Patent ID: 6631188
Filing Date: 2003-10-07
Classification: H04M

Abstract:
For use in a telephone communications network, a method for processing incoming calls from a caller to a called subscriber currently engaged in a telephone call, said method comprising the steps of:storing selected caller indicia in a storage device, wherein said selected called indicia is stored by the called subscriber in a storage device co-located with a telephone terminal of the called subscriber, without the use of dual-tone multi-frequency signal processing; receiving an incoming call to the called subscriber, said incoming call including indicia associated with the caller; comparing said indicia associated with the caller with said selected caller indicia stored in said storage device; and providing a call waiting indication to the called subscriber if said indicia associated with the caller matches said selected caller indicia to permit the called subscriber to interrupt the current telephone call and answer the incoming call from a selected caller; or routing the incoming call in a non-call waiting manner if said indicia associated with the caller does not match said selected caller indicia, wherein said routing includes directing the incoming call to voice mail, a forwarding number, an automatic callback feature, or a busy signal.