PBX selective caller identification authentication

• US 5,953,399 A
• Filed: 03/13/1997
• Issued: 09/14/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bell Atlantic Network Services, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Farris, Robert D., Strauss, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Harry S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TIEU, BENNY QUOC
• Application Number:
  US08/816,909
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: 379/127, 379/142, 379/201, 379/207, 379/173, 379/210, 379/211, 379/219, 379/220, 379/221, 379/229, 379/231, 379/232, 379/234, 379/245, 379/246
• US Class Current: 379/207.15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42314 in private branch exchanges
• 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: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

The present invention uses capabilities of the advanced intelligent network (AIN) to control an authentication process of caller ID information data generated at a calling PBX system. The central office switching facility associated with the calling PBX system identifies calls therefrom that contain caller ID numbers that are not the PBX assigned telephone number. For such calls, the switching facility invokes triggers through the AIN common channel signaling network to access data base information in an Integrated Service Control Point (ISCP) and/or system LIDB for authenticating and controllably transmitting caller ID information. Unauthenticated information may be blocked or transmitted with notice that the information has not been authenticated.

Claims

1. A method for supplying calling party information for a telephone call originating from a PBX system, coupled to a public switched telephone network (PSTN) and having a telephone number assigned to its terminal address, to a called party station at a remote location, comprising the steps of:

receiving from said PBX, at a location in said PSTN, dialed called party telephone number input and calling party identifying information generated by said PBX;

determining whether said calling party identifying information contains a telephone number that matches the PBX assigned telephone number;

in response to a non-matching condition in said determining step, accessing a data base;

comparing said calling party identifying information with said data base;

routing the call to said called party station; and

in response to a match between a number contained in said calling party identifying information and a number found in said data base in said comparing step, transmitting said calling party identifying information to said called party station.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said PSTN comprises an advanced intelligent network having at least one integrated services control point (ISCP), and wherein said accessing step comprises:

triggering a PSTN switching facility at said location that is associated with said PBX system; and

sending a query message from said switching facility to said data base, said data base being remote from said switching facility.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, further comprising the step of transmitting said calling party identifying information, without accessing said data base, in response to a matching condition in said determining step.

4. A method as recited in claim 2, further comprising the step of blocking transmission of said calling party identifying information to said called party station, in response to a failure to match a number contained in said received information with a number in said data base in said comparing step.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein said blocking step comprises sending a response message from said ISCP to said switching facility.

6. A method as recited in claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting said calling party identifying information to said called party station; and

in response to a failure to match a number contained in said calling party identifying information to a number found in said data base in said comparing step, transmitting to said called party station a message indicating that said information is not authenticated;

whereby the calling party identifying information generated by said PBX and the unauthenticated status thereof can be displayed at the called station.

7. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein said ISCP includes said data base and, in response to a failure to match a number contained in said received information with a number in said data base in said comparing step, further comprising the steps of:

accessing a line identification data base (LIDB) in said PSTN that is remote from said ISCP;

determining from the LIDB whether the number contained in said received information is a working telephone number; and

transmitting said calling party identifying information to said called party station in response to a non-working number determination in said determining step.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, further comprising the step of blocking transmission of said calling party identifying information to said called party station, in response to a working number determination in said determining step.

9. A method as recited in claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting said calling party identifying information to said called party station; and

in response to a working number determination in said determining step, transmitting to said called party station a message indicating that said information is not authenticated;

whereby the calling party identifying information generated by said PBX and the unauthenticated status thereof can be displayed at the called station.

10. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein said data base is a line identification data base (LIDB) in said PSTN that is remote from said ISCP, and wherein said accessing step further comprises initiating a lookup in said LIDB by said ISCP.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said PSTN comprises an advanced intelligent network having at least one integrated services control point (ISCP) interconnecting a plurality of PSTN switching facilities via a common channel signaling link, and wherein said accessing step comprises:

triggering a PSTN switching facility that is associated with said called party station; and

sending a query message from said switching facility to said data base via said common channel signaling link.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein said PBX system is coupled to switching facility in a local access transport area (LATA) that is different from the called party associated switching facility LATA.

13. In a public switched telephone network having a plurality of telephone switching facilities, subscriber telephone lines for connecting said facilities to respective associated subscriber stations, and at least one PBX trunk for connecting one of said switching facilities to an associated subscriber PBX system that serves a plurality of stations connected thereto, the improvement comprising:

receiving means for receiving called party telephone number input and calling party identifying information generated by said PBX system for a call placed from a calling station connected to said PBX system;

determining means for determining whether said received calling party identifying information is a previously authorized representation for identifying the calling station; and

routing means for routing said call to its dialed called party destination with said calling party identifying information in response to a determination by said determining means that said calling party identifying information is an authorized representation of the calling station.

14. A network as recited in claim 13, wherein said routing means comprises blocking means for blocking transmission of said calling party identifying information in the routed call to the called party in response to a determination by said determining means that said calling party identifying information is not an authorized representation of the calling station.

15. A network as recited in claim 13, wherein said routing means comprises messaging means for generating message information indicating that said calling party identifying information is not an authorized representation of the calling station in response to a determination of nonauthorization by said determining means, said routing means including said calling party identifying information and said message information in the routed call;

whereby the calling party identifying information generated by said PBX and the nonauthorized status thereof can be displayed at the called party subscriber station.