Communication device employment of one or more restrictions to make determination of allowability of one or more communication sessions

• US 20050027830A1
• Filed: 06/30/2003
• Published: 02/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Hunter, Karla Rae, Florkey, Cynthia Kae, Joglekar, Mrinal Milind, Halsell, Victoria Marie, Martin, Ronald Bruce
• Granted Patent: US 8,000,695 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/705 Account settings, e.g. limits or numbers or payment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/765 Linked or grouped accounts, e.g. of users or devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/7652 shared by users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/88 Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/886 limit per terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/887 limit per user or user related number
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6081 Service authorization mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0108 Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0116 Provision for limiting expenditure, e.g. limit on call expenses or account
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0136 Limit per terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/014 Limit per user or user related number
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7009 Account settings, e.g. users, terminals, limits, numbers or payment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/724 Linked accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7245 Shared by users, e.g. group accounts or one account for different users
• 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 3/42153 by subscriber

Abstract

A first communication device of an apparatus in one example shares a billing relationship with a second communication. The second communication device comprises a primary communication device, where a user associated with the second communication device comprises a primary user associated with the primary communication device. The primary user associated with the primary communication device sets one or more restrictions for the first communication device. The first communication device employs one or more of the one or more restrictions to make a determination of allowability of one or more communication sessions.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a first communication device that shares a billing relationship with a second communication device;

wherein the second communication device comprises a primary communication device, wherein a user associated with the second communication device comprises a primary user associated with the primary communication device;

wherein the primary user associated with the primary communication device sets one or more restrictions for the first communication device.

wherein the first communication device employs one or more of the one or more restrictions to make a determination of allowability of one or more communication sessions.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user associated with the second communication device sets the one or more restrictions at an application server component;

wherein upon receipt of the one or more restrictions, the first communication device downloads the one or more restrictions from the application server component.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the user associated with the second communication device sets the one or more restrictions at a website associated with the application server component.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the second communication device sends an update of the one or more restrictions to the application server component;

wherein upon receipt of the update of the one or more restrictions, the first communication device downloads the update of the one or more restrictions from the application server component.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more communication sessions comprise an incoming call from a third communication device;

wherein the first communication device employs the one or more of the one or more restrictions to make the determination of allowability of the incoming call.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first communication device allows the incoming call, a control component connects the first communication device to the incoming call of the third communication device;

wherein the first communication device sends one or more notifications of the incoming call to the second communication device.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first communication device rejects the incoming call;

wherein the first communication device sends one or more notifications of the incoming call to the second communication device.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the user of the first communication device is unaware of the incoming call.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more communication sessions comprise an outgoing call to a third communication device;

wherein the first communication device employs the one or more of the one or more restrictions to make the determination of allowability of the outgoing call.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first communication device allows the outgoing call, a control component connects the first communication device to the outgoing call of the third communication device;

wherein the first communication device sends one or more notifications of the outgoing call to the second communication device.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first communication device rejects the outgoing call;

wherein the first communication device sends one or more notifications of the outgoing call to the second communication device.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first communication device shares the billing relationship with the second communication device;

wherein the billing relationship comprises a shared mobile group plan;

13. A method, comprising the steps of:

receiving at a first communication device one or more restrictions set by a user associated with a second communication device, wherein the first communication device shares a billing relationship with the second communication device; and

employing at the first communication device one or more of the one or more restrictions to make a determination of allowability of one or more communication sessions.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of receiving at the first communication device the one or more restrictions set by the user associated with the second communication device comprises the steps of:

receiving at the first communication device the one or more restrictions set by the user associated with the second communication at an application server component, wherein the user associated with the second communication device sets the one or more restrictions at a website associated with the application server component.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more communication sessions comprise an incoming call from a third communication device, wherein the incoming call comprises session information, wherein the step of employing at the first communication device the one or more of the one or more restrictions to make the determination of allowability of the incoming call comprises the steps of:

comparing the session information of the incoming call with the one or more of the one or more restrictions at the first communication device;

allowing the incoming call at the first communication device;

enabling a connection with the third communication device on the incoming call; and

sending a notification of the incoming call to the second communication device.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more communication sessions comprise an incoming call from a third communication device, wherein the incoming call comprises session information, wherein the step of employing at the first communication device the one or more of the one or more restrictions to make the determination of allowability of the one or more communication sessions comprises the steps of:

comparing the session information of the incoming call with the one or more of the one or more restrictions at the first communication device;

rejecting the incoming call at the first communication device; and

sending a notification of the incoming call to the second communication device.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more communication sessions comprise an outgoing call to a third communication device, wherein the outgoing call comprises session information, wherein the step of employing at the first communication device the one or more of the one or more restrictions to make the determination of allowability of the one or more communication sessions comprises the steps of:

comparing the session information of the outgoing call with the one or more of the one or more restrictions at the first communication device;

allowing at the first communication device the outgoing call;

enabling a connection with the third communication device on the outgoing call; and

sending a notification of the outgoing call to the second communication device.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more communication sessions comprise an outgoing call to a third communication device, wherein the outgoing call comprises session information, wherein the step of employing at the first communication device the one or more of the one or more restrictions to make the determination of allowability of the one or more communication sessions comprises the steps of:

comparing the session information of the outgoing call with the one or more of the one or more restrictions at the first communication device;

rejecting at the first communication device the outgoing call; and

sending a notification of the outgoing call to the second communication device.

19. An article, comprising:

one or more computer-readable signal-bearing media;

means in the one or more media for receiving at a first communication device one or more restrictions set by a user associated with a second communication device, wherein the first communication device shares a billing relationship with the second communication device; and

means in the one or more media for employing at the first communication device one or more of the one or more restrictions to make a determination of allowability of one or more communication sessions.

20. The article of claim 19, wherein the means in the one or more media for receiving at the first communication device the one or more restrictions set by the user associated with the second communication device, wherein the first communication device shares the billing relationship with the second communication device comprise:

means in the one or more media for receiving at the first communication device the one or more restrictions set by the user associated with the second communication at an application server component, wherein the user associated with the second communication device sets the one or more restrictions at a website associated with the application server component.