Caller ID system with restransmitted caller ID information

• US 20040161085A1
• Filed: 02/17/2004
• Published: 08/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gregory L. Horne
• Original Assignee: Gregory L. Horne
• Inventors: Horne, Gregory L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,266,187 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/142.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• 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 2203/2005 Temporarily overriding a service configuration
• 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 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel

Abstract

Upon detecting an incoming call, a call screening system determines the CALLER ID information associated with the call and compares it to a database of allowable calling parties. If the calling party is to be allowed to ring through, the call screening system routes the incoming call to one or more communication devices associated with the calling party information in the allowable calling party database. In this manner, certain screened calls only ring through to a handset if authorized, while others are authorized to ring through to a fax machine, an answering machine, another handset, or a remote device connected between a remote handset and the local exchange. A single call screening device having several ports thus filters calls to multiple communications devices. Incoming call screening may be selectively different during different times of the day, for different calling parties, or for different communications devices connected to the call screening device. The call screening device may thus switch between allowing all incoming calls to ring through except those specifically designated to be blocked and screening all incoming calls except those specifically designated to be permitted to ring through. One or more override codes entered in a touch-tone keypad by the calling party may permit an incoming call to ring through despite an active screening mode. The CALLER ID information is captured and retransmitted to the selected device once an incoming call has been passed through to a selected device.

Claims

1. A method of identifying incoming calls, comprising:

responsive to detecting an incoming call, determining caller identification information associated with the incoming call without allowing an audible indicator of the incoming call to sound;

comparing the caller identification information associated with the incoming call with caller identification information for allowable calling parties;

capturing the caller identification information;

responsive to determining a match between the caller identification information associated with the incoming call and caller identification information for an allowable calling party, allowing the audible indicator of the incoming call to sound; and

retransmitting the caller identification information immediately after allowing the audible indicator of the incoming call to sound.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of allowing the audible indicator of the incoming call to sound further comprises:

identifying a communications device within a plurality of communications devices to which the incoming call should be routed; and

passing ring signals associated with the incoming call to the identified communications device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of passing ring signals associated with the incoming call to the identified communications device further comprises:

passing ring signals associated with the incoming call to the identified communications device without passing the ring signals associated with the incoming call to another communications device within the plurality of communications devices.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to determining no match between the caller identification information associated with the incoming call and caller identification information for an allowable calling party, passing the incoming call to an answering system without allowing the audible indicator of the incoming call to sound.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to the identified communications device being lifted off hook after the ring signals are passed to the identified communications device, maintaining a connection of the incoming call to the identified communications device.

6. A caller identification system, comprising:

an incoming line connected to a local exchange;

a switch connected between the incoming line and at least one communications device port and selectively permitting ring signals on the incoming line to be passed to the at least one communications device port;

a controller controlling the switch and executing a caller identification process which;

responsive to detection of an incoming call, captures caller identification information associated with the incoming call without allowing ring signals associated with the incoming call to be passed to the at least one communications device port;

compares the caller identification information associated with the incoming call with caller identification information for allowable calling parties stored in a memory accessible to the controller;

responsive to determining a match between the caller identification information associated with the incoming call and caller identification information for an allowable calling party, allowing ring signals associated with the incoming call to be passed to the at least one communications device port; and

retransmits the caller identification information to the selected communications device port immediately after allowing the ring signals to be passed to the at least one communications device port.

7. The caller identification system of claim 6, further comprising:

a plurality of communications device ports, including the at least one communications device port, connected to the incoming line, wherein the caller identification process executed by the controller determines two or more ports within the plurality of ports to which the incoming call should be routed and passes the ring signals associated with the incoming call to the identified two or more ports.

8. The caller identification system of claim 6, further comprising:

a transmitter connected to the controller and selectively emitting wireless signals; and

a receiver detecting the wireless signals and controlling a remote switch connected between the incoming line and a remote communications device and selectively permitting ring signals on the incoming line to be passed to the remote communications device,

wherein the caller identification process executed by the controller;

determines whether the incoming call should be connected only to the remote communications device; and

responsive to determining that the incoming call should be connected only to the remote communications device, transmits wireless signals via the transmitter to the receiver permitting ring signals on the incoming line to be passed to the remote communications device without permitting ring signals on the incoming line to be passed to the communications device port.

9. The caller identification system of claim 6, further comprising:

a touch tone decoder connected to the controller, wherein the caller identification process executed by the controller;

detects touch tone signals on the incoming line and compares the detected touch tone signals to a predetermined pattern; and

responsive to determining that the detected touch tone signals match the predetermined pattern, connects the incoming line to the communications device port.

