WO2000016542A1 - A method of subscriber telephone line sharing - Google Patents

A method of subscriber telephone line sharing Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2000016542A1
WO2000016542A1 PCT/AU1998/000749 AU9800749W WO0016542A1 WO 2000016542 A1 WO2000016542 A1 WO 2000016542A1 AU 9800749 W AU9800749 W AU 9800749W WO 0016542 A1 WO0016542 A1 WO 0016542A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
modem
subscriber
call
telephone
incoming call
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/AU1998/000749
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
John David Reisner
Original Assignee
John David Reisner
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority to AUPO6020A priority Critical patent/AUPO602097A0/en
Priority to AU59680/98A priority patent/AU696782B3/en
Application filed by John David Reisner filed Critical John David Reisner
Priority to PCT/AU1998/000749 priority patent/WO2000016542A1/en
Publication of WO2000016542A1 publication Critical patent/WO2000016542A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
    • H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
    • H04M3/428—Arrangements for placing incoming calls on hold
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
    • H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
    • H04M3/50—Centralised arrangements for answering calls; Centralised arrangements for recording messages for absent or busy subscribers ; Centralised arrangements for recording messages
    • H04M3/53—Centralised arrangements for recording incoming messages, i.e. mailbox systems
    • H04M3/533—Voice mail systems
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M7/00—Arrangements for interconnection between switching centres
    • H04M7/12—Arrangements for interconnection between switching centres for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal

