Caller ID system

• US 6,298,122 B1
• Filed: 12/07/1998
• Issued: 10/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Curio Ltd
• Original Assignee: Curio Ltd
• Inventors: Horne, Gregory L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US09/206,716
• Time in Patent Office: 1,030 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93.09, 379/93.11, 379/100.15, 379/100.16, 379/142, 379/93.18, 379/188-199, 455/462
• US Class Current: 379/93.09
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2005 Temporarily overriding a service configuration
• 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: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel

Abstract

Upon detecting an incoming call, a call screening system determines the CALLER ID information associated with the call and compares it to a database of allowable calling parties. If the calling party is to be allowed to ring through, the call screening system routes the incoming call to one or more communication devices associated with the calling party information in the allowable calling party database. In this manner, certain screened calls only ring through to a handset if authorized, while others are authorized to ring through to a fax machine, an answering machine, another handset, or a remote device connected between a remote handset and the local exchange. A single call screening device having several ports thus filters calls to multiple communications devices. Incoming call screening may be selectively different during different times of the day, for different calling parties, or for different communications devices connected to the call screening device. The call screening device may thus switch between allowing all incoming calls to ring through except those specifically designated to be blocked and screening all incoming calls except those specifically designated to be permitted to ring through. One or more override codes entered in a touch-tone keypad by the calling party may permit an incoming call to ring through despite an active screening mode.

Claims

1. A call handling system, comprising:

an incoming line connected to a local exchange;

a switch connected between the incoming line and two or more communications device ports and selectively permitting ring signals on the incoming line to be passed to at least one communications device port;

at least one handset connected to one of the communications device ports, the handset having an internal ringer

a controller controlling the switch and executing a caller identification process which;

responsive to detection of an incoming call, captures caller identification information associated with the incoming call without allowing ring signals associated with the incoming call to be passed to any communications device port;

compares the caller identification information associated with the incoming call with caller identification information for allowable calling parties for which a user desires not to block calls stored in a memory accessible to the controller;

responsive to determining that a match exists between the caller identification information associated with the incoming call and caller identification information for an allowable calling party, allowing ring signals associated with the incoming call to be passed to at least one of the communications device ports to cause the internal ringer to sound; and

responsive to determining no match exists between the caller identification information associated with the incoming call and caller identification information for allowable calling parties, directing the incoming call to a recording system without allowing the ring signals to pass to the internal ringer of the handset or to cause any audible indication of the incoming call; and

a touch tone override decoder connected to the controller,

wherein the caller identification process executed by the controller;

detects touch tone signals on the incoming line and compares the detected touch tone signals to a predetermined override pattern; and

responsive to determining that the detected touch tone signals match the override predetermined pattern, connects the incoming line to at least one communications device port regardless of whether the caller identification information associated with the incoming call matches caller identification information for an allowable calling party.

2. A call handling device, comprising:

an incoming line port;

a plurality of communications ports, each for connection to a communication device having an internal ringer;

a switch connected between the at least one communications port and the incoming line port;

a caller id signal module connected to the incoming line port and decoding caller id signals associated with incoming calls;

a controller connected to the sensor, the caller id signal module, and the switch; and

a memory accessible to the controller and containing a plurality of allowable calling party entries each including caller id information for an allowable calling party from which a user desires to accept calls and a port identification,

wherein the controller executes a process for;

(a) maintaining the switch in a first position in which ring signals associated with an incoming call are not passed to the at least one communications port;

(b) detecting the incoming call and capturing caller id signals associated with the incoming call;

(c) comparing the captured caller id signals to the allowable calling party entries within the memory;

(d) responsive to identifying that a match exists between the captured caller id signals and an entry within the memory, determining whether the incoming call should be routed to a specific one of the communications ports, then routing the incoming call to the specific communications port for actuating the internal ringer of a communication device; and

(e) responsive to determining that a match exists but the call need not be routed to a specific communications port, shifting the switch to a second position passing ring signals associated with the incoming call to at least one of the communications ports;

(f) responsive to determining that a match does not exist between the captured caller id signals and any entries within the memory, passing the incoming call to a recording system without allowing the ring signals to pass to any of the other communication ports;

(g) storing a predetermined override pattern of touch tone signals;

comparing the detected any touch tone signals on the incoming call to the predetermined override pattern of touch tone signals; and

responsive to determining that the detected touch tone signals match the predetermined override pattern, connecting the incoming line to at least one of the communications ports regardless of whether the captured caller id signals associated with the incoming call matches any of the caller id information for an allowable calling party.

