Telephone call screening system and method and caller registration system and method for use therewith
First Claim
1. A method of screening telephone calls using a computerized telephone call screening system, said method comprising:
- establishing a preferred caller database comprising caller identifying information for preferred callers selected by a subscriber from a caller registry database, wherein said caller identifying information for each caller includes at least a private identifier;
automatically answering a telephone call placed by a caller;
interrogating said caller, wherein said computerized telephone call screening system requests from said caller at least a private identifier;
if said private identifier is not received within a predetermined period of time, initiating an unidentified caller disposition process;
if said private identifier is received,storing said private identifier; and
searching said preferred caller database for at least said private identifier received from said caller;
if said caller is not in said preferred caller database, initiating an unpreferred caller disposition process; and
if said caller is in said preferred caller database, initiating a preferred caller disposition process.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A telephone call screening system screens telephone calls placed to a subscriber based upon a preferred caller database established by the subscriber from a networked caller registry database. A caller registration system allows callers to select a private identifier unique to the caller and registers the callers in a caller registry database. The subscriber establishes the preferred caller database by connecting to the caller registration system and selecting the preferred callers. The private identifiers associated with the selected preferred callers are then stored in the preferred caller database. When a caller calls the subscriber, the caller is asked to enter the caller'"'"'s private identifier. A caller disposition process is initiated based on whether the private identifier is in the preferred caller database.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of screening telephone calls using a computerized telephone call screening system, said method comprising:
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establishing a preferred caller database comprising caller identifying information for preferred callers selected by a subscriber from a caller registry database, wherein said caller identifying information for each caller includes at least a private identifier; automatically answering a telephone call placed by a caller; interrogating said caller, wherein said computerized telephone call screening system requests from said caller at least a private identifier; if said private identifier is not received within a predetermined period of time, initiating an unidentified caller disposition process; if said private identifier is received, storing said private identifier; and searching said preferred caller database for at least said private identifier received from said caller; if said caller is not in said preferred caller database, initiating an unpreferred caller disposition process; and if said caller is in said preferred caller database, initiating a preferred caller disposition process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of establishing a preferred caller database for use in a computerized telephone call screening system, said method comprising:
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connecting a caller to a computerized caller registration system; prompting said caller for caller identifying information including at least a private identifier selected by said caller and unique to said caller; receiving and verifying said caller identifying information; storing said caller identifying information in a caller registry database of registered callers; connecting a subscriber to said computerized caller registration system; verifying that said subscriber is allowed to access said caller registry database; providing said subscriber with access to said caller registry database; receiving preferred caller selections from said subscriber, wherein said subscriber selects preferred callers registered in said caller registry database; and transferring said caller identifying information of said preferred callers selected by said subscriber to a preferred caller database. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A computerized caller registration system comprising:
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means for connecting to a caller; means for prompting said caller for caller identifying information including at least a private identifier; means for receiving and verifying said caller identifying information; means for storing said caller identifying information in a caller registry database of registered callers; means for connecting to a subscriber; means for verifying that said subscriber is allowed to access said caller registry database; means for providing said subscriber with access to said caller registry database; means for receiving preferred caller selections from said subscriber, wherein said subscriber selects preferred callers registered in said caller registry database; and means for transferring said caller identifying information of said preferred callers to a preferred caller database including said private identifiers of said preferred callers. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A computerized caller registration system comprising:
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a telephony interface for interfacing wit at least one telephone line; a caller registry database containing caller identifying information including at least private identifiers of registered callers; a caller registration application for prompting said caller for caller identifying information including at least private identifier selected by said caller, for receiving and verifying said caller identifying information, and for storing said caller identifying information in said caller registry database; a communications interface for interfacing wit a data network; a database access application for providing said subscriber with access to said caller registry database, for receiving preferred caller selections from said subscriber, wherein said subscriber selects preferred callers from said registered callers in said caller registry database, and for transferring said caller identifying information of said preferred callers to a preferred caller database including said private identifiers of said preferred callers. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification