Second communication during ring suppression

• US 7,443,967 B1
• Filed: 09/29/2003
• Issued: 10/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2003
• 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: Silver, Edward Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah; Melur
• Application Number:
  US10/673,949
• Time in Patent Office: 1,856 Days
• Field of Search: 379/106.09, 379/90.01, 379/93.05, 379/93.06, 379/93.07, 379/93.35, 379/215.01, 379/142.08, 379/88.19, 379/196, 379/199
• US Class Current: 379/106.09
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/002 with telemetering systems telemetering in general G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/048 Arrangements providing optical indication of the incoming call, e.g. flasher circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/14 Delay circuits; Timers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/558 Databases
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/02 Calling substations, e.g. by ringing selective calling H04Q
• 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 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4211 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

Systems and methods for second call during ring suppression are disclosed. After a communications device receives a first incoming call, the ringer is activated to produce an initial audible alert and thereafter, the ringer of the communications device is suppressed for subsequent audible alerts according to a timed ring suppression profile. Thereafter, a secondary incoming call is routed to the communications device and the ringer is activated to provide notification of the secondary incoming call while the first call is suppressed.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

means for receiving a first incoming communication;

means for producing a first initial alert of the first incoming communication;

means for suppressing subsequent alerts of the first incoming communication for a period of time;

means for receiving a second incoming communication during the period of time of suppression; and

means for producing a second initial alert of the second incoming communication while the subsequent alerts of the first incoming communication are suppressed.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for associating the first incoming communication to a profile.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for retrieving a timing parameter that specifies the period of time of suppression.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for enabling alerts after the time period has passed.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the timing parameter ranges from approximately one second to approximately two minutes.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for retrieving a schedule preference that enables timed ring suppression for times of day and days of week.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for receiving an incoming call as the first incoming communication, means for producing a first ring and means for suppressing subsequent rings for a period of time.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising means for receiving a second incoming call as the second incoming communication, means for producing another ring to alert of the second incoming call during the period of time in which the subsequent rings are suppressed.

9. A system, comprising:

means for processing a first incoming communication;

means for sending a first initial alert of the first incoming communication;

means for suppressing subsequent alerts of the first incoming communication for a period of time;

means for processing a second incoming communication during the period of time of suppression; and

means for sending a second initial alert of the second incoming communication while the subsequent alerts of the first incoming communication are suppressed.

10. A method, comprising:

receiving a first incoming communication;

producing a first initial alert of the first incoming communication;

suppressing subsequent alerts of the first incoming communication for a period of time;

receiving a second incoming communication during the period of time of suppression; and

producing a second initial alert of the second incoming communication while the subsequent alerts of the first incoming communication are suppressed.

11. The method of claim 10, farther comprising associating the first incoming communication to a profile.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising retrieving a timing parameter that specifies the period of time of suppression.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising enabling alerts after the time period has passed.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the timing parameter is greater than two minutes.

15. A computer program product storing computer-readable instructions for performing a method for timed ring suppression, the method comprising:

receiving a first incoming communication;

producing a first initial alert of the first incoming communication;

suppressing subsequent alerts of the first incoming communication for a period of time;

receiving a second incoming communication during the period of time of suppression; and

producing a second initial alert of the second incoming communication while the subsequent alerts of the first incoming communication are suppressed.