System and method for blocking mobile phone calls and messages

• US 20090274287A1
• Filed: 04/30/2008
• Published: 11/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: King FAHD University of Petroleum & Minerals Research & Innovation Support Office
• Original Assignee: King FAHD University of Petroleum & Minerals Research & Innovation Support Office
• Inventors: Al-Duwaish, Hussain Nasser
• Application Number:
  US12/149,384
• Publication Number:
  US 20090274287A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/207.30
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/14 Delay circuits; Timers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/18 Comparators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• 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 3/53308 Message originator indirectly connected to the message centre, e.g. after detection of busy or absent state of a called party
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13098 Mobile subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13274 Call rejection, call barring
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13282 Call forward, follow-me, call diversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

The mobile phone blocking system and method includes a worldwide prayer time database accessible to mobile phone service provider equipment. Electronic circuitry may be included for comparing local time of the mobile phone to a devotional prayer time in the worldwide prayer time database, wherein a comparison between the mobile phone local time and the devotional prayer time is made. Electronic circuitry is provided for interrupting mobile telephone service to the mobile phone based on a comparison result. If the mobile phone has an incoming call when the mobile telephone service is interrupted by the mobile telephone service interrupt electronic circuitry, the mobile phone is kept in a non-audible, non vibratory, non-visually distracting, standby mode and the incoming call is diverted to an electronic mail box accessible to the user, thus allowing the user of the mobile phone to continue devotional activities without being interrupted by the incoming call.

Claims

1. A system for blocking incoming phone calls to a user'"'"'s mobile station during devotional activities of the user, comprising:

a first mass storage unit;

worldwide prayer times stored in the first mass storage unit;

a second mass storage unit;

subscriber information stored in the second mass storage unit, the subscriber information including registration data for determining whether a user is subscribed to the call blocking system;

a call blocking controller in operable communication with the first and second mass storage units;

a cell site base station in operable communication with the call blocking controller and the mobile station;

a call blocking module connected to the call blocking controller, the call blocking module receiving caller communications from a telecommunications network, and a call diversion control signal from the call blocking controller;

a telecommunications mail system, the telecommunications mail system being connected to the call blocking module;

means for comparing local time of the mobile phone to a devotional prayer time in the worldwide prayer time database, a comparison between the mobile phone local time and the devotional prayer time being made if, based on the registration data, the user is subscribed to the phone blocking system, the call diversion signal being sent to the call blocking module to block the call from the mobile station and divert the call to the telecommunications mail system based on a result of said time comparison; and

means for keeping the mobile station in a non-audible, non vibratory standby mode when the incoming call is diverted, thereby allowing the user of the mobile station to continue devotional activities without being interrupted by the incoming call.

2. The system for blocking mobile phone calls according to claim 1, further comprising means for sending a prerecorded message from the telecommunications mail system to an originator of the incoming call advising the originator of the prayer time.

3. The system for blocking mobile phone calls according to claim 1, wherein the incoming call comprises multimedia data.

4. The system for blocking mobile phone calls according to claim 1, wherein the incoming call comprises voice data.

5. The system for blocking mobile phone calls according to claim 1, wherein the incoming call comprises text data.

6. The system for blocking mobile phone calls according to claim 1 further comprising means for sending all diverted messages and caller ID'"'"'s stored in the telecommunications mail system through to the mobile station when the prayer time is over.

7. A computerized method for blocking mobile phone calls and messages, comprising the steps of:

storing a worldwide schedule of Muslim prayer times in a database;

determining the local time of a base station serving an intended recipient of a mobile phone call;

automatically comparing the recipient'"'"'s local time to the schedule of Muslim prayer times recorded in the database; and

blocking the mobile phone call when the recipient'"'"' local time coincides with a schedule Muslim prayer time recorded in the database.

8. The computerized method for blocking mobile phone calls according to claim 7, further comprising the step of notifying the originator of the mobile phone call of the scheduled prayer time.

9. The computerized method for blocking mobile phone calls according to claim 8, further comprising the step of automatically switching the mobile phone call to a telecommunications mailbox when the mobile phone call is blocked.

10. The computerized method for blocking mobile phone calls according to claim 7, further comprising the step of sending a list of caller identification information for blocked calls to the recipient when the scheduled prayer time is over.