Internet call waiting messaging

• US 7,317,714 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2002
• Issued: 01/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Roberts, Linda Ann, Silver, Edward Michael, Nguyen, Hong Thi
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HANH N
• Application Number:
  US10/177,181
• Publication Number:
  US 20040037266A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,027 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/400, 370/401, 370/389, 370/493, 370/494, 379/32.02, 379/84, 379/88.12, 379/88.21, 379/93.09, 379/93.14, 379/93.23, 379/93.35
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4281 when the called subscriber is connected to a data network using his telephone line, e.g. dial-up connection, Internet browsing

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatuses are disclosed for providing Internet Call Waiting (ICW) Messaging Services. In an embodiment, a calling party places an incoming call to a called telephone number having an active ICW session and data connection. A telecommunications system allows a calling party to communicate an ICW message to a computer system engaged in the ICW session and data connection. The telecommunications system may also allow a called party (e.g., the user of the computer system) to communicate a response to the ICW message and, thus, allow interactive ICW messaging.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

processing a call from a calling number to a called number, the called number being busy as a result of an established connection to a data network;

notifying the calling number that the called number is engaged in an online session;

prompting the calling number to activate an Internet Call Waiting messaging service, the Internet Call Waiting messaging service enabling Internet Call Waiting messages to be exchanged between the called number and the calling number over the established connection;

receiving an Internet Call Waiting message from the calling number;

interrupting the online session; and

routing the internet Call Waiting message over the established connection to an Internet Protocol address associated with the called number.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a called party'"'"'s response message to the Internet Call Waiting message; and

sending the called party'"'"'s response message to the calling number.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising formatting the called party'"'"'s response message to suit a calling party'"'"'s device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising querying for the Internet Protocol address associated with the called number.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an instruction from a calling party to interrupt the online session.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein in response to the calling party'"'"'s instruction, storing a bookmark to a website address associated with the online session.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising interrupting the connection to the data network.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

routing the call to the called number, and

when the call is completed, reestablishing the connection to the data network and to the bookmarked website address.

9. A system, comprising:

means for processing a call from a calling number to a called number, the called number being busy as a result of an established data connection to a data network;

means for notifying the calling number that the called number is engaged in an online session;

means for prompting the calling number to activate an Internet Call Waiting messaging service, the Internet Call Waiting messaging service enabling Internet Call Waiting messages to be exchanged between the called number and the calling number over the established connection;

means for receiving an Internet Call Waiting message from the calling number,

means for interrupting the online session; and

means for routing Internet Call Waiting message over the established connection to an Internet Protocol address associated with the called number.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

means for receiving a called party'"'"'s response message to the Internet Call Waiting message; and

means for sending the called party'"'"'s response message to the calling number.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising means for formatting the called party'"'"'s response message to suit a calling party'"'"'s device.

12. The system of claim 9, further comprising means for queryng for the Internet Protocol address associated with the called number.

13. The system of claim 9, further comprising means for receiving an instruction from a calling party to interrupt the online session.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein in response to the calling party'"'"'s instruction, means for storing a bookmark to a website address associated with the online session.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising means for interrupting the connection to the data network.

16. A computer readable medium storing processor-executable instructions for:

processing a call from a calling number to a called number, the called number being busy as a result of an established data connection to a data network;

notifying the calling number that the called number is engaged in an online session;

prompting the calling number to activate an Internet Call Waiting messaging service, the internet Call Waiting messaging service enabling Internet Call Waiting messages to be exchanged between the called number and the calling number over the established connection;

receiving an internet Call Waiting message from the calling number;

interrupting the online session; and

routing Internet Call Waiting message over the established connection to an Internet Protocol address associated with the called number.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, further comprising instructions for:

receiving a called party'"'"'s response message to the Internet Call Waiting message; and

sending the called party'"'"'s response message to the calling number.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 16, further comprising instructions for:

receiving an instruction from a the calling party to interrupt the online session;

responsive to the calling party'"'"'s instruction, storing a bookmark to a website address associated with the online session;

interrupting the connection to the data network;

routing the call to the called number; and

when the call is completed, reestablishing the online session to the bookmarked website address.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 16, further comprising instructions for formatting the called party'"'"'s response message to suit a calling party'"'"'s device.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 16, further comprising instructions for:

ignoring an Internet Call Waiting feature that cancels call waiting during the connection to the data network; and

utilizing the data connection to route the call to the called number.