Automatic Reporting of Unwanted or Unlawful Telephonic Communication

• US 20100172482A1
• Filed: 07/01/2009
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: First Orion Corporation
• Original Assignee: First Orion Corporation
• Inventors: Fotta, Keith Alan
• Granted Patent: US 8,577,005 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/207.20
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1079 of unsolicited session attempts, e.g. SPIT
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1096 Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• 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

The present invention is directed to methods for a called party to report unwanted telephone calls to jurisdictional authorities. These calls may be unwanted, unlawful, or other calls. In the methods of the present invention, the called party dials a code comprised of a series of digits, which triggers the switching node associated with the called party to generate a series of messages, at least one of which encompasses the originating telephone number of the unwanted call. At least one of the messages is directed to the proper reporting authority such that the called party reports the unwanted event. Called parties can take further actions, such as including additional messaging or blocking subsequent calls from the calling party number. The reporting authority can take further action as well, such as matching the called party number with subscriber or geographic information.

Claims

1. A method for reporting a received call to a reporting authority, said received call originating with a calling party and terminating with a called party, comprising the steps of:

storing the calling party number of the caller of the received call;

upon receipt of a selected signaling sequence from said called party, requesting a network address for the proper reporting authority; and

upon receipt of a response to said request for a network address, directing a second signaling message to a third party, said signaling message including the telephone number of said calling party and the telephone number of the called party;

wherein said signaling sequence indicates a characteristic of the call and said method is performed on a stored program control system with the ability to construct and deliver signaling messages.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said second signaling message includes the time and date of the call.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said second signaling message is delivered through a SS7 network.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said second signaling message is delivered through a mobile communications network.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said mobile communications network is a cellular network.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said second signaling message is delivered using a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) network.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said storing the calling party number of the caller of the received call is initiated by a called party via a telephone, mobile phone, satellite phone, or smart phone device.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising sending notification to the calling party based on a received complaint exceeding a complaint threshold.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising delivering a voice message, prepared by said called party to said third party, wherein said voice message is associated with said second signaling message.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising delivering a text or SMS message, prepared by said called party to said third party, wherein said text or SMS message is associated with said second signaling message.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said text or SMS message is delivered using the Internet.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising blocking future received calls from said calling party to said called party.

13. The method of claim 1 further adding the calling party number to a database, wherein said database includes calling party numbers which are blocked due to received complaints exceeding a complaint threshold.

14. A system for capturing call information comprising:

a telephone set, smart phone, or other communications phone or device capable of delivering subscriber signaling codes;

a stored program control switching element with a subscriber signaling code detector and a register, said switching element capable of preparing and delivering network signaling messages; and

a customer node for receiving and decoding network signaling messages, wherein said network signaling messages include data stored in said register;

wherein said switching element is programmed to accept particular customer signaling codes and in response preparing and delivering a network signaling message directed to said customer node, and said customer node is accessible via the PSTN.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said information in said register is a phone number.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein said customer node includes processing and storage capability, and stores information from a plurality of signaling messages.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein said customer node receives voice messages and is programmed to associate said voice messages with signaling messages.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein said customer node receives data messages and is programmed to associate said data messages with signaling messages.

19. A method for reporting a call received by a telephonic device to a reporting authority, said received call originating with a calling party and terminating with a called party, comprising the steps of:

upon receipt of said call received by said telephonic device, using said telephonic device to send a DTMF sequence to a stored program control switching node, receipt of said sequence by said switching node resulting in said switching node requesting a network address for said reporting authority and directing a second signaling message including the telephone number of said calling party and the telephone number of the called party, to said reporting authority, and

using said telephonic device to send a content message to said reporting authority using a data network,

wherein said DTMF sequence indicates a characteristic of the call received, said stored program control switching node has the ability to construct and deliver signaling messages, and said second signaling message and said content message include an indicator such that said reporting authority has the ability to associate said second signaling message and said content message.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said telephonic device is a smart phone.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein said content message includes video or text.