US7085263B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Network telephony devices, softwares and methods for discontinuing transmitting music-on-hold
Assignee: Cisco Technology Inc
•
Filing: 2002-01-03
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Granted: 2006-08-01
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Expires: 2022-01-03
Abstract
Abstract Devices, softwares and methods for network telephony sense if a party that has been placed on hold is talking. If it does, transmitting on hold music or other characteristic sound is discontinued. Accordingly, the other party is not annoyed, such as in a conference call scenario.
Inventors
- 👤 Cary FitzGerald
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-10 00:42
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/56; H04M3/428; H04M3/4285; H04M2203/00; H04M2203/50; H04M2203/5027; H04M7/00; H04M7/006
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 40
Claim 1
Independent Claim
125 words
A device comprising: a network interface for coupling to a network; and a processor coupled with the network interface, in which the processor is adapted to: establish a VoIP connection; place the VoIP connection on hold; detect whether there is return speech from the VoIP connection that has been placed on hold; measure how long the detected return speech is sustained; determine whether the detected return speech is sustained for at least a predetermined amount of time; withhold transmitting on-hold music/sound through the VoIP connection when the detected return speech is sustained for at least a predetermined amount of time; and continue transmitting on-hold music/sound through the VoIP connection when the detected return speech is not sustained for at least a predetermined amount of time.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
125 words
A device comprising: a network interface for coupling to a network; and a processor coupled with the network interface, in which the processor is adapted to: establish a VoIP connection; place the VoIP connection on hold; detect whether there is return speech from the VoIP connection that has been placed on hold; measure how long the detected return speech is sustained; determine whether the detected return speech is sustained for at least a predetermined amount of time; withhold transmitting on-hold music/sound through the VoIP connection when the detected return speech is sustained for at least a predetermined amount of time; and continue transmitting on-hold music/sound through the VoIP connection when the detected return speech is not sustained for at least a predetermined amount of time.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The device of claim 1 , in which detecting is performed by interpreting a Voice Activation Detection (VAD) ON/OFF event.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The device of claim 1 , in which the VoIP connection is over a network voice path, and detecting is performed by: monitoring the voice path for return packets; and analyzing to determine whether the return packets encode speech.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The device of claim 3 , wherein the predetermined period of time is equal to three seconds.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
The device of claim 1 , in which the processor is further adapted to: silence-monitor to determine whether prior detected return speech has discontinued; and if so, transmit on-hold music/sound through the VoIP connection.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The device of claim 5 , in which silence-monitoring is performed by interpreting a Voice Activation Detection (VAD) ON/OFF event.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The device of claim 5 , in which silence-monitoring is performed by interpreting a received Silence Identification (SID) packet.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
The device of claim 5 , in which the VoIP connection is over a network voice path, and silence-monitoring is performed by: monitoring the voice path for return packets; and analyzing to determine whether the return packets encode silence.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The device of claim 8 , in which analyzing is for speech energy that corresponds to silence sustained for a predetermined time minimum.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
89 words
A device comprising: means for establishing a VoIP connection; means for placing the VoIP connection on hold; means for monitoring the VoIP connection that has been placed on hold to determine, according to a Silence identification (SID) packet, whether there is return speech; means for withholding transmitting on-hold music/sound through the VoIP connection in response to the SID packet determination indicating that there is return speech; and means for continuing transmitting on-hold music/sound through the VoIP connection when the SID packet determination indicates that there is no return speech.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
89 words
A device comprising: means for establishing a VoIP connection; means for placing the VoIP connection on hold; means for monitoring the VoIP connection that has been placed on hold to determine, according to a Silence identification (SID) packet, whether there is return speech; means for withholding transmitting on-hold music/sound through the VoIP connection in response to the SID packet determination indicating that there is return speech; and means for continuing transmitting on-hold music/sound through the VoIP connection when the SID packet determination indicates that there is no return speech.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
The device of claim 10 , in which the means for monitoring includes means for interpreting a Voice Activation Detection (VAD) ON/OFF event.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
The device of claim 10 , in which the VoIP connection is over a network voice path, and the means for monitoring includes means for analyzing to determine whether return packets encode speech.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The device of claim 12 , in which the means for analyzing is for speech energy analyzes for speech sustained for a predetermined time minimum.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
31 words
The device of claim 10 , further comprising: means for silence-monitoring to determine whether prior return speech has discontinued; and if so, means for transmitting on-hold music/sound through the VoIP connection.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
The device of claim 14 , in which the means for silence-monitoring includes means for interpreting a Voice Activation Detection (VAD) ON/OFF event.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
The device of claim 14 , in which the means for silence-monitoring includes means for interpreting a received Silence Identification (SID) packet.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
44 words
The device of claim 14 , in which the VoIP connection is over a network voice path, and the means for silence-monitoring includes: means for monitoring the voice path for return packets; and means for analyzing to determine whether the return packets encode silence.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
