Patent ID: 7483441

Claim:
A method of initiating a call using one or more telecommunication networks, the method being provided between at least a pair of H.324 terminals coupled to the one or more telecommunication networks, the method comprising: providing one or more preferences for a call associated with a first terminal and a second terminal, the one or more preferences being associated with an initial mode of operation for the call associated with the first terminal and the second terminal; processing the one or more preferences as a custom message; embedding the custom message in a first field of a first call signaling message; transferring the custom message from the first terminal to the second terminal through the one or more telecommunication networks using call signaling; receiving a custom response message at the first terminal from the second terminal in a second field of a second call signaling message; processing the custom response message by the first terminal; determining at the first terminal the initial mode of operation; and transmitting information from the first terminal to the second terminal after the initial mode of operation has been established.