Method and system for canceling unwanted telephone calls

• US 7,068,761 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2004
• Issued: 06/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
• Original Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
• Inventors: Book, Nancy Ann, McBlain, Thomas Joseph, Maciejewski, James Thomas, Hardzinski, Mary Louise, Latter, Teresa Farias, Tiliks, Diana Inara, Wilczynski, Paul R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoosain, Allan
• Application Number:
  US10/811,614
• Publication Number:
  US 20040264668A1
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/76, 379/88.11, 379/88.12, 379/88.13, 379/88.16, 379/88.19, 379/201.01, 379/201.06, 379/201.07, 379/201.12, 379/88.2, 379/88.21
• US Class Current: 379/67.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/64 Automatic arrangements for answering calls; Automatic arrangements for recording messages for absent subscribers; Arrangements for recording conversations centralised dictation systems H04M11/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/642 storing speech in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• 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 2203/4527 Voicemail attached to other kind of message
• 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 3/4872 Non-interactive information services

Abstract

The present method and system enable a called party to cancel an unwanted call and send a message to the calling party. The method and system are activated in response to a plurality of inputs provided by the called party. In response to the input provided by the called party, a custom or a standard message can be transmitted to the calling party. A confirmation message can also be transmitted to the called party. The method and system can be implemented in conjunction with other systems that are also activated in response to an input from the called party.

Claims

1. A method for canceling a call, the method comprising:

(a) analyzing a plurality of inputs transmitted from a called telephone station, where the plurality of inputs are selected from the group consisting of DTMF tones, flash-hook, dial pulse input, modem/fax input, and voice input;

(b) transmitting a message to a calling telephone station; and

(c) canceling a call placed to the called telephone station.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein (a) comprises determining whether a user at the called telephone station seeks to cancel the call.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein (a) comprises determining whether a user at the called telephone station seeks to send a message to the calling telephone station.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein (a) comprises determining whether a user at the called telephone station seeks to cancel the call and send a message to the calling telephone station.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein (b) comprises transmitting a message to the calling telephone station indicating that a user at the called telephone station does not accept calls from solicitors.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein (b) comprises transmitting a message to the calling telephone station requesting that the telephone number associated with the called telephone station be removed from a call list.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein (b) comprises transmitting a message to the calling telephone station requesting that a caller at the calling telephone not call the telephone number associated with the called telephone station again in the future.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(d) transmitting a confirmation message to the called telephone station.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the confirmation message comprises an indication that the call has been canceled.

10. A system for canceling a call, the system comprising:

at least one telecommunications network element operative to;

(a) analyze a plurality of inputs transmitted from a called telephone station, where the plurality of inputs are selected from the group consisting of DTMF tones, flash-hook, dial pulse input, modem/fax input, and voice input;

(b) transmit a message to a calling telephone station; and

(c) cancel a call placed to the called telephone station.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one telecommunications network element is further operative to determine whether a user at the called telephone station seeks to cancel the call.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one telecommunications network element is further operative to determine whether a user at the called telephone station seeks to send a message to the calling telephone station.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one telecommunications network element is further operative to transmit a message to the calling telephone station indicating that a user at the called telephone station does not accept calls from solicitors.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one telecommunications network element is further operative to transmit a message to the calling telephone station requesting that the telephone number associated with the called telephone station be removed from a call list.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one telecommunications network element is further operative to transmit a confirmation message to called telephone station.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the confirmation message comprises an indication that the call has been canceled.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one telecommunications network element comprises a service switching point.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one telecommunications network element comprises a service control point.

19. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one telecommunications network element comprises a service node.

20. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one telecommunications network element comprises an intelligent peripheral.