Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04Q—SELECTING
  • H04Q11/00—Selecting arrangements for multiplex systems
  • H04Q11/04—Selecting arrangements for multiplex systems for time-division multiplexing
  • H04Q11/0428—Integrated services digital network, i.e. systems for transmission of different types of digitised signals, e.g. speech, data, telecentral, television signals
  • H04Q11/0435—Details
  • H04Q11/0457—Connection protocols
• • 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
  • H04M3/48—Arrangements for recalling a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy
• • 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
  • H04M3/487—Arrangements for providing information services, e.g. recorded voice services or time announcements
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04Q—SELECTING
  • H04Q2213/00—Indexing scheme relating to selecting arrangements in general and for multiplex systems
  • H04Q2213/1309—Apparatus individually associated with a subscriber line, line circuits
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04Q—SELECTING
  • H04Q2213/00—Indexing scheme relating to selecting arrangements in general and for multiplex systems
  • H04Q2213/13175—Graphical user interface [GUI], WWW interface, visual indication
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04Q—SELECTING
  • H04Q2213/00—Indexing scheme relating to selecting arrangements in general and for multiplex systems
  • H04Q2213/13176—Common channel signaling, CCS7
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04Q—SELECTING
  • H04Q2213/00—Indexing scheme relating to selecting arrangements in general and for multiplex systems
  • H04Q2213/13204—Protocols
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04Q—SELECTING
  • H04Q2213/00—Indexing scheme relating to selecting arrangements in general and for multiplex systems
  • H04Q2213/13209—ISDN
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04Q—SELECTING
  • H04Q2213/00—Indexing scheme relating to selecting arrangements in general and for multiplex systems
  • H04Q2213/1326—Consultation call, broker's call, call hold, toggling

