Patent ID: 8867524

Claim:
A method for processing an incoming call-setup signaling message in a communication network, comprising: receiving, by a call control element deployed within a core infrastructure of the communication network of a service provider, the incoming call setup signaling message for an incoming call for a voice only session destined to a subscriber currently engaging in an ongoing video session, wherein the service provider provides the ongoing video session and the voice only session as a service to the subscriber, wherein the ongoing video session is established via a session controller deployed within the core infrastructure of the communication network of the service provider, wherein the incoming call setup signaling message is received via the session controller; sending, by the call control element, identification information of a calling party to be displayed in an independent display frame on a video display device currently used by the subscriber; enabling, by the call control element, the subscriber to place the video session on hold; sending, by the call control element a plurality of service logic options to be displayed in the independent display frame, wherein the plurality of service logic options comprises an option to answer the incoming call, an option to send the incoming call to a voice mailbox, an option to provide a busy tone to the calling party, and an option to forward the incoming call to a service over internet protocol endpoint specified by the subscriber; and processing, by the call control element, the incoming call setup signaling message in accordance with one of the plurality of service logic options selected by the subscriber, wherein the call control element functions as a session initiation protocol back-to-back user agent and is a signaling endpoint for all call legs between the call control element and a border element, wherein the border element is for allowing the subscriber to interface with the core infrastructure of the communication network, wherein the border element is responsible for security and call admission to the communication network, wherein the border element is capable of performing a signaling protocol translation between SS7 and session initiation protocol.