Short message service (SMS), multimedia message service (MMS), call screening and filtering
First Claim
1. A method of screening a Short Message Service (SMS) or Multimedia Message Service (MMS) call in an SMS or MMS center, comprising the steps of:
- responsive to receipt of an SMS or MMS call, determining whether a calling party of said call may attempt to complete said call;
responsive to determining that a caller of said call may attempt to complete said call, determining whether a called party of said call is willing to accept calls from said calling party; and
determining whether said called party has allowed calls having characteristics of said call to be completed to said called party;
wherein the step of determining whether said called party is willing to accept calls from said calling party comprises the step of determining whether said called party has screened calls from said calling party.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for screening short message service (SMS) and/or multimedia message service (MMS) calls. An originator of an SMS/MMS call is checked for authorization to send the type of message (e.g., to roamers, to non-local destinations, broadcast messages). If the caller is found to be authorized then the called party or parties are checked to determine whether they are screening calls of the type and from the source of the caller. In either case, if the telecommunications network determines that the call should be blocked the caller is notified and the call is not completed. Advantageously, this arrangement sharply reduces the amount of SPAM delivered by SMS/MMS service.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of screening a Short Message Service (SMS) or Multimedia Message Service (MMS) call in an SMS or MMS center, comprising the steps of:
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responsive to receipt of an SMS or MMS call, determining whether a calling party of said call may attempt to complete said call;
responsive to determining that a caller of said call may attempt to complete said call, determining whether a called party of said call is willing to accept calls from said calling party; and
determining whether said called party has allowed calls having characteristics of said call to be completed to said called party;
wherein the step of determining whether said called party is willing to accept calls from said calling party comprises the step of determining whether said called party has screened calls from said calling party. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. In a Short Message Service (SMS) or Multimedia Message Service (MMS) center, apparatus for screening an SMS or MMS call, comprising:
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means, responsive to receipt of an SMS or MMS call, for determining whether a calling party of said call may attempt to complete said call; and
means, responsive to determining that said calling party may attempt to complete said call, for determining whether a called party of said call is willing to accept calls from said calling party, comprising means for determining whether said called party has allowed calls having characteristics of said call to be completed to said called party;
said means for determining whether said called party is willing to accept calls from said calling party comprises means for determining whether said called party has screened calls from said calling party. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification