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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7403605 | System and method for local replacement of music-on-hold A system and method provide for transferring remote media from a remote media source to a communication or other end device at a time prior to a hold period, which media is usable as local MOH media during a hold period. A system and method further provide for respo... | 07/22/2008 |
| 7369651 | System and method for creating and accessing outgoing telephone call log Outgoing call log data associated with a call from a subscriber's terminal is provided by a system including a switch, which receives the call from the subscriber's terminal and launches a query in response to the call, and a service controller, which receives the q... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7292869 | Telephone equipment including a line holding system, an extension communication detecting system, and a notification system A telephone equipment having a main apparatus and a plurality of cordless handsets, which can perform an extension communication with being relayed by the main apparatus. Such a telephone equipment includes a line holding system that holds a connection between the m... | 11/06/2007 |
| 7016314 | Method and apparatus for transferring ATM services A method and apparatus are provided for transferring an ATM call. A first ATM call (124) is established between a first party (120) and a second party (116) and a second ATM call (128) is established between the second party (116) ... | 03/21/2006 |
| 6983041 | Versatile communication device with a facsimile function and a telephone function In a versatile communication device having a telephone function and a facsimile function, an erroneous detection of an on-hold melody as a control signal, such as a calling tone (CNG) signal, is prevented when the on-hold melody is played during an on-hold period of... | 01/03/2006 |
| 6970915 | Streaming content over a telephone interface A method and apparatus for providing streaming content over telephones is described. The creation of a voice portal is supported by the invention. Embodiments of the invention use allows users to place a telephone call to access the voice portal. The user can access... | 11/29/2005 |
| 6925161 | Call hold signaling One or more elements in a telecommunications network (10, 10′ and 10″) receive a call hold-initiating message when a first party places a second party to the call on hold, and in doing so, triggers a call hold event in the network. In response to t... | 08/02/2005 |
| 6836545 | Communication system, exchange and communication holding control method Each of multifunctional telephones has a common hold button for accepting a hold/hold release instruction of a communication partner (extension) under transfer communication; a central processing equipment controls each part of a private branch exchange so that the ... | 12/28/2004 |
| 6785383 | Telephone line switch using an optocooupler A telephone line connection and disconnection circuit has a diode bridge coupled to the telephone line which converts different voltages of the telephone line into a voltage referenced to ground. A switching circuit is coupled to the diode bridge which opens and clo... | 08/31/2004 |
| 6720863 | Mobile electronic communication device with lights to indicate received messages A mobile electronic communication device includes a processor unit, a transceiver, a keypad and a light unit. Each key of the keypad is associated with a contact of a contact list. The light unit can perform light functions to notify a user of the reception and/or s... | 04/13/2004 |
| 6694012 | System and method to provide control of music on hold to the hold party A system and method that provides a party that has been placed on hold control of music on hold. A dual-tone, multifrequency (DTMF) detector and a processor in the music on hold system monitor two-way connection. If a predefined DTMF signal is detected, t... | 02/17/2004 |
| 6687352 | On-hold messaging system and method An on-hold messaging system is provided for use with a business telephone system having an on-hold audio input. The system includes an optical disc having one or more messages recorded thereon, an optical disc player having an audio output, and a connecti... | 02/03/2004 |
| 6597779 | Method, apparatus and system for call holding A method and system for managing a telephony connection on hold to reduce the use of resources within the telephony network and/or to allow the user on hold to place their telephony device into an on-hook state after they have been placed on hold. In two ... | 07/22/2003 |
| 6563916 | System for transmitting a change in call queued/hold state across a communications network The system for transmitting a change in call queued/hold state across a communications network (termed "call state notification system" herein) functions to provide an indication to the parties on the existing call connection that the calling party has pl... | 05/13/2003 |
| 6539088 | Electrical connector for connecting an audio source to a caller on hold A connector for use in a business telephone system such as a PBX, Key, or other type of system with audio on hold capabilities. The connector eliminates the need for time consuming stripping, splicing, and manual connecting operations typically done by th... | 03/25/2003 |
| 6498842 | Switching system between a call center and public network A switching system which can easily reconnect a call to an original call path even if an original call state is disconnected at a time of transferring the call to another outside line or extension is presented. In a state where a call path between an outs... | 12/24/2002 |
| 6493436 | System for correcting failures of music on transfer A plurality of audio sources are provided in a Private Branch Exchange (PBX) and monitored to determine if audio is available from any of the sources. Once an audio source with an audio presence has been found, that audio source is connected to the PBX an... | 12/10/2002 |
| 6490346 | Apparatus and method for providing music-on-hold service in key telephone system An apparatus and method for providing a music-on-hold service to an originating subscriber requesting a call connection to a busy terminating subscriber in a key telephone system, using an external music-on-hold source coupled to a previously selected cen... | 12/03/2002 |
| 6430280 | Telephone main unit and telephone control apparatus A telephone main unit has a channel switch 11 which is connected to a remote telephone control apparatus 12 via a dedicated line 2; and central controlling means 12 for controlling the channel switch. When the central controlling means receives a hold req... | 08/06/2002 |
| 6408060 | Digital key telephone system and extension terminal device thereof According to this invention, a digital key telephone system connected to an analog public network NW having a function of transmitting a ringing signal including identification information of a calling line through a subscriber line (CO line), accommodati... | 06/18/2002 |
