Methods and apparatus for providing restrictions on long distance calls from a wireless communication device

• US 20040209650A1
• Filed: 12/11/2003
• Published: 10/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Pearce, Graham N.
• Granted Patent: US 7,440,778 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/558
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/677 Preventing the dialling or sending of predetermined telephone numbers or selected types of telephone numbers, e.g. long distance numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42178 by downloading data to substation equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for providing restrictions on long distance calls from wireless communication devices which operate in a wireless communication network are described. The wireless devices are preferably combined voice and data communication devices. In one illustrative example, each wireless device receives and stores long distance call restriction information which is pushed from a private computer network through the wireless network. During typical operation, a wireless device determines whether call attempts from the wireless device are restricted by the long distance call restriction information. If a call attempt is restricted by the long distance call restriction information, the wireless device restricts the call attempt from the wireless device and provides for a call restriction alert indication (e.g. an alert tone or visual text). If a call attempt is not restricted by the long distance call restriction information, the wireless device allows the call attempt from the wireless device. Advantageously, control over long distance calls may be established on a per-user basis in the private home network.

Claims

1. In a wireless communication device, a method of providing restrictions on long distance calls from the wireless communication device comprising the acts of:

receiving, over a wireless link, long distance call restriction information from a host computer;

storing the long distance call restriction information;

determining, at the wireless device, whether a call attempt from the wireless device is restricted by the long distance call restriction information;

if the call attempt is restricted by the long distance call restriction information, restricting the call attempt from the wireless device; and

if the call attempt is not restricted by the long distance call restriction information, allowing the call attempt from the wireless device.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising the further acts of:

receiving a telephone number via a user interface of the wireless communication device which represents the call attempt;

identifying a country code or area code in the telephone number; and

determining, at the wireless device, whether the call attempt is restricted based on the country code or the area code and the stored long distance call restriction information.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising the further acts of:

receiving a telephone number via a user interface of the wireless communication device which represents the call attempt;

identifying a country code or area code in the telephone number;

determining, at the wireless device, whether the call attempt is restricted based on the country code or area code and the stored long distance call restriction information; and

if the call attempt is restricted, providing a call restriction alert indication at the wireless communication device.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising the further acts of:

receiving a telephone number via a user interface of the wireless communication device which represents the call attempt;

identifying a country code or area code in the telephone number;

comparing the country code or area code with one or more allowable/disallowable codes indicated by the stored long distance call restriction information; and

if the call attempt is restricted, providing a call restriction alert indication at the wireless communication device.

5. A wireless communication device, comprising:

a radio modem which receives long distance call restriction information from a host computer;

memory which stores the long distance call restriction information;

a user interface which receives a telephone call attempt from an end user of the wireless device;

a controller which;

determines whether the call attempt is restricted by the long distance call restriction information;

if the call attempt is restricted by the long distance call restriction information, restricting the call attempt from the wireless device; and

if the call attempt is not restricted by the long distance call restriction information, allowing the call attempt from the wireless device.

6. The wireless device of claim 5, wherein the controller further:

receives a telephone number via the user interface of the wireless communication device which represents the call attempt;

identifies a country code or area code in the telephone number; and

determines whether the call attempt is restricted based on the country code or the area code and the stored long distance call restriction information.

7. The wireless device of claim 5, wherein the controller further:

receives a telephone number via the user interface of the wireless communication device which represents the call attempt;

identifies a country code or area code in the telephone number;

determines whether the call attempt is restricted based on the country code or the area code and the stored long distance call restriction information; and

if the call attempt is restricted, providing for a call restriction alert indication.

8. The wireless device of claim 5, wherein the controller further:

receives a telephone number via the user interface of the wireless communication device which represents the call attempt;

identifies a country code or area code in the telephone number;

comparing the country code or area code with one or more allowable/disallowable codes indicated by the stored long distance call restriction information; and

if the call attempt is restricted, providing for a call restriction alert indication.

9. The wireless device of claim 5, further comprising:

wherein the radio modem receives long distance call restriction information of a user profile which uniquely corresponds to a mobile or subscriber identifier stored in the wireless device.

10. The wireless device of claim 5, further comprising:

a smart card interface for receiving a smart card; and

wherein the radio modem receives long distance call restriction information of a user profile which uniquely corresponds to an identifier stored on the smart card.

11. A communication system, comprising:

a host computer network;

memory in the host computer network;

the memory for storing user profile information which is unique to a wireless communication device or a subscriber thereof;

the user profile information including long distance call restriction information;

the host computer network configured to transmit the long distance call restriction information to the wireless communication device through a wireless communication network;

the wireless communication device including;

a radio modem which receives the long distance call restriction information;

memory which stores the long distance call restriction information;

a user interface which receives a telephone call attempt from the subscriber of the wireless device;

a controller which;

determines whether the call attempt is restricted by the long distance call restriction information;

if the call attempt is restricted by the long distance call restriction information, restricting the call attempt from the wireless device; and

if the call attempt is not restricted by the long distance call restriction information, allowing the call attempt from the wireless device.

12. The communication system of claim 11, further comprising:

a private network which includes the host computer.

13. The communication system of claim 11, wherein the controller of the wireless device further:

receives a telephone number via the user interface of the wireless device which represents the call attempt;

identifies a country code or area code in the telephone number;

determines whether the call attempt is restricted based on the country code or the area code and the stored long distance call restriction information; and

if the call attempt is restricted, providing for a call restriction alert indication.

14. In a wireless communication device, a method of providing restrictions on long distance calls from the wireless communication device comprising the acts of:

receiving, from a user interface of the wireless device, a plurality of telephone call digits of a telephone number;

transmitting, to a host computer network, a query request to identify whether a telephone call to the telephone number should be restricted based on long distance call restriction information stored in the host computer network;

receiving, from the host computer network, a response to the query request;

if the response is positive, allowing the telephone call;

if the response is negative, restricting the telephone call and providing an audible or visual alert at the wireless device.

15. The method of claim 14, comprising the further act of:

transmitting the query only if the telephone number is identified as being a long distance telephone number.

16. In a server of a computer network, a method of providing restrictions of long distance calls from a wireless communication device comprising the acts of:

maintaining storage of long distance call restriction information in a user profile;

receiving a query request from a wireless communication device which is attempting to place a telephone call to a telephone number, where the query request includes data indicative of a country code or area code of the telephone number;

in response to the query request, searching the long distance call restriction information to identify whether the telephone call with the country code or area code should be allowed or restricted; and

transmitting a response to the wireless device as to whether the telephone call is allowed or restricted.