3. The call handling device of claim 2, wherein the process executed by the controller:

responsive to identifying the match between the captured caller id signals and the entry within the memory, determines a port identification within the matching entry.

4. The call handling device of claim 2, wherein the process executed by the controller:

responsive to detecting ring signals associated with the incoming call at the incoming port, comparing a current time to call screening start and stop times within the memory;

responsive to determining that the current time is between the call screening start and stop times, executing the process of steps (a) through (e); and

responsive to determining that the current time is between the call screening start and stop times, passing the ring signals associated with the incoming call to the at least one communications port without executing the process of steps (a) through (e).

5. The call handling device of claim 2, further comprising:

a sensor connected to the at least one communications port detecting when a communications device connected to the at least one communications port is lifted off hook,

wherein the controller, in response to the communications device being lifted off hook in the absence of an incoming call, automatically shifts the switch to the second position to connect the at least one communications port to the incoming port.

6. The call handling device of claim 2, further comprising:

a wireless transmitter connected to the controller, the wireless transmitter capable of sending wireless control signals to a receiver connected between a remote communications device and an incoming line to connect the remote communications device to the incoming line and forward the ring signals to the remote communications device upon determination that the incoming call should be routed to the remote communications device.

7. method of handling incoming calls, comprising:

providing a controller with a database of caller identification information of which a user desires to accept calls, and connecting the controller to a telephone jack;

connecting at least one handset to the controller, the handset having an internal ringer;

responsive to detecting an incoming call having a ring signal, determining caller identification information associated with the incoming call without allowing the ring signal to pass to the internal ringer of the handset;

comparing the caller identification information associated with the incoming call with the caller identification information for allowable calling parties from which a user desires to accept calls;

responsive to determining a match exists between the caller identification information associated with the incoming call and caller identification information for an allowable calling party, allowing the ring signal of the incoming call to pass to the handset to cause the internal ringer to emit an audible sound; and

responsive to determining no match exists between the caller identification information associated with the incoming call and caller identification information is for allowable calling parties, directing the incoming call to a recording system without allowing the ring signal to pass to the internal ringer of the handset or to cause any audible indication of the incoming call; and

storing a predetermined override pattern of touch tone signals;

comparing the detected touch tone signals on the incoming call to the predetermined override pattern of touch tone signals; and

responsive to determining that the detected touch tone signals match the predetermined override pattern, connecting the incoming line to the internal ringer of the handset regardless of whether the caller identification information associated with the incoming call matches any of the caller identification information for allowable calling parties.

8. A call handling system, comprising:

an incoming line connected to a local exchange;

a switch connected between the incoming line and two or more communications device ports and selectively permitting ring signals on the incoming line to be passed to at least one communications device port;

a controller controlling the switch and executing a caller identification process which;

responsive to detection of an incoming call, captures caller identification information associated with the incoming call without allowing ring signals associated with the incoming call to be passed to any communications device port;

compares the caller identification information associated with the incoming call with caller identification information for allowable calling parties for which a user desires not to block calls stored in a memory accessible to the controller;

responsive to determining that a match exists between the caller identification information associated with the incoming call and caller identification information for an allowable calling party, allowing ring signals associated with the incoming call to be passed to at least one communications device port; and

responsive to determining no match exists between the caller identification information associated with the incoming call and caller identification information is for an allowable calling party, directing the incoming call to a recording system without allowable on audible indicator of the incoming call to sound;

a database of allowable calling party caller identification information in the memory, wherein each entry within the database includes an allowable calling party caller identification information and a port identification for a communications device port within a plurality of communications device ports to which incoming calls from the allowable calling party should be routed, wherein the allowable calling party caller identification information consists of one of the following;

a telephone number including area code,

an area code,

an area code and a prefix, or

a calling party name; and

a programmable timer that causes the controller to allow the ring signals of all incoming calls to pass to the communications ports for a selected time period, but still causes the controller to route incoming calls from allowable calling parties to one of the communication device ports.