| 6353662 | Method and apparatus for eliminating nuisance signals in multi-party calls A method and apparatus for selectively eliminating nuisance signals during communications connections as during conference calling in which the signals are eliminated when a call path is placed on hold by monitoring signals in a reverse traffic channel fr... | 03/05/2002 |
| 6301346 | Hold-off alert system Hold/off Alert System helps minimize the loss of time when people are put on hold. The invention can alert callers audibly when they are released from a hold state. The said system and its function are integrated to the existing phones, requiring some mod... | 10/09/2001 |
| 6272211 | On-hold messaging system and method An on-hold messaging system is provided for use with a business telephone system having an on-hold audio input. The system includes an optical disc having one or more messages recorded thereon, an optical disc player having an audio output, and a connecti... | 08/07/2001 |
| 6219415 | Call hold state notification across a communications network The call hold state notification system functions to provide an indication to the parties presently served by the existing call connection that the original hold state has been terminated. This is accomplished by enabling both parties (multiple parties on... | 04/17/2001 |
| 6078653 | Integrated telephone intercommunication and alarm electronic controller A telecommunication and alarm system for connection to: a four-wire or two-wire telephone network, a two-terminal doorphone unit, and one or more alarm detectors connected in parallel COMPRISING a line and extension connection for communication with the "tip" ... | 06/20/2000 |
| 5960065 | Two-line telephone controller with hold feature In a two-line telephone controller which includes a line select switch which operates complementarily to a force busy relay that allows an unselected telephone line to be forced to a busy state, a method for using the force busy relay also to place an act... | 09/28/1999 |
| 5920616 | On-hold messaging system and method An on-hold messaging system is provided for use with a business telephone system having an on-hold audio input. The system includes an optical disc having one or more messages recorded thereon, an optical disc player having an audio output, and a connecti... | 07/06/1999 |
| 5915014 | Communication system An apparatus and a method of setting and confirmation of a value indicative of an on-hook period of a terminal is provided. The value is used as a threshold when distinguishing a hooking pulse for putting communication on hold which is issued by the termi... | 06/22/1999 |
| 5870461 | On-hold messaging system and method An on-hold messaging system is provided for use with a business telephone system having an on-hold audio input. The system includes an optical disc having one or more messages recorded thereon, an optical disc player having an audio output, and a connecti... | 02/09/1999 |
| 5764746 | Holding party call back subscriber feature A first subscriber activates a hold call back subscriber feature in response to a second subscriber placing the first subscriber on call hold. After the activation, the first subscriber goes onhook. When the second subscriber later wishes to take the firs... | 06/09/1998 |
| 5701295 | Variable communication bandwidth for providing automatic call back and call hold Automatically reducing communication bandwidth to coincide with the state of a communication call by a communication terminal. If a first telecommunication terminal puts a second telecommunication terminal on hold, the first telecommunication terminal tra... | 12/23/1997 |
| 5606593 | Apparatus and method for automatically returning a telephone set to an on-hook condition An apparatus that after a time period settable by the user automatically returns an off-hook telephone to an on-hook condition. This apparatus thus electrically hangs up a telephone handset that is inadvertently left off-hook and allows normal handling of... | 02/25/1997 |
| 5600715 | Integrated loop current detector apparatus for a PSTN modem An integrated loop current detector for a public switched telephone network modem. The present invention solves the loop current detect problem in general, and is especially useful in modems employing echo cancellation techniques due the linearity afforde... | 02/04/1997 |
| 5546454 | Automatic call distributor with telephonic call holding system An automatic call distributor (20) having a multiport switch (22) controlled by a central control unit (24) for interconnecting telephonic calls received from external telephonic units (28) of an external telephonic public switching network (30) with mult... | 08/13/1996 |
| 5511112 | Automated voice system for improving agent efficiency and improving service to parties on hold A method and an apparatus for improving agent efficiency by reducing non-productive time such as time on hold and time for wrap-up statements. After an agent has been connected to a call the agent may determine that automated handling of the call is appro... | 04/23/1996 |
| 5497415 | Automatic release device for automatically releasing the hold-on setting of an outside line call, and transfer method for an outside line call An automatic release device for automatically releasing hold-on setting of an outside line call wherein a first telephone when having an outside line call from a second telephone and set to the hold-on state can be released from the hold-on setting by use... | 03/05/1996 |
| 5483584 | Pushbutton telephone system A telephone connection is established between a pushbutton telephone set and one of telephone lines through a pushbutton telephone set unit, a speech highway, and a telephone line unit. When one of line and extension keys of the pushbutton telephone set i... | 01/09/1996 |
| 5463680 | Switching arrangement for activating electrical devices A switching arrangement for activating a plurality of electrical devices connected to a communication line. The switching arrangement monitors the communication line for the reception of activation signals, and also transmits activation signals to the com... | 10/31/1995 |
| 5422947 | Telephone in-use indicator A telephone in-use indicator having a diode bridge which is connected to a telephone line. The diode bridge ensures than an input signal from the telephone line is at a constant polarity. An inverter is connected to the diode bridge and receives a signal ... | 06/06/1995 |
| 5416832 | Call detection control apparatus A call detection control apparatus includes individual call detecting circuits, a common call detecting circuit, switching circuits, and a power supply circuit. The individual call detecting circuits individually detect call signals, which originate from ... | 05/16/1995 |