Forced hold call handling in a vop environment

Abstract

The present invention provides a technique for providing a forced hold service such as is used for an emergency services call, which is supported at least in part over a packet network. The forced hold service acts to effectively hold a connection for the call with a called party, even when the caller takes an action that would normally end a call, such as going on hook, pressing end, or the like. When the caller takes an action that would normally end the call, the forced hold service allows the caller to automatically reconnect to the emergency services provider over the held connection upon going offhook, pressing send, or the like. Alternatively, the emergency services provider can effectively re-engage the call wherein the caller is reconnected over the held connection upon going offhook, pressing send, or the like.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of handling a communication session via a packet switched network at a service node of the packet switched network, the method comprising:
 receiving from a communication client a session initiation message requesting initiation of a communication session, the session initiation message comprising information indicating that the communication session should be maintained notwithstanding attempts to interrupt the communication session;   in response to the received session initiation message, establishing the communication session for the communication client via at least one other node connected to the packet switched network;   receiving from the communication client a message comprising information indicative of an attempt to interrupt the communication session; and   in response to the received message comprising information indicative of an attempt to interrupt the communication session, signaling the at least one other node to maintain the communication session notwithstanding the received message comprising information indicative of an attempt to interrupt the communication session.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one other node is a gateway connecting the packet switched network to another communication network. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one other node is a media gateway connecting the packet switched network to a circuit switched network. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein signaling the at least one other node to maintain the communication session notwithstanding the received message comprising information indicative of an attempt to interrupt the communication session comprises signaling the at least one other node to put the communication session on hold. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the information indicating that the communication session should be maintained notwithstanding attempts to interrupt the communication session comprises information indicative of an emergency services call. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the information indicating that the communication session should be maintained notwithstanding attempts to interrupt the communication session comprises dialed digits associated with a requirement to maintain a call. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the dialed digits associated with a requirement to maintain a communication session comprises dialed digits associated with an emergency services call. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the information indicating that the communication session should be maintained notwithstanding attempts to interrupt the communication session is provided in a priority header of the session initiation message. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the message comprising information indicating that the communication session should be maintained notwithstanding attempts to interrupt the communication session comprises a re-invite message. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the re-invite message comprises an indication that an emergency services call is in progress and an indication that the call is held. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein signaling the at least one other node to maintain the communication session notwithstanding the received message comprising information indicative of an attempt to interrupt the communication session comprises signaling the media gateway to put the packet communication session on hold and to maintain a connection through the circuit switched network associated with the packet communication session. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein establishing the communication session comprises establishing a circuit-switched connection between the media gateway and an access point of the circuit switched network via a signaling gateway connected to the switched network. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein signaling the at least one other node to maintain the communication session notwithstanding the received message comprising information indicative of an attempt to interrupt the communication session comprises sending the signaling gateway notification of the attempt to interrupt the communication session. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 receiving a message indicating an attempt by a caller to reconnect the communication session put on hold; and   in response to the message indicating an attempt by a caller to reconnect the communication session put on hold, restoring the communication session put on hold.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 receiving a message indicating an attempt by an operator to reconnect the communication session put on hold; and   in response to the message indicating an attempt by an operator to reconnect the communication session, restoring the communication session put on hold.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a release message from an entity other than the communication client; and   sending an end message to the communication client in response to the release message.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 receiving a response from the communication client acknowledging the end message; and   disconnecting the communication session in response to the acknowledgement.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 receiving a message indicating an attempt by a caller to reconnect the communication session put on hold; and   in response to the message indicating an attempt by a caller to reconnect the communication session put on hold, restoring the communication session put on hold, wherein restoring the communication session comprises:   sending a signaling gateway notification of the attempt to reconnect; and   
       sending a media gateway an initiation message. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 receiving a message indicating an attempt by an operator to reconnect the packet communication session put on hold; and   in response to the message indicating an attempt by an operator to reconnect the packet communication session, restoring the packet communication session put on hold, wherein restoring the packet communication session comprises:   sending a signaling gateway notification of the attempt to reconnect; and   sending a media gateway an initiation message.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 receiving a release message from an entity other than the communication client;   sending the signaling gateway a release complete notification; and   sending an end message to the communication client in response to the release message.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 receiving a response from the communication client acknowledging the end message; and   disconnecting the communication session in response to the acknowledgement wherein disconnecting the communication session comprises sending release instructions to the media gateway.