Third party regulation of calls through a particular line based on a call context

• US 20030156696A1
• Filed: 02/21/2002
• Published: 08/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Winters, Scott Lee, Paolini, Michael A., Brown, Michael Wayne, Weaver, James Mark, McIntyre, Joseph Herbert
• Granted Patent: US 7,076,041 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/196
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2038 Call context notifications
• 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 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308

Abstract

A method, system, and program for third party regulation of calls through a line based on a call context are provided. Third party regulation criteria identify individuals who are regulated for calling into or receiving calls from a particular line. For each call received at the line, the identity of the caller is detected. For each call placed from the line, the identity of the callee is detected. Then, the call is regulated according to the relevant third party regulation criteria, such that a third party is enabled to regulate all calls from or to a particular line without being a direct party to the calls.

Claims

1. A method for regulating calls, comprising:

detecting a context for a call from a first party to a second party via a particular line;

comparing said context for said call with a selection of context based criteria for said particular line; and

only establishing a communication channel between said first party and said second party through said particular line if said context is acceptable within said selection of context based criteria.

2. The method for regulating calls according to claim 1, further comprising:

directing said call to a screening party if said context is not acceptable within said selection of context based criteria.

3. The method for regulating calls according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining said selection of context based criteria from among a plurality of third party context based criteria.

4. The method for regulating calls according to claim 1, wherein said first party designates said selection of context based criteria.

5. The method for regulating calls according to claim 1, wherein said second party designates said selection of context based criteria.

6. A system for regulating calls, comprising:

a communication channel enabled by a communication system;

means for detecting a context of a call initiated via a particular line between a first party and a second party;

means for comparing said context for said call with a selection of context based criteria for said particular line; and

means for only establishing said communication channel between said first party and said second party through said particular line if said context is acceptable within said selection of context based criteria.

7. The system for regulating calls according to claim 6, further comprising:

means for directing said call to a screening party if said context is not acceptable within said selection of context based criteria.

8. The system for regulating calls according to claim 6, further comprising:

means for determining said selection of context based criteria from among a plurality of third party context based criteria.

9. The system for regulating calls according to claim 6, wherein said first party designates said selection of context based criteria.

10. The system for regulating calls according to claim 6, wherein said second party designates said selection of context based criteria.

11. A computer program product for regulating calls, comprising:

a recording medium;

means, recorded on said recording medium, for detecting a context of a call initiated via a particular line between a first party and a second party;

means, recorded on said recording medium, for comparing said context for said call with a selection of context based criteria for said particular line; and

means, recorded on said recording medium, for only establishing a communication channel between said first party and said second party through said particular line if said context is acceptable within said selection of context based criteria.

12. The computer program product for regulating calls according to claim 11, further comprising:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for directing said call to a screening party if said context is not acceptable within said selection of context based criteria.

13. The computer program product for regulating calls according to claim 11, further comprising:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for determining said selection of context based criteria from among a plurality of third party context based criteria.

14. A method for regulating outgoing calls, comprising:

detecting an identity of a party called via a particular line;

determining a selection of third party criteria governing calls via said particular line according to said identity of said called party; and

only establishing a communication channel via said particular line between a calling party and called party if said called party is acceptable within said selection of third party criteria.

15. A method for regulating incoming calls, comprising:

detecting an identity of a caller via a particular line;

determining a selection of third party criteria governing calls via said particular line according to said identity of said caller; and

only establishing a communication channel via said particular line between said caller and an intended callee if said called party is acceptable within said selection of third party criteria.

16. A method for screening calls, comprising:

detecting a context for a call from a first party to a second party; and

responsive to said context requiring prescreening of said call, transferring said call to a screening party.

17. The method for screening calls according to claim 16, further comprising:

establishing a communication channel between said first party and said screening party.

18. The method for screening calls according to claim 16, further comprising:

establishing a communication channel between said second party and said screening party.

19. A system for screening calls, comprising:

a communication system for detecting a call from a first party to a second party;

means for determining a context for said call; and

means responsive to said context requiring prescreening of said call, for transferring said call to a screening party.

20. The system for screening calls according to claim 19, further comprising:

means for establishing a communication channel between said first party and said screening party.

21. The system for screening calls according to claim 19, further comprising:

means for establishing a communication channel between said second party and said screening party.

22. A computer program product for screening calls, comprising:

a recording medium;

means, recorded on said recording medium, for determining a context for a call from a first party to a second party; and

means, recorded on said recording medium, for transferring said call to a screening party where said context indicates a prescreening requirement.

23. The computer program product for screening calls according to claim 22, further comprising:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for establishing a communication channel between said first party and said screening party.

24. The computer program product for screening calls according to claim 22, further comprising:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for establishing a communication channel between said second party and said screening party.

25. A method for regulating calls, comprising:

detecting an identity of a caller placing a call from a particular line number;

accessing third party regulation criteria relevant to said caller identity for said particular line number; and

regulating said call according to said relevant third party regulation criteria, such that a third party is enabled to regulate calls to said particular line number without being a direct party to said call.

