Caller treatment in a SIP network

• US 20020150226A1
• Filed: 03/15/2002
• Published: 10/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: WorldCom, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: McMurry, Kathleen A., Gallant, John K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,529,359 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/210.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0078 Security; Fraud detection; Fraud prevention

Abstract

In a SIP network, SIP servers are provisioned with information used to authenticate subscribers and entities that will be placing calls. This information can be used during call establishment to allow or deny calls, as well as to determine the appropriate party to bill if the call involves a charge, such as a long distance charge. In addition to allowing calls between authenticated and trusted entities, there is a need for the SIP server to allow certain kinds of calls that involve non-trusted users or entities. If non-trusted entities where not recognized, trusted users and entities within the SIP network would not be able to receive calls from users or entities not know to the SIP server that is providing them services.

Claims

1. A method of determining a status of a calling party comprising:

receiving a request to initiate a call from a calling party;

determining whether the request is from a trusted calling party; and

processing the request based on the determination.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising at least one of forwarding a denial of call message and continuing feature processing based on the determination.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein if the request is from a non-trusted calling party, further determining if the call is billable.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining whether billing information is available for the non-trusted calling party.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising determining whether a called party accepts calls from the non-trusted calling party.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending an authentication challenge to the calling party.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether one or more authentication credentials are valid.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether a challenge has been issued.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the call is over a session initiation protocol based network.

10. A system for determining a status of a calling party comprising:

means for receiving a request to initiate a call from a calling party;

means for determining whether the request is from a trusted calling party; and

means for processing the request based on the determination.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising means for at least one of forwarding a denial of call message and continuing feature processing based on the determination.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising means for determining if the call is billable if the request is from a non-trusted calling party.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising means for determining whether billing information is available for the non-trusted calling party.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising means for determining whether a called party accepts calls from the non-trusted calling party.

15. The system of claim 10, further comprising means for sending an authentication challenge to the calling party.

16. The system of claim 10, further comprising means for determining whether one or more authentication credentials are valid.

17. The system of claim 10, further comprising means for determining whether a challenge has been issued.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of the call is over a session initiation protocol (SIP) based network.

20. The media of claim 19, further comprising information that at least one of forwarding a denial of call message and continuing feature processing based on the determination.

21. The media of claim 19, further comprising information that determines if the call is billable if the request is from a non-trusted calling party.

22. The media of claim 21, further comprising information that determines whether billing information is available for the non-trusted calling party.

23. The media of claim 22, further comprising information that determines whether a called party accepts calls from the non-trusted calling party.

24. The media of claim 19, further comprising information that sends an authentication challenge to the calling party.

25. The media of claim 19, further comprising information that determines whether one or more authentication credentials are valid.

26. The media of claim 19, further comprising information that determines whether a challenge has been issued.

27. The media of claim 19, wherein at least a portion of the call is over a session initiation protocol (SIP) based network.

19. A storage media comprising information for determining a status of a calling party comprising:

information that receives a request to initiate a call from a calling party;

information that determines whether the request is from a trusted calling party; and

information that processes the request based on the determination.

28. A system for determining a status of a calling party comprising:

a proxy server that receives a request to initiate a call from a calling party and cooperates with an authorization server to determine whether the request is from a trusted calling party; and

a location server that processes the request based on the determination.

29. A communication protocol employing a data format comprising information for determining a status of a calling party comprising:

information that receives a request to initiate a call from a calling party;

information that determines whether the request is from a trusted calling party; and

information that processes the request based on the determination.