Internet call waiting

Abstract

A telephony call-waiting system for clients having a computer with a video display unit (PCNDU) and a public-switched telephony network (PSTN) telephone connected to the PSTN by a single line, keeps a status indication of the client's Internet connection status and, during periods of time the PC/VDU is connected to the Internet, alerts the client by an alert signal over the Internet connection of any waiting PSTN calls. In a preferred embodiment the client's PC/VDU is adapted to provide an audio and/or visual alert event when an alert signal is received, and to provide for a user-initiated response to an alert, accepting or rejecting a call. In the event a call is accepted, provision is made for connecting the accepted call to the client's PC/VDU as an IP call. In some embodiments several calls may be dealt with at the PC/VDU, and features are provided such as caller-ID on the client's VDU. Several ways of accomplishing the call-waiting system are taught.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.