26. The method for regulating calls according to claim 25, wherein detecting a context further comprises:

accessing said identity of said caller from a voice authentication.

27. The method for regulating calls according to claim 25, wherein accessing third party regulation criteria further comprises:

accessing said third party regulation criteria for a third party represented by a caller to said call.

28. The method for regulating calls according to claim 25, wherein accessing third party regulation criteria further comprises:

accessing said third party regulation criteria for a third party represented by a callee to said call.

29. The method for regulating calls according to claim 25, wherein accessing third party regulation criteria further comprises:

accessing said third party regulation criteria for a third party providing a line number utilized for said call.

30. The method for regulating calls according to claim 25, wherein accessing third party regulation criteria further comprises:

accessing said third party regulation criteria from a local data storage system.

31. The method for regulating calls according to claim 25, wherein accessing third party regulation criteria further comprises:

accessing said third party regulation criteria from an external data storage system accessible via a network.

32. The method for regulating calls according to claim 25, wherein regulating said context further comprises:

regulating said context to control a path of said call.

33. The method for regulating calls according to claim 25, wherein regulating said context further comprises:

regulating said context to control access to said context of said call by at least one party to said call.

34. The method for regulating calls according to claim 25, wherein regulating said context further comprises:

regulating said context to control monitoring of said call while in progress for a particular action.

35. A system for regulating calls, comprising:

a communication system enabling a caller to place a call;

means for detecting an identity of said caller placing said call at a particular line number;

means for accessing third party regulation criteria relevant to said caller identity for said particular line number; and

means for regulating said call according to said relevant third party regulation criteria.

36. The system for regulating calls according to claim 35, wherein said means for detecting a context further comprises:

means for accessing said identity of said caller from a voice authentication.

37. The system for regulating calls according to claim 35, wherein said means for accessing third party regulation criteria further comprises:

means for accessing said third party regulation criteria for a third party represented by a caller to said call.

38. The system for regulating calls according to claim 35, wherein said means for accessing third party regulation criteria further comprises:

means for accessing said third party regulation criteria for a third party represented by a callee to said call.

39. The system for regulating calls according to claim 35, wherein said means for accessing third party regulation criteria further comprises:

means for accessing said third party regulation criteria for a third party providing a line number utilized for said call.

40. The system for regulating calls according to claim 35, wherein said means for accessing third party regulation criteria further comprises:

means for accessing said third party regulation criteria from a local data storage system.

41. The system for regulating calls according to claim 35, wherein said means for accessing third party regulation criteria further comprises:

means for accessing said third party regulation criteria from an external data storage system accessible via a network.

42. The system for regulating calls according to claim 35, wherein said means for regulating said context further comprises:

means for regulating said context to control a path of said call.

43. The system for regulating calls according to claim 35, wherein said means for regulating said context further comprises:

means for regulating said context to control access to said context of said call by at least one party to said call.

44. The system for regulating calls according to claim 35, wherein said means for regulating said context further comprises:

means for regulating said context to control monitoring of said call while in progress for a particular action.

45. A computer program product for regulating calls, comprising:

a communication system enabling a caller to place a call;

means, recorded on said recording medium, for detecting an identity of said caller placing said call at a particular line number;

means, recorded on said recording medium, for accessing third party regulation criteria relevant to said caller identity for said particular line number; and

means, recorded on said recording medium, for regulating said call according to said relevant third party regulation criteria.

46. The computer program product for regulating calls according to claim 45, wherein said means for detecting a context further comprises:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for accessing said identity of said caller from a voice authentication.

47. The computer program product for regulating calls according to claim 45, wherein said means for accessing third party regulation criteria further comprises:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for accessing said third party regulation criteria for a third party represented by a caller to said call.

48. The computer program product for regulating calls according to claim 45, wherein said means for accessing third party regulation criteria further comprises:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for accessing said third party regulation criteria for a third party represented by a callee to said call.

49. The computer program product for regulating calls according to claim 45, wherein said means for accessing third party regulation criteria further comprises:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for accessing said third party regulation criteria for a third party providing a line number utilized for said call.

50. The computer program product for regulating calls according to claim 45, wherein said means for accessing third party regulation criteria further comprises:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for accessing said third party regulation criteria from a local data storage system.

51. The computer program product for regulating calls according to claim 45, wherein said means for accessing third party regulation criteria further comprises:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for accessing said third party regulation criteria from an external data storage system accessible via a network.

52. The computer program product for regulating calls according to claim 45, wherein said means for regulating said context further comprises:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for regulating said context to control a path of said call.

53. The computer program product for regulating calls according to claim 45, wherein said means for regulating said context further comprises:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for regulating said context to control access to said context of said call by at least one party to said call.

54. The computer program product for regulating calls according to claim 45, wherein said means for regulating said context further comprises:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for regulating said context to control monitoring of said call while in progress for a particular action.