Patent ID: 6404863
Filing Date: 2002-06-11
Classification: H04M

Abstract:
A method of receiving digital data from a Local Switching Office (LSO) on first party equipment that is communicating, in an off-hook state, via the LSO, with second party equipment, the first party equipment having a line interface for receiving signals from and transmitting signals to a telephone line connected to the LSO and an acoustic interface for receiving signals from a microphone and for transmitting signals to a loudspeaker, the method comprising the steps of:the first party equipment receiving an alert signal from the LSO while communicating, in an off-hook state, with the second party equipment, the alert signal indicating that the LSO is prepared to send the digital data; the first party equipment temporarily preventing a first party signal from being transmitted to the line interface after the alert signal has been received; the first party equipment sending a signal to the LSO in response to the alert signal, the signal indicating that the first party equipment is capable of receiving the digital data; the first party equipment initiating a transmission of a local signal to the loudspeaker while engaging in the reception of the digital data, the local signal relieving a first party from listening to the reception of the digital data or a silent loudspeaker the local signal being a completely new signal; the first party equipment, after the reception of the digital data, restoring the first party signal to the line interface and ceasing the transmission of the local signal to the loudspeaker; and the first party equipment performing a function based on the digital data.