METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR LIMITING UNWANTED ON-LINE COMMUNICATION
First Claim
1. A method for controlling unwelcome communication among a network of users, comprising:
- maintaining for each user an account to which communication units are credited by the network according to a schedule; and
for each user that initiates communication with one or more respondent users in the network;
determining a number of communication units applicable to the communication to be initiated;
determining whether or not the account of the initiator user holds greater than the number of communication units determined; and
when the account is determined to hold greater than the number of communication units determined, deducting from the account of the initiator user the number of communication units determined, and allowing the initiated communication to proceed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for controlling unwelcome communication among a network of users (a) maintains for each user an account to which communication units are credited by the network according to a schedule; and (b) for each user that initiates communication with a respondent user, the network (i) determines whether or not the account of the initiator user holds greater than a predetermined number of communication units; and (ii) when the account is determined to hold greater than the predetermined number of communicating units, deducts from the account of the initiator user the predetermined number of communication units, and allows the initiated communication to proceed.
13 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method for controlling unwelcome communication among a network of users, comprising:
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maintaining for each user an account to which communication units are credited by the network according to a schedule; and for each user that initiates communication with one or more respondent users in the network; determining a number of communication units applicable to the communication to be initiated; determining whether or not the account of the initiator user holds greater than the number of communication units determined; and when the account is determined to hold greater than the number of communication units determined, deducting from the account of the initiator user the number of communication units determined, and allowing the initiated communication to proceed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 33)
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17. A system for controlling unwelcome communication among a network of users, comprising:
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a communication server element that intermediates communication among the users; an analysis element that analyzes and filters communication intermediated by the communication server element among the users; a policy element that maintains rules of communication applicable to the communication among the users that is intermediated by the communication server; and an accounting system element that maintains for each user a user account of communication units, wherein, for each communication intermediated at the request of an initiator, the accounting system deducts a number of communication units from the initiator'"'"'s account. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification