Method and system for enabling venues to selectively block incoming calls to cellular phones present in venue premises

• US 20060252432A1
• Filed: 05/09/2005
• Published: 11/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tiliks, Dianna Inara, Gruchala, Carol Shifrin, Heinmiller, Wayne Robert, Moss, John Wesley
• Application Number:
  US11/124,837
• Publication Number:
  US 20060252432A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.300
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/06 Lines and connections with preferential service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/14 with services dependent on location
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions

Abstract

A method and system for enabling a venue to selectively block incoming calls to cellular phones located at the venue includes the venue providing a provider with a list of selected cellular phones which are to be able to receive incoming calls while located at the venue. In response to receiving an incoming call to a recipient cellular phone, the provider determines whether the recipient phone is a selected phone and compares the recipient phone and venue locations to determine whether the recipient phone is located at the venue. The provider blocks the call if the recipient phone is located at the venue and if the recipient phone is not a selected phone. The provider establishes the call if the recipient phone is located at the venue and if the recipient phone is a selected phone, and the provider establishes the call if the recipient phone is not located at the venue.

Claims

1. A method for enabling a venue to selectively block incoming calls to cellular phones located at the venue, the method comprising:

obtaining a location of a venue;

selecting, by the venue, cellular phones which are to be able to receive incoming calls while located at the venue;

storing, by a provider, the venue location and a list of identities corresponding to the cellular phones selected by the venue which are to be able to receive incoming calls while located at the venue;

receiving an incoming call to a recipient cellular phone;

obtaining an identity of the recipient cellular phone and obtaining a location of the recipient cellular phone at the time the incoming call is received;

comparing the identity of the recipient cellular phone with the list of selected cellular phone identities to determine whether or not the recipient cellular phone is a cellular phone selected by the venue to be able to receive incoming calls while located at the venue;

comparing the recipient cellular phone location with the venue location to determine whether or not the recipient cellular phone is located at the venue at the time the incoming call is received;

blocking, by the provider, the incoming call to the recipient cellular phone if the recipient cellular phone is located at the venue at the time the incoming call is received and if the recipient cellular phone is not a cellular phone selected by the venue to be able to receiving incoming calls while located at the venue;

establishing, by the provider, the incoming call to the recipient cellular phone if the recipient cellular phone is located at the venue at the time the incoming call is received and if the recipient cellular phone is a cellular phone selected by the venue to be able to receive incoming calls while located at the venue; and

establishing, by the provider, the incoming call to the recipient cellular phone if the recipient cellular phone is not located at the venue at the time the incoming call is received.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving an outgoing call from a cellular phone located in the venue for a recipient phone located outside of the venue; and

establishing, by the provider, the outgoing call from the cellular phone located in the venue to the recipient phone located outside of the venue irrespective of the cellular phone being located in the venue.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

selecting, by the venue, permitted time periods in which cellular phones are to be able to receive incoming calls while located at the venue;

storing, by the provider, the permitted time periods;

comparing the time the incoming call is received with the permitted time periods in order to determine whether or not the incoming call is received during a permitted time period; and

establishing, by the provider, the incoming call to the recipient cellular phone if the recipient cellular phone is located at the venue at the time the incoming call is received and if the incoming call is received during a permitted time period regardless of whether or not the recipient cellular phone is selected by the venue to be able to receive incoming calls while located at the venue.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

selecting, by the venue, permitted time periods in which cellular phones selected by the venue to be able to receive incoming calls while located at the venue are permitted by the venue to receive incoming calls if the incoming calls are received during a permitted time period;

storing, by the provider, the permitted time periods;

comparing the time the incoming call is received with the permitted time periods in order to determine whether or not the incoming call is received during a permitted time period; and

establishing, by the provider, the incoming call to the recipient cellular phone if the recipient cellular phone is located at the venue at the time the incoming call is received, if the recipient cellular phone is a cellular phone selected by the venue to be able to receive incoming calls while located at the venue, and if the incoming call is received during a permitted time period.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

selecting, by the venue, non-permitted time periods in which cellular phones are not to receive incoming calls while located at the venue;

storing, by the provider, the non-permitted time periods;

comparing the time the incoming call is received with the non-permitted time periods in order to determine whether or not the incoming call is received during a non-permitted time period; and

blocking, by the provider, the incoming call to the recipient cellular phone if the recipient cellular phone is located at the venue at the time the incoming call is received and if the incoming call is received during a non-permitted time period regardless of whether or not the recipient cellular phone is selected by the venue to be able to receive incoming calls while located at the venue.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

selecting, by the venue, non-permitted time periods in which cellular phones selected by the venue to be able to receive incoming calls while located at the venue are not permitted by the venue to receive incoming calls if the incoming calls are received during a non-permitted time period;

storing, by the provider, the non-permitted time periods;

comparing the time the incoming call is received with the non-permitted time periods in order to determine whether or not the incoming call is received during a permitted time period; and

blocking, by the provider, the incoming call to the recipient cellular phone if the recipient cellular phone is located at the venue at the time the incoming call is received and if the incoming call is received during a non-permitted time period regardless of whether or not the recipient cellular phone is selected by the venue to be able to receive incoming calls while located at the venue.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the identities of the cellular phones selected by the venue to be able to receive incoming calls while located at the venue include the cellular phone numbers corresponding to the selected cellular phones;

wherein the identity of the recipient cellular phone includes the cellular phone number of the recipient cellular phone.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein:

selecting, by the venue, the cellular phones which are to be able to receive incoming calls while located at the venue includes the venue providing the provider with a list of cellular phone numbers corresponding to the selected cellular phones.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein:

providing, by the venue, the list of cellular phone numbers corresponding to the selected cellular phones includes the venue communicating the list of cellular phone numbers to the provider via a web server.

