METHODS AND APPARATUS TO PERFORM CALL SCREENING IN A VOICE OVER INTERNET PROTOCOL (VOIP) NETWORK

• US 20080304471A1
• Filed: 06/11/2007
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jackson, James, Sheth, Niral S., Cunetto, Philip
• Granted Patent: US 8,223,757 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1076 Screening of IP real time communications, e.g. spam over Internet telephony [SPIT]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2011 Service processing based on information specified by a party before or during a call, e.g. information, tone or routing selection
• 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: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to perform call screening in a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) network are disclosed. An example method comprises sending a call initiation request to a VoIP endpoint, receiving a call screening indication from a user of the VoIP endpoint in response to the call initiation request and prior to a no answer determination made by an initiating call server, and playing a message for the user while a calling party is leaving the message.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

sending a call initiation request to a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) endpoint;

receiving a call screening indication from a user of the VoIP endpoint in response to the call initiation request and prior to a no-answer determination made by an initiating call server; and

playing a message for the user while a calling party is leaving the message.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising sending the communication session initiation message from a messaging server to the VoIP endpoint in response to the call screening indication.

3. A method as defined in claim 2, wherein the VoIP endpoint is to automatically establishing a call screening communication session with the messaging server in response to the communication session initiation message.

4. A method as defined in claim 3, wherein playing the message comprises forwarding the message via the call screening communication session.

5. A method as defined in claim 2, wherein the communication session initiation message includes an automatic answer indication.

6. A method as defined in claim 2, wherein the communication session initiation message includes a no call forward indication.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising receiving a message handling indication from the user while the message is playing.

8. A method as defined in claim 7, wherein the message handling indication is received at a messaging server.

9. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein the message handling indication comprises a dual tone multiple frequency (DTMF) signal.

10. A method as defined in claim 7, wherein the message handling indication indicates that the message is to be deleted when the calling party has finished leaving the message.

11. A method as defined in claim 7, wherein the message handling indication indicates that the initiated call should be established to the VoIP endpoint.

12. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the message is provided to the VoIP endpoint by a messaging server, and the VoIP endpoint is to play the message.

13. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the call screening indication is received at the VoIP endpoint, and the VoIP endpoint is to provide the call screening indication to a feature server.

14. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising receiving a call initiation message at the VoIP device, wherein the call initiation request is presented in response to the call initiation message.

15. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the call screening indication comprises a dual tone multiple frequency (DTMF) signal.

16. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein receiving the call screening indication comprises detecting a press of a key of the VoIP endpoint.

17. (canceled)

18. A voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) endpoint comprising:

a display to provide a notification of an incoming call;

an interface element to allow a user of the VoIP endpoint to indicate whether to perform call screening prior to a no-answer determination for the incoming call; and

an output device to play a message provided by a calling party during call screening.

19. A VoIP endpoint as in claim 18, wherein the interface element is at least one of a button, a key, a soft key, or a region of a touch-sensitive screen.

22. A VoIP endpoint as in claim 18, further comprising a controller to send a call screening notification message in response to receiving the call screening indication.

23. A VoIP endpoint as in claim 18, wherein the user interface is to receive a message handling indication while the output device is playing the message.

24. A VoIP endpoint as in claim 23, wherein the message handling indication comprises a dual tone multiple frequency (DTMF) signal.

25. A VoIP endpoint as in claim 23, wherein the message handling indication indicates that the message is to be deleted when the calling party has finished leaving the message.

26. A VoIP endpoint as in claim 23, wherein the message handling indication indicates that the initiated call should be established to the VoIP endpoint.

20. (canceled)

21. (canceled)

27. An article of manufacture storing machine readable instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to:

send a call initiation request to a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) endpoint during a first time period, the first time period to occur prior to a no-answer determination made by an initiating call server;

receive a call screening indication from a user of the VoIP endpoint in response to the call initiation request during a second time period, the second time period to at least partially overlap the first time period; and

play a message for the user while a calling party is leaving the message.

28. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 27, wherein the machine readable instructions, when executed, cause the machine to send the communication session initiation message from a messaging server to the VoIP endpoint in response to the call screening indication.

29. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 28, wherein the machine readable instructions, when executed, cause the machine to automatically establish a call screening communication session with the messaging server in response to the communication session initiation message.

33. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 28, wherein the communication session initiation message includes a no call forward indication.

34. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 27, wherein the machine readable instructions, when executed, cause the machine to receive a message handling indication from the user while the message is playing.

36. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 34, wherein the message handling indication indicates that the message is to be deleted when the calling party has finished leaving the message.

42. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 27, wherein the machine readable instructions, when executed, cause the machine to receive the call screening indication by detecting a press of a key of the VoIP endpoint.

30. (canceled)

31. (canceled)

32. (canceled)

35. (canceled)

37. (canceled)

38. (canceled)

39. (canceled)

40. (canceled)

41. (canceled)

43-85. -85. (canceled)