Rockstar Bidco, LP

Nortel Networks Corporation

Rockstar Consortium US LP

Olga Wagner

Brian Stucker

William D Gentry

David P Ress

The present invention provides a technique for providing a forced hold service such as is used for an emergency services call, which is supported at least in part over a packet network. The forced hold service acts to effectively hold a connection for the call with a called party, even when the caller takes an action that would normally end a call, such as going on hook, pressing end, or the like. When the caller takes an action that would normally end the call, the forced hold service allows the caller to automatically reconnect to the emergency services provider over the held connection upon going offhook, pressing send, or the like. Alternatively, the emergency services provider can effectively re-engage the call wherein the caller is reconnected over the held connection upon going offhook, pressing send, or the like.

Forced hold call handling in a VoP environment

If a communication client disconnects from a call, an interworking service node may receive from the communication client a disconnect message indicative of an attempt to disconnect the call and send a forced hold message to place the call on forced hold in response to receiving the disconnect message. A portion of the call extending toward a public service access point and through the PSTN is placed on hold. When an operator wants to reestablish the call to the communication client, the interworking service node will receive over the PSTN a reconnect request message to reestablish the call with the communication client. The reconnect request message may be an integrated services user part message. In response to the reconnect message, the interworking service node will generate and send a session initiation message, which is configured to reestablish the call toward the communication client.

Growing community of inventors

Durham, NC, United States of America

Olga Wagner