A communication session is established between an APCM modem and a DPCM modem. The central office interrupts the communication session by transmitting a call-waiting alert signal to the APCM modem. In response to the alert signal, the APCM modem transmits a caller ID data request to the central office. The APCM modem further transmits an on hold notification to the DPCM modem to prevent the DPCM modem from terminating the communication session as a result of the interruption by the alert signal and/or receipt of the caller ID data by the APCM modem. The DPCM modem is placed on hold while the APCM modem answers the call waiting. Subsequently, the APCM modem initiates a quick connect procedure to re-establish the communication session with the DPCM modem.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application is a Continuation-In-Part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/557,233, filed Apr. 24, 2000, which is a Continuation-In-Part of U.S. application Ser. Nos. 09/416,482 and 09/393,616, filed Oct. 12, 1999 and Sep. 10, 1999, respectively, which are both Continuation-In-Part applications of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/394,018, filed Sep. 10, 1999, which is a Continuation-in application of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/361,842, filed Jul. 27, 1999, which claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/128,874, filed Apr. 12, 1999. The present application also claims the benefit of U.S. provisional applications Ser. No. 60/167,572, filed Nov. 26, 1999. All above-mentioned applications are hereby fully incorporated by reference in the present application.
Techniques to ensure reconnection between a modem and a server modem on hold. A first communication path between a modem and a sever modem may be interrupted to open a second communication path between a telephone and a third party terminal. When the second communication path is terminated, the techniques ensure reconnection to the first communication path by requesting the central office to cycle among paths until a server modem that is ready to reconnect is detected.
A communication method and system for use by a local modem and a host, while the local modem is in communication with a remote modem through a central office. In one aspect, an alert signal is received by the local modem from the central office indicating an incoming call. In response, the local modem acknowledges the alter signal by sending a tone to the central office. Next, the local modem notifies the remote modem of a modem-on-hold state, the local modem collects caller identification received from the central office and informs the host of the call waiting event. Next, the local modem receives an in-band caller identification request from the host requesting the caller identification. In response, the local modem transmits the caller identification to the host using an in-band caller identification message. Next, the local modem receives an in-band answer request from the host to answer said incoming call.
The present invention teaches the use of a telephone keypad to control operations of an internet/telephone call switching device. Using the present invention, a user can switch from modem usage of a telephone line to receipt of an incoming call, and can switch back to the Internet Service Provider (ISP) with minimum difficulty when the call is terminated. Uniquely, set-up, programming and operations of the present device may be controlled by means of DTMF tones received from the telephone keypad. Operations may be remote, local, the DTMF decoder may be external or internal to the device, codes may be stand alone or only operant in a "command mode", the device may use DSP, fuzzy logic, look-up tables or other means to decode the DTMF signals. The command code filter may be implemented as hardware or as software. One command code may be a security code preventing unauthorized access and control of the device's operations, set-up, programming or usage.
A local communication layer is placed in communication with a remote communication layer via a communication link established between a local modem and a remote modem. The communication layers may, for instance, be PPP layers. The communication is then interrupted, for example, by being temporarily paused or being placed on hold. In one scenario, the communication is placed on hold by the remote modem, as a result of a call-waiting alert received by the remote modem. After the communication has been placed on hold, the local modem monitors PPP frames from the local PPP layer and spoofs the local PPP layer by way of responses to the local PPP layer requests as if such responses were made by the remote PPP layer.
