System and method for privacy management

• US 6,542,596 B1
• Filed: 08/12/1999
• Issued: 04/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hill, Nicholas P., Holt, Scott C., Simpson, Anita H., Hussain, Aamir M.
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BENNY QUOC
• Application Number:
  US09/372,676
• Time in Patent Office: 1,328 Days
• Field of Search: 379/142-1-1, 379/201-1-2, 379/207-2-2, 379/210.02, 379/211.01, 379/211.02, 379/212.01, 379/219, 379/220.01, 379/221-8-2, 379/229, 379/230, 379/196, 379/197
• US Class Current: 379/207.02
• 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 2203/2011 Service processing based on information specified by a party before or during a call, e.g. information, tone or routing selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2027 Live party detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/654 Pre, in or post-call message
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• 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 3/487 Arrangements for providing information services, e.g. recorded voice services or time announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

An advanced intelligent network telephone system for terminating calls to subscribers to a privacy screening service, when the calling party has a private telephone number. Privacy screening services allow a subscriber to manage and monitor incoming telephone calls, such that unwanted calls are not terminated to the subscriber. When a calling party dials the telephone number of a subscriber to a privacy screening service, the system manages the call according to whether the calling party number is known and public, known and private, or unknown. If the calling party number is known and public, the call is routed to the subscriber. If the calling party is known and private, the call is routed to a service node, which plays an announcement to the calling party, asking the calling party for permission to override his or her privacy. If the calling party agrees, the service node dials a customized dialing plan (CDP) code that triggers an info_analyzed query from the service node'"'"'s service switching point (SSP) to a service control point (SCP). If the calling party is unknown, the service node asks the calling party to record his or her name. If the calling party records his or her name, the service node dials a CDP code, that triggers an info_analyzed query to the SCP.

Claims

1. A privacy management system in an advanced intelligent network having a first service switching point in direct communication with a subscriber telephone having a subscriber number, a second service switching point in direct communication with a service node and a service control point in communication with the first and second service switching points, comprising:

(a) a termination attempt trigger provisioned on the subscriber line at the first service switching point triggering a first query to the service control point whenever a call from a calling party number to the subscriber telephone reaches the first service switching point; and

(b) a service package application on the service control point responding to the query by determining whether the calling party number is a public number, a private number or an unknown number,

wherein, when the call is from a private number, the service package application routes the call to the service node with the subscriber number in a re-directing party field, the calling party number in a calling party field and a calling party presentation indicator redefining the calling party number as public, and

then the service node obtains the calling party'"'"'s permission to override the calling party'"'"'s privacy, and dials a first string comprising a customized dialing plan code, the subscriber number and the calling party number, such that the customized dialing plan code triggers a second query from the second service switching point to the service control point, the service control point returns a response to the service node with the subscriber number in a called party field, the calling party number in the calling party field and the service node number in the charge party field, and

the service node routes the call to the subscriber line.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first service switching point and the second service switching point are the same service switching point.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first service switching point and the second service switching point are two different service switching points.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the second query is an info_analyzed query.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the response from the service control point to the second query is an analyze_route message.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein when the calling party number is unknown, the service package application routes the call to the service node with the subscriber number in the re-directing party field and the calling party number in the calling party field, and the service node asks the calling party to record his or her name, and dials a second string comprising a customized dialing plan code, the subscriber number and the calling party number, such that the customized dialing plan code triggers a third query from the second service node to the service control point, the service control point returns a response to the service node with the subscriber number in the called party field the calling party number in the calling party field and the service node number in the charge party field, and the service node routes the call to the subscriber line.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the third query is an info_analyzed query.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the response from the service control point to the third query is an analyze_route message.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second service switching points are in communication with the service control point over SS7 data links.

10. In an advanced intelligent network system, a method for terminating a call from a calling party having a private calling party number to a subscriber to a privacy screening service having a subscriber number comprising:

(a) responding to a first query from a first service switching point to a service control point with a response that re-writes a presentation indicator in a calling party presentation indicator field of the call as public;

(b) forwarding the call to a service node via a second service switching point, said service node having a service node number, and playing an announcement at the service node to the calling party asking the calling party for authorization to override his or her privacy;

(c) if the calling party authorizes the system to override his or her privacy, dialing a string at the service node, said string comprising a customized dialing plan code, the subscriber number and the calling party number, said customized dialing plan code triggering a second query from the second service switching point to the service control point, said second query comprising the subscriber number and the calling party number;

(d) responding at the service control point to the second query with a response to the service node that includes the calling party number in the response'"'"'s calling party field and the subscriber number in the response'"'"'s called party field;

(e) dialing the subscriber number from the service node, with the calling party number in the calling party field, the subscriber number in the called party field, and the service node number in the charge number field; and

(f) terminating the call to the subscriber number.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first service switching point and the second service switching point are the same service switching point.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first service switching point and the second service switching point are two different service switching points in communication with the service control point over an SS7 network.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein step (f) also comprises triggering a third query at the first service switching point from the first service switching point to the service control point, and wherein the service control point recognizes the service node number in the charge number field as the service node number, and responds to the third query by authorizing termination of the call to the subscriber.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the trigger for the first query is a termination attempt trigger.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the second query is an info_analyzed query.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the response to the second query is an analyze_route message.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the queries and responses are routed to and from the service control point over SS7 data links.

