Telephonic communications – Special services – Call waiting
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-10
2001-02-20
Zele, Krista (Department: 2742)
Telephonic communications
Special services
Call waiting
C379S201060, C379S209010, C379S210010
Reexamination Certificate
active
06192120
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for controlling a call waiting service.
2. Description of the Related Art
In call waiting service, when a telephone A that is provided with a call waiting service is engaged in voice communication with a telephone B, a special ringing tone will be heard from the receiver of the telephone A if a call arrives from a third telephone C. This lets the user of the telephone A know that another telephone is calling. When the user of the telephone A responds by performing a switchhook operation, that is, by briefly depressing the telephone switchhook, the telephone B is placed on hold and the telephone A is connected to the telephone C. Thereafter, when the switchhook is operated again, the telephone C is placed on hold and the telephone A is reconnected to the telephone B.
In such a call waiting service, if the telephone C goes on-hook before the user of the telephone A answers the ringing tone from the telephone C, the problem is that the user of the telephone A does not know who the caller was and, therefore, cannot return the call.
When the user of the telephone A is alerted that a call has arrived from another telephone, the user of the telephone A tells the user of the telephone B, “There's a call from another phone. I'll call you back later,” and operates the switchhook to connect to the telephone C before the telephone B goes on-hook or after asking the user of the telephone B to hang up, as is often the case. In such cases, if the user of the telephone A does not know the telephone number of the telephone B and cannot look it up in the telephone directory, he has to ask the remote party to give the number before switching the connection to the new call. On the other hand, in cases where the user makes a return call by finding out the telephone number of the telephone B in the telephone directory or his address book, the problem is that the user has to take the trouble to consult the telephone directory, etc. Further, even when the user remembers the remote party's telephone number, he has to take the time to dial the telephone number anyway.
Also, there often are cases where when a call arrives from the telephone C, the user of the telephone A first operates the switchhook to connect to the telephone C while placing the telephone B on hold, and then reconnects to the telephone B after telling the user of the telephone C, “I'm engaged in another call. I'll call you back later.” In such cases also, the same situation as described above for the telephone B occurs for the telephone C.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus, for controlling a call waiting service, wherein provisions are made to be able to automatically recall the telephone that went on-hook earlier than the other, i.e., the telephone C in the case of the first example, the telephone B in the case of the second example, and the telephone C in the case of the third example.
According to the present invention, there is provided a method for controlling call waiting service between a first telephone that subscribes to the call waiting service, a second telephone that was first connected to the first telephone, and a third telephone that made a call to the first telephone thereafter, comprising the steps of: storing in association with the first telephone the telephone number of the second telephone or the third telephone, whichever went on-hook first; and making an automatic call from the first telephone to the telephone that went on-hook first, by using the stored telephone number.
According to the present invention, there is also provided an apparatus for controlling a call waiting service between a first telephone that subscribes to the call waiting service, a second telephone that was first connected to the first telephone, and a third telephone that made a call to the first telephone thereafter, comprising: means for storing in association with the first telephone the telephone number of the second telephone or the third telephone, whichever went on-hook first; and means for making an automatic call from the first telephone to the telephone that went on-hook first, by using the stored telephone number.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5185782 (1993-02-01), Srinivasan
patent: 5311574 (1994-05-01), Livanos
patent: 5311583 (1994-05-01), Friedes et al.
patent: 5680447 (1997-10-01), Diamond et al.
patent: 5761289 (1998-06-01), Keshav
patent: 5784448 (1998-07-01), Yaker
patent: 5836009 (1998-11-01), Diamond et al.
patent: 5894504 (1999-04-01), Alfred et al.
patent: 5974131 (1999-10-01), Malik
patent: 5-22469 (1993-01-01), None
patent: 5-327891 (1993-12-01), None
Oomori Wataru
Yamagishi Masahiko
Bui Bing
Fujitsu Limited
Helfgott & Karas P.C.
Zele Krista
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