Systems and methods for managing multiple communications

Abstract

The present invention enables a party which is placed on hold in a first communication session to enter a second communication session and continue to monitor the status of the first communication. For example, in a broadband communication system telephone call or multimedia call, two parties may be in an active communication session with one another and a first of the two parties to the call may receive another incoming call. The first party then places the second party on hold. At this time the second party may wish to place the communication session with the first party on hold to initiate another communication session with a third party. However, the second party would also like to know when the first party takes the communication session off hold so that they can resume their communication. As a result, the second party places the communication on “monitor” hold. While the communication is on monitor hold, the second party is able to monitor the on hold communication session to recognize when the first party returns. For example, the monitored call on hold may be maintained at a reduced volume or a video display of the video in a multimedia communication session may be displayed in a reduced window size on a display. Further, the present invention provides prompts to various parties of a communication session when one or more parties to the communication session are placed on hold or taken off hold. For example, the system may generate a prompt to one or more parties when a communication session is placed on hold or monitor hold, or when a communication session on hold or monitor hold is taken off hold.