METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SELECTIVE SILENCING OF TELEPHONE RINGING

• US 20090238345A1
• Filed: 03/19/2009
• Published: 09/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steve Cha
• Original Assignee: Steve Cha
• Inventors: Cha, Steve
• Granted Patent: US 8,139,747 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.120
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/654 Telephone line monitoring circuits therefor, e.g. ring detectors
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• 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

Abstract

A system and method for a selective ring silencer that prevents people from having to listen to the telephone ring on and on with nuisance calls. The ringer silencer can be: (1) discretely constructed from a telephone, (2) part of a telecommunication device, or (3) part of a central telephone network construction. A receiver demodulates an incoming call. Control logic reads at least a portion of the called identification (CID) data and determines an action based on the reading. A switch in communication with the control logic is actuated to a first state that allows the communication data to be output from the ring silencer, and a second state that blocks the communication data from being output from the ring silencer to a user'"'"'s communication device. The control logic blocks toll-free area codes originated calls from ringing a user'"'"'s telephone, optionally forwarding the call to a voice mail module.

Claims

1. A ring silencer apparatus comprising:

a receiver for receiving and demodulating an input communication signal and providing an output of data;

control logic means in communication with the receiver for reading at least a portion of the data output from the receiver and for determining an action based on the read portion of the output data;

a switch in communication with the control logic means, said switch being actuated between a first state that allows the communication data to be output from the ring silencer, and a second state that blocks the communication data from being output from the ring silencer to a user'"'"'s communication device;

wherein the control logic means reads an identification regarding a toll-area from which the input communication data originated, and wherein the control logic means controls the switch to block the communication data from being output when the call originated from a toll-free area code so that a user is not interrupted with notification of an incoming toll-free call.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the identification read comprises caller identification data (CID), and where the control logic means blocks the communication data from being output from the ring silencer when the toll-area of the call data cannot be determined from the CID so that the user is not interrupted with notification of an incoming call from an undesirable source or an unidentifiable area code.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the receiver comprises a telephony receiver including a telephone jack for receiving an input communication signal via a telephone wire.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the receiver comprises a wireless telephone receiver.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the telephony receiver further optical means for receiving and demodulating an optically modulated signal and an optical to electrical converter for converting the input communication signal into an electrical telephone signal.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the receiver includes an antenna and receives the input communication signal in one of a coded division multiple access signal (CDMA) format, time division multiple access (TDMA) format, frequency division multiplexing (FDM) format, orthogonal frequency divisional multiplexing (OFDM) format, or Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) format.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a voice mail module, and wherein when said control logic means blocks the output of the communication data, in said second state the switch is connected to the voicemail module so that the toll-free originated call is transferred to the voice-mail without ringing a recipient'"'"'s telephone.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the voice mail includes storage for storing the data from the demodulated input communication signal.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the voicemail module outputs an outgoing message indicating that user does not accept commercial calls or survey calls and the ring silencer, and the control logic controls the receiver to disconnect the incoming input communication signal.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an alert means connected to at least one of the control logic means and the switch.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising storage means for storing additional user-identified area codes to be blocked by the control logic.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising storage means for storing additional user-identified area telephone numbers to be blocked by the control logic.

13. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control logic additionally blocks the communication data from being output from the ring silencer when the area code of the call data is not identified by a numerical code recognized by the control logic.

14. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the storage means is adapted for storing the additional area code input from a keypad of a telephone connected to an output of the ring silencer.

15. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the storage means is adapted for storing at least one telephone number input from a keypad of a telephone connected to an output of the ring silencer.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein in response to a predetermined code entered on the keypad, the telephone number of an incoming call is storage in the storage means for future blocking.

17. A telephone comprising:

a receiver means for receiving and demodulating an incoming call signal;

control logic means for reading at least a portion of the data demodulated output from the receiver and for determining an action based on the read portion of the output data;

an alert means for indicating an incoming call;

wherein the control logic means reads a caller identification (CID) regarding an area code from which the input communication data originated, and wherein the control logic does not activate the alert means when the call has originated from a toll-free area code.

18. The telephone according to claim 17, wherein the control logic forwards toll-free area code originated calls to a voice mail module and the alert means comprises an audible alert means, wherein the toll-free area code originated calls are forwarded to the voice mail module without providing an audible alert to a user.

19. The telephone according to claim 18, wherein the control logic forwards to the voice mail module without providing an audible alert to the user all calls from which the area code cannot be determined.

20. The telephone according to claim 18, wherein the control logic forwards to the voice mail module without providing an audible alert to the user when receiving undesirable calls.

21. A selective ring silencing telephone network,

a subscriber database identifying recipient telephone numbers registered for a selective ring service;

a central network having means for checking the originating area code of an incoming call and determining whether the area code comprises a toll-free area code;

means for determining whether the recipient telephone number is listed on the subscriber database for selective ring service;

means for routing the toll-free area code originated calls to a voice mail module without a ring tone signal when the means for determining has identified the recipient telephone number as being registered for selective ring service;

wherein the central network only forwards a ring tone signal to a registered recipient from non toll-free area code originated calls.

22. The selective ring telephone network according to claim 21,

wherein the means for routing additionally comprises routing all calls with undeterminable originating area codes to the voice mail module without a ring tone signal, and wherein the central network does not forward a call signal to the recipient number for said undeterminable originating area codes.

23. The selective ring telephone network according to claim 21, wherein the subscriber database includes means for updating by registered recipients to list additional area codes and telephone numbers.

24. A method of providing selective ring telephone service, comprising:

registering recipient telephone numbers of subscribers enrolled in selective ring service;

reading at least a portion of incoming caller identification from incoming to the telephone network to determine originating area code; and

forwarding incoming calls from toll-free originated calls for registered telephone recipients of selective ring service to a voice-mail module without signaling a telephone ring associated with the recipient telephone number.

25. A priority queuing system for a telephone call center, comprising:

a receiver for receiving and demodulating an input communication signal and providing an output of data;

control logic means in communication with the receiver for reading at least a portion of the data output from the receiver and for determining an action based on the read portion of the output data;

a switch in communication with the control logic means, said switch being actuated between a first state that allows the communication data to be output from the ring silencer, and a second state that blocks the communication data from being output from the ring silencer to a user'"'"'s communication device;

wherein the control logic means reads an identification regarding a toll-area from which the input communication data originated, and

wherein the control logic further comprises a queue module means for prioritizing calls, said queue module being connected via the switch to a plurality of telephones, and wherein the control logic reads at least the area code of the CID information and assigns priority in the queue sub-module based on a preprogrammed priority scheme, wherein higher priority calls are forwarded to one of the plurality of telephones, and a remainder are forwarded to voice mail or placed on hold until there are no higher priority calls in the queue.