System and method for control of communications connections and notifications

• US 20050249209A1
• Filed: 04/21/2005
• Published: 11/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gryphon Networks Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gryphon Networks Corporation
• Inventors: Fotta, Keith A., Boudrieau, Richard P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,526,428 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/28 Restricting access to network management systems or functions, e.g. using authorisation function to access network configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/18 Comparators
• 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 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4211 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5158 in combination with automated outdialling systems devices for signalling identity of wanted subscriber H04M1/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/527 Centralised call answering arrangements not requiring operator intervention
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13256 Call screening
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13377 Recorded announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/54591 Supervision, e.g. fault localisation, traffic measurements, avoiding errors, failure recovery, monitoring, statistical analysis

Abstract

A method and system for selectively establishing a communications connection between an origin and destination in a communications network based on one or mediations rules and one or more lists of prohibited and exempted destination identifiers including preferences either in real-time using a control unit or with a pre-check using an analysis unit while also providing notification messages associated with the allowed or designated allowed communications connections.

Claims

1. A control system for selectively prohibiting a communications connection between an origin and destination within a communications network, the system comprising:

at least one list of prohibited destination identifiers;

at least one list of exempted destination identifiers; and

a control unit that prohibits or allows the communications connection between the origin and destination based on the lists of prohibited and exempted destination identifiers.

2. The system according to claim 1 further comprising a connection unit that receives or initiates a request for a communications connection between an origin and destination, the request including the destination identifier;

the connection unit capable of sending a request to the control unit and receiving an order from the control unit to prohibit or allow the communications connection.

3. The system according to claim 2 wherein the connection unit is any one of an Interactive Voice Response application, a predictive dialer server, a distributed predictive dialer system, a switch, router, and an electronic mail server.

4. The system according to claim 2 wherein the request further includes one or more target preferences and wherein exempted destinations are determined based on their corresponding preference designations.

5. The system according to claim 1 wherein the destination identifier is a telephone number.

6. The system according to claim 5 wherein the destination identifier is a facsimile number.

7. The system according to claim 1 wherein the destination identifier is an electronic mail address.

8. The system according to claim 1 wherein the control unit is a computer server that resides on the premises of any one of a client, a local exchange carrier, local administration facility, central administration facility, and other remote facility.

9. The system according to claim 8 wherein the control unit interfaces with local prohibited and exempted destination lists;

the local prohibited and exempted destination lists being periodically synchronized with other prohibited and exempted destination lists;

the other prohibited and exempted destination lists being remotely located at another facility such as a local administration facility, local exchange carrier, central administration facility, or other facility.

10. The system according to claim 1 wherein the control unit is a software application within a remote client computer.

11. The system according to claim 10 wherein the control unit within a client computer remotely accesses the prohibited and exempted lists within a central administration facility.

12. A method of selectively prohibiting a communications connection between an origin and destination in a communications network, the method comprising:

receiving or initiating a connection request for a communication connection between an origin and destination, the request including the destination identifier;

prohibiting or allowing the requested communications connection based on the lists of prohibited and exempted destination identifiers.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein the receiving or initiating of a request is performed by a connection unit comprising any one of an Interactive Voice Response application, a predictive dialer server, a distributed predictive dialer system, a switch, router, and an electronic mail server.

14. The method according to claim 12 further comprising receiving preference designation information for one or more destination identifiers and wherein the request further includes one or more target preferences and wherein exempted destinations are determined based on their corresponding preference designations.

15. The method according to claim 12 wherein the destination identifier is a telephone number.

16. The method according to claim 15 wherein the destination identifier is a facsimile number.

17. The method according to claim 12 wherein the destination identifier is an electronic mail address.

18. The method according to claim 12 wherein the receiving, prohibiting, or allowing are performed within a computer server that resides on the premises of any one of a client, a local exchange carrier, local administration facility, central administration facility, and other remote facility.

19. The method according to claim 18 further comprising interfacing with local prohibited and exempted destination lists;

the local prohibited and exempted destination lists being periodically synchronized with other prohibited and exempted destination lists;

the other prohibited and exempted destination lists being remotely located at another facility such as a local administration facility, local exchange carrier, central administration facility, or other facility.

