Method and system for enabling a party to change terminals during a call

A method of enabling a party to change telephone terminals during a call, said method comprising the steps of:

• initiating a first telephone call from a first telephone terminal to a party at a wireless telephone terminal via a first telephone line;
• providing a tandem switch and connecting said tandem switch to said first telephone line in response to said first telephone call;
• switching said tandem switch to connect said first telephone line to a communication path interconnecting said tandem switch and said wireless terminal, thereby establishing a first telephone connection between said first and wireless telephone terminals;
• disconnecting said tandem switch from said communication path while maintaining said connection between said tandem switch and said first telephone line;
• initiating a second telephone call from said party at a second telephone terminal to said first telephone terminal via a second telephone line;
• connecting said tandem switch to said second telephone line connected to said second telephone terminal in response to said second telephone call;
• and
• switching said tandem switch, in response to a signal from either of said second and wireless telephone terminals, to connect said first telephone line to said second telephone line, thereby establishing a second telephone connection between said first and second telephone terminals.

A system for enabling a party to change telephone terminals during a call, said system comprising:

• means for initiating a first telephone call from a first party at a first telephone terminal to a second party at a wireless telephone terminal via a first telephone line;
• a tandem switch and means for connecting said tandem switch to said first telephone line in response to said first telephone call;
• means for switching said tandem switch to connect said first telephone line to a communication path interconnecting said tandem switch and said wireless terminal, thereby establishing a first telephone connection between said first and second parties at said first and wireless telephone terminals;
• means for initiating a second telephone call from said second party at a second telephone terminal connected to a second telephone line;
• means for connecting said tandem switch to said second telephone line connected to said second telephone terminal in response to said second telephone call;
• means for switching said tandem switch, in response to a signal from either of said wireless and second telephone terminals, to connect said first telephone line to said second telephone line, thereby establishing a second telephone connection between said first and second telephone terminals;
• and
• means for disconnecting said communication path from said tandem switch.

A system for enabling a party to change telephone terminals during a call, said system comprising:

• means for initiating a first telephone call from a first telephone terminal to a party at a wireless telephone terminal via a first telephone line;
• a tandem switch and means for connecting said tandem switch to said first telephone line in response to said first telephone call;
• means for switching said tandem switch to connect said first telephone line to a communication path interconnecting said tandem switch and said wireless terminal, thereby establishing a first telephone connection between said first and wireless telephone terminals;
• means for disconnecting said tandem switch from said communication path while maintaining said connection between said tandem switch and said first telephone line;
• means for initiating a second telephone call from said party at a second telephone terminal to said first telephone terminal via a second telephone line;
• means for connecting said tandem switch to said second telephone line connected to said second telephone terminal in response to said second telephone call;
• and
• means for switching said tandem switch, in response to a signal from either of said second and wireless telephone terminals, to connect said first telephone line to said second telephone line, thereby establishing a second telephone connection between said first and second telephone terminals.