Method and system for providing call waiting features in a SIP-based network

• US 8,374,166 B1
• Filed: 09/22/2006
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Robbins, David C
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Joseph J
• Application Number:
  US11/534,426
• Time in Patent Office: 2,335 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/356, 379/215, 379/88.21, 379/142, 379/197, 379/202, 379/212, 379/214, 379/93.35, 379/246, 379/215.01, 455/420, 455418-419
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1076 Screening of IP real time communications, e.g. spam over Internet telephony [SPIT]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1096 Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27 Devices whereby a plurality of signals may be stored simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

A method that includes receiving a first call request from a second user to a first user, establishing a first dialog between a network element and the first user, establishing a second dialog between the network element and the second user, establishing a third dialog between the network element and a third user in response to a second call request from a third user, establishing a fourth dialog between the network element and the first user as a result of establishing the third dialog, waiting for a response from the first user in the fourth dialog and receiving one or more indications of actions from the first user to manage the disposition of the second call request.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a first call request from a first calling party to a first called party;

establishing a first dialog between a SIP based network element and the first called party;

establishing a second dialog between the SIP based network element and the first calling party;

establishing a third dialog between the SIP based network element and a second calling party in response to a second call request from the second calling party;

establishing a fourth dialog between the SIP based network element and first called party as a result of establishing the third dialog;

waiting for a response from the first called party in the fourth dialog;

providing a default action to be executed after a predetermined period of time of user inactivity in response to the second call request; and

receiving an indication of an action from the first called party to manage the disposition of the second call request,

wherein the SIP based network element acts as a back to back user agent for one or more SIP devices to enable a call disposition in response to indication of the action received from the first called party including;

conference call functionality between three or more users, placing a call on hold, dropping the first calling party, dropping the second calling party, answering a call, and forwarding the second call request to a specified destination.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the network element comprises a SIP based server associated with an optical network terminal.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more indications of actions is one or more indications of a dual tone multi frequency (DTMF) signal.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to the one or more indications of actions, placing the first dialog on hold, and connecting the fourth dialog and the third dialog.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to the one or more indications of actions, holding the second dialog.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to the one or more indications of actions, forwarding the second call request to an announcement server and playing an announcement to the second calling party.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to the one or more indications of actions, terminating the third dialog.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to the one or more indications of actions, conferencing the first dialog, the second dialog and the third dialog.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to the one or more indications of actions, placing an active dialog on hold, and resuming a previously held dialog.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to the one or more indications of actions, ending a currently active dialog, and resuming a previously held dialog.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

in response to the one or more indications of actions, ending a first active dialog between a user and a first caller in a conference call, and maintaining a second active dialog between a user and a second caller in response to the user action.

12. A non-transitory device implemented application comprising:

code to perform the acts of the method of claim 1.

13. A system, comprising:

a SIP based network element configured to;

receive a first call request from a first calling party to a first called party;

establish a first dialog between the SIP based network element and the first called party;

establishing a second dialog between the SIP based network element and the first calling party;

establish a third dialog between the SIP based network element and a second calling party in response to a second call request from a second calling party;

establish a fourth dialog between the SIP based network element and the first called party as a result of establishing the third dialog;

wait for a response from the first called party in the fourth dialog;

provide a default action to be executed after a predetermined period of time of user inactivity in response to the second call request; and

receive an indication of an action from the first called party to manage the disposition of the second call request,

wherein the SIP based network element acts as a back to back user agent for one or more SIP devices to enable a call disposition in response to the indication of the action received from the first called party including;

conference call functionality between three or more users, placing a call on hold, dropping the first calling party, dropping the second calling party, answering a call, and forwarding the second call request to a specified destination.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein a call request is a SIP INVITE received from one or more SIP devices associated with an optical network terminal.