Systems and methods for providing selectable options to a calling party on-hold

• US 8,670,543 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2012
• Issued: 03/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• 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, QUYNH H
• Application Number:
  US13/549,614
• Publication Number:
  US 20120275584A1
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• Field of Search: 379/215.01, 379/201.01, 379/88.05, 379/88.06
• US Class Current: 379/215.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2011 Service processing based on information specified by a party before or during a call, e.g. information, tone or routing selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42357 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4283 Call holding circuits
• 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 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems

Abstract

A method for handling an on-hold communication includes receiving an incoming communication from an initiating party directed to a communication destination address assigned to a receiving party. When the incoming communication is placed on-hold, the initiating party is provided a menu of selectable options including an option to obtain information particular to a physical geographic location identified during the incoming communication. The on-hold initiating party selects the option to obtain the information particular to the physical geographic location, and the information particular to the physical geographical location is provided while the incoming communication is on-hold.

Claims

1. A method for handling an on-hold communication, the method comprising:

receiving an incoming communication from an initiating party directed to a communication destination address assigned to a receiving party;

placing the incoming communication on-hold;

providing to the initiating party a first menu of selectable options including an option to obtain information particular to a physical geographic location identified during the incoming communication;

receiving from the on-hold initiating party a selected option to obtain the information particular to the physical geographic location; and

providing the information particular to the physical geographical location while the incoming communication is on-hold.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein the information particular to the physical geographical location comprises weather information for the physical geographical location.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein the physical geographic location comprises information provided by the initiating party during the incoming communication.

4. The method of claim 1,

wherein the selectable options include an option to communicate with an operator.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein the selectable options include an option to record a voice message.

6. The method of claim 1,

wherein the selectable options include an option to retrieve and play a specified audio signal.

7. The method of claim 1,

wherein the selectable options include an option to connect to an internet website.

8. The method of claim 1,

wherein the selectable options include an option to retrieve an audio file.

9. The method of claim 6,

wherein the audio file comprises a particular song.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing to the initiating party a second menu of selectable options;

receiving from the on-hold initiating party a selected option that corresponds to one of the second menu of selectable options; and

performing a predefined operation associated with the selected option that corresponds to one of the second menu of selectable options.

11. An apparatus in a communication network for handling an on-hold communication, the apparatus comprising:

a memory that stores instructions; and

a processor that executes the instructions,

wherein, when executed by the processor, the instructions cause the apparatus to perform operations comprising;

receiving a communication from an initiating party directed to a communication destination address assigned to a receiving party and placing the communication on-hold;

providing to the initiating party a first menu of selectable options including an option to obtain information particular to a physical geographic location identified during the incoming communication, and receiving from the on-hold initiating party a selected option to obtain the information particular to the physical geographic location; and

obtaining the information particular to the physical geographic location and providing the information particular to the physical geographic location while the incoming communication is on-hold.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a data store for storing the first menu of selectable options.

13. The apparatus of claim 12,

wherein the data store contains at least one audio file comprising music.

14. The apparatus of claim 12,

wherein the data store contains at least one audio file comprising current event information.

15. The apparatus of claim 12,

wherein the data store contains at least one audio file comprising weather information.

16. The apparatus of claim 11,

wherein the selectable options include an option to communicate with an operator.

17. The apparatus of claim 11,

wherein the selectable options include an option to leave a voice mail.

18. The apparatus of claim 11,

wherein the selectable options include an option to connect to an internet website, and selection of the option to connect to the internet website causes the apparatus to connect to the internet website and retrieve content from the internet website.

19. A tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a computer, handle an on-hold communication, the instructions causing the computer to perform operations comprising:

receiving an incoming communication from an initiating party directed to a communication destination address assigned to a receiving party;

placing the incoming communication on-hold;

providing to the initiating party a first menu of selectable options including an option to obtain information particular to a physical geographic location identified during the incoming communication;

receiving from the on-hold initiating party a selected option to obtain the information particular to the physical geographic location; and

providing the information particular to the physical geographic location while the incoming communication is on-hold.

20. The tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, the instructions further causing the computer to perform operations comprising:

providing to the initiating party a second menu of selectable options;

receiving from the initiating party a selected option that corresponds to one of the second menu of selectable options; and

performing a predefined operation associated with the request corresponding to one of the second menu of selectable options.