System, Method, and Computer-Readable Medium for Schedule-Based Telecommunication Policies

• US 20090131060A1
• Filed: 11/19/2007
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tango Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tango Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: Silver, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 8,983,506 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• 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 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 based on geographic position or location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/535 based on resource usage policies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

A system, method and computer-readable medium for enforcing user telecommunication privileges on a per-schedule basis are provided. Enterprise members may have a schedule associated therewith that defines scheduled locations of the users. Telecommunication service privileges may be coordinated with the users'"'"' schedules such that communication services are disabled at particular times based on the users'"'"' schedules. In other implementations, particular users may have telecommunication services disabled by an administrator in the event of a catastrophe or emergency. By this mechanism, users that are not proximate to a particular catastrophe or emergency area according to the users'"'"' schedule may have services disabled while other users that are located more proximate to the emergency may have their telecommunication services enabled. In this manner, the demand on a cellular network may be alleviated thereby increasing the likelihood that users directly impacted by the emergency may receive and place calls or access data services.

Claims

1. A method of enforcing communication service policies, comprising:

receiving a communications session setup request representing either a call or data session that includes a phone number or data address of an enterprise member mobile terminal as one of a session originator and a session destination;

obtaining a schedule of the member that specifies at least one scheduled location of the member at an enterprise;

performing a comparison of the schedule with a current time at which the session setup request is received; and

processing the session according to results of the comparison, wherein processing the session includes one of completing setup of the session and rejecting the session setup.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein performing a comparison results in determining the enterprise member is scheduled to be at an enterprise location at the current time, wherein processing the session comprises rejecting the session setup.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein performing a comparison results in determining the mobile terminal is located within a predefined distance of the scheduled location, wherein processing the session comprises rejecting the session setup.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein performing a comparison results in determining the enterprise member is not scheduled to be at an enterprise location at the current time, wherein processing the session comprises completing the session setup.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein performing a comparison results in determining the enterprise member is scheduled to be at an enterprise location, the method further comprising determining whether one of the session originator and session destination comprises an exempted party.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein one of the session originator and the session destination is determined to comprise an exempted party, and wherein processing the session comprises completing setup of the session.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein neither of the session originator and the session destination is determined to comprise an exempted party, and wherein processing the session comprises rejecting the session setup.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising suspending a service restriction of the mobile terminal based on a determination that the enterprise member is located within a predefined distance of a scheduled location.

9. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for execution by a processing system, the computer-executable instructions for enforcing communication service policies, comprising:

instructions that receive a communications session setup request representing either a call or data session that includes a phone number or a data address of an enterprise member mobile terminal as one of a session originator and a session destination;

instructions that obtain a schedule of the member that specifies at least one scheduled location of the member at an enterprise;

instructions that perform a comparison of the schedule with a current time at which the session setup request is received; and

instructions that process the session according to results of the comparison, wherein processing of the session includes one of completing setup of the session and rejecting the session setup.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions that perform a comparison result in determining the enterprise member is scheduled to be at an enterprise location at the current time, wherein the instructions that process the session perform at least one of rejecting the session setup and rejecting data services associated with the mobile terminal.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions that perform a comparison determine the enterprise member is not scheduled to be at an enterprise location at the current time, wherein the instructions that process the session complete the session setup.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions that perform a comparison further determine the enterprise member is scheduled to be at an enterprise location, the computer-readable medium further comprising instructions that determine whether one of the session originator and session destination comprises an exempted party.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein one of the session originator and the session destination is determined to comprise an exempted party, and wherein the instructions that process the session complete setup of the session.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein neither of the session originator and the session destination is determined to comprise an exempted party, and wherein the instructions that process the session reject the session setup.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising instructions that suspend a service restriction of the mobile terminal based on a determination that the enterprise member is located within a predefined distance of the scheduled location.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions that perform a comparison determine the mobile terminal is located within a predefined distance of the scheduled location, and wherein the instructions that process the session reject the session setup.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising instructions that:

identify the mobile terminal as having a service restricted; and

transmit a data message to the mobile terminal indicating the service has been restricted.

18. A telecommunications system adapted for enforcing communication service policies, comprising:

a cellular network including a first gateway server adapted to identify one of a session originator and a session destination as associated with an enterprise network; and

an enterprise network deployed at an enterprise facility including a second gateway server communicatively coupled with the first gateway server and adapted to interface with a schedule database that specifies scheduled locations of an enterprise member within the enterprise facility, wherein the cellular network receives a session setup request that includes a phone number or data address of a mobile terminal of the enterprise member as one of the session originator and the session destination, wherein the cellular network routes the session setup request to the first gateway server that identifies the enterprise network as associated with the enterprise member and forwards the session setup request to the second gateway server, wherein the second gateway server obtains a schedule of the member that specifies at least one scheduled location of the member at the enterprise facility, performs a comparison of the schedule with a current time at which the session setup request is received, and processes the session according to results of the comparison, wherein processing the session includes one of completing setup of the session and rejecting the session setup.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the second gateway server determines the enterprise member is scheduled to be located at an enterprise location at the current time, and wherein the second gateway server rejects the session setup.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the second gateway server determines the enterprise member is not scheduled to be located at an enterprise location at the current time, and wherein the second gateway server completes the session setup.