Definitions

  • the invention relates to telecommunications in general and to the interface between different consumer/telephone-subscriber communications equipment amongst themselves, with personal computers and the public switched telephone network (PSTN).
  • PSTN public switched telephone network
  • the capacity for telephone line sharing is a well-known and long-standing historical feature of the PSTN. Examples of this may be observed with party telephone lines. More contemporary examples may be drawn from modern PSTNs and private branch exchanges.
  • the intended meaning of telephone line sharing in the context of this patent defines a situation where the use of the subscriber telephone line by one device, such as a modem, does not exclude the use of another device such as a telephone, associated with the same telephone line, such that both "share" or are in operational use of the telephone line at the same time.
  • This telephone line usage switches between the primary activity of one device to the other without having to surrender the initial connection that was established by the subscriber to telephone exchange.
  • these telephonic connections share the active, dialed up connection to the exchange by rotating the use of that single connection between themselves.
  • the consumer When a modem is in use the consumer cannot receive incoming telephone calls nor can the subscriber make a telephone call without disconnecting the modem connection and then incurring the expense of a new telephone call. Similarly, for a particular phone line, the consumer cannot use a modem whilst the telephone is in use.
  • This invention is directed toward solving these and other problems.
  • the system and method which best embody the present invention solve these problems by providing computer software or hardware, which addresses a modem, attached to a telephone and connected to the PSTN, which takes advantage of the existing capabilities of modern PSTNs.
  • an operating modem or other hardware or software can detect in-coming telephone calls, notify the modem user of the in-coming call and permit the modem user the option to suspend his modem activities to answer the call. Additionally, a modem user can make an outgoing telephone call during his modem session.
  • PSTNs there are many tones used to identify a condition or state of the PSTN as it pertains to the activities of individual subscribers, i.e. telephone users.
  • These PSTNs use standard call progress tone levels, frequencies and line interruption rates usually specified within strict tolerances on levels, frequencies and distortion. They describe such tones as Dial tones, Busy tones etc.
  • a call-waiting tone This is a tone currently generated by the PSTN into a subscriber's telephone earpiece informing the subscriber, who is engaged in using the telephone, that another caller is attempting to get through. Subscribers can then, at their option, choose to place their current party on hold, by executing a few defined keystrokes on their telephone dial, and speak to the new, incoming caller. Upon termination of the second call, the subscriber can then resume their conversation with the original caller, again by punching in a defined series of keystrokes.
  • call-waiting tones are presently a nuisance for modem users because they can disrupt the modem connection and even terminate it. Often modem users must turn off their call-waiting facility in order to ensure a clear, disruption free modem session. Another advantage of this invention will be to remove the need for modem users to disable their call- waiting capability.
  • This invention provides for either a computer program or computer hardware which will direct, for example, a modem to capture a range of signals, which fall within the tolerances of the defined call-waiting tones, alert by either sound or display a message to the modem user on a computer screen and either automatically or at the modem user's discretion execute a series of tones which will place the modem connection on hold and allow the incoming call to get through.
  • the modem can then automatically resume its original session by executing the tones necessary to recall the original call. This latter part of the process, resumption of the original call, may optionally be left for the modem user to perform manually.
  • One embodiment of the invention might be depicted as a modem, part of a personal computer, connected to the PSTN and currently engaged through a subscriber's telephone line.
  • the subscriber's telephone is connected to the modem but is idle.
  • a computer program resident within the computer's memory and in control of the modem detects an incoming call by the call waiting tone issued by the PSTN. By capturing this tone, the computer program instructs the modem to send out a response tone that will suspend the modem's connection, ring the subscriber's telephone and allow the incoming call through to the subscriber.
  • the modem again issues a tone to the PSTN instructing the resumption of the original modem connection.
  • initiation of the suspension of the modem connection could be from the subscriber's end where, in this case, the subscriber would lift the telephone receiver indicating a desire for the modem to suspend itself whilst a phone call is executed by the subscriber.
  • the modem Upon termination of the call, the modem would re-sume the active use over the phone line.
  • a modem user can thus be at no more commercial or social disadvantage in the use of telephone lines than an average telephone user who has access to the call-waiting facility provided by modern PSTNs.
  • a piece of equipment e.g. a fax switch
  • a piece of equipment capable of distinguishing whether the incoming call is voice, facsimile or digital data communication could be attached and the incoming call then re-directed to the relevant secondary device.
  • a variation of the above might involve the recording of a voice message which the computer will transmit automatically, after suspension of the modem line, informing the caller to wait a few moments before their call is answered.
  • Still other features of the software used to capture the call-waiting tones would permit the user to nominate, (i.e. customise), the modem's response tones to the received call-waiting signal. This would be useful in that whereas international standards may exist regarding the PSTN's generation of call-waiting tones, the user response tones used to execute the facility may differ from country to country or from locality to locality.
  • Still another variation might consist of a small piece of hardware either part of the modem, telephone or as a separate interceding device that, upon detection of the incoming call, makes an audible or other signal from which point the subscriber may respond, at their discretion, about whether or not they wish to accept the incoming call.

Abstract

Computer hardware or software that identifies or detects and subsequently alerts a subscriber, whilst the telephone line is being used by a modem or other non-voice transmission/reception device, of an incoming call condition, call waiting or their functional equivalent signal(s) or tone(s) and enables the passage of this incoming call, represented by the detected signal(s), to be received by that same telephone subscriber who is engaged in the use of said non-voice transmission/reception devices. Computer hardware or software that, upon detection of the call waiting or equivalent signal, alerts the subscriber and suspends, (i.e. does not disconnect), the modem or non-voice transmission session but allows or switches the detected incoming call through and whereupon termination of said incoming call resumes or switches back to the modem or non-voice data session without any need to re-dial or re-establish the original telephonic connection with the PSTN.

