Patent ID: 8208410

Claim:
A method of implementing call waiting in a multimedia communications network, comprising: routing a first multimedia call between a first multimedia device and a second device through a network server, wherein the multimedia communications network directs the first multimedia device to a media portal that provides multimedia content for the first multimedia call and wherein the first multimedia device maintains a single connection during the first multimedia call and cannot open additional multimedia connections during the first multimedia call; detecting that a third device is attempting to place a call to the first multimedia device, wherein the network server determines that the first multimedia device is engaged in the first multimedia call with the second device and wherein the multimedia communications network is configured to direct the third device to a mail server in response to the determination; prior to the third device being directed to the mail server, rerouting the call from the third device to the network server in response to detecting that the first multimedia device is engaged in the first multimedia call; using the network server to connect the call to the media portal that is providing the multimedia content for the first multimedia call in order to configure a call waiting capability of the first multimedia device; generating a call-waiting alert at the media portal in response to detecting that the first multimedia device is engaged in the first multimedia call with the second device and in response to detecting that the third device is attempting to place the call to the first multimedia device, wherein the media portal incorporates the call-waiting alert within the multimedia content provided during the first multimedia call; providing the call-waiting alert to the first multimedia device from the media portal over the single connection through the multimedia communications network; using the media portal to determine whether the call has been accepted through the provided call-waiting alert; and using the media portal to convert the call to a second multimedia call in response to determining that the first multimedia device has accepted the call through the provided call-waiting alert.