E911 call blocking for non-initialized wireless telephones

• US 20090011750A1
• Filed: 07/01/2008
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Sponsoring Entity: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: Dickinson, Richard
• GRANTED PATENT: US 8,116,722 B2
• Time in USPTO: 0 Days
• US Class Current: 455/417
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 : for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2281 : Call monitoring, e.g. for law enforcement purposes; Call tracing; Detection or prevention of malicious calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 : Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queueing arrangements H04M3/523, H04Q3/64
• 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 4/16 : Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

Calls from a phone identified as being a source of harassing or other undesirable phone calls are blocked at a mobile positioning center (MPC). Upon request by the PSAP, a call record detail can be obtained from the MPC revealing a simulated “callback phone number” as well as a unique number identifier of the phone, such as an ESN or MEID. The MPC then intercepts all future incoming calls from phones with that unique identifier number and routes them to a recording that advises the harasser that the phone has been identified as a harasser and is now blocked. The recording can also advise the caller how to restore service. In a preferred embodiment, the MPC sets a timer to automatically restore service after a designated length of time.

Claims

1. . A method of blocking an undesirable call from being routed to an intended recipient, comprising:

associating a simulated callback phone number with said undesirable call;

further associating a simulated callback phone number with a unique identifier number that corresponds only with one specific phone querying a mobile positioning center (MPC) for routing instructions for said undesirable call;

comparing said simulated callback phone number and unique identifier number with a known list of phones to be blocked; and

if a match is made by said comparing, blocking routing of said undesirable call to said intended recipient at said mobile positioning center (MPC).

2. . The method of blocking an undesirable call from being routed to an intended recipient according to claim 1, wherein:

said undesirable call is a 911 call.

3. . The method of blocking an undesirable call from being routed to an intended recipient according to claim 1, wherein:

said designated recipient is a public safety answering point (PSAP).

4. . The method of blocking an undesirable call from being routed to an intended recipient according to claim 1, wherein:

said simulated callback phone number is a 10-digit number.

5. . The method of blocking an undesirable call from being routed to an intended recipient according to claim 4, wherein said 10-digit simulated callback phone number comprises:

“

911”

plus 7 digits corresponding to the electronic serial number (ESN) of the phone sending said undesirable call.

6. . The method of blocking an undesirable call from being routed to an intended recipient according to claim 5, wherein:

said 7 digits are the last 7 digits of said ESN.

7. . Apparatus for blocking an undesirable call from being routed to an intended recipient, comprising:

means for associating a simulated callback phone number with said undesirable call;

means for querying a mobile positioning center (MPC) for routing instructions for said undesirable call;

means for comparing said simulated callback phone number and unique phone identifier number with a known list of unique phone numbers to be blocked; and

means for blocking routing of said undesirable call to said intended recipient at said mobile positioning center (MPC) if a match is made by said means for comparing.

8. . The apparatus for blocking an undesirable call from being routed to an intended recipient according to claim 7, wherein:

said undesirable call is a 911 call.

9. . The apparatus for blocking an undesirable call from being routed to an intended recipient according to claim 7, wherein:

said designated recipient is a public safety answering point (PSAP).

10. . The apparatus for blocking an undesirable call from being routed to an intended recipient according to claim 7, wherein:

said simulated callback phone number is a 10-digit number.

11. . The apparatus for blocking an undesirable call from being routed to an intended recipient according to claim 10, wherein said 10-digit simulated callback phone number comprises:

“

911”

plus 7 digits corresponding to the electronic serial number (ESN) of the phone sending said undesirable call.

12. . The apparatus for blocking an undesirable call from being routed to an intended recipient according to claim 11, wherein:

said 7 digits are the last 7 digits of said ESN.

13. . Apparatus for identifying an otherwise unidentifiable source phone of an E911 call, comprising:

a simulated callback phone number module, said module associating as a callback phone number a 10-digit simulated callback number comprising “

911”

plus 7 digits of an electronic serial number (ESN) of said source phone, plus a unique identifier of the phone such as the ESN or MEID.

14. . The apparatus for identifying an otherwise unidentifiable source phone of an E911 call according to claim 13, wherein:

said 7 digits are the last 7 digits of said ESN.

15. . Apparatus for blocking an undesirable wireless call from being routed, comprising:

a blocked phone list maintained by a mobile positioning center (MPC);

a module to compare a callback number associated with a received query for routing instructions to entries in said blocked phone list; and

if a match is made between said callback number and an entry in said blocked phone list, refusing routing to an intended destination.

16. . The apparatus for blocking an undesirable wireless call from being routed according to claim 15, further comprising:

if said match is made, providing routing to a predesignated recorded message instructing a caller of a reason for blocking routing of said undesirable wireless call.

17. . The apparatus for blocking an undesirable wireless call from being routed according to claim 15, further comprising:

a timer to automatically purge entries from said blocked phone number list after a predetermined amount of time.

18. . Apparatus for blocking an undesirable wireless call from being routed, comprising:

a blocked phone list maintained by a mobile positioning center (MPC);

means for comparing a callback number associated with a received query for routing instructions to entries in said blocked phone list; and

means for refusing routing to an intended destination if a match is made between said callback number and an entry in said blocked phone list.

19. . The apparatus for blocking an undesirable wireless call from being routed according to claim 18, further comprising:

means for providing routing to a predesignated recorded message instructing a caller of a reason for blocking routing of said undesirable wireless call if said match is made.

20. . The apparatus for blocking an undesirable wireless call from being routed according to claim 18, further comprising:

means for automatically purging entries from said blocked phone list after a predetermined amount of time.