System and method for preserving caller privacy

• US 6,873,696 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2000
• Issued: 03/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bedingfield, J. Carl, Nguyen, Annie
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): AL AUBAIDI, RASHA S
• Application Number:
  US09/742,272
• Publication Number:
  US 20020080944A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,559 Days
• Field of Search: 379/142.02, 379/142.06, 379/207.02
• US Class Current: 379/207.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/571 Blocking transmission of caller identification to called party
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed for preserving caller privacy in an advanced intelligent network comprising a service switching point and a second service switching point. The service switching point is adapted to suspend calls directed to a predefined number and forward signaling information associated with the call to the service control point. The service control point is adapted to alter the signaling information if a privacy restriction indicator in the signaling information is activated and to forward the altered signaling information to the service switching point. The method comprises the following steps: forwarding information identifying a calling party and any privacy restrictions on the calling party information from the service switching point to the service control point; and if the privacy restrictions indicate that the calling party information should not be delivered to the called party, altering the calling party information and forwarding the altered information to the service switching point.

Claims

1. A system for preserving caller privacy in a telephone network using signaling information to support call service, comprising:

a first service switching point; and

a service control point communicating with said first service switching point, and adapted to alter the signaling information if a privacy restriction indicator in the signaling information is activated,

wherein said first service switching point is adapted to suspend calls directed to a predefined number connected through a privately maintained second service switching point and forward signaling information associated with the call to said service control point.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the signaling information is in SS7 format.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said service control point is further adapted to forward altered signaling information to said first service switching point.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said first service switching point is further adapted to forward altered signaling information to said privately maintained second service switching point.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said signaling information comprises a calling party number and said service control point is adapted to alter the calling party number if the privacy restriction indicator specifies privacy restrictions apply to the calling party number.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said service control point is adapted to alter the calling party number so that the identity of the calling party can not be discerned.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein said service control point is adapted to alter the calling party number by replacing digits of the calling party number with an un-dialable number combination.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the signaling information comprises an originally called number and said service control point is adapted to alter the originally called number if the privacy restriction indicator specifies privacy restrictions apply to the originally called number.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said service control point is adapted to alter the originally called number so that the identity of the originally called number can not be discerned.

10. The system of claim 5, wherein said service control point is adapted to alter the originally called number by replacing digits of the originally called number with an un-dialable number combination.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the signaling information comprises a redirecting number and said service control point is adapted to alter the redirecting number if the privacy restriction indicator specifies privacy restrictions on the redirecting number.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said service control point is adapted to alter the redirecting number so that the identity of the redirecting number can not be discerned.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said service control point is adapted to alter the redirecting number by replacing digits of the redirecting number with an un-dialable number combination.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a signaling transfer point for transferring communications between said service control point and said first service switching point.

15. A system for preserving caller privacy, comprising:

a first service switching point; and

a computing device communicating with said first service switching point, and adapted to alter a calling party number if a corresponding privacy restriction indicator is activated,

wherein said first switching point upon receipt of a call to a predetermined number connected through a privately maintained second service switching point is adapted to suspend the call and forward information specifying a calling party number and corresponding privacy restriction indicator to the computing device.

16. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein said computing device is further adapted to forward an altered calling party number to said first switching point.

17. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein said first switching point is further adapted to forward said altered calling party number to said privately maintained second service switching point.

18. In an advanced intelligent network having a first service switching point and a service control point, a method of preserving caller privacy, comprising:

at the first service switching point, suspending a call directed to a predefined number connected through a privately maintained second service switching point and forwarding information identifying a calling party and information specifying privacy restrictions to the service control point; and

at the service control point, if the information specifying privacy restrictions indicates that the information identifying the calling party should not be delivered to a called party, altering the information identifying the calling party and forwarding altered calling party information to the first service switching point.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the information identifying a calling party is the name of the calling party.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the information identifying a calling party is the phone number of the calling party.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising, at the first service switching point, receiving a call and detecting that the call is to be directed by the privately maintained second service switching point to an end user.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising, at the privately maintained second service switching point, upon receipt of the altered calling party information from the first service switching point, forwarding the altered information to an end user.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising, at the first service switching point, if the information specifying privacy restrictions indicates that the information identifying the calling party may be delivered to a called party, forwarding the information identifying the calling party to the privately maintained second service switching point.

24. A method of protecting party privacy in an SS7 network, comprising:

upon receipt of a call at a first switching point to a predefined number connected through a privately maintained second service switching point, suspending the call and forwarding SS7 signaling to a service control point;

at the service control point, if a privacy restriction indicator in the SS7 signaling is activated, altering the SS7 signaling; and

forwarding the altered SS7 signaling to the first service switching point.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising forwarding the altered SS7 signaling to an end user.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein said privacy restriction indicator specifies privacy restrictions on the calling party number, and said step of altering the SS7 signaling comprises altering the calling party number.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein said privacy restriction indicator specifies privacy restrictions on the originally called number, and said step of altering the SS7 signaling comprises altering the originally called number.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein said privacy restriction indicator specifies privacy restrictions on the redirecting number, and said step of altering the SS7 signaling comprises altering the redirecting number.

29. A method of protecting caller privacy in an advanced intelligent network having a first service switching point and a service control point, comprising:

at the first service switching point, initiating a trigger upon receipt of a call directed to a predetermined end user connected through a privately maintained second service switching point;

forwarding a TCAP message containing signaling information to the service control point;

if the signaling information indicates that a privacy restriction indicator is activated, altering the signaling information; and

forwarding a TCAP message containing altered signaling information to the first service switching point.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising forwarding an ISUP message containing the altered signaling information to an end user.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the trigger is a specific digit string trigger.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the privacy restriction indicator specifies privacy restrictions on the calling party number, and said step of altering the signaling information comprises altering the calling party number.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein the privacy restriction indicator specifies privacy restrictions on the originally called number, and said step of altering the signaling information comprises altering the originally called number.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein said privacy restriction indicator specifies privacy restrictions on the redirecting number, and said step of altering the signaling information comprises altering the redirecting number.