Method for separately permissioned communication

• US 6,064,878 A
• Filed: 10/23/1996
• Issued: 05/16/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Watkins, Christopher J. C. H., Denker, John Stewart
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, Gail O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SONG, HOSUK
• Application Number:
  US08/735,849
• Time in Patent Office: 1,301 Days
• Field of Search: 455/565, 455/181.1, 455/414, 455/415, 455/417, 455/433, 455/461, 455/563, 379/241, 379/242, 379/243, 379/244, 379/67
• US Class Current: 455/415
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13515 authentication, authorisation - fraud prevention
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13547 subscriber, e.g. profile, database, database access
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

A call contact platform (CCP) is provisioned with handles that belong to call recipients. Each recipient can have any number of handles in the CCP and each handle is associated with conditions under which a call employing the handle may be established. Specifically, when a party supplies a handle to a telecommunication network (previously given to the party by the call recipient), the network contacts the CCP and interacts with it as required in conformance with stored instructions. If appropriate, the CCP instructs the telecommunication network to establish a connection. A recipient can also give a party a handle that includes a message, where the handle is not prestored in the CCP. After the network contacts the CCP, the party provides the message, the CCP extracts instructions from the message, or retrieves instructions with the help of the message, and, as before, causes the telecommunication network to establish a connection, if appropriate. A party can also obtain a handle for a call recipient pursuant to predefined interactions with the telecommunication network that provide information specified by the call recipient.

Claims

1. A method for connecting calls to a recipient'"'"'s telephone having a single called-party number to which said network directs calls destined to said recipient'"'"'s telephone, said method comprising the steps of:

a call contact platform accepting an access from a special party;

based on information provided by said special party and previously provided by said recipient and stored in a database, developing a new, revocable, unique handle, which a caller is able use without post dial tone prompting for connection to said recipient'"'"'s telephone, and which said network, as with all other handles relating to said recipient'"'"'s telephone, is adapted to translate to said single called-party number and connect said caller to said recipient'"'"'s telephone under conditions specified by said special party by means of said information;

developing said conditions under which said handle, when supplied by a caller, is translated to said caller-party number; and

carrying out an action following said step of developing conditions;

where said step of developing a new handle is substantially independent of the number of previously developed handles that coexist with said handle.

2. The method of claim 1 where said access by said special party comprises digital communication.

3. The method of claim 1 where said special party is the recipient.

4. The method of claim 1 where said special party is the caller.

5. The method of claim 1 where said special party is the caller and the action comprises a step of providing the developed handle to the caller.

6. The method of claim 5 where said action includes said telecommunication network connecting the caller to the recipient.

7. The method of claim 6 where said access from said special party carries either analog signals or digital signals but a connection established between the caller and the recipient by said action is analog.

8. The method of claim 6 where said access from said special party carries either analog signals or digital signals but a connection established between the caller and the recipient by said action is digital.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein said action comprises modifying the database to permit the caller to be connected to the recipient when the caller provides the handle to said telecommunication network.

10. The method of claim 1 where said special party is the caller and the action causes the caller to be connected to the recipient.

11. The method of claim 5 where at least some information relating to said conditions is embedded in said handle that is provided to said caller.

12. The method of claim 11 where said at least some information that is embedded in said handle is encrypted.

13. The method of claim 4 where the action step comprises a decision as to whether to connect the caller to the recipient.

14. The method of claim 1 where information developed in said step of developing conditions are stored in said database.

15. The method of claim 1 where the conditions are selected from a set comprising date, and longevity of the handle.

16. The method of claim 1 where the conditions of different handles by which callers can be connected to a recipient are different.

17. The method of claim 15 where said set further comprises mode of communication.

18. The method of claim 17 where said set further comprises a requirement to confirm identity of the caller via a trusted third party information from the caller.

19. The method of claim 17 where said set further comprises identity of the caller and membership in a specified group.

20. The method of claim 17 where said set further comprises status of the caller.

21. The method of claim 17 where said set further comprises call duration.

22. The method of claim 17 where said set further comprises a requirement to obtain information from the caller.