Patent ID: 7339924

Claim:
A method, comprising: a) generating a ring signal at a remote telephone interface and starting a configurable timer of a voice over packet data network switched call control system that measures a configurable time period over which said ring signal is applied at said remote telephone interface, said generating a ring signal and said starting a configurable timer both a consequence of a connection that was established toward said remote telephone interface over a packet data network in order to place a call from a telephone interface having an off-hook condition through said remote telephone interface; b) ceasing said ring signal and sending a control message in response to said configurable timer expiring, said sending a control message further comprising sending said control message over said packet data network to a system that initiated said connection, said system having initiated said connection in response to a ring signal observed at the telephone interface maintained by said system; and c) changing the off-hook condition to an on-hook condition at said telephone interface maintained by said system as a consequence of said system having received said control message over the packet data network in order to prevent the telephone interface having no-disconnect supervision from remaining in the off-hook condition upon expiration of the configurable time period.