System, method, and computer-readable medium for schedule-based telecommunication policies

• US 10,397,962 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2016
• Issued: 08/27/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tango Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tango Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: Silver, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Sams, Matthew C
• Application Number:
  US15/232,690
• Publication Number:
  US 20160353491A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 based on geographic position or location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/535 based on resource usage policies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

A system, method and computer-readable medium for enforcing user telecommunication privileges on a per-schedule basis are provided. Enterprise members may have a schedule associated therewith that defines scheduled locations of the users. Telecommunication service privileges may be coordinated with the users'"'"' schedules such that communication services are disabled at particular times based on the users'"'"' schedules. In other implementations, particular users may have telecommunication services disabled by an administrator in the event of a catastrophe or emergency. By this mechanism, users that are not proximate to a particular catastrophe or emergency area according to the users'"'"' schedule may have services disabled while other users that are located more proximate to the emergency may have their telecommunication services enabled. In this manner, the demand on a cellular network may be alleviated thereby increasing the likelihood that users directly impacted by the emergency may receive and place calls or access data services.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

routing a communications session setup request from a mobile terminal to a carrier gateway server (GS-C) operating as at least one of a signaling system 7 (SS7) point code multiplexer or a session initiation protocol (SIP) application server, wherein the GS-C is addressed with at least one point code when acting as an SS7 point code multiplexer;

determining the communications session setup request is associated with a member of an enterprise network;

forwarding, by the carrier gateway server, the communications session setup request to an enterprise gateway server over a SIP session;

determining, by the enterprise gateway server, a communication policy exists for the member based on a member schedule stored in a schedule database and a location of the member at a current time, wherein the communication policy permits the communication session with the mobile terminal;

forwarding, by the enterprise gateway server, an instruction to the carrier gateway server to complete the session setup based on the communication policy;

applying, by the carrier gateway server the instruction to the communication session.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the session setup request includes one of completing, rejecting and redirecting the session setup request.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing a comparison of a scheduled enterprise location of the member at a current time, identified in a member schedule stored in a schedule database, with a current time at which the session setup request is received, wherein performing the comparison results in determining the mobile terminal is located within a predefined distance of the scheduled location.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein performing the comparison results in determining the member is not scheduled to be at an enterprise location at the current time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises determining whether one of a session originator and a session destination comprises one or more of the exempted parties.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein one of the session originator and the session destination is determined to comprise one or more of the exempted parties.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein neither of the session originator and the session destination is determined to comprise one or more of the exempted parties.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising suspending a service restriction of a mobile terminal based on a determination that the member is located within a predefined distance of the scheduled location.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for execution by a processing system, the computer-executable instructions comprising:

instructions that route a communications session setup request from a mobile terminal to carrier gateway server (GS-C) operating as at least one of a signaling system 7 (SS7) point code multiplexer or a session initiation protocol (SIP) application server to an enterprise gateway server to establish a communication session, wherein the GS-C is addressed with at least one point code when acting as an SS7 point code multiplexer;

instructions that determine the communication session setup request is associated with a member of an enterprise network;

instructions that determine, by the enterprise gateway server, a communication policy exists for the member based on a member schedule stored in a schedule database and a location of the member at a current time, wherein the communication policy permits the communication session with the mobile terminal;

instructions that forward, by the enterprise gateway server, an instruction to the carrier gateway server to complete the session setup based on the communication policy; and

instructions that apply, by the carrier gateway server the instruction to the communication session.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein instructions that process the session setup request include one of completing, rejecting and redirecting the session setup request.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions are further configured to:

perform a comparison of a scheduled enterprise location of the member at a current time, identified in a member schedule stored in a schedule database, with a current time at which the session setup request is received;

determine the member is scheduled to be at the scheduled location at the current time, wherein the instructions that process the session perform at least one of allowing and rejecting data services associated with the mobile terminal or determine the member is not scheduled to be at the scheduled location at the current time.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprising instructions that determine whether one of a session originator and a session destination comprises one or more of the exempted parties.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein one of the session originator and the session destination is determined to comprise one or more of the exempted parties.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein neither of the session originator and the session destination is determined to comprise one or more of the exempted parties.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising instructions that suspend a service restriction of a mobile terminal based on a determination that the member is located within a predefined distance of the scheduled location.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the instructions that perform a comparison determine a mobile terminal is located within a predefined distance of the scheduled location.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising instructions that:

identify mobile terminal as having one of a service restricted and service exempted; and

transmit a message to the mobile terminal indicating the service has been restricted or exempted.

18. A system, comprising:

a cellular network including a carrier gateway server; and

an enterprise gateway server communicatively coupled with the carrier gateway server and adapted to interface with a schedule database that specifies scheduled locations of a member of an enterprise network;

wherein the cellular network routes a communications session setup request from a mobile terminal to the carrier gateway server (GS-C) operating as at least one of a signaling system 7 (SS7) point code multiplexer or a session initiation protocol (SIP) application server to the enterprise gateway server to establish a communication session, wherein the GS-C is addressed with at least one point code when acting as an SS7 point code multiplexer;

wherein the carrier gateway server determines the communications session setup request originated from a mobile terminal is associated with the member of the enterprise network;

wherein the carrier gateway server forwards the communications session setup request to the enterprise gateway server over a SIP session;

wherein the enterprise gateway server determines a communication policy exists for the member based on a member schedule stored in the scheduled database and a location of the member at a current time, wherein the communication policy permits the communication session with the mobile terminal;

wherein the enterprise gateway server forwards an instruction to the carrier gateway server to complete the session setup based on the communication policy; and

wherein the carrier gateway server applies the instruction to the communication session.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the enterprise gateway server determines at least one of:

the member is scheduled to be at the scheduled location at the current time, wherein the instructions that process the session perform at least one of allowing and rejecting data services associated with the mobile terminal; and

the member is not scheduled to be at the scheduled location at the current time.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the session setup request being processed includes one of complete, reject and redirect the session setup request.