with the calling communication station; and

(c2) transmitting at least one tone following the information associated with the calling communication station.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein (c) comprises transmitting information based on information received from the caller.

10. A system for processing a call from a calling communication station to a called communication station, the system comprising:

a database containing information associated with the calling communication station, the database being coupled with a signal transfer point;

a switch coupled with the signal transfer point, the switch being operative to transmit a query to the signal transfer point, the query requesting information associated with the calling communication station, and transmit a calling waiting indicator to the called communication station;

wherein the signal transfer point is operative to identify information associated with the calling communication station in response to the query; and

a service node coupled with the signal transfer point, the service node being operative to transmit an audible representation of the information associated with the calling communication station to the called communication station.

12. The invention of claim 10 or 11, wherein the database comprises a caller identification with name database.

13. The invention of claim 10 or 11, wherein the switch comprises a service switching point.

11. A system for processing a call from a calling communication station to a called communication station, the system comprising:

a database containing information associated with the calling communication station, the database being coupled with a signal transfer point;

a switch coupled with the signal transfer point, the switch being operative to transmit a query to the signal transfer point, the query requesting information associated with the calling communication station, and transmit a calling waiting indicator to the called communication station;

wherein the signal transfer point is operative to identify information associated with the calling communication station in response to the query; and

an intelligent peripheral coupled with the signal transfer point, the intelligent peripheral being operative to transmit an audible representation of the information associated with the calling communication station to the called communication station.

14. A system for processing a call from a calling communication station to a called communication station, the system comprising:

a database containing information associated with the calling communication station, the database being coupled with a signal transfer point;

wherein the signal transfer point is operative to identify information associated with the calling communication station in response to a query; and

a service node coupled with the signal transfer point, the service node being operative to transmit a calling waiting indicator and an audible representation of the information associated with the calling communication station to the called communication station.

16. The invention of claim 14 or 15, wherein the database comprises a caller identification with name database.

15. A system for processing a call from a calling communication station to a called communication station, the system comprising:

a database containing information associated with the calling communication station, the database being coupled with a signal transfer point;

wherein the signal transfer point is operative to identify information associated with the calling communication station in response to a query; and

an intelligent peripheral coupled with the signal transfer point, the intelligent peripheral being operative to transmit a calling waiting indicator and an audible representation of the information associated with the calling communication station to the called communication station.