Method and means for preventing fraudulent use of telephone network
First Claim
1. A method of controlling access of a user to a telephone network, comprising the steps of:
- storing, in a control data base, a set of attributes concerning an ongoing incoming call from an access demand source by a user;
maintaining a rules data base of a plurality of rules designating one of a plurality of degrees of likelihood that any call having a particular attribute is fraudulent, some of said degrees being high and some being lower;
determining whether an attribute in the data of the control data base matches an attribute in one of the plurality of rules in the rules data base; and
effecting corrective action in response to a match between data in the control data base and predetermined rules in the rules data base on the basis of the degree of likelihood indicated by the matching in the rules data base that the call is fraudulent;
the step of storing in the control data base including storing in a first access data base a first set of attributes concerning the ongoing incoming call;
the step of storing in the control data base including storing in a second access data base a second set of attributes concerning the history of prior accesses made by the access demand source;
the step of determining whether data in the one of the access data bases matches the rules in the rules data base including determining whether to disconnect the incoming call, block future incoming calls, or take other action; and
the step of effecting corrective action including disconnecting the incoming call, blocking future incoming calls, or taking other action;
the step of storing in the second access data base including updating the second access data base with data from incoming calls having matches in the determining step.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Access of a user to a resource, such as a telecommunications network, includes storing, in a first call data base, a first set of attributes concerning an ongoing call from a caller. A second call data base stores a second set of attributes concerning the history of prior calls made by the caller. A rules data base stores rules concerning attributes for determining whether to disconnect the call, block future calls, or take other action. A determination is made whether data in at least one of the call data bases matches the rules in the rules data base. The call is then disconnected, the next call blocked, or other action is taken, in response to a match between data the call data bases and data in the rules data base. Preferably, the second call data base is updated in response to matches with the rules data base.
-
Citations
14 Claims
-
1. A method of controlling access of a user to a telephone network, comprising the steps of:
-
storing, in a control data base, a set of attributes concerning an ongoing incoming call from an access demand source by a user; maintaining a rules data base of a plurality of rules designating one of a plurality of degrees of likelihood that any call having a particular attribute is fraudulent, some of said degrees being high and some being lower; determining whether an attribute in the data of the control data base matches an attribute in one of the plurality of rules in the rules data base; and effecting corrective action in response to a match between data in the control data base and predetermined rules in the rules data base on the basis of the degree of likelihood indicated by the matching in the rules data base that the call is fraudulent; the step of storing in the control data base including storing in a first access data base a first set of attributes concerning the ongoing incoming call; the step of storing in the control data base including storing in a second access data base a second set of attributes concerning the history of prior accesses made by the access demand source; the step of determining whether data in the one of the access data bases matches the rules in the rules data base including determining whether to disconnect the incoming call, block future incoming calls, or take other action; and the step of effecting corrective action including disconnecting the incoming call, blocking future incoming calls, or taking other action; the step of storing in the second access data base including updating the second access data base with data from incoming calls having matches in the determining step. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A system controlling access of a user to a telephone network, comprising:
-
a control data base with a set of attributes concerning an ongoing incoming call from an access demand source; a rules data base with a plurality of rules designating one of a plurality of degrees of likelihood that any call having a particular attribute is fraudulent, some of said degrees being high and some being lower; means for determining whether an attribute in the data in the control data base matches an attribute in the plurality of rules in the rules data base; and means for effecting corrective action in response to a match between data in the control data base and predetermined rules in the rules data base on the basis of the degree of likelihood indicated in the rules database that the call is fraudulent; the control data base including a first access data base with a first set of attributes concerning the ongoing incoming call; the control data base including a second access data base with a second set of attributes concerning the history of prior accesses made by the access demand source; the means for determining whether data in the one of the access data bases matches the rules in the rules data base including means for determining whether to disconnect the incoming call, block future incoming calls, or take other action; and the means for effecting corrective action including means for disconnecting the incoming call, blocking future incoming calls, or taking other action; the control data base including means for updating the second access data base with data from accesses having matches in the means for determining. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
Specification