Description

A METHOD OF SUBSCRIBER TELEPHONE LINE SHARING
Technical Field
The invention relates to telecommunications in general and to the interface between different consumer/telephone-subscriber communications equipment amongst themselves, with personal computers and the public switched telephone network (PSTN).
Background of the Invention
The capacity for telephone line sharing is a well-known and long-standing historical feature of the PSTN. Examples of this may be observed with party telephone lines. More contemporary examples may be drawn from modern PSTNs and private branch exchanges.
These systems are engineered to provide line-sharing capacity between or within identical equipment categories that use the PSTN. For example, the same or different telephones may share a single telephone line or two or more modems may share, (i.e. operate across) a particular telephone line by means of digital multiplexing techniques. Mindful that the common usage of the term "sharing", as it sometimes applies to telephone connections, as for example facsimile machine and telephone line sharing, does not describe the understanding of the term "sharing " used here. In the case cited above line sharing between these devices share the line in the sense that they both alternately and exclusively use the same line when either is active. But when one device is active the other one cannot be used across that telephone line.
The intended meaning of telephone line sharing in the context of this patent defines a situation where the use of the subscriber telephone line by one device, such as a modem, does not exclude the use of another device such as a telephone, associated with the same telephone line, such that both "share" or are in operational use of the telephone line at the same time. This telephone line usage switches between the primary activity of one device to the other without having to surrender the initial connection that was established by the subscriber to telephone exchange. Thus these telephonic connections share the active, dialed up connection to the exchange by rotating the use of that single connection between themselves.
Normally a telephone and a modem cannot share or operate across a single telephone line without surrendering, i.e. disconnecting their respective connections first. This involves both inconvenience and expense to consumers.
When a modem is in use the consumer cannot receive incoming telephone calls nor can the subscriber make a telephone call without disconnecting the modem connection and then incurring the expense of a new telephone call. Similarly, for a particular phone line, the consumer cannot use a modem whilst the telephone is in use.
This problem has particular reference to wide spread use of the internet. Internet users, unless they bear the expense of a separate telephone line, must forgo the ability to receive or initiate telephone calls whilst they are connected by modem to their internet service providers.
Brief Summary of the Invention
This invention is directed toward solving these and other problems. The system and method which best embody the present invention solve these problems by providing computer software or hardware, which addresses a modem, attached to a telephone and connected to the PSTN, which takes advantage of the existing capabilities of modern PSTNs. Using existing facilities of modern PSTNs an operating modem or other hardware or software, can detect in-coming telephone calls, notify the modem user of the in-coming call and permit the modem user the option to suspend his modem activities to answer the call. Additionally, a modem user can make an outgoing telephone call during his modem session.
All these activities are executed without the need of the modem user to disconnect the modem connection before undertaking an incoming or outgoing call.
Detailed Description of the Invention
In modern PSTNs there are many tones used to identify a condition or state of the PSTN as it pertains to the activities of individual subscribers, i.e. telephone users. These PSTNs use standard call progress tone levels, frequencies and line interruption rates usually specified within strict tolerances on levels, frequencies and distortion. They describe such tones as Dial tones, Busy tones etc.
One of these distinct tones is known as a call-waiting tone. This is a tone currently generated by the PSTN into a subscriber's telephone earpiece informing the subscriber, who is engaged in using the telephone, that another caller is attempting to get through. Subscribers can then, at their option, choose to place their current party on hold, by executing a few defined keystrokes on their telephone dial, and speak to the new, incoming caller. Upon termination of the second call, the subscriber can then resume their conversation with the original caller, again by punching in a defined series of keystrokes.
These call-waiting tones are presently a nuisance for modem users because they can disrupt the modem connection and even terminate it. Often modem users must turn off their call-waiting facility in order to ensure a clear, disruption free modem session. Another advantage of this invention will be to remove the need for modem users to disable their call- waiting capability.
This invention provides for either a computer program or computer hardware which will direct, for example, a modem to capture a range of signals, which fall within the tolerances of the defined call-waiting tones, alert by either sound or display a message to the modem user on a computer screen and either automatically or at the modem user's discretion execute a series of tones which will place the modem connection on hold and allow the incoming call to get through.
Monitoring the termination of the incoming call, by, for example, monitoring the opening or closing of the loop connection of the device(s) attached to the modem or other device, the modem can then automatically resume its original session by executing the tones necessary to recall the original call. This latter part of the process, resumption of the original call, may optionally be left for the modem user to perform manually.
One embodiment of the invention might be depicted as a modem, part of a personal computer, connected to the PSTN and currently engaged through a subscriber's telephone line. The subscriber's telephone is connected to the modem but is idle. A computer program resident within the computer's memory and in control of the modem detects an incoming call by the call waiting tone issued by the PSTN. By capturing this tone, the computer program instructs the modem to send out a response tone that will suspend the modem's connection, ring the subscriber's telephone and allow the incoming call through to the subscriber. When the device, attached td the modem, in this case a telephone, is finished, the modem again issues a tone to the PSTN instructing the resumption of the original modem connection.
Similarly, initiation of the suspension of the modem connection could be from the subscriber's end where, in this case, the subscriber would lift the telephone receiver indicating a desire for the modem to suspend itself whilst a phone call is executed by the subscriber. Upon termination of the call, the modem would re-sume the active use over the phone line.
A modem user can thus be at no more commercial or social disadvantage in the use of telephone lines than an average telephone user who has access to the call-waiting facility provided by modern PSTNs.
Of course various changes and modifications to this illustrative embodiment described here will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, instead of having a telephone connected to the modem a piece of equipment, (e.g. a fax switch), capable of distinguishing whether the incoming call is voice, facsimile or digital data communication could be attached and the incoming call then re-directed to the relevant secondary device.
Alternatively, a variation of the above might involve the recording of a voice message which the computer will transmit automatically, after suspension of the modem line, informing the caller to wait a few moments before their call is answered. Still other features of the software used to capture the call-waiting tones would permit the user to nominate, (i.e. customise), the modem's response tones to the received call-waiting signal. This would be useful in that whereas international standards may exist regarding the PSTN's generation of call-waiting tones, the user response tones used to execute the facility may differ from country to country or from locality to locality.
Still another variation might consist of a small piece of hardware either part of the modem, telephone or as a separate interceding device that, upon detection of the incoming call, makes an audible or other signal from which point the subscriber may respond, at their discretion, about whether or not they wish to accept the incoming call.
There are many minor or incidental features which may be attached to this method of dealing with incoming calls whilst the telephone line is otherwise busy with non-voice activities particularly regarding options for customizing the execution of this method to suit the particular preferences or usage patterns of non-voice equipment by individual subscribers. By example, this may typically take the form of: different on/off times for this method to operate; or cancellation of this method after a specified number of in coming calls per data session etc.
Implementation of this method might be undertaken either by software alone br hardware alone or by a mixture of both, by partial or full incorporation into either the telephone, the modem or a third, interceding, device. There are many ways of achieving these desired functions and effects which will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims

