Third party regulation of calls through a particular line based on a call context

• US 7,076,041 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2002
• Issued: 07/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines SA (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Winters, Scott Lee, Paolini, Michael A., Brown, Michael Wayne, Weaver, James Mark, McIntyre, Joseph Herbert
• Primary Examiner(s): TAYLOR, BARRY W
• Application Number:
  US10/081,029
• Publication Number:
  US 20030156696A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,601 Days
• Field of Search: 379/142.05, 379/142.06, 379/161
• US Class Current: 379/142.05
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2038 Call context notifications
• 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 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308

Abstract

A method, system, and program for third party regulation of calls through a line based on a call context are provided. Third party regulation criteria identify individuals who are regulated for calling into or receiving calls from a particular line. For each call received at the line, the identity of the caller is detected. For each call placed from the line, the identity of the callee is detected. Then, the call is regulated according to the relevant third party regulation criteria, such that a third party is enabled to regulate all calls from or to a particular line without being a direct party to the calls.

Claims

1. A method for regulating calls, comprising:

receiving, at a context regulation service, a request to determine regulation requirements for a call from a network switch;

detecting, at a context regulation service, a context for said call from a first party to a second party via a particular line, wherein a third party different from said first party is a line subscriber to said particular line made available to said first party for said call;

accessing, at said context regulation service, a selection of context based criteria specified by said third party for said particular line;

comparing, at said context regulation service, said context for said call with said selection of context based criteria; and

only directing, by said context regulation service, for said network switch to establish a communication channel between said first party and said second party through said particular line if said context is acceptable within said selection of context based criteria.

2. The method for regulating calls according to claim 1, further comprising:

directing, by said context regulation service, for said network switch to route said call to a screening party if said context is not acceptable within said selection of context based criteria.

3. The method for regulating calls according to claim 1, wherein said context regulation service is communicatively accessible to said network switch outside a trusted telephone network handling said call via a secure communication gateway to a packet-switching network.

4. The method for regulating calls according to claim 1, wherein said context for said call indicates whether said call is a business related call by said first party and said selection of context based criteria specifies at least one rule for regulating calls over said particular line if said call is a business related call and at least one other rule for regulating calls over said particular line if said call is not a business related call.

5. The method for regulating calls according to claim 1, wherein said context comprises at least one of a first geographical location of said first party and a second geographical location of said second party and said selection of context based criteria specifies at least one rule for regulating calls over said particular line to at least one of said first geographical location of said first party and said second geographical location of said second party.

6. The method for regulating calls according to claim 1, said method further comprising:

continually monitoring said context for said call once said communication channel is established between said first party and said second party, wherein said context for said call comprises an actual identity of said first party and an actual identity of said second party; and

only maintaining said communication channel between said first party and said second party if said continually monitored context is allowed when compared with said selection of context based criteria specified by said third party for said particular line.

7. The method for regulating calls according to claim 1, wherein said context indicates a type of telephony device used by said first party.

8. The method for regulating calls according to claim 1, wherein said context indicates a type of billing plan for telephony services available to said first party.

9. The method for regulating calls according to claim 1, wherein said context indicates a device that authenticates an identity of said first party.

10. A system for regulating calls, comprising:

a communication channel enabled by a communication system;

a context regulation service communicatively connected within said communication system for receiving a request to determine regulation requirements for a call handled by said communication system;

said context regulation service comprising means for detecting a context of said call initiated via a particular line between a first party and a second party, wherein a third party different from said first party is a line subscriber to said particular line made available to said first party for said call;

said context regulation service comprising means for accessing a selection of context based criteria specified by said third party for said particular line;

said context regulation service comprising means for comparing said context for said call with said selection of context based criteria for void particular; and

said context regulation service comprising means for only establishing said communication channel between said first party and said second party through said particular line if said context is acceptable within said selection of context based criteria.

11. The system for regulating calls according to claim 10, further comprising:

said context regulation service further comprising means for directing said call to a screening party if said context is not acceptable within said selection of context based criteria.

12. The system for regulating calls according to claim 10, wherein said context regulation service is communicatively accessible to said network switch outside a trusted telephone network handling said call via a secure communication gateway to a packet-switching network.

13. The system for regulating calls according to claim 10, wherein said context for said call indicates whether said call is a business related call by said first party and said selection of context based criteria specifies at least one rule for regulating calls over said particular line if said call is a business related call and at least one other rule for regulating calls over said particular line if said call is not a business related call.

