Systems and methods for managing multiple communications

• US 6,768,722 B1
• Filed: 06/23/2000
• Issued: 07/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Robinson, Bethany Scott, Katseff, Howard Paul, Markowitz, Robert Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lam, Daniel K.
• Application Number:
  US09/603,667
• Time in Patent Office: 1,495 Days
• Field of Search: 370/259, 370/214, 370/310, 370/356, 370/352, 370/260, 370/261, 379/163, 379/162, 379/142, 379/393, 379/207, 379/93, 379/67, 379/201, 379/214, 379/215, 379/212, 379/202.01, 379/204.01
• US Class Current: 370/260
• 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

Abstract

The present invention enables a party which is placed on hold in a first communication session to enter a second communication session and continue to monitor the status of the first communication. For example, in a broadband communication system telephone call or multimedia call, two parties may be in an active communication session with one another and a first of the two parties to the call may receive another incoming call. The first party then places the second party on hold. At this time the second party may wish to place the communication session with the first party on hold to initiate another communication session with a third party. However, the second party would also like to know when the first party takes the communication session off hold so that they can resume their communication. As a result, the second party places the communication on “monitor” hold. While the communication is on monitor hold, the second party is able to monitor the on hold communication session to recognize when the first party returns. For example, the monitored call on hold may be maintained at a reduced volume or a video display of the video in a multimedia communication session may be displayed in a reduced window size on a display. Further, the present invention provides prompts to various parties of a communication session when one or more parties to the communication session are placed on hold or taken off hold. For example, the system may generate a prompt to one or more parties when a communication session is placed on hold or monitor hold, or when a communication session on hold or monitor hold is taken off hold.

Claims

1. A method for enhanced communications in a communication system, comprising the steps of:

a first party placing a first communication session between said first party and a second party on hold;

placing said first communication session on monitor hold so that said second party can monitor said first communication session for said first party to resume said first communication session;

determining if said second party has instructed to take said first communication session off monitor hold and resume active bi-directional communications with said first party;

establishing a second communication session between said second party and a third party; and

determining if said second party has instructed to add said first party to said second communication session with said third party so as to create a conference call including at least said first party, said second party, and said third party.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

generating a prompt for said first party indicating that said first communication session has been placed on monitor hold.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said communication system is a broadband communication system.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said second party is using a wireless mobile communication unit.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said second party is using a POTS telephone connected to a PSTN.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing a silent channel to said second party while said first communication session remains on hold by said first party.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said communication session is a telephone call.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said communication session is a multimedia call.

9. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

taking said first communication session off hold in response to input by said first party.

10. A method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of:

prompting said first party a first time indicating that said first communication session has been placed on monitor hold.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein said monitoring is provided by a reduced volume or display view.

12. A method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of:

prompting said second party that said first party has taken said first communication session off hold.

13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of:

prompting said first party a second time indicating that said first communication session has been placed on monitor hold.

14. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

determining if said second party has instructed to place said third party on hold and take said first communication session with said first party off monitor hold.