Enforcement of privacy in a VoIP system

• US 20090168755A1
• Filed: 01/02/2008
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ooma Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ooma Incorporated
• Inventors: Farrand, Toby, Peng, Dennis, Peck, Jeff
• Application Number:
  US12/006,587
• Publication Number:
  US 20090168755A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0407 wherein the identity of one or more communicating identities is hidden cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for anonymous credentials or for identity based cryptographic systems H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1076 Screening of IP real time communications, e.g. spam over Internet telephony [SPIT]
• 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 7/0069 comprising a residential gateway, e.g. those which provide an adapter for POTS or ISDN terminals

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing privacy in a VoIP system are provided. In exemplary embodiments, an incoming call is received. A caller ID associated with the incoming call is determined. A category based on the caller ID is associated with the incoming call. Based on the category, a call treatment database is accessed to determine at least one call treatment associated with the category. The at least one call treatment is then applied to the incoming call.

Claims

1. A method for providing privacy in a VoIP system, comprising:

receiving an incoming call;

identifying a category associated with the incoming call;

accessing a call treatment database to determine at least one call treatment associated with the category; and

applying the at least one call treatment to the incoming call.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying the category comprises determining a caller identifier associated with the incoming call.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying the category comprises determining that the incoming call has a blocked caller identifier.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a graphical user interface to a user, the graphical user interface configured to allow the user to access at least a call log.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising receiving a command to recategorize a caller identify via the graphical user interface.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising receiving user preferences for call treatments via the graphical user interface.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising maintaining a white list of caller identifiers.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising maintaining a black list of caller identifiers.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein maintaining the black list of caller identifiers comprises adding caller identifiers from a community list to the black list.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein maintaining the black list of caller identifiers comprises adding a caller identifier to the black list in response to an input from a graphical user interface.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the at least one call treatment comprises sending the incoming call to a voicemail server.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the at least one call treatment comprises sending an announcement to a caller.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the at least one call treatment comprises verifying a caller.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein verifying the caller comprises providing at least one personal challenge to the caller.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein verifying the caller comprises requesting a password from the caller.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the incoming call comprises receiving the incoming call via a redirect from a gateway associated with a call recipient.

17. A system for providing privacy in a VoIP system, comprising:

a call treatment database configured to store predetermined call treatments associated with one or more categories of incoming calls; and

a call treatment module configured to receive an incoming call, categorize the incoming call based on a caller ID associated with the incoming call, and determine and apply a call treatment from the call treatment database associated with the category.

18. The system of claim 17 further comprising a voicemail server configured to receive the incoming call routed by the call treatment module and to store a voicemail for the incoming call routed by the call treatment module.

19. The system of claim 17 further comprising an announcement server configured to send an announcement to the incoming call based on instructions received from the call treatment module.

20. The system of claim 17 further comprising an interactive voice recognition system configured to verify a caller associated with the incoming call.

21. The system of claim 17 further comprising a graphical user interface module configured to provide a graphical user interface to a user, the graphical user interface configured to provide call logs and receive call treatment preferences from the user.

22. A machine readable medium having embodied thereon a program, the program providing instructions for a method for providing privacy in a VoIP system, the method comprising:

receiving an incoming call;

identifying a category associated with the incoming call;

accessing a call treatment database to determine at least one call treatment associated with the category; and

applying the at least one call treatment to the incoming call.