System and method for analyzing terminal location during call request

• US 10,038,781 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2013
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ali, Liaqat
• Primary Examiner(s): Khan, Mehmood B.
• Application Number:
  US14/060,038
• Publication Number:
  US 20150111548A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,743 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

A system that incorporates the subject disclosure may include, for example, receiving a new call request in response to equipment of a calling party placing a call from a calling-party location to equipment of a called party, wherein the new call request includes an identity of the equipment of the calling party. An identity of the calling-party is determined based on an association between the identity and the equipment of the calling party. A location of the equipment of the calling party is determined and a location indicator is generated based on the identity of the calling-party and the location of the equipment of the calling party. The location indicator is presented to a display of the equipment of the called party. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a location analyzer comprising a processor, an incoming-call signal in response to equipment of a calling party placing a call from a calling-party location to equipment of a called party, wherein the incoming-call signal comprises a calling-party identification, and wherein the equipment of the called party comprises a media processor associated with a subscriber access network, the media processor being in communication with a display;

determining, by the location analyzer, an identity of the calling party based on the calling-party identification, wherein the identity includes a calling-party schedule;

determining, by the location analyzer, a current calling-party location of the equipment of the calling party based on the calling-party location;

obtaining, by the location analyzer, a location-dependent rule for the identity of the calling party and the current calling-party location;

determining, by the location analyzer, a current user of the media processor;

determining, by the location analyzer, a class of caller based on the identity of the calling party and a relationship association with the current user of the media processor;

determining, by the location analyzer, an expected location for the calling party based on the calling party schedule and on a time that the incoming-call signal is received;

determining, by the location analyzer, whether the current calling-party location conflicts with the expected location;

determining, by the location analyzer, whether the class of caller includes an unexpected location alarm, wherein the unexpected location alarm indicates that the class of caller for the calling party is to be location monitored by the current user of the media processor;

determining, by the location analyzer, whether the current calling-party location violates the location-dependent rule; and

responsive to determining that the class of caller includes an unexpected location alarm and that the unexpected location alarm indicates that the class of caller for the calling party is to be location monitored by the current user of the media processor;

generating, by the location analyzer, a location indicator responsive to the determining the identity of the calling party and the current calling-party location, wherein the location indicator is presented to the display of the equipment of the called party, responsive to the incoming-call signal, wherein the indication comprises a visual presentation independent of the current calling-party location;

indicating whether the current calling-party location violates the location-dependent rule responsive to determining that the current calling-party location violates the location-dependent rule; and

providing an unexpected location alert responsive to determining the current calling-party location conflicts with the expected location.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the location analyzer, according to the identity of the calling party, a photographic image comprising an image of the calling party; and

presenting, by the location analyzer, the photographic image to the display during an annunciation of the incoming-call signal, wherein the photographic image comprising the image of the calling party allows for immediate recognition of the identity of the calling party at the display of the equipment of the called party.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining whether the current calling-party location violates the location-dependent rule further comprises:

determining, by the location analyzer, for the identity of the calling party, one of an authorized location, an unauthorized location, or a combination thereof; and

determining, by the location analyzer, a correspondence between the current calling-party location and the one of the authorized or unauthorized locations.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the current calling-party location comprises:

determining, by the location analyzer, whether the call originated from one of a mobile device or a landline device;

responsive to determining that the call originated from the mobile device;

obtaining, by the location analyzer, geo-coordinates from the mobile device; and

associating, by the location analyzer, the geo-coordinates with the current calling-party location according to one of an address or a map; and

responsive to determining that the call originated from a landline device;

accessing, by the location analyzer, a directory comprising associations between a plurality of addresses and a plurality of caller identifications;

identifying, by the location analyzer, an address of the plurality of addresses corresponding to the identity of the calling party of the plurality of caller identifications; and

determining, by the location analyzer, the current calling-party location from the address.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual presentation comprises illumination of a color that indicates whether the current calling-party location complies with the location-dependent rule concerning the expected location, and wherein the current calling-party location comprises one of an address, a business identity, a cross-street, geo-coordinates, a neighborhood, a town, a city, a state, a country, a postal code, a geographic region, or any combination thereof, and

wherein the expected location comprises a location within a user defined geographic region, a location without a user defined geographic location, a range from a reference location, a bearing from the reference location, a location associated with the calling-party schedule, or any combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert comprises an audible alert.

7. A device, comprising:

a processing system including a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

receiving an incoming-call signal in response to equipment of a calling party placing a call from a calling-party location to equipment of a called party, wherein the incoming-call signal comprises a calling-party identification, wherein the calling-party identification includes a calling-party schedule, and wherein the equipment of the called party comprises a media processor that receives the incoming-call signal through a subscriber access network, and wherein the media processor is associated with a display;

determining the calling-party identification associated with the equipment of the calling party based on the incoming-call signal;

determining a current calling-party location of the equipment of the calling party based on the incoming-call signal;

determining a location-dependent rule for the identity of the calling party and the current calling-party location;

determining a current user of the media processor;

determining a class of caller based on the calling-party identification and a relationship association with the current user of the media processor;

determining an expected location for the calling party based on the calling party schedule and on a time that the incoming-call signal is received;

