Selective feature blocking in a communications network

• US 20020167946A1
• Filed: 03/15/2002
• Published: 11/14/2002
• 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: Gallant, John Kenneth
• Granted Patent: US 7,242,680 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1403 Architecture for metering, charging or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1446 inter-operator billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/125 by balancing the load, e.g. traffic engineering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2408 for supporting different services, e.g. a differentiated services [DiffServ] type of service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2433 Allocation of priorities to traffic types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2441 relying on flow classification, e.g. using integrated services [IntServ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4523 using lightweight directory access protocol [LDAP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4535 using an address exchange platform which sets up a session between two nodes, e.g. rendezvous servers, session initiation protocols [SIP] registrars or H.323 gatekeepers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1096 Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 : at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 : specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 : Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 : Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 : User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 : involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 : Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 : specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 : Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/085 : specially adapted for interworking of IP-based networks with other networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 : Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 : Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 : Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/47 : Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/53 : using mediation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/55 : for hybrid networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/56 : for VoIP communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/63 : based on the content carried by the session initiation protocol [SIP] messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8292 : Charging for signaling or unsuccessful connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/203 : composed of PSTN and data network, e.g. the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0148 : Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0172 : Mediation, i.e. device or program to reformat CDRS from one or more switches in order to adapt to one or more billing programs formats
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/202 : VoIP; Packet switched telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 : Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/44 : Charging/billing arrangements for connection made over different networks, e.g. wireless and PSTN, ISDN, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2218 : Call detail recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42229 : Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005
• 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: H04M 3/46 : Arrangements for calling a number of substations in a predetermined sequence until an answer is obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/465 : Arrangements for simultaneously calling a number of substations until an answer is obtained
• 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: H04Q 3/0029 : Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

In the context of a communications system, means are disclosed for ensuring that invocation of redirect features, such as call forwarding, do not circumvent call blocking settings. User profile information associated with a party controls the invocation of features for the party and controls the screening of redirect contacts resulting from feature invocation. The behavior of feature-associated contact screening for the party is configurable independently of the originating calling permissions of the party.

Claims

1. In a communications system, a method for establishing a communications session with a party comprising the steps of:

invoking at least one feature in the communications system that results in at least one contact for establishing the communications session with the party;

applying at least one screening criterion to the contact to determine whether the contact is permitted to be used for communicating with the party;

if the contact is permitted to be used for communicating with the party, using the contact to establish communications with the party.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein a user profile associated with the party is maintained in the system and the invocation of the feature is affected by the content of the user profile.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein a user profile associated with the party is maintained in the system and the screening criterion is affected by the content of the user profile.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the operation of the feature is affected by the contents of at least one data structure maintained in the system and associated with the party.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the screening criteria is affected by the contents of a data structure maintained in the system and associated with the party.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of applying at least one screening criterion to the contact is conditionally performed as a function of whether the contact results from the invoking of the feature.

7. In a communications system, a method for processing a request to establish a communications session with a party comprising the steps of:

from a requestor, receiving a session request specifying the party;

obtaining at least one contact by applying at least one routing feature in response to the session request, the contact pertaining to establishing the communications session with the party;

accessing user profile information associated with the party;

obtaining at least one screening criterion from the user profile information;

applying the screening criterion to the contact to determine whether the contact is permitted to be used to fulfill the session request;

depending upon whether the contact is permitted to be used to fulfill the session request, including the contact in a response to the request; and

sending the response to the session request to the requester.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the operation of the routing feature is affected by the user profile information.

9. A location server, coupled to a communications system, for use in achieving a communications session between a requesting party and a destination party, the location server comprising:

means for receiving a routing request;

means for invoking a feature to determine at least one contact for establishing the communications session between the requesting and destination parties;

means for applying at least one screening criterion to the at least one contact to determine whether the contact is permitted to be used for achieving the session;

means for sending a routing response, the routing response including the contact only if the contact is permitted to be used for achieving the session.

10. The location server of claim 9, wherein the routing request is received from a proxy server located within the communications system.

11. The location server of claim 9, wherein the routing response is sent to a proxy server located within the communications system.

12. The location server of claim 9, wherein the routing request includes information relating to the identification of the requesting and destination parties.

13. The location server of claim 9, further comprising means for obtaining a user profile, wherein said user profile affects the st least one screening criterion.

14. The location server of claim 9,wherein the feature comprises at least one of the set consisting of:

find me, call forwarding, conditional call forwarding, call blocking, do not disturb and call screening.

15. The location server of claim 9, further comprising means for obtaining at least one screening table, wherein said screening table comprises screening criteria records comprising at least one screening criterion.