Method and system for providing enhanced call waiting

• US 7,095,826 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2003
• Issued: 08/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ameritech Corp. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ameritech Corp. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hardzinski, Mary Louis, McBlain, Thomas Joseph, Pelletier, Karen Jeanne, Carrion, Roberto, Henry, Tricia Ehlers, Crockett, Susanne Marie
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoosain, Allan
• Application Number:
  US10/350,918
• Publication Number:
  US 20030210775A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 379/218.01, 379/67.1, 379/72, 379/76, 379/88.11, 379/88.12, 379/88.19, 379/88.2, 379/88.21, 379/88.22, 379/88.26, 379/93.35, 379/142.08, 379/215.01
• US Class Current: 379/88.12
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/428 Arrangements for placing incoming calls on hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4285 Notifying, informing or entertaining a held party while on hold, e.g. Music On Hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• 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

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed for providing an enhanced call waiting announcement to a called party that is busy on a first call and receives a second call. Information provided by a second calling party is recorded and played back to the called party after the first call is over. The called party is not interrupted during the duration of the first call.

Claims

1. A method for processing a second call to a called communication station that is engaged in a first call, the method comprising:

(a) using a first telecommunications network element to automatically determine that the called communication station is engaged in the first call and automatically route the second call to a second telecommunications network element in response to a determination that the called communication station is engaged in the first call;

(b) recording information provided by a calling party for the second call; and

(c) automatically transmitting the information provided by the calling party to the called communication station after determining during varying time periods the first call is over.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein (b) comprises recording audible information provided by the calling party.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein (b) comprises recording textual information provided by the calling party.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein (c) comprises automatically transmitting audible information provided by the calling party to the called communication station after the first call is over.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein (c) comprises automatically transmitting the name of the calling party to the called communication station after the first call is over.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein (c) comprises automatically transmitting the name of the calling party and a telephone number to the called communication station after the first call is over.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a message to the calling party requesting that they provide information prior to (a).

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing a connection with the called communication station before (b).

18. The method of claim 1, wherein (a) comprises using the first telecommunications network element to automatically attempt to terminate the second call at the called conmiunication station.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein (a) comprises

(a1) using the first telecommunications network element to automatically attempt to terminate the second call at the called communication station;

and

(a2) using the first telecommunications network element to automatically route the second call to the second telecommunication network element if the second call cannot be terminated at the called communication station.

9. A method for processing a second call to a called communication station that is engaged in a first call, the method comprising:

(a) receiving the second call at a called party'"'"'s switch;

(b) using the called party'"'"'s switch to automatically determine that the called communication station is engaged in the first call and automatically route the second call to a telecommunications network element in response to a determination that the called communication station is engaged in the first call;

(c) using the telecommunications network element to transmit an announcement to a calling party for the second call, the announcement requesting information;

(d) recording the information provided by the calling party; and

(e) automatically transmitting the information to the called communication station after determining during varying time periods the first call is over.

20. The method of claim 9, wherein (b) comprises using the called party'"'"'s switch to automatically attempt to terminate the second call at the called communication station.

21. The method of claim 9, wherein (b) comprises

(b1) using the called party'"'"'s switch to automatically attempt to terminate the second call at the called communication station;

and

(b2) using the called party'"'"'s switch to automatically route the second call to a telecommunications network element if the second call cannot be terminated at the called communication station.

10. A system for processing a second call to a called communication station that is engaged in a first call, the system comprising:

at least one telecommunications network element comprising;

(a) means for automatically determining that the called communication station is engaged in the first call;

(b) means for recording information provided by a calling party for the second call; and

(c) means for automatically transmitting the information to the called communication station after determining during varying time periods the first call is over.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the means for automatically determining that the called communication station is engaged in the first call comprises a switch.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the means for recording information provided by the calling party comprises a service node.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the means for recording information provided by the calling party comprises an intelligent peripheral.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the means for automatically transmitting the information to the called communication station comprises a hub switch.

15. The system of claim 10, further comprising means for transmitting an announcement to the calling party requesting information from the calling party.

16. A system for processing a second call to a called communication station that is engaged in a first call, the system comprising:

a called party'"'"'s switch coupled with the called communication station, the called party'"'"'s switch being operable to automatically determine that the called communication station is engaged in the first call and automatically route the second call in response to a determination that the called communication station is engaged in the first call; and

a service node coupled with the called party'"'"'s switch, the service node being operable to receive the second call from the called party'"'"'s switch, record information provided by a calling party for the second call, and transmit the information to the called communication station after determining during varying time periods the first call is over.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the called party'"'"'s switch is operative to automatically attempt to terminate the second call at the called communication station.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein the service node is further operative transmit an announcement to the calling party when the called communication station is engaged in the first call.

24. The system of claim 16, wherein the service node is operative to generate outgoing calls to the called communication station to facilitate the transmission of the recorded information to the called communication station.

25. The system of claim 16, further comprising a hub switch coupled with the called party'"'"'s switch and the service node, the hub switch being operative to transmit information between the called party'"'"'s switch and the service node.

17. A computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for processing a second call to a called communication station that is engaged in a first call comprising:

computer readable program code for causing a computer to automatically determine that the called communication station is engaged in the first call;

computer readable program code for causing a computer to record information provided by a calling party for the second call; and

computer readable program code for causing a computer to automatically transmit the information to the called communication station after determining during varying time periods the first call is over.