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a method as defined in the preamble of claim 1 and a system as de- fined in the preamble of claim 7 for indicating a call in hold state on a terminal in a telecommunication network.
• ISDN is a digital transmission system in a digital telephone network. Using the ISDN system, voice and data services are implemented for subscribers connected to the telephone network. There are two types of access defined in the ISDN system: base access (BA) and primary rate access (PRA) . Using a base access, it is possible to connect to the public tele- 5 phone network a single telecommunication terminal or a set of max. eight terminals, in which case at most two B channels terminals may be active at the same time. It is also possible to connect a so-called integrated services digital private branch exchange (ISPBX) to a 0 base access or base accesses.
• IPBX integrated services digital private branch exchange
• the standards define various basic services, such as call transfer, setting a call into hold state, enquiry call, call waiting etc., which the subscriber can activate for use by making a specific selection on 5 his/her terminal or by having them switched in the exchange by the operator.
• an ISDN subscriber sets a call into hold state, the connection with the called subscriber is not broken off but held open until the calling subscriber resumes the call being held. If the 0 user does not resume the call, it may remain in hold state for a long time. At present, there is no timeout or corresponding procedure defined in the telephone exchange to resume a call in hold state.
• terminals which can store infor- 5 mation regarding calls in hold state, so they do not need any reminder from the exchange.
• the object of the present invention is to eliminate or at least to significantly reduce the drawbacks described above.
• a specific object of the present invention is to disclose a new property or feature which is easy to implement m existing telephone exchanges and which provides a usable additional feature m ISDN services.
• a first message is sent for setting a call into hold state, whereupon the local exchange sets the call into hold state in a certain manner.
• a second message is sent from the terminal for resuming the call and connecting the terminal to the call being held.
• the first and second messages are defined m ETSI standard series I.100 - 1.400, which de- scribe ISDN services.
• the telecommunication network comprises a local exchange with an ISDN capability implemented m it. Moreover, connected to the local exchange is an ISDN terminal supporting ISDN functions.
• a third message which contains information regarding the call m hold state, is sent from the local exchange to the terminal .
• the instant of transmission of the third message is preferably determined by a time-out which is started when the call is set into hold state. Based on the time-out, the third message is sent repeatedly at certain time intervals.
• the duration of the time in- tervals can be changed so that a reminder is sent the more frequently the longer the call remains in hold state. It is also possible to send a reminder at intervals whose duration is increased in proportion to the length of time the call remains in hold state.
• the invention can be combined with an arrangement whereby the number of information messages sent is monitored and when the number exceeds a predetermined limit, then the call in hold state is disconnected.
• This additional feature could be imple- mented separately for each subscriber so that the subscriber can him/herself set a limit for the number of information messages or similarly for the length of time for which a call may remain in hold state. In this way, e.g. in applications used in computers, a control function can be set so that a call in hold state will not remain "hanging" .
• a fourth message is sent from the local exchange to the terminal to inform the user that the call has been disconnected.
• the terminal When the terminal has received the third message, it can convert the information contained in the message into a string to be presented on the display of the terminal or into a sound signal to be output for the user via the handset. Other methods of indica- tion can also be used.
• a message acknowledging the first message is sent which contains information about the call to be set into hold state and/or about its being set into hold state.
• the acknowledge- ment message may contain the called party's subscriber number and the time at the instant the call was set into hold state.
• an acknowledgement mes- sage with corresponding content may be sent in response to the second message, in which case the acknowledgement message contains information about the call held and/or resumption of the call.
• the invention provides the advantage that the user of the terminal is informed periodically about the call in hold state. Thus, the user can either disconnect the call him/herself to avoid increasing the call costs or he/she may resume the call. Moreover, the invention makes it possible to prevent the occurrence of "hanging" calls.
• the system of the present invention for indicating a call in hold state in a telecommunication network comprises means for sending a first and a second message from a telecommunication terminal to a local exchange.
• the means for sending the messages are implemented in the telecommunication terminal and so connected to the user interface of the terminal that the user of the terminal can send said messages when he/she wishes to.
• the system comprises means for sending a third message from the local exchange to the telecommunication terminal, said third message containing information regarding the call in hold state.
• the system preferably also comprises means for implementing a time-out in the local exchange, allowing the intervals of transmission of third messages and the number of messages sent to be monitored. This allows the auxiliary function accomplished by the invention to be made more effective.
• Fig. 1 presents a preferred system according to the present invention
• Fig. 2 presents a signal diagram for a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
• the system presented in Fig. 1 comprises a local exchange LE and a telecommunication terminal TE .
• the terminal TE is connected to the local exchange LE via an ISDN base access (2b + d) .
• This type of access comprises two voice channels with a capacity of 64 kBit/s and a signalling channel D with a capacity of 16 kBit/s.
• the telecommunication terminal comprises means 1 for sending a first and a second message to the local exchange LE . These means are implemented using technology known in itself and are obvious to the skilled person, which is why they will not be de- scribed here in detail.
• the telephone exchange comprises means 2 for sending a third message.
• the third message is a notice sent to the ISDN terminal TE about a call in hold state.
• the local exchange LE comprises means 3 for accomplishing a time-out.
• the implementation of means 2 and 3 is also obvious to the skilled person, so they will not be described here in detail .
• Fig. 2 presents the signalling between the telecommunication terminal TE and the local exchange LE in a case according to the present invention.
• the call is in active state.
• the user of the terminal wants to set the call into hold state, he/she will give the terminal a command to send a first message.
• the first message is a HOLD message consistent with the ISDN specifications, which sets the call into hold state.
• the local exchange acknowledges the message by returning a 'call in hold state' message, which is a HOLD ACK message consistent with the ISDN specifications.
• a check is carried out to determine whether the dura- tion has to be changed or whether the notice is being sent for the last time. If the notice is being sent for the last time, then the call in hold state is disconnected and a corresponding message (not shown in Fig. 2) is sent to the terminal.
• the user of the terminal receives the third message, converted into a "call in hold state" message on the display of the terminal TE, the user may resume the call being held. To do this, he/she gives the terminal TE an instruction to send a second message to the local exchange LE .
• the second message is a retrieve message consistent with the ISDN specifications.
• the local exchange acknowledges the message sent by the terminal by returning a 'retrieve ack ' ISDN message. In conjunction with this acknowledgement message, it is possible to send an information text: "Call resumed 12:28, number ⁇ 12345>". After this, the time-out in the local exchange is stopped and the call is restored to the normal activate state.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
• Telephonic Communication Services (AREA)
• Sub-Exchange Stations And Push- Button Telephones (AREA)
• Mobile Radio Communication Systems (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=8551549

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Family Cites Families (2)

• 1998
  • 1998-04-20 FI FI980873A patent/FI106183B/fi active
• 1999
  • 1999-04-16 WO PCT/FI1999/000313 patent/WO1999055111A2/en active Search and Examination
  • 1999-04-16 EP EP99915786A patent/EP1074162A2/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1999-04-16 AU AU34238/99A patent/AU3423899A/en not_active Abandoned

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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