determining whether the current calling-party location conflicts with the expected location;

determining whether the class of caller includes an unexpected location alarm, wherein the unexpected location alarm indicates that the class of caller for the calling party is to be location monitored by the current user of the media processor;

determining that the current calling-party location violates the location-dependent rule; and

responsive to determining that the class of caller includes an unexpected location alarm and that the unexpected location alarm indicates that the class of caller for the calling party is to be location monitored by the current user of the media processor;

generating a location indicator responsive to the calling-party identification and the current calling-party location, wherein the location indicator is presented to the display of the equipment of the called party, and wherein the indication comprises a visual presentation independent of the current calling-party location;

indicating whether the current calling-party location violates the location-dependent rule responsive to determining that the current calling-party location violates the location-dependent rule; and

providing an unexpected location alert responsive to determining the current calling-party location conflicts with the expected location.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the visual presentation comprises illumination of a color that indicates whether the current calling-party location complies with the location-dependent rule, wherein the processor comprises a plurality of processors operating in a distributed processing environment, and wherein the operations further comprise:

determining an image associated with the calling-party identification; and

presenting the image to the display during an annunciation of the incoming-call signal.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the determining that the current calling-party location violates the location-dependent rule further comprises:

determining for the calling-party identification, one of an authorized location, an unauthorized location, or a combination thereof; and

determining a correspondence between the current calling-party location and the one of the authorized or unauthorized locations.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein the determining of the current calling-party location comprises:

determining whether the call originated from one of a mobile device or a landline device;

responsive to determining that the call originated from the mobile device;

obtaining geo-coordinates from the mobile device; and

associating the geo-coordinates with the current calling-party location according to one of an address or a map; and

responsive to determining that the call originated from a landline device;

accessing a directory comprising associations between a plurality of addresses and a plurality of caller identifications;

identifying an address of the plurality of addresses corresponding to the calling-party identification of the plurality of caller identifications; and

determining the current calling-party location from the address.

11. The device of claim 7, wherein the current calling-party location comprises one of an address, a business identity, a cross-street, geo-coordinates, a neighborhood, a town, a city, a state, a country, a postal code, a geographic region, or any combination thereof, and wherein the operations further comprise presenting an audible alert that indicates whether the current calling-party location complies with the location-dependent rule.

12. The device of claim 7, wherein the current calling-party location is an approximation of a precise location of the equipment of the calling party when placing the call.

13. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, comprising instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:

receiving a new call request in response to equipment of a calling party placing a call from a calling-party location to equipment of a called party, wherein the new call request comprises an identity of the equipment of the calling party, and wherein the equipment of the called party comprises a media processor associated with an interactive television network and a presentation device associated with the media processor;

determining an identity of the calling party based on the identity of the equipment of the calling party;

determining a location of the equipment of the calling party based on the calling party location;

determining a location-dependent rule for the identity of the calling party and the calling-party location;

determining a current user of the media processor;

determining a class of caller based on the identity of the calling party and a relationship association with the current user of the media processor;

determining an expected location for the calling party based on a calling party schedule and on a time that the new call request is received, wherein the calling party schedule is based on the identity of the calling party;

determining whether the calling-party location conflicts with the expected location;

determining whether the class of caller includes an unexpected location alarm, wherein the unexpected location alarm indicates that the class of caller for the calling party is to be location monitored by the current user of the media processor;

determining whether the calling-party location violates the location-dependent rule; and

responsive to determining that the class of caller includes an unexpected location alarm and that the unexpected location alarm indicates that the class of caller for the calling party is to be location monitored by the current user of the media processor;

generating a location indicator based on the identity of the calling party and the location of the equipment of the calling party, and according to the location-dependent rule, wherein the location indicator is presented to the presentation device of the equipment of the called party;

indicating whether the calling-party location violates the location-dependent rule responsive to determining that the calling-party location violates the location-dependent rule; and

providing an unexpected location alert and responsive to determining the calling-party location conflicts with the expected location.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the processor comprises a plurality of processors operating in a distributed processing environment, and wherein the operations further comprise:

determining an image associated with the identity of the calling party; and

presenting the image to the presentation device during an annunciation of the new call request.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the determining whether the calling-party location violates the location-dependent rule further comprises:

determining for the identity of the calling party, one of an authorized location, an unauthorized location, or a combination thereof; and

determining a correspondence between the location of the equipment of the calling party and the one of the authorized or unauthorized locations.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the determining of the location of the equipment of the calling party comprises:

determining whether the call originated from one of a mobile device or a landline device;

responsive to determining that the call originated from the mobile device;

obtaining the location from the mobile device; and

associating the location with one of an address or a map; and

responsive to determining that the call originated from a landline device;

accessing a directory comprising associations between a plurality of addresses and a plurality of caller identifications;

identifying an address of the plurality of addresses corresponding to the identity of the calling party of the plurality of caller identifications; and

determining the location of the equipment of the calling party from the address.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the unexpected location alert comprises illumination of light that indicates whether the location of the equipment of the calling party complies with the location-dependent rule, and wherein the location comprises one of an address, a business identity, a cross-street, geo-coordinates, a neighborhood, a town, a city, a state, a country, a postal code, a geographic region, or any combination thereof.