Call waiting arrangement providing options to both a subsequent calling party and to the called party

Abstract

An improved call waiting arrangement where a caller is free to exercise discretion in interrupting ongoing telephone calls because the caller is prompted, for example via an audible announcement, that the called party is busy on another call but that the caller may request interruption of the call by remaining off-hook. If the caller believes that his call is sufficiently important, he requests call interruption by remaining off-hook. If the caller chooses not to interrupt, he may make subsequent call attempts promptly because he knows that the called party is busy on another call rather than being away from home. Alternatively, the caller may activate auto-callback such that a call is completed between the two parties as soon as the status of the called station returns to on-hook.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of processing a call from a calling communication station to a called communication station comprising in response to said call, determining whether call waiting is assigned to said called station and said called station is busy,   in response to a determination that call waiting is assigned to said called station and said called station is busy, signaling to prompt a caller for a request to interrupt an ongoing call at said called station and to prompt a caller for an auto-callback request,   in response to receipt of an interrupt request from said calling station, transmitting an interrupt signal to said called station,   after said transmitting, establishing a connection between said calling and called stations only in response to receipt of a signal from said called station, and   in response to receipt of an auto-callback request from said calling station and to a return to an idle status of said called station, initiating a new call between said called and calling stations.   
     
     
       2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said signaling step comprises transmitting a message to said calling station.   
     
     
       3. A method in accordance with claim 2 wherein said message comprises an audible announcement transmitted to said caller. 
     
     
       4. A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein said announcement prompts said caller at said calling station that said caller may request interruption of an ongoing call at said called station by maintaining an off-hook state of said calling station. 
     
     
       5. A method in accordance with claim 4 wherein said announcement comprises a recording of the voice of a customer expected to answer calls to said called station. 
     
     
       6. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising in response to receipt of signaling from said calling station representing an on-hook state of said calling station, discontinuing processing of said first mentioned call.   
     
     
       7. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said interrupt request comprises signaling representing an off-hook state of said calling station. 
     
     
       8. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said interrupt request comprises signaling representing a continued off-hook state of said calling station for more than a predetermined time. 
     
     
       9. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said interrupt signal comprises a call waiting tone. 
     
     
       10. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising in response to receipt of said interrupt request from said calling station, determining whether said first-mentioned call is a toll call,   in response to a determination that said first-mentioned call is a toll call, transmitting an interrupt tone to said called station that is distinctive from an interrupt tone for a local call.   
     
     
       11. A switching arrangement for processing calls among a plurality of communication stations, said arrangement comprising means, responsive to a call from a calling one of said stations to a called one of said stations, for determining whether call waiting is assigned to said called station and said called station is busy,   means, responsive to a determination by said determining means that call waiting is assigned to said called station and said called station is busy, for signaling to prompt a caller for a request to interrupt an ongoing call at said called station and to prompt a caller for an auto-callback request,   means, responsive to receipt of an interrupt request from said calling station for transmitting an interrupt signal to said called station,   means for establishing a connection between said calling and called stations only in response to receipt of a signal from said called station after transmission of said interrupt signal by said transmitting means, and   means responsive to receipt of an auto-callback request from said calling station and to a return to an idle status of said called station, for initiating a new call between said called and calling stations. .Iadd.   
     
     
       12.  A method of processing a call from a calling communication station to a called communication station comprising: determining for said call whether said called station is busy;   determining whether a call waiting feature is assigned to said called station;   determining whether said call is a toll call;   if said called station is busy, and if said called station has a call waiting feature assigned thereto, and if that said call is a toll call, signaling to said called station via a special tone, different from a call waiting tone for a local call, that a toll call is waiting; and   after said signaling, establishing a connection between said calling and said called stations only in response to receipt of a signal from said called station. .Iaddend. .Iadd.   
     
     
       13.  A method of processing a call waiting call from a calling communication station to a called communication station comprising: determining whether said call is a toll call;   in response to determining that said call is a toll call, signaling to said called station via a special tone, different from a call waiting tone for a local call, that a toll call is waiting; and   after said signaling, establishing a connection between said calling and said called stations only in response to receipt of a signal from said called station. .Iaddend. .Iadd.14. A method of processing a call waiting call from a calling communication station to a called communication station comprising:   determining whether said call is a toll call;   in response to determining that said call is a toll call, signaling to said called station via a special tone, different from a call waiting tone for a local call, that a toll call is waiting;   checking whether said calling station is still off-hook; and   if said calling station is still off-hook after said signaling, establishing a connection between said calling and said called stations only in response to receipt of a signal from said called station. .Iaddend.