Apparatus, method and system for personal telecommunication incoming call screening and alerting for call waiting applications

Abstract

An apparatus, method and system are provided for personal telecommunication incoming call screening and alerting for call waiting applications. During a first telecommunication call, the method includes, first, receiving a second telecommunication call, and second, determining a relative priority of the second telecommunication call compared to the first telecommunication call. When the second telecommunication call has a same relative priority or a higher relative priority than the first telecommunication call, the method provides a first level of priority service to the second telecommunication call, such as interrupting the user and providing a distinctive user alert during the first telecommunication call indicative of the same or higher level of priority. When the second telecommunication call has a lower relative priority than the first telecommunication call, the method provides a second level of priority service to the second telecommunication call, such as providing a distinctive user alert indicative of a lower relative priority, and providing automatic messaging or voice mail service to the second telecommunication call. The various embodiments determine these relative priorities based upon user input or based upon the observed, actual behavior of the user or subscriber, such as whether the user allows certain current calls to be interrupted by other incoming calls, whether the consumer accepts and continues with an incoming call while releasing the current call, or whether the consumer returns to the current call from call waiting while releasing the incoming call.