Patent ID: 6188688
Filing Date: 2001-02-13
Classification: H04M

Abstract:
A non-disruptive method for placing one or more outgoing voice calls over a telephone line while said telephone line has an existing data session between a user workstation and a data service provider established, said method comprising the steps of:establishing a data channel from said user workstation, through a central office switch, to a mux/demux device, further comprising the steps of:executing a first dial request from said user workstation to said central office switch, said first dial request requesting said data session with said data service provider;sending a first request for instructions from said central office switch, responsive to receiving said first dial request, to a computer telephony interface server (CTI);sending a first response from said CTI to said central office switch, responsive to said first request for instructions, instructing said central office switch to redirect said first dial request to a first telephone number representing a first free port on said mux/demux device; andredirecting, by said central office switch, said first dial request to said first telephone number, thereby establishing a first connection between said user workstation and said mux/demux device;establishing said existing data session between said user workstation and said data service provider over said telephone line using said data channel;establishing a control channel between said user workstation and said mux/demux device over said telephone line;indicating to said user workstation, by a user of said user workstation, that an outgoing voice call is requested;establishing said outgoing voice call on a voice channel while said existing data session continues to concurrently operate on said data channel and retains an ability to simultaneously transmit data, further comprising th steps of:sending, responsive to said indicating step, a second dial request from said user workstation to said mux/demux device on said control channel, said second dial request requesting said outgoing voice call to an external telephone number;forwarding said second dial request from said mux/demux device to said CTI; andcompleting said requested outgoing voice call, further comprising the steps of:sending a message from said CTI to said central office switch, instructing said central office switch to connect said second dial request from one of a second telephone number or a port identifier representing a second free port on said mux/demux device to said external telephone number;connecting, by said central office switch, said second dial request to said second telephone number or said port identifier; anddialing, by said central office switch, said external telephone number;communicating on said outgoing voice channel while said existing data session on said data channel continues to simultaneously operate and transmit data;demultiplexing, in said user workstation, information received at said user workstation on said data channel, said voice channel, and said control channel;multiplexing, in said user workstation, information to be transmitted from said user workstation on said data channel, said voice channel, and said control channel;demultiplexing, in said mux/demux device, information received on said data channel, said voice channel, and said control channel;multiplexing, in said mux/demux device, information to be sent over said data channel, said voice channel, and said control channel; andretaining an ability to place an additional outgoing telephone call on said telephone line.