System and method for anonymous telephone communication

• US 20070263819A1
• Filed: 03/30/2006
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bending Spoons Operations SpA (Bending Spoons SpA)
• Original Assignee: E & M Limited, LLC
• Inventors: Finkelman, Eli, Cohen, Meir
• Granted Patent: US 7,664,242 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/201.110
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42008 Systems for anonymous communication between parties, e.g. by use of disposal contact identifiers

Abstract

The present invention comprises a system and method for masking the identity of a user of a calling telephone. Preferably an information processor is provided to receive over a public switched telephone network a telephone call from the calling telephone. The information processor receives from the user of the calling telephone a destination telephone number and a user-defined telephone number that is to be transmitted to a telephone at the destination telephone number. When the destination telephone answers, the user-defined telephone number is displayed.

Claims

1. A system for masking the identity of a user of a calling telephone, the system comprising:

an information processor operable to receive over a public switched telephone network a telephone call from the calling telephone;

a menu module provided by the information processor and operable to automatically provide to the user of the calling telephone a choice related to at least a destination telephone number and a user-defined telephone number to display;

a telephone calling module provided by the information processor and operable to receive from the user of the calling telephone a destination telephone number, and further operable to call the destination telephone number; and

a user-defined telephone number module provided by the information processor and operable to transmit to a telephone at the destination telephone number the user-defined telephone number that is defined by the user of the calling telephone, wherein the user-defined telephone number is different from the calling telephone'"'"'s telephone number;

wherein in response to selections made by the user in the menu module, the information processor masks the identity of the calling telephone by calling the destination telephone number and transmitting the user-defined telephone number as the telephone number of the calling telephone.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a voice altering module provided by the information processor that is operable to alter the sound of the user'"'"'s voice.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the menu module further includes a choice for altering the sound of the user'"'"'s voice, and in response to the user selecting the choice for altering the sound of the user'"'"'s voice, the voice altering module alters the sound of the user'"'"'s voice.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a conversation recording module provided by the information processor and operable to record a conversation between the user and a person answering the destination telephone number.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the menu module further includes a choice for recording a conversation, and in response to the user selecting the choice for recording the conversation, the conversation recording module records a conversation between the user and the person answering the destination telephone number.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the menu module further includes a choice for playing back a recorded conversation.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a payment module provided by the information processor and operable to accept from the user a payment.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a card that, when purchased by the user, authorizes the user to call the information processor and make selections in the menu module to instruct the information processor to call the destination telephone number and transmit the user defined telephone number as the telephone number of the calling telephone.

9. A method for masking the identity of a user of a calling telephone, the method comprising:

receiving over a public switched telephone network a telephone call from the calling telephone;

automatically providing to the calling telephone choices that are related to at least a destination telephone number to call and a user-defined telephone number to display;

receiving from the user a destination telephone number;

receiving from the user a user-defined telephone number for transmitting to a telephone at the destination telephone number, wherein the user-defined telephone number is different from the calling telephone'"'"'s telephone number; and

placing the call to the destination telephone number as a function of the choices received by the user.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising altering the sound of the user'"'"'s voice in response to the user selecting the choice to alter the sound of the user'"'"'s voice.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising recording a conversation between the user and a person answering the destination telephone number.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising playing back the recorded conversation.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving a payment from the user.

14. A system for enabling a user to record his or her telephone calls or voice messages, the system comprising:

an information processor operable to receive over a public switched telephone network a telephone call from a user calling from a calling telephone;

a menu module provided by the information processor and operable to provide to the user an option to record the telephone call;

a telephone calling module provided by the information processor and operable to selectively receive from the user a calling telephone destination telephone number;

a telephone call placing module which routes a telephone call from the calling telephone to a destination telephone and records the conversation upon the selection by the user of a recording option; and

a storing module which stores a recorded voice file of the telephone call and an associated communication unit which transmits a copy of the recorded voice file to the user.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the recorded voice file is sent to a predefined e-mail address.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the recorded voice file is sent in text form.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the voice file is sent in the form of a compressed audio file.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the recorded voice file is accompanied by an information header that includes a date and time stamp.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the menu module further includes a choice for playing back a recorded conversation.