Method and apparatus for bridging a voice call including selective provision of information in non-audio to the caller

US5987102A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• eFusion, Inc. · US

Inventors

• John D. Elliott · Lake Forest Park, US
• Mark D. Zuber · Duvall, US
• Michael F. Buondonno · Beaverton, US
• Kenneth L. Keeler · Hillsboro, US
• Mojtaba Mirashrafi · Portland, US
• Keith A. Pirkl · Vancouver, US
• Al J. Simon · Hillsboro, US
• George L. Taylor · Tigard, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 14, 1997
• Grant date: Nov 16, 1999
• Expiry date: Mar 14, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04M3/54
• WIPO field: Telecommunications
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

An apparatus is provided with a storage medium having stored therein programming instructions that implement a set of communication services for bridging a voice call from a caller to a calle, and an execution unit coupled to the storage medium for executing the programming instructions. The communication services include call management services for transitioning the voice call through a plurality of call states [including a call holding state] while connecting/disconnecting the caller and the callee, and facilitating selective provision of information in non-audio form to the caller [in at least the call holding state] while transitioning the voice calls through the call states. The caller is also equipped to receive non-audio information.