Method and apparatus for selectively suspending or activating a call waiting service

• US 6,289,092 B1
• Filed: 01/30/1998
• Issued: 09/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Nishiara, Tsuguhito
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Deane, Jr., William J.
• Application Number:
  US09/016,451
• Time in Patent Office: 1,320 Days
• Field of Search: 379/215, 379/93.35, 379/201
• US Class Current: 379/215.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4281 when the called subscriber is connected to a data network using his telephone line, e.g. dial-up connection, Internet browsing

Abstract

An exchange identifies a destination telephone number dialed by a subscriber, accesses a database access unit to determine whether the subscriber performs data communication or speech communication based on the identified destination telephone number, suspends a call waiting service when the subscriber performs data communication service and activates the call waiting service when the subscriber performs speech communication.

Claims

1. A telephone switching method using a telephone switched network and provided with a call waiting service for producing an interrupt responsive to a call incoming to a first subscriber when the first subscriber is communicating with a second subscriber, comprising the steps of:

identifying a destination number dialed by the first subscriber to originate a call;

verifying if the identified destination number is registered for data communication and determining whether the first subscriber is performing one of data communication and voice communication depending on the results of said verifying step; and

suspending the call waiting service when it is determined that the first subscriber is performing data communication, and activating the call waiting service when it is determined that the first subscriber is performing voice communication.

2. The telephone switching method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of determining, prior to the identifying and determining step, whether the first subscriber is a call waiting service subscriber and proceeding to the step of identifying and determining only when it is determined the first subscriber is a call waiting service subscriber.

3. A telephone switching apparatus provided with a call waiting service for producing an interrupt responsive to a call incoming to a first subscriber when the first subscriber is communicating with a second subscriber, comprising:

communication type identifying means identifying a destination number dialed by the first subscriber to originate a call and including verification means for verifying if the identified destination number is registered for data communication, said communication type identifying means determining whether the first subscriber is performing one of data communication and voice communication depending on the results obtained from said verification means; and

interrupt service controlling means for suspending the call waiting service when it is determined that the first subscriber is performing data communication, and activating the call waiting service when it is determined that the first subscriber is performing voice communication.

4. The telephone switching apparatus as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

service subscription determining means for determining whether the first subscriber subscribes to the call waiting service, and wherein

said communication type identifying means identifies a type of communication for the first subscriber determined by said service subscription determining means to be a call waiting service subscriber.

5. A telephone switching apparatus provided with a call waiting service for producing an interrupt responsive to a call incoming to a first subscriber when the first subscriber is communicating with a second subscriber, comprising:

communication type identifying means for identifying a destination number dialed by the first subscriber to originate a call, and determining whether the first subscriber is performing one of data communication and voice communication depending on the destination number identified; and

interrupt service controlling means for suspending the call waiting service when it is determined that the first subscriber is performing data communication, and activating the call waiting service when it is determined that the first subscriber is performing voice communication,

wherein said communication type identifying means comprises;

a database for storing destination telephone numbers for access points of data communication; and

database searching means for referring to said database so as to determine whether said destination telephone number dialed by the first subscriber is stored in said database, for determining that data communication is performed when it is determined that said database stores said destination telephone number, and for determining that speech communication is performed when it is determined that said database does not store said destination telephone number.

6. The telephone switching apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said database and said database searching means are separate from said interrupt service controlling means and are connected to said interrupt service controlling means via a data communication line.

7. The telephone switching apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein a plurality of said databases are provided in a distributed manner, each of said plurality of databases comprising updating means for comparing data between said plurality of databases at predetermined intervals so as to maintain said data to be identical from database to database.