10. The caller identification system of claim 6, further comprising:

a database of allowable calling party caller identification information in the memory, wherein each entry within the database includes an allowable calling party caller identification information and a port identification for a communications device port within a plurality of communications device ports to which incoming calls from the allowable calling party should be routed.

11. The caller identification system of claim 6, wherein the caller identification process executed by the controller:

compares the caller identification information associated with the incoming call with caller identification information for totally blocked calling parties stored in the memory; and

responsive to determining a match between the caller identification information associated with the incoming call and caller identification information for a totally blocked calling party, awaiting disconnection of the incoming call at the local exchange without permitting the ring signals associated with the incoming call to be passed to any communications device ports.

12. A call handling device, comprising:

an incoming line port;

a sensor connected to the incoming line port;

at least one communications port;

a switch connected between the at least one communications port and the incoming line port;

a caller id signal module connected to the incoming line port and decoding caller id signals associated with incoming calls;

a controller connected to the sensor, the caller id signal module, and the switch; and

a memory accessible to the controller and containing a plurality of allowable calling party entries each including caller id information for an allowable calling party and a port identification,

wherein the controller executes a process for;

(a) maintaining the switch in a first position in which ring signals associated with an incoming call are not passed to the at least one communications port;

(b) detecting the incoming call and capturing caller id signals associated with the incoming call;

(c) comparing the captured caller id signals to entries within the memory;

(d) responsive to identifying a match between the captured caller id signals and an entry within the memory, shifting the switch to a second position passing ring signals associated with the incoming call to the at least one communications port; and

(e) retransmits the caller identification information to the selected communications device port immediately after allowing the ring signals to be passed to the at least one communications device port.

13. The call handling device of claim 12, wherein the process executed by the controller:

responsive to identifying the match between the captured caller id signals and the entry within the memory, determines a port identification within the matching entry.

14. The call handling device of claim 12, wherein the at least one communications port further comprises:

a plurality of communications ports each identified by a port identification within the allowable calling party entries.

15. The call handling device of claim 14, wherein the process executed by the controller:

determines a port identification within the matching entry;

passes the ring signals associated with the incoming call to a communications port identified by the port identification, wherein the identified communications port is the at least one communications port; and

responsive to a communications device connected to the identified communications port being lifted off hook after the ring signals are passed to the identified communications port, maintaining a connection between the incoming call and the identified communications port.

16. The call handling device of claim 14, wherein the process executed by the controller:

determines a port identification within the matching entry;

passes the ring signals associated with the incoming call to all communications ports identified by the port identification, wherein the port identification includes two or more communications ports within the plurality of communications ports; and

responsive to a communications device connected to one of the two or more communications ports being lifted off hook after the ring signals are passed to the identified communications port, maintaining a connection between the incoming call and the communications port connected to the communications device which was lifted off hook.

17. The call handling device of claim 12, wherein the process executed by the controller:

responsive to detecting ring signals associated with the incoming call at the incoming port, comparing a current time to call screening start and stop times within the memory;

responsive to determining that the current time is between the call screening start and stop times, executing the process of steps (a) through (d); and

responsive to determining that the current time is between the call screening start and stop times, passing the ring signals associated with the incoming call to the at least one communications port without executing the process of steps (a) through (d).

18. The call handling device of claim 12, further comprising:

a sensor connected to the at least one communications port detecting when a communications device connected to the at least one communications port is lifted off hook,

wherein the controller, in response to the communications device being lifted off hook in the absence of an incoming call, shifts the switch to the second position to connect the at least one communications port to the incoming port.

19. The call handling device of claim 12, further comprising:

a wireless transmitter connected to the controller, the wireless transmitter capable of sending wireless control signals to a receiver connected between a remote communications device and an incoming line to connect the remote handset to the incoming line upon determination that the incoming call should be routed to the remote communications device.

20. A method of identifying incoming calls, comprising:

responsive to detecting an incoming call, determining the presence of caller identification information associated with the incoming call without allowing an audible indicator of the incoming call to sound;

selecting a default mode when there is not any caller identification information associated with the incoming call;

handling the call in accordance with the selected default mode.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the handling step comprises transmitting the call to a live port.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the handling step comprises transmitting the call to a handset.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the handling step comprises transmitting the call to an answering system.

25. The method of claim24, wherein the handling step further includes suppressing transmission of the ring bursts associated with the incoming call.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the incoming call is not retransmitted.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the default step is controlled by the user.