Patent · US Expired

Circuit and method for responding to third party calls in a telephone system having call waiting

US5680447A · kind A · utility

37Cited by
4References
17Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 31, 1995
Grant dateOct 21, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 31, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04M3/487
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and circuit which allows a telephone user having a conversation with a second party in a telephone system having call waiting to effectively respond to an incoming call from a third party without having to engage in conversation with the third party. To accomplish this, the user presses a key on a customer premises equipment (CPE) which initiates a first flash hook operation which places the second party on hold and connects the CPE to the third party. A pre-recorded message corresponding to the pressed key is then transmitted to the third party. The CPE then performs a second flash hook operation which disconnects the third party and removes the second party from the hold state. A plurality of keys, having a corresponding plurality of pre-recorded messages can be provided, thereby allowing the user to respond to the third party with different messages. The CPE can include CIDCW capabilities which enable the user to learn the identity of the third party before selecting the pre-recorded message.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.