14. The system for regulating calls according to claim 10, wherein said context comprises at least one of a first geographical location of said first party and a second geographical location of said second party and said selection of context based criteria specifies at least one rule for regulating calls over said particular line to at least one of said first geographical location of said first party and said second geographical location of said second party.

15. The system for regulating calls according to claim 10, said system further comprising:

means for continually monitoring said context for said call once said communication channel is established between said first party and said second party, wherein said context for said call comprises an actual identity of said first party and an actual identity of said second party; and

means for only maintaining said communication channel between said first party and said second party if said continually monitored context is allowed when compared with said selection of context based criteria specified by said third party for said particular line.

16. The system for regulating calls according to claim 10, wherein said context indicates a type of telephony device used by said first party.

17. The system for regulating calls according to claim 10, wherein said context indicates a type of billing plan for telephony services available to said first party.

18. The system for regulating calls according to claim 10, wherein said context indicates a device that authenticates an identity of said first party.

19. A computer program product for regulating calls, comprising:

a recording medium;

means, recorded on said recording medium, for receiving a request to determine regulation requirements for a call from a network switch;

means, recorded on said recording medium, for detecting a context of said call initiated via a particular line between a first party and a second party, wherein a third party different from said first party is a line subscriber to said particular line made available to said first party for said call;

means, recorded on said recording medium, for accessing a selection of context based criteria specified by said third party for said particular line;

means, recorded on said recording medium, for comparing said context for said call with said selection of context based criteria for said particular line specified by said third party; and

means, recorded on said recording medium, for only directing said network switch to establish a communication channel between said first party and said second party through said particular line if said context is acceptable within said selection of context based criteria.

20. The computer program product for regulating calls according to claim 19, further comprising:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for directing said call to a screening party if said context is not acceptable within said selection of context based criteria.

21. The computer program product for regulating calls according to claim 19, further comprising:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for continually monitoring said context for said call once said communication channel is established between said first party and said second party, wherein said context for said call comprises an actual identity of said first party and an actual identity of said second party; and

means, recorded on said recording medium, for only maintaining said communication channel between said first party and said second party if said continually monitored context is allowed when compared with said selection of context based criteria specified by said third party for said particular line.

22. A method for regulating outgoing calls, comprising:

detecting an identity of a party called via a particular line;

determining a selection of third party criteria governing calls via said particular line according to said identity of said called party; and

only establishing a communication channel via said particular line between a calling party and called party if said called party is acceptable within said selection of third party criteria.

23. A method for screening calls, comprising:

detecting a context for a call from a first party to an intended second party, wherein said context indicates at least one from among a location of said first party, a type of telephony device used by said first party, and a device used to authenticate an identity of said first party;

responsive to said context requiring prescreening of said call, transferring said call to a screening party;

detecting an authenticated identity of said screening party;

adjusting said context to indicate said identity of said screening party and said regulated path to said screening party; and

distributing said adjusted context to said intended second party.

24. The method for screening calls according to claim 23, further comprising:

establishing a communication channel between said first party and said screening party.

25. The method for screening calls according to claim 23, further comprising:

establishing a communication channel between said second party and said screening party.

26. A system for screening calls, comprising:

a communication system for detecting a call from a first party to an intended second party;

means for determining a context for said call, wherein said context indicates at least one from among a location of said first party, a type of telephony device used by said first party; and

a device used to authenticate an identity of said first party;

means responsive to said context requiring prescreening of said call, for transferring said call to a screening party;

means for detecting an authenticated identity of said screening party;

means for adjusting said context to indicate said identity of said screening party and said regulated path to said screening party; and

means for distributing said adjusted context to said intended second party.

27. The system for screening calls according to claim 26, further comprising:

means for establishing a communication channel between said first party and said screening party.

28. The system for screening calls according to claim 26, further comprising:

means for establishing a communication channel between said second party and said screening party.

29. A computer program product for screening calls, comprising:

a recording medium;

means, recorded on said recording medium, for determining a context for a call from a first party to an intended second party, wherein said context indicates at least one from among a location of said first party, a type of telephony device used by said first party, and a device used to authenticate an identity of said first party;

means, recorded on said recording medium, for transferring said call to a screening party where said context indicates a prescreening requirement;

means, recorded on said recording medium, for detecting an authenticated identity of said screening party;

means, recorded on said recording medium, for adjusting said context to indicate said identity of said screening party and said regulated path to said screening party; and

means, recorded on said recording medium, for distributing said adjusted context to said intended second party.

30. The computer program product for screening calls according to claim 29, further comprising:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for establishing a communication channel between said first party and said screening party.

31. The computer program product for screening calls according to claim 29, further comprising:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for establishing a communication channel between said second party and said screening party.