We claim:
1. Computer hardware or software that identifies or detects and subsequently alerts a subscriber, whilst the telephone line is being used by a modem or other non-voice transmission/reception device, of an incoming call condition, call waiting or their functional equivalent signal(s) or tone(s) and enables the passage of this incoming call, represented by the detected signal(s), to be received by that same telephone subscriber who is engaged in the use of said non-voice transmission/reception devices.
2. Computer hardware or software as claimed in claim 1 that, upon detection of the call waiting or equivalent signal, alerts the subscriber and disconnects, (i.e. terminates), the current modem or non-voice transmission in favour of, (i.e. allowing through), and without loss of, the detected incoming call.
3. Computer hardware or software as claimed in claim 1 that, upon detection of the call waiting or equivalent signal, alerts the subscriber and suspends, (i.e. does not disconnect), the modem or non-voice transmission session but allows or switches the detected incoming call through and whereupon termination of said incoming call resumes or switches back to the modem or non-voice data session without any need to re-dial or re-establish the original telephonic connection with the PSTN.
Computer hardware or software that identifies or detects, whilst the telephone line is being used by a modem or other non-voice transmission/reception device, an off- hook or outgoing call condition of a telephone that is associated with said telephone line, enabling the passage of an outgoing telephone call by the subscriber and thereby suspending (i.e. without disconnecting), the modem or non-voice transmission/receptions session, and whereupon termination of said outgoing telephone call enables the resumption or switching back, by the subscriber, to the original non-voice or modem session without any need for redialing or re- establishment of the original telephonic connection with the PSTN.
PCT/AU1998/000749 1997-04-04 1998-09-14 A method of subscriber telephone line sharing WO2000016542A1 (en)

