Telephone hold feature

• US 7,746,996 B1
• Filed: 03/01/2002
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2002
• 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: Ruckart, John P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Anwah; Olisa
• Application Number:
  US10/086,338
• Time in Patent Office: 3,042 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.13, 379/211.02, 379/67, 379/88.17, 379/201.01, 379/76, 379/74, 379/70, 379/211.01, 379/213.01, 455/412, 455/553, 455/413, 455/506, 455/567, 455/418, 455/419, 455/417
• US Class Current: 379/211.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72513 On hold, intercom or transfer communication modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4211 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4285 Notifying, informing or entertaining a held party while on hold, e.g. Music On Hold

Abstract

A telecommunications device. The device includes a receiver for receiving an incoming call and a processor in communication with the receiver. The processor has a call hold module for placing the call on hold prior to the call being answered by a user of the telecommunications device.

Claims

1. A telecommunications system, comprising:

a home location register for storing a profile of a user of a telecommunications device, wherein the profile includes an indication of whether the user is a subscriber to an incoming call hold service implemented by the telecommunications system;

a services node for;

determining whether an incoming call placed to the telecommunications device by a calling party should be placed on hold prior to the call being answered by the user of the telecommunications device according to the incoming call hold service if the hold function is enabled, the determining based on a user input predetermined time period during which the incoming call is placed on hold, and a list including at least one predetermined potential calling party from whom incoming calls are placed on hold, the user input predetermined time period during which the incoming call is placed on hold being obtained by interfacing with a scheduling program;

placing the incoming call on hold prior to the call being answered, the placing the call on hold being performed without input from the called party at the time of the call;

if the incoming call is not to be placed on hold based on the incoming call hold service, directly ringing a called party device if the hold function is not enabled;

determining whether the called party has pressed a button on the telecommunications device to enable a hold function

playing a message to the calling party that the call has been placed on hold; and

connecting the telecommunications device to the calling party if the user of the telecommunications device answers the incoming call; and

a mobile switching center for facilitating communication between the telecommunications device, the services node, and the home location register.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the services node determines whether the called party has enabled a hold function.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the services node initiates alerting the called party of the incoming call.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the services node initiates connecting the calling party to a voicemail system when the called party does not answer the call within a predetermined time period.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein playing the message to the calling party includes playing the message that is resident on the services node of a telecommunications network.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein playing the message to the calling party includes playing a pre-recorded message stored in a memory device resident on the telecommunications device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the services node initiates connecting the call to a voicemail system when the called party presses a button on the telecommunications device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the services node includes an enunciator.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the enunciator is for playing a message to a calling party when a call is placed on hold.