Methods for blocking repeated occurrences of nuisance calls

• US 20040213396A1
• Filed: 04/25/2003
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gemalto SA (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Santema, Steven R., Wilson, Randall Joe, MacNamara, John J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,990,187 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/210.02
• 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

Abstract

Methods are disclosed for reducing occurrences of nuisance calls. A called party identifies a call as an undesired (or “nuisance”) call after answering, screening or reviewing recorded messages of calls. In one embodiment, the called party receives or screens a call and informs a terminating office that it desires to block future calls from the calling party. The terminating office determines the directory number of the calling party and causes the directory number to be added to a blocking database. In another embodiment, a called party reviews one or more prior messages recorded by a messaging system (e.g., answering machine or voicemail system) and flags a message (e.g., message #2) as originating from an undesired caller. The messaging system determines the directory number of the undesired caller and instructs a service provider to add the directory number to a blocking database. Thereafter, in either or both embodiments, the blocking database is consulted upon receiving an incoming call and, if the call is from a directory number in the blocking database, the call is ended or routed to an announcement without ringing the called party phone.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of:

receiving information indicating a called party, responsive to receiving a call from a calling party, desires to block future calls from the calling party;

determining a directory number of the calling party; and

blocking one or more further occurrences of calls from the directory number to the calling party.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving information comprises receiving a DTMF signal from the called party.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of receiving a DTMF signal comprises receiving the DTMF signal during the call from the calling party.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of receiving a DTMF signal comprises receiving the DTMF signal after the call is ended but before the called party receives another call.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving information comprises receiving a directory number of the calling party from the called party.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving information comprises receiving a desired duration of time for blocking the future calls from the calling party.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving information comprises receiving a desired time window for blocking the future calls from the calling party.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of blocking comprises:

adding the directory number to a blocking database, the directory number thereby defining a blocking number;

determining a calling party directory number of at least a first further call directed to the called party;

consulting the blocking database to determine if the calling party directory number of the first further call is a blocking number; and

blocking the first further call if the calling party directory number is a blocking number.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of adding the blocking number to a blocking database includes indicating an association of the blocking number with the called party.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of blocking comprises preventing ringing of the called party for one or more further calls from the directory number.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of blocking comprises preventing ringing of the called party and directing the calling party to an announcement for one or more further calls from the directory number.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining a directory number comprises:

determining a first directory number of the calling party;

determining the first directory number is associated with a business;

consulting a database to identify at least a second directory number associated with the business, the first directory number and the at least a second directory number thereby defining a plurality of blocking numbers associated with the business; and

blocking one or more further occurrences of calls to the called party from any of the plurality of blocking numbers associated with the business.

13. A method comprising the steps of:

receiving information indicating a called party, responsive to reviewing one or more caller messages, desires to block future calls from an undesired caller;

determining a directory number of the undesired caller; and

blocking one or more further occurrences of calls from the directory number to the called party.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of receiving information comprises receiving, from the called party, by a messaging system having recorded the caller messages, indicia of a message of the one or more messages that is associated with the undesired caller, the message thereby defining a flagged message.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of receiving information comprises receiving, by the messaging system, a message number of the flagged message.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of determining a directory number comprises retrieving, by the messaging system, a directory number associated with the flagged message.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of blocking comprises:

sending, from the messaging system to a service provider, an instruction to add the directory number associated with the flagged message to a blocking list, the number thereby defining a blocking number; and

blocking, by the service provider, one or more further occurrences of calls from the blocking number to the called party.