Priority Applications (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AUPO6020A AUPO602097A0 (en) 1997-04-04 1997-04-04 Method of subscriber telephone line sharing
AU59680/98A AU696782B3 (en) 1997-04-04 1998-03-30 A method of subscriber telephone line sharing
PCT/AU1998/000749 WO2000016542A1 (en) 1997-04-04 1998-09-14 A method of subscriber telephone line sharing

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AUPO6020A AUPO602097A0 (en) 1997-04-04 1997-04-04 Method of subscriber telephone line sharing
PCT/AU1998/000749 WO2000016542A1 (en) 1997-04-04 1998-09-14 A method of subscriber telephone line sharing

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2000016542A1 true WO2000016542A1 (en) 2000-03-23

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PCT/AU1998/000749 WO2000016542A1 (en) 1997-04-04 1998-09-14 A method of subscriber telephone line sharing

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AU (1) AUPO602097A0 (en)
WO (1) WO2000016542A1 (en)

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
AU1318092A (en) * 1991-04-16 1992-10-22 Telecom Technologies Pty Ltd Call tone analyser
CA2084011A1 (en) * 1991-12-21 1993-06-22 William Rodman Communications system
US5471522A (en) * 1993-08-04 1995-11-28 Intel Corporation Telephone line sharing for a personal computer system
US5550908A (en) * 1995-06-01 1996-08-27 Lucent Technologies Inc. Modem communications interoperability with services equipped to provide calling party identity delivery with call waiting
EP0741481A2 (en) * 1995-05-01 1996-11-06 AT&T IPM Corp. Modem communication interoperability with call waiting services
US5651060A (en) * 1994-11-15 1997-07-22 Catapult Entertainment, Inc. Method and apparatus for detecting and recovering from call waiting interruptions to modem communications
WO1998001985A1 (en) * 1996-07-03 1998-01-15 British Telecommunications Public Limited Company Call waiting service in a telecommunications network

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
AU1318092A (en) * 1991-04-16 1992-10-22 Telecom Technologies Pty Ltd Call tone analyser
CA2084011A1 (en) * 1991-12-21 1993-06-22 William Rodman Communications system
US5471522A (en) * 1993-08-04 1995-11-28 Intel Corporation Telephone line sharing for a personal computer system
US5651060A (en) * 1994-11-15 1997-07-22 Catapult Entertainment, Inc. Method and apparatus for detecting and recovering from call waiting interruptions to modem communications
EP0741481A2 (en) * 1995-05-01 1996-11-06 AT&T IPM Corp. Modem communication interoperability with call waiting services
US5550908A (en) * 1995-06-01 1996-08-27 Lucent Technologies Inc. Modem communications interoperability with services equipped to provide calling party identity delivery with call waiting
WO1998001985A1 (en) * 1996-07-03 1998-01-15 British Telecommunications Public Limited Company Call waiting service in a telecommunications network

Non-Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
"Automatic versus User-controlled Methods of Briefly Interrupting Telephone Calls", HUMAN FACTORS, vol. 37, no. 2, 1995, pages 321 - 334 *
"Hot Call", COMMAND COMMUNICATIONS, 8 May 1998 (1998-05-08), Retrieved from the Internet <URL:htpp://www.command-com.com/hc2000.htmlandassociatedpressreleases.citedbecauseofPatentPendingnotice> *

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