Patent ID: 6104800
Filing Date: 2000-08-15
Classification: H04M

Abstract:
In a telephone system, a method for providing call-waiting notification to remotely located subscribers from a central office, where at least one of the subscribers is engaged in a data call when a third party seeks to communicate with the subscriber, said method comprising the steps of:providing a plurality of telephone lines which allow the subscribers to engage in either a voice call or a data call, but not both simultaneously;automatically determining when a third party seeks to communicate with one of the subscribers via one of the telephone lines which is engaged;polling the engaged telephone line and detecting whether the engaged telephone line is carrying a data call, wherein said data call includes a first data signal;generating at the central office a call-waiting data signal portion corresponding to information indicating that the third party seeks to communicate with the subscriber; andmerging said call-waiting data signal portion with the first data signal occurring as a result of the data call without disrupting the data call.