Method of sharing and transferring information between ISDN telephones

• US 6,643,356 B1
• Filed: 09/08/1999
• Issued: 11/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
• Original Assignee: Ameritech Corp. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Laitman, Robert John, Hickey, Edward Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoosain, Allan
• Application Number:
  US09/391,566
• Time in Patent Office: 1,518 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.17, 379/88.18, 379/93.01, 379/93.07, 379/93.09, 379/93.11, 379/93.35, 379/100.12, 379/142.07, 379/88.12, 379/211.02, 379/212.01, 379/214.01, 379/215.01
• US Class Current: 379/88.12
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/006 Call diverting means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/247 Telephone sets including user guidance or feature selection means facilitating their use user interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/253 Telephone sets using digital voice transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4234 Remote access to features of PBX or home telephone systems-teleworking in a PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/537 Arrangements for indicating the presence of a recorded message , whereby the presence information might include a preview or summary of the message
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/548 with remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0457 Connection protocols

Abstract

A method of automatically sharing and transferring information between a Work at Work (WAW) ISDN telephone and a Work at Home (WAH) ISDN telephone. This information includes, calling line identifier delivery from the WAW telephone to the WAH telephone, facilitating subsequent transferring of the call to the WAH telephone if desired. Message waiting status is also shared, facilitating the coordination of message waiting lamps at both the WAW and WAH telephone. Information from one telephone to the other is carried transparently through the ISDN network as user-to-user information, calling party subaddress, D channel X.25 packet message, lower layer compatibility or a combination of these elements. The telephones automatically establish ISDN calls between themselves and swap information pertaining to the status of the companion telephones.

Claims

1. A method of automatically transferring an incoming call made to a first telephone connected with a digital subscription network, to a second telephone connected with said network, each of said telephones including selection means for selectively placing the telephone in a local or remote operating mode, said method comprising a sequence of the following steps:

transmitting a first message from said network to said first telephone containing a first code identifying the origin of the incoming call;

if said first telephone is operating in said remote mode, transmitting a second message from said first to said second telephone through said network, said second message including said first code and a second code identifying the origin of the second message,

detecting said second code at said second telephone and sending a third message over said network from said second telephone to said first telephone requesting transfer of said incoming call;

connecting said incoming call to said second telephone through said network independently of said first telephone.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said first telephone is manually placed in said remote operating mode by actuating a pushbutton of said first telephone.

3. The method of claim 1 including the further step of commanding the remote operating status of said first telephone from said second telephone.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said step of commanding the remote operating status of said first telephone comprising the steps of:

detecting whether said selection means of said second telephone is actuated while said second telephone is off hook and if so constructing a fourth message containing a remote operating code; and

transmitting said fourth message to said first telephone.

5. The method of claim 4 comprising the further step of:

detecting said remote operating code at said first telephone; and

placing said first telephone is said remote operating state in response to said detecting step.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said selection means are user operable.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said network is an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), and said messages are transmitted over the D channel of said ISDN.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein said first telephone is placed in said remote operating mode by constructing and sending a D channel message from a remote ISDN telephone to said first telephone commanding said remote operating mode.

9. A method of controlling a message waiting indicator on a second telephone from a first telephone, each telephone connected with a network including means for storing a voice mail message, comprising the steps of:

detecting a message waiting activation signal from said network at said first telephone;

constructing a coded message at said first telephone indicating a voice mail message is stored on said network;

transmitting said coded message to said second telephone; and

upon receipt of said coded message at said second telephone, energizing a message waiting indicator on said second telephone.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the message waiting activation signal commands the energization of a message waiting lamp on said first telephone.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said network is an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) and wherein said coded message is a D channel message.

12. A method of notifying each of a group of telephone users connected with a network of the storage at a local network switch of a voice mail message, comprising the steps of:

transmitting a first coded message from said switch to a dual message waiting distributor advising said distributor of the storage of a common message for each of said users; and

upon receipt of said first coded message transmitting a second coded message from said distributor to each telephone in said group in sequence to effect energization of a common message waiting indicator on each telephone.

13. The method defined in claim 12 comprising the further step of:

transmitting a third coded message from said switch to said distributor advising said distributor of the retrieval of said common message by one of said users; and

upon receipt at said distributor of said third coded message from said switch, transmitting a fourth coded message from said distributor to each telephone in said group in sequence to effect de-energization of said common message waiting indicator on each telephone.

14. The method defined in claim 13 wherein said network is an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), and said coded messages are D-channel messages.