Method and system for providing enhanced call waiting and caller identification

A method for processing a call from a calling party at a calling communication station to a called party at a called communication station, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) determining if the called communication station is off hook or on hook;
• (b1) if the called communication station is off hook, transmitting an audible call waiting indicator to the called communication station;
• (b2) if the called communication station is on hook, ringing the called communication station;
• and
• (c) providing to the called communication station audible caller identification information using one of standard caller identification information and spoken caller identification information provided by the calling party.

A method for processing a call in a communications system, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) detecting a call from a calling party at a calling communication station to a called communication station;
• (b) determining if standard caller identification information for the calling communication station can be provided to the called communication station;
• (c) if standard caller identification information cannot be provided, transmitting a request for spoken caller identification information to the calling communication station;
• (d) storing the spoken caller identification when provided;
• (e) if standard caller identification information can be provided, obtaining the standard caller identification information;
• and
• (f) providing audible caller identification information to the called communication station in response to one of the standard caller identification information and the spoken caller identification information.

A communication system configured to process a call from a calling party at a calling communication station to a called party at a called communication station, the communication system comprising:

• a service control point operative to determine whether standard caller identification information for the calling communication station can be provided to the called communication station;
• and
• system equipment coupled with the service control point,
• the system equipment being configured to transmit a request for spoken caller identification information to the calling communication station and store the spoken caller identification information as audible caller identification information in response to a determination that the standard caller identification information cannot be provided to the called communication station,
• the system equipment being further configured to obtain audible caller identification information from the standard caller identification information if available, and
• the system equipment operative to provide the audible caller identification information to the called communication station.

Apparatus for processing a call from a calling party at a calling communication station to a called party at a called communication station, the apparatus comprising:

• means for determining if the called communication station is off hook or on hook;
• means for transmitting an audible call waiting indicator to the called communication station if the called communication station is off hook or ringing the called communication station if the called communication station is on hook;
• and
• means for providing to the called communication station audible caller identification information using one of standard caller identification information and spoken caller identification information provided by the calling party.

A computer readable medium having computer executable software code stored thereon for processing a call from a calling party at a calling communication station to a called party at a called communication station, the computer readable program code comprising:

• a first computer readable program code for causing a computer to determine if the called communication station is off hook or on hook;
• a second computer readable program code for causing a computer to transmit an audible call waiting indicator to the called communication station if the called communication station is off hook or ring the called communication station if the called communication station is on hook;
• and
• a third computer readable program code for causing a computer to provide to the called communication station audible caller identification information using one of standard caller identification information and spoken caller identification information provided by the calling party.