Method and apparatus for managing communications between a client and a server in a network

In a client processing system communicating with a server over a communication link, the communication link including a telephone line, a method of responding to a disruption in communication, associated with a call waiting signal transmitted on the telephone line, the method comprising:

• receiving a call waiting signal from the telephone line after communication has been established between the client processing system and the server;
• terminating communication with the server in response to the the call waiting signal;
• receiving a ring signal from the telephone line;
• detecting an off-hook condition of the telephone line following initiation of the ring signal;
• waiting until an on-hook condition of the telephone line is detected;
• and
• upon detecting the on-hook condition, re-establishing communication with the server by initiating a communication call from the client processing system to the server.

In a client processing system coupled to a server by a communication link, the communication link including a telephone connected to the client processing system, a method of responding to a disruption in communication associated with a call waiting signal transmitted on the telephone line, the method comprising:

• receiving a call waiting signal from the telephone line after communication has been established between the client processing system and the server;
• storing, at the client processing system, information describing a browsing status of the client processing system;
• terminating communication with the server in response to the call waiting signal;
• pausing for a predetermined period of time;
• after expiration of the predetermined period of time, monitoring the telephone line to determine when there is no incoming ring signal on the telephone line and when all of one or more extensions associated with the telephone line are on-hook;
• and
• upon determining, by the client processing system, that there is no incoming ring signal on the telephone line and that all of the one or more extensions are on-hook, automatically re-establishing communication with the server by initiating a communication call from the client processing system to the server;
• and
• retrieving data from the server based on the information describing the browsing status.