Call screening method using selective call acceptance

• US 5,596,627 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 01/21/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/1989
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Telephone Connection
• Inventors: Kimball, John, Solomon, Merrill, Goldstein, Dana L.
• Primary Examiner(s): BROWN, THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US08/481,947
• Time in Patent Office: 594 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88, 379/67, 379/89, 379/82, 379/84, 379/230, 379/233, 379/207, 379/188, 379/196, 379/199, 379/214, 379/211, 379/213, 379/142
• US Class Current: 379/88.26
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/271 controlled by voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/571 Blocking transmission of caller identification to called party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/609 Secret communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42008 Systems for anonymous communication between parties, e.g. by use of disposal contact identifiers
• 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 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13091 CLI, identification of calling line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13106 Microprocessor, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13256 Call screening
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13282 Call forward, follow-me, call diversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13286 Direct in-dialling in PBX, DDI
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13332 Broadband, CATV, dynamic bandwidth allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13372 Intercepting operator
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13377 Recorded announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13546 : Intelligent Peripheral
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 : Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 : Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber

Abstract

An anonymous interactive telephone system for connecting a caller to a subscriber without divulging the identity or telephone number of either unless voluntarily revealed. The subscriber publishes an advertisement together with a telephone number of a system controller station. A subscriber reference number is embedded within the telephone number of the system controller station as a DID number. The subscriber also supplies information to the system controller station related to time periods during which calls may be directly forwarded to the subscriber or intercepted by the system controller. The system controller repeatedly accesses the central switching station or local switching station of the public telephone company to activate and de-activate the call forwarding function of the switching station for controlling call forwarding to the subscriber on the basis of the subscriber'"'"'s published DID number. In a second embodiment, a service for providing call screening for persons having unpublished telephone numbers is provided. In a third embodiment, a caller ID blocking service is provided. In a fourth embodiment, methods are provided by which telephone company switches and associated network components implement the anonymous interactive telephone system and other functions. In a fifth embodiment, a call screening system having answer machine style interfacing is provided.

Claims

1. A call screening method for allowing a subscriber to screen calls made to him/her from callers, the method comprising the steps of:

storing in a telephone company switch an authorization list of telephone numbers of callers for each subscriber which are to be passed directly to the subscriber, callers calling from telephone numbers not on said authorization list being forwarded to a number for said subscriber at a system controller station;

storing data at a system controller station that is received from a plurality of subscribers at a plurality of respective subscriber stations, such data including a telephone number for each subscriber station;

recognizing the telephone number of a caller at said telephone company switch when a caller dials a telephone number of a particular subscriber;

comparing the telephone number of a caller in communication with the telephone company switch with entries in the authorization list for the particular subscriber; and

passing a call directly to the particular subscriber for callers having telephone numbers on the authorization list for the particular subscriber but for callers having telephone numbers not on the authorization list for the particular subscriber the further steps of;

forwarding the call to said system controller station from the switch;

passing a call at said system controller station along with the telephone number of the subscriber from a caller who dials the telephone number of the particular subscriber;

placing a second call to the particular subscriber by dialing the telephone number of the particular subscriber;

playing an introductory message to the caller in communication with said system controller station and prompting the caller to record a message identifying the caller;

if the particular subscriber picks up the second call, playing the calling message so that the particular subscriber may hear the caller'"'"'s message but the caller does not hear or know that the particular subscriber is hearing the message; and

connecting the caller and the particular subscriber for full two-way communication upon the authorization of the particular subscriber.