10. The method of claim 3 wherein:

selecting, by the venue, permitted time periods in which cellular phones are to be able to receive incoming calls while located at the venue includes the venue communicating the permitted time periods to the provider via a web server.

11. The method of claim 4 wherein:

selecting, by the venue, permitted time periods in which cellular phones selected by the venue to be able to receive incoming calls while located at the venue are permitted by the venue to receive incoming calls if the incoming calls are received during a permitted time period includes the venue communicating the permitted time periods to the provider via a web server.

12. The method of claim 5 wherein:

selecting, by the venue, non-permitted time periods in which cellular phones are not to receive incoming calls while located at the venue includes the venue communicating the non-permitted time periods to the provider via a web server.

13. The method of claim 6 wherein:

selecting, by the venue, non-permitted time periods in which cellular phones selected by the venue to be able to receive incoming calls while located at the venue are not permitted by the venue to receive incoming calls if the incoming calls are received during a non-permitted time period includes the venue communicating the non-permitted time periods to the provider via a web server.

14. A system for enabling a venue to selectively block incoming calls to cellular phones located at the venue, the system comprising:

a provider operable for obtaining a location of a venue; and

a communications interface operable for enabling a venue to communicate with the provider, wherein the venue communicates to the provider a list of cellular phones which are to be able to receive incoming calls while located at the venue;

wherein in response to receiving an incoming call to a recipient cellular phone, the provider obtains an identity of the recipient cellular phone and obtains a location of the recipient cellular phone at the time the incoming call is received;

the provider then compares the identity of the recipient cellular phone with identities of the selected cellular phone to determine whether or not the recipient cellular phone is a cellular phone selected by the venue to be able to receive incoming calls while located at the venue;

the provider then compares the recipient cellular phone location with the venue location to determine whether or not the recipient cellular phone is located at the venue at the time the incoming call is received;

wherein the provider blocks the incoming call to the recipient cellular phone if the recipient cellular phone is located at the venue at the time the incoming call is received and if the recipient cellular phone is not a cellular phone selected by the venue to be able to receiving incoming calls while located at the venue;

wherein the provider establishes the incoming call to the recipient cellular phone if the recipient cellular phone is located at the venue at the time the incoming call is received and if the recipient cellular phone is a cellular phone selected by the venue to be able to receive incoming calls while located at the venue;

wherein the provider establishes the incoming call to the recipient cellular phone if the recipient cellular phone is not located at the venue at the time the incoming call is received.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein:

in response to receiving an outgoing call from a cellular phone located in the venue for a recipient phone located outside of the venue, the provider establishes the outgoing call from the cellular phone located in the venue to the recipient phone located outside of the venue irrespective of the cellular phone being located in the venue.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein:

the communications interface includes a web server.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein:

the identities of the selected cellular phones and the identity of the recipient cellular phone includes the cellular phone numbers corresponding to the cellular phones.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein:

the venue communicates to the provider permitted time periods in which cellular phones are to be able to receive incoming calls while located at the venue;

wherein the provider compares the time the incoming call is received with the permitted time periods in order to determine whether or not the incoming call is received during a permitted time period; and

wherein the provider establishes the incoming call to the recipient cellular phone if the recipient cellular phone is located at the venue at the time the incoming call is received and if the incoming call is received during a permitted time period regardless of whether or not the recipient cellular phone is selected by the venue to be able to receive incoming calls while located at the venue.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein:

the venue communicates to the provider non-permitted time periods in which cellular phones are not to receive incoming calls while located at the venue;

wherein the provider compares the time the incoming call is received with the non-permitted time periods in order to determine whether or not the incoming call is received during a non-permitted time period; and

wherein the provider blocks the incoming call to the recipient cellular phone if the recipient cellular phone is located at the venue at the time the incoming call is received and if the incoming call is received during a non-permitted time period regardless of whether or not the recipient cellular phone is selected by the venue to be able to receive incoming calls while located at the venue.

20. The system of claim 14 wherein:

the venue communicates to the provider non-permitted time periods in which cellular phones selected by the venue to be able to receive incoming calls while located at the venue are not permitted by the venue to receive incoming calls if the incoming calls are received during a non-permitted time period;

wherein the provider compares the time the incoming call is received with the non-permitted time periods in order to determine whether or not the incoming call is received during a permitted time period; and

wherein the provider blocks the incoming call to the recipient cellular phone if the recipient cellular phone is located at the venue at the time the incoming call is received and if the incoming call is received during a non-permitted time period regardless of whether or not the recipient cellular phone is selected by the venue to be able to receive incoming calls while located at the venue.