18. A method for managing privacy screening services in an advanced intelligent network system comprising:

(a) responding to a first query from a service switching point to a service control point, when an incoming call is from a private number, by re-writing a presentation indicator in the incoming call'"'"'s presentation indicator field as public;

(b) routing the incoming call to a service node having a service node number;

(c) obtaining the calling party'"'"'s authorization to override his or her privacy;

(d) dialing a string comprising a customized dialing plan code, the number of the incoming call and the subscriber number at the service node, said string triggering a second query to the service control point comprising a code, the number of the incoming call and the subscriber number, the service control point responding to the second query with a response comprising the subscriber number in the called party field and the number of the incoming call in a calling party field, and then routing the incoming call to the subscriber with the number of the service node in a charge number field.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the second query is an info_analyzed query.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the response from the service control point to the second query is an analyze_route message.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising responding to the first query at the service control point, when the incoming call is from an unknown number, by routing the incoming call to a service node, recording the calling party'"'"'s name, dialing a string at the service node comprising a customized dialing plan code, the number of the incoming call and the subscriber number, said string triggering a third query to the service control point comprising a code the number of the incoming call and the subscriber number, the service control point responding to the third query with a response comprising the subscriber number in the called party field and the number of the incoming call in the calling party field and then routing the incoming call to the subscriber with the service node number in a charge number field.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the third query is an info_analyzed query.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the response from the service control point to the third query is an analyze_route message.

24. An advanced intelligent network having a service node and a service control point in communication with each other comprising:

(a) means for triggering a first query to the service control point when a calling party attempts to call a subscriber to a privacy manager service, wherein the calling party has a calling party number and the subscriber has a subscriber number;

(b) means comprising a presentation indicator for the service control point to determine whether the calling party number is known and public, known and private, or unknown;

(c) means for forwarding the call to the service node when the calling party number is private, with the presentation indicator set to public;

(d) means for the service node to ask the calling party to override his or her privacy; and

(e) means for routing the call to the subscriber number when the calling party agrees to override his or her privacy.

25. The network of claim 24, further comprising means for the service node to send a second query to the service control point, said second query comprising a customized dialing plan code, the calling party number and the subscriber number.

26. The network of claim 25, wherein the service control point responds to the second query with an analyze_route response comprising the subscriber number in a called party field and the calling party number in a calling party field.

27. The network of claim 24, wherein the first query is triggered by a termination attempt trigger.

28. The network of claim 24, further comprising:

(f) means for asking the calling party to record his or her name when the calling party number is unknown;

(g) means for playing an announcement to the subscriber, said announcement playing the calling party'"'"'s recorded name.

29. The network of claim 28, further comprising:

(h) means for asking the subscriber to accept the call, to reject the call, or to forward the call to voicemail.

30. The network of claim 29, further comprising means for playing a pre-recorded announcement to the calling party when the subscriber rejects the call.

31. A method for routing a call from a calling party having a calling party number to a subscriber having a subscriber number comprising:

(a) triggering a first query from a first service switching point in direct communication with the subscriber to a service control point;

(b) determining at the service control point, from a presentation indicator in a calling party number field, whether the calling party number is private, public or unknown;

(c) when the calling party number is public, authorizing termination of the call to the subscriber number;

(d) when the calling party number is private, re-writing the presentation indicator as public and forwarding the call to a service node, which then dials a string comprising a customized dialing plan code, the subscriber number and the calling party number; and

(e) when the calling party number is unknown, forwarding the call to the service node.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the first service switching point, the second service switching point, and the service control point are connected via SS7 data links.

33. The method of claim 31, further comprising asking the calling party for authorization to override his or her privacy after step (d).

34. The method of claim 31, further comprising asking the calling party to record his or her name after step (e).

35. An advanced intelligent network system comprising:

(a) a first service switching point directly connected to a subscriber line having a subscriber number;

(b) a service control point in communication with the first service switching point over a common channel signaling network;

(c) a privacy screening termination attempt trigger provisioned on the subscriber line at the first service switching point;

(d) a second service switching point in communication with the service control point over the common channel signaling network; and

(e) a service node directly connected to the second service switching point, said service node having a service node number, wherein;

the system routes a call from a private calling party number to the service node with the subscriber number in a re-directing party field, the calling party number in a calling party field and a calling party presentation indicator in a calling party presentation indicator field redefining the calling party number as public,

the service node obtains the calling party'"'"'s permission to override the calling party'"'"'s privacy, dials a first string comprising a customized dialing plan code, the subscriber number and the calling party number, and the customized dialing plan code triggers a first query from the second service switching point to the service control point, and

the service control point returns a response to the service node with the subscriber number in a called party field and the calling party number in the calling party field, and the service node routes the call to the subscriber line.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein, when the calling party number is unknown, the system routes the call to the service node, the service node asks the calling party to record his or her name, and the service node then dials a second string comprising a customized dialing plan code, the subscriber number and the calling party number.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein when the calling party number is unknown the customized dialing plan code triggers a second query to the service control point, and the service control point returns a response with the service node number in the charge party field.