Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for suppression of packets during silence periods in a packet telephony system

US6735193B1 · kind B1 · utility

16Cited by
10References
42Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 28, 1999
Grant dateMay 11, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 28, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04M3/533
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed for notifying a far-end calling party when a near-end calling party utilizes a hold or mute feature. The present invention reduces bandwidth utilization by suppressing the transmission of packets during periods of extended silence. Each packet telephony device includes a packet suppression system that monitors local terminal activity and notifies the far-end party that the near-end device is discarding the “listen” stream. In addition, the disclosed packet suppression system monitors the incoming packets and processes such notifications from the far-end party that the far-end device is discarding the “listen” stream. In response, the packet suppression system can suppress the transmission of further packets and optionally activate a music-on-hold feature for the held party.

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