On-Demand Call Blocking Service

• US 20120250838A1
• Filed: 06/11/2012
• Published: 10/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kirkpatrick, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,406,410 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent 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

Abstract

In a telecommunication system configured to provide a connection between a caller and a callee via a telephone network, wherein the telephone network is configured to connect the caller and the callee, a method for allowing the callee to prevent the caller from establishing the connection with the callee. The method includes receiving an instruction from the callee to prevent the caller from establishing the connection with the callee and identifying a first telephone number associated with the caller. The method also includes preventing one or more phone calls from the first telephone number from being forwarded to a second telephone number associated with the callee.

Claims

1. A method for allowing a callee to prevent a caller from establishing a connection with the callee, the method comprising:

receiving an instruction from the callee to prevent the caller from establishing the connection with the callee;

identifying a first telephone number associated with the caller by maintaining a record of a most recent telephone number that was a source of a call placed to a second telephone number immediately prior to receiving callee instruction to prevent the caller from establishing the connection with the callee;

consulting the record to identify the most recent telephone number as the first telephone number; and

preventing a phone call from the first telephone number from being forwarded to the second telephone number associated with the callee.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the instruction from the callee includes:

receiving a code from the callee.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the code includes a digit.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving the code includes:

receiving a first portion of the code;

prompting the callee to send a second portion of the code; and

receiving the second portion of the code.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a database to allow the callee to enter the first telephone number therein, wherein the database includes a telephone number to be blocked.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising prompting the callee to perform administration tasks.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein prompting the callee includes prompting the callee to record a message to be played to the caller.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein prompting the callee includes prompting the callee to select a pre-recorded message to be played to the caller.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising charging a fee to the callee.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising instructions causing the processor to implement charging a fee to the callee.

10. A telecommunications system, comprising:

a telecommunications switch in communication with a first telecommunications device associated with a callee and a second telecommunications device associated with a caller; and

a controller in communication with the switch, the controller implementing;

recognizing an instruction from the callee to prevent the caller from establishing a connection with the callee;

identifying a first telephone number associated with the caller by maintaining a record of a most recent telephone number that was a source of a call placed to a second telephone number immediately prior to receiving callee instruction to prevent the caller from establishing the connection with the callee;

consulting the record to identify the most recent telephone number as the first telephone number; and

preventing a phone call from the first telephone number from being forwarded to a second telephone number associated with the callee.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein recognizing the instruction from the callee includes:

receiving a code from the callee.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising a database in communication with the controller.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising an interactive voice response system in communication with the controller and the switch.

14. The system of claim 10, further comprising a service creation computer in communication with the controller.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the switch is in communication with the first telecommunications device and the second telecommunications device via a network.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to implement:

receiving an instruction from the callee to prevent the caller from establishing the connection with the callee;

identifying a first telephone number associated with the caller by maintaining a record of a most recent telephone number that was a source of a call placed to a second telephone number immediately prior to receiving callee instruction to prevent the caller from establishing the connection with the callee;

consulting the record to identify the most recent telephone number as the first telephone number; and

preventing a phone call from the first telephone number from being forwarded to a second telephone number associated with the callee.

17. The medium of claim 16 wherein receiving the instruction includes:

receiving a code from the callee.

18. The medium of claim 16, further comprising instructions causing the processor to implement prompting the callee to record a message to be played to the caller.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising instructions causing the processor to implement prompting the callee to select a pre-recorded message to be played to the caller.