Call waiting feature for a telephone line connected to the internet
First Claim
1. A method of processing a telephone call from a calling station to a called station that is busy as a result of having established a connection to a data network via an enhanced telephone switching system of the public switched network, said enhanced telephone switching system including a switching capability, a data network access capability for establishing said connection from said called station to said data network, and a call notification capability for alerting a subscriber at said called station to receipt of said call from said calling station via said connection to said data network, said method comprising the steps ofreceiving said call at said enhanced telephone switching system and, responsive to said called station being busy, said enhanced telephone switching system sending a message to said called station via said connection to said data network to alert a subscriber at said called station to the receipt of said call, and said enhanced telephone switching system connecting said calling station to said called station via said connection to said data network so that a caller at said calling station may communicate with said subscriber at said called station.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Conventional Internet access service and new computer programs are added to a conventional telephone central office. This system is able to alert a subscriber whose telephone line is connected to the Internet of a waiting call via the Internet access connection. Specifically, in response to a call that is waiting for a subscriber, the system establishes a new communication with the subscriber using the Internet access connection and new programs in the subscriber'"'"'s data terminal. The system then notifies the subscriber of the waiting call via the Internet access connection. The system may then forward the telephone call to the subscriber via the Internet access connection responsive to a subscriber'"'"'s request to do so without terminating the subscriber'"'"'s Internet connection, or the subscriber may choose to answer the call in a conventional manner, or may select another option in response to the call notification.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method of processing a telephone call from a calling station to a called station that is busy as a result of having established a connection to a data network via an enhanced telephone switching system of the public switched network, said enhanced telephone switching system including a switching capability, a data network access capability for establishing said connection from said called station to said data network, and a call notification capability for alerting a subscriber at said called station to receipt of said call from said calling station via said connection to said data network, said method comprising the steps of
receiving said call at said enhanced telephone switching system and, responsive to said called station being busy, said enhanced telephone switching system sending a message to said called station via said connection to said data network to alert a subscriber at said called station to the receipt of said call, and said enhanced telephone switching system connecting said calling station to said called station via said connection to said data network so that a caller at said calling station may communicate with said subscriber at said called station.
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15. A method of processing a call waiting feature for a first telephone station set whose telephone line is connected to the Internet comprising the steps of
responsive to receiving at an enhanced telephone switching system of the public switched network, an initial call from said first telephone station, extending a connection from said first telephone station to said Internet, receiving at said telephone switching system a voice call from a second telephone station directed to said first telephone station, and, responsive to said first telephone station being connected to said Internet, said enhanced telephone switching system sending a data message via said connection to said first telephone station to alert a subscriber to receipt of the voice call from said second telephone station, and said enhanced telephone switching system bridging a connection to said second telephone station with the connection between said Internet and said first telephone station so that a caller at said second telephone station may communicate with said subscriber at said first telephone station, wherein said enhanced telephone switching system includes a switching capability, an Internet access capability for extending said connection from said first telephone station to said Internet, and a voice call notification capability for alerting said subscriber at said first telephone station to receipt of said voice call from said second telephone station via said connection to said Internet.
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26. A method of processing a three-way calling feature for a first telephone station set whose telephone line is connected to the Internet, comprising the steps of
responsive to receiving at an enhanced telephone switching system of the public switched network an initial call from said first telephone station, extending a connection from said first telephone station to said Internet, receiving at said enhanced telephone switching system a voice call from a second telephone station directed to said first telephone station and, responsive to said first telephone station being connected to said Internet, said enhanced telephone switching system sending a data message via said connection to said first telephone station to alert a subscriber to the receipt of the voice call from said second telephone station, and said enhanced telephone switching system bridging a connection to said second telephone station to the connection between said Internet and said first telephone station so that a caller at said second telephone station may communicate with said subscriber at said first telephone station, then responsive to receiving at said enhanced telephone switching system a voice call from a third telephone station directed to said first telephone station while said first telephone station is connected to said second telephone station, said enhanced telephone switching system bridging connections to said second telephone station and said third telephone station to a three-way conference circuit to the connection between said Internet and said first telephone station, wherein said enhanced telephone switching system includes a switching capability, an Internet access capability for extending said connection from said first telephone station to said Internet, and a voice call notification capability for alerting said subscriber at said first telephone station to receipt of said voice call from said second telephone station via connection to said Internet.
Specification