The device of claim 17 , in which the means for analyzing is for speech energy analyzes for speech sustained for a predetermined time minimum.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
103 words
An article comprising: a storage medium, the storage medium having instructions stored thereon, in which when the instructions are executed by at least one device, they result in: establishing a VoIP connection; placing the VoIP connection on hold; monitoring the VoIP that has been placed on hold to determine according to a Silence Identification (SID) packet, whether there is return speech; withholding transmitting on-hold music/sound through the VoIP connection in response to the SID packet determination indicating that there is return speech; and continuing transmitting on-hold music/sound through the VoIP connection when the SID packet determination indicates that there is no return speech.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
103 words
An article comprising: a storage medium, the storage medium having instructions stored thereon, in which when the instructions are executed by at least one device, they result in: establishing a VoIP connection; placing the VoIP connection on hold; monitoring the VoIP that has been placed on hold to determine according to a Silence Identification (SID) packet, whether there is return speech; withholding transmitting on-hold music/sound through the VoIP connection in response to the SID packet determination indicating that there is return speech; and continuing transmitting on-hold music/sound through the VoIP connection when the SID packet determination indicates that there is no return speech.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
The article of claim 19 , in which monitoring is performed by interpreting a Voice Activation Detection (VAD) ON/OFF event.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
37 words
The article of claim 19 , in which the VoIP connection is over a network voice path, and monitoring is performed by: checking the voice path for return packets; and analyzing whether the return packets encode speech.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
23 words
The article of claim 21 , in which analyzing is for speech energy that corresponds to speech sustained for a predetermined time minimum.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
32 words
The article of claim 19 , in which the instructions further result in: silence-monitoring to determine whether prior return speech has discontinued; and if so, transmitting on-hold music/sound through the VoIP connection.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
20 words
The article of claim 23 , in which silence-monitoring is performed by interpreting a Voice Activation Detection (VAD) ON/OFF event.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
19 words
The article of claim 23 , in which silence-monitoring is performed by interpreting a received Silence Identification (SID) packet.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
37 words
The article of claim 23 , in which the VoIP connection is over a network voice path, and silence-monitoring is performed by: checking the voice path for return packets; and analyzing whether the return packets encode silence.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
23 words
The article of claim 26 , in which analyzing is for speech energy that corresponds to silence sustained for a predetermined time minimum.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
116 words
A method comprising: establishing a VoIP connection; placing the VoIP connection on hold; detecting, according to a Silence Identification (SID) packet determination, whether there is return speech from the VoIP connection that has been placed on hold; and measuring how long the detected return speech is sustained; determining whether the detected return speech is sustained for at least a predetermined amount of time; withholding transmitting on-hold music/sound through the VoIP connection in response to a determination that the detected return speech is sustained for at least a predetermined amount of time; and continuing transmitting on-hold music/sound through the VoIP connection when the detected return speech is not sustained for at least a predetermined amount of time.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
116 words
A method comprising: establishing a VoIP connection; placing the VoIP connection on hold; detecting, according to a Silence Identification (SID) packet determination, whether there is return speech from the VoIP connection that has been placed on hold; and measuring how long the detected return speech is sustained; determining whether the detected return speech is sustained for at least a predetermined amount of time; withholding transmitting on-hold music/sound through the VoIP connection in response to a determination that the detected return speech is sustained for at least a predetermined amount of time; and continuing transmitting on-hold music/sound through the VoIP connection when the detected return speech is not sustained for at least a predetermined amount of time.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 28 , in which detecting is performed by interpreting a Voice Activation Detection (VAD) ON/OFF event.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 28 , in which the VoIP connection is over a network voice path, and detecting is performed by: monitoring the voice path for return packets; and analyzing to determine whether the return packets encode speech.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 30 , in which analyzing is for speech energy that corresponds to speech sustained for a predetermined time minimum.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 28 , further comprising: silence-monitoring to determine whether prior detected return speech has discontinued; and if so, transmitting on-hold music/sound trough the VoIP connection.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 32 , in which silence-monitoring is performed by interpreting a Voice Activation Detection (VAD) ON/OFF event.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 32 , in which silence-monitoring is performed by interpreting a received Silence Identification (SID) packet.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 32 , in which the VoIP connection is over a network voice path, and silence-monitoring is performed by: monitoring the voice path for return packets; and analyzing to determine whether the return packets encode silence.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 35 , in which analyzing is for speech energy that corresponds to silence sustained for a predetermined time minimum.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2009-07-31 | 2010-01-30 | 2010-08-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2013-07-31 | 2014-01-30 | 2014-08-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2017-07-31 | 2018-01-30 | 2018-08-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |