Method and system for providing enhanced call waiting

• US 7,903,805 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2006
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hardzinski, Mary Louis, Carrion, Roberto, Henry, Tricia Ehlers, Crockett, Susanne Marie, McBlain, Thomas Joseph, Pelletier, Karen Jeanne
• Primary Examiner(s): KING, SIMON
• Assistant Examiner(s): King; Simon
• Application Number:
  US11/429,739
• Publication Number:
  US 20060233323A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,765 Days
• Field of Search: 379/70, 379/88.23, 379/207.08, 379/215.01, 379/208.01, 379/87
• US Class Current: 379/215.01
• 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 from a calling party to a called communication station that is engaged in a first call, the method comprising:

determining that the called communication station is engaged in the first call;

automatically routing the second call to a telecommunication network element in response to determining the called communication station is engaged in the first call;

recording information provided by the calling party;

transmitting a request for a control command to a second calling station;

receiving a control command from the second calling station, the control command assigning a priority to the recorded information; and

automatically transmitting the recorded information and an announcement comprising options for processing the recorded information to the called communication station after the first call is completed, the automatically transmitting being performed in response to the priority assigned to the recorded information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the recorded information is automatically transmitted to the called communication station after determining during varying time periods that the first call is completed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein recording information by a calling party comprises recording audible information provided by the calling party.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the audible information comprises a name of the calling party and a telephone number.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a switch determines that the called communication station is engaged in the first call.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a service node records information provided by the calling party.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein an intelligent peripheral records information provided by the calling party.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a hub switch routes the second call to a telecommunication network element.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring the status of the first call to determine when the first call is completed.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically transmitting the recorded information and an announcement comprising options for processing the recorded information to the called communication station after the first call is completed comprises:

placing a third call to the called communication station.

9. A computer-readable storage medium comprising a set of instructions for processing a second call from a calling party to a called communication station that is engaged in a first call, the set of instructions to direct a computer system to perform acts of:

determining that the called communication station is engaged in the first call;

automatically routing the second call to a telecommunication network element in response to determining the called communication station is engaged in the first call;

recording information provided by the calling party;

transmitting a request for a control command to a second calling station;

receiving a control command from the second calling station, the control command assigning a priority to the recorded information; and

automatically transmitting the recorded information and an announcement comprising options for processing the recorded information to the called communication station after the first call is completed, the automatically transmitting being performed in response to the priority assigned to the recorded information.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the recorded information is automatically transmitted to the called communication station after determining during varying time periods that the first call is completed.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein recording information by a calling party comprises recording audible information provided by the calling party.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the audible information comprises a name of the calling party and a telephone number.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, further comprising a set of instructions to direct the computer system to perform the act of:

monitoring the status of the first call to determine when the first call is completed.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein automatically transmitting the recorded information and an announcement comprising options for processing the recorded information to the called communication station after the first call is completed comprises:

placing a third call to the called communication station.

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

means for determining that the called communication station is engaged in the first call;

means for recording information provided by the calling party;

means for transmitting a request for a control command to a second calling station;

means for receiving a control command from the second calling station, the control command assigning a priority to the recorded information; and

means for automatically transmitting the recorded information and an announcement comprising options for processing the recorded information to the called communication station after determining during varying time periods the first call is completed, the automatically transmitting being performed in response to the priority assigned to the recorded information.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the means for determining that the called communication station is engaged in the first call comprises a switch.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the means for recording information provided by the calling party comprises a service node.

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

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the means for automatically transmitting the information to the called communication station comprises a hub switch.

18. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

means for transmitting an announcement to the calling party requesting information from the calling party.

23. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

means for monitoring the status of the first call to determine when the first call is completed.

24. The system of claim 13, wherein the means for automatically transmitting the recorded information and an announcement comprising options for processing the recorded information to the called communication station after determining during varying time periods the first call is completed is operative to place a third call to the called communication station.