Selectively restricting access of automated agents to computer services

• US 20040024817A1
• Filed: 07/18/2003
• Published: 02/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Binyamin Pinkas
• Original Assignee: Binyamin Pinkas
• Inventors: Pinkas, Binyamin
• Application Number:
  US10/622,282
• Publication Number:
  US 20040024817A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords
• 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: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier

Abstract

A computerized server selectively accepts service requests from clients connected to it by a communications network. In accordance with the present invention the permission to use a service is contingent on the requesting client performing a task which is easy to perform a limited number of times but is very costly to perform a large number of times. The server receives a service request from a client. The server also receives identifying information of that client, for example caller id information of a telephone number from which the client is further asked to call the server. The server examines data about previous service requests and the corresponding identifying information of clients. The request is approved if the requests with the same identifying information as the current request match a decision criterion for granting the request, for example if the number of these requests is below a predefined threshold.

Claims

1. A method for selectively accepting service requests from a client connected to a server by a communications network, comprising:

a. said server receiving an access request from said client;

b. said server obtaining identifying information of said client provided by a communications network;

c. said server retrieving information of previous service requests with same identifying information;

d. said server deciding whether said client is entitled to service, wherein the decision is based, at least in part, on said information of previous service requests with same identifying information;

e. said server accepting the service request if said client is entitled to service, and denying the service request otherwise;

whereby the server is able to limit the number of services granted to an automated agent operating the client.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the server approves service to said client if the number of previous service requests with same identifying information, performed during a predetermined time period, is smaller than a predetermined threshold.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the identifying information is provided by a telephone network.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the identifying information of said client is a caller id data provided by a telephone network.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the identifying information is provided by the network that is used for the service request.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the server sending to the client a sequence of characters and the client sending back this sequence to the server.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the request is accepted only if the identifying information of said client is received within a predetermined length of time.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the request is accepted only if a connection with the client is kept open for a predetermined length of time.

9. An apparatus for accepting service requests from a client connected to a server by a network, comprising:

a. means for said server to receive identifying information of said client;

b. storage means for storing data of previous service requests and corresponding identifying information of clients;

c. means for deciding if said client is entitled to service, wherein the decision is based, at least in part, on data about previous service requests with same identifying information stored in said storage means, and type of service request;

d. means for accepting the service request if said client is entitled to service, and otherwise denying the service request;

whereby the server is able to limit the number of services granted to an automated agent operating the client.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the service request is accepted if the number of previous service requests with same identifying information, performed during a predetermined time period, is smaller than a predetermined threshold.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the identifying information is provided by a telephone network.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the identifying information of said client is a caller id data provided by a telephone network.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the identifying information is provided by the network that is used for the service request.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising means for sending to the client a sequence of characters and receiving from the client a message containing this sequence.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the request is accepted only if the identifying information of said client is received within a predetermined length of time.

16. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the request is accepted only if a connection with the client is kept open for a predetermined length of time.

17. A computer program package for selectively accepting service requests, the computer program package providing instructions, which, if executed by a computer system, cause the system to perform operations comprising:

a. receiving a service request in a server computer from a client;

b. receiving identifying information of said client;

c. counting number of previous service requests with identifying information equal to identifying information of said client, which occurred during a predetermined time period;

d. deciding whether to accept service request, wherein the decision is based, at least in part, on whether said number of previous service requests is not greater than a predetermined threshold.

18. The computer program package of claim 17 wherein the identifying information is provided by a telephone network.

19. The computer program package of claim 17 further comprising means for sending to the client a sequence of characters and receiving from the client a message containing this sequence.

20. The computer program package of claim 17 wherein the request is accepted only if the identifying information of said client is received within a predetermined length of time.