Enhanced call waiting

An apparatus for providing communication services to a user, said apparatus comprising:

• (a) a switch for coupling the user in a first telephone call with a first party via an audio path;
• and
• (b) a programmed call processor coupled to said switch and responsive to a second party attempting to place a second telephone call to the user when the user is already engaged in said first telephone call, said call processor being programmed to:
• (i) receive identification information relating to the second party;
• (ii) transmit the received identification information to the user via the audio path of the first telephone call, without directly transmitting the received caller identification information to the first party and without muting the first party from the audio path to the user.

A method of controlling a telephone call to a user of a telecommunications system, comprising the steps of:

• storing in a database one or more incoming call identifiers associated with a person making an incoming call, and one or more incoming call screening control options from a group including:
• standard call screening, special person screening, which uses a special person screening private code, voice screening, and caller number screening,
• detecting an incoming call from a party, determining if the user is engaged in a telephone call with another party, and upon determining that the user is so engaged:
• determining the incoming call screening control option selected and comparing an incoming call identifier for the incoming call with the incoming call identifiers for the incoming call screening control option selected, and
• if the comparing does not provide a comparing match, informing the party making the incoming call to leave a message, and
• if the comparing does provide a comparing match and the incoming call screening control option is standard call screening, attempting a connection by the party making the incoming call with the user, and
• if the comparing does provide a comparing match and the incoming call screening control option is the special person screening, requesting the party making the incoming call to provide the special person code screening private code and, if the special person screening private code provides a private code match, attempting a connection by the party making the incoming call with the user, and
• if the comparing does provide a comparing match and the incoming call screening control option is voice screening, requesting the party making the incoming call to provide a voice statement, recording the voice statement, and attempting a connection by the party making the incoming call with the user,
• such that when attempting a connection by the party making the incoming call with the user a determination is made as to whether the user remains engaged with another party, and, if the user is disengaged, connecting the party making the incoming call with the user, and, if the user is engaged with another party:
• if the determining of the incoming call screening option provides either caller number screening or special person screening, retrieving the caller name provided for the party making the incoming call, providing a message to the user identifying the caller name of the party making the incoming call, and
• if the determining of the incoming call screening option provides for voice screening, retrieving the voice statement, providing the voice statement to the user,
• and
• sensing a command entered by the user to connect to the party making the incoming call, and upon sensing said command, disconnecting the user's telephone call the another party and connecting the party making the incoming call with the user.

An apparatus for controlling a telephone call to a user at a user's telephone, said apparatus comprising:

• a database for storing one or more incoming call identifiers associated with a person making an incoming call and one or more incoming call screening control options from a group including:
• standard call screening, special person screening, including a special person screening private code, voice screening, and caller number screening;
• a switch, coupled to the database, for coupling telephone calls to the user's telephone from one or more incoming callers;
• and
• a call processing facility, coupled to the database and switch, including:
• means for detecting an incoming call to the switch and determining from information stored in the database the incoming call identifier associated with a caller making the incoming call,
• computing means coupled to the means for detecting for determining if the user's telephone is engaged, and upon determining that the user's telephone is engaged:
• determining the incoming call screening control option stored in the database and comparing the incoming call identifier for the party making the incoming call with the incoming call identifiers for the incoming call screening control option selected, and
• if the comparing does not provide a comparing match, informing the party making the incoming call to leave a message, and
• if the comparing does provide a comparing match and the incoming call screening control option is standard call screening, attempting a connection of the incoming call with the user's telephone, and
• if the comparing does provide a comparing match and the incoming call screening control option is the special person screening, requesting the party making the incoming call to provide the special person code screening private code and, if the special person screening private code provides a private code match, attempting a connection of the incoming call with the user's telephone, and
• if the comparing does provide a comparing match and the incoming call screening control option is voice screening, requesting the first-non user to provide a voice statement, recording the voice statement, and attempting a connection of the incoming call with the user's telephone,
• such that when attempting a connection of the incoming call with the user a determination is made as to whether the user's telephone is engaged, and, if the user's telephone is disengaged, connecting the incoming call with the user's telephone, and, if the user's telephone is engaged with another party:
• if the determining of the incoming call screening option provides either caller number screening or special person screening, retrieving the caller name provided for the party making the incoming call, providing a message to the user identifying the caller name of the party making the incoming call and
• if the determining of the incoming call screening option provides for voice screening, retrieving the voice statement, sending the voice statement to the user's telephone,
• and
• sensing a command entered by the user to connect to the party making the incoming call, and upon sensing said command, causing said switch to connect the user's telephone with the incoming call.