20. The method according to claim 12 wherein receiving, prohibiting, or allowing are performed by a software application within a remote client computer.

21. The method according to claim 20 wherein the software application within a client computer remotely accesses the prohibited and exempted lists within a central administration facility.

22. An analysis system for selectively designating whether a communications connections between an origin and one or more destinations are prohibited, the system comprising:

an interface unit that receives one or more proposed destination identifiers;

at least one list of prohibited destination identifiers;

at least one list of exempted destination identifiers; and

an analysis unit that designates whether the communication connection between an origin and one or more proposed destinations are prohibited or allowed based on the lists of prohibited and exempted destination identifiers.

23. The system according to claim 22 wherein the interface unit further receives one or more target preferences and wherein exempted destinations are determined based on their corresponding preference designations.

24. The system according to claim 22 wherein the destination identifier is a telephone number.

25. The system according to claim 24 wherein the destination identifier is a facsimile number.

26. The system according to claim 22 wherein the destination identifier is an electronic mail address.

27. The system according to claim 22 wherein the analysis unit is a software application within a remote client computer.

28. The system according to claim 27 wherein the analysis unit within a client computer remotely accesses the prohibited and exempted lists within a central administration facility.

29. The system according to claim 22 further comprising a client computer that remotely sends a certified list of proposed destination identifiers to the analysis unit whereupon the analysis unit designates prohibited and allowed destination identifiers and sends a designation list to the client computer.

30. The system according to claim 22 wherein the analysis unit sends a list of allowed destination identifiers to a client or client agent.

31. The system according to claim 22 wherein the analysis unit sends a list of prohibited destination identifiers to a client or client agent.

32. The system according to claim 22 wherein the analysis unit determines whether a destination identifier represents an invalid destination identifier and sends a list of invalid destination identifiers to a client or client agent.

33. A method of selectively designating whether communications connections between an origin and one or more destinations in a communications network are prohibited, the method comprising:

receiving one or more destination identifiers;

designating whether the communications connection between the origin and one or more destinations are prohibited or allowed based on the lists of prohibited and exempted destination identifiers.

34. The method according to claim 33 receiving includes receiving one or more target preferences and wherein exempted destinations are determined based on their corresponding preference designations.

35. The method according to claim 33 further including creating at least one category of communications type, each category defining a preference.

36. The method according to claim 33 further comprising receiving preference designation information for one or more destination identifiers.

37. The method according to claim 33 wherein the destination identifier is a telephone number.

38. The method according to claim 37 wherein the destination identifier is a facsimile number.

39. The method according to claim 33 wherein the destination identifier is an electronic mail address.

40. The method according to claim 33 wherein the receiving and designating are performed by a software application within a remote client computer.

41. The method according to claim 40 wherein the software application remotely accesses the prohibited and exempted lists within a central administration facility.

42. The method according to claim 33 further comprising receiving a certified list of proposed destination identifiers from a remote client computer and sending a designation list back to the client computer.

43. The method according to claim 33 further including sending a list of allowed destination identifiers to a client or client agent.

44. The method according to claim 33 further including sending a list of prohibited destination identifiers to a client or client agent.

45. The method according to claim 33 further comprising determining whether a destination identifier represents an invalid destination identifier and sending a list of invalid destination identifiers to a client or client agent.

46. Apparatus for selectively prohibiting a communications connection between an origin and destination in a communications network, comprising:

means for receiving or initiating a connection request for a communication connection between an origin and destination, the request including the destination identifier and a target preference;

means for prohibiting or allowing the requested communications connection based on the lists of prohibited and exempted destination identifiers wherein exempted destinations are determined based on their corresponding preference designations.

47. Apparatus for selectively designating whether communications connections between an origin and one or more destinations in a communications network are prohibited, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving one or more destination identifiers and one or more target preferences;

means for designating whether the communications connection between the origin and one or more destinations are prohibited or allowed based on the lists of prohibited and exempted destination identifiers wherein exempted destinations are determined based on their corresponding preference designations.