Time based regulation of use of a telephone line

• US 7,095,835 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2002
• Issued: 08/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Winters, Scott Lee, Paolini, Michael A., Brown, Michael Wayne, Weaver, James Mark, McIntyre, Joseph Herbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing
• Assistant Examiner(s): ADDY, THJUAN KNOWLIN
• Application Number:
  US10/082,418
• Publication Number:
  US 20030161456A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,638 Days
• Field of Search: 379/77, 379/210.01, 379/114.2, 379/211.02, 379/372, 379/188, 379/32.02, 379/216.01, 370/221, 704/273, 455/519
• US Class Current: 379/188
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords

Abstract

A method, system, and program for time based regulation of use of a telephone line are provided. An identity of a first caller requesting use of a telephone line is detected. Use of the telephone line by the caller is allowed only if a schedule for the telephone line indicates that the identity is currently allowed for the telephone line.

Claims

1. A method for regulating use of a telephone line, comprising:

detecting an authenticated identity of a caller requesting use of a telephone line to place an outgoing call and a subject of said outgoing call at at least one service located within a packet-switching network outside a trusted telephone network facilitating said outgoing call and communicative with a service provider within said trusted telephone network via a secured gateway, wherein said subject of said outgoing call specifies at least one anticipated subject matter to be discussed during said outgoing call;

selecting, using said service, at least one relevant scheduled event for said telephone line from among a plurality of scheduled events for said telephone line, wherein said at least one relevant scheduled event specifies at least one limitation on at least one type of subject matter allowed during a current time period and a selection of user identities allowed to place outgoing calls via said telephone line during said current time period;

only directing said service provider within said trusted telephone network to allow use of said telephone line to place said outgoing call by said caller during said current time period if said caller identity matches one of said selection of user identities currently allowed to place said outgoing call and said subject matter of said outgoing call matches said at least one type of subject matter allowed during said current time period.

2. The method for regulating use according to claim 1, wherein detecting an identity further comprises:

detecting said identity of said caller from a voice authentication.

3. The method for regulating use according to claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, at said service, an estimated time duration for said outgoing call requested by said caller, wherein said expected time duration for said outgoing call is detected from a caller profile associated with said authenticated identity comprising at least one from among an averaged time per call by said caller over a selection of previous call times stored in said caller profile and a schedule for said caller indicating scheduling limitations on a duration of said outgoing call; and

responsive to said estimated time duration exceeding said current time period, alerting said caller to said time limitation and enabling said caller to select to add a new scheduled event to said plurality of scheduled events for said telephone line designating a particular time period reserved for said caller identity and said subject for said estimated time duration.

4. The method for regulating use according to claim 1, further comprising:

detecting an amount of redeemable points available to said caller in a caller profile associated with said caller identity for placing said outgoing call; and

comparing a point cost for each minute during said current time period of said relevant scheduled event according to said amount of redeemable points available for said outgoing call and directing said service provider to only allow said outgoing call for a calculated time period available to said caller during said current time period with said amount of redeemable points.

5. The method for regulating use according to claim 1, further comprising:

controlling output of a message to said caller indicating at least one from among a reason for a blocking said telephone line, a next available time for use of said telephone line to place said outgoing call, and an amount of time available for use of said telephone line to place said outgoing call.

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

providing said caller with an option for reserving a call appointment in said plurality of scheduled events to place said outgoing call.

19. The method for regulating use according to claim 1, wherein detecting an authenticated identity of a caller requesting use of a telephone line to place an outgoing call and a subject of said outgoing call further comprises:

accessing at said service a schedule accessible within said packet-switching network and associated with said authenticated identity of said caller, wherein said schedule comprises at least one scheduled entry for said caller, wherein said scheduled entry comprises a time period matching a present time and a subject entry; and

inferring said subject matter for said call from said subject entry of said scheduled entry.

20. The method for regulating use according to claim 1, wherein detecting an authenticated identity of a caller requesting use of a telephone line to place an outgoing call and a subject of said outgoing call further comprises:

accessing at said service at least one of an identifier for a particular device used by said caller from among a plurality of devices enabled to place an outgoing call via said telephone line and a location of said particular device; and

inferring said subject matter to be discussed during said call from said at least one of said identifier for said particular device and said location of said particular device.

7. A system for regulating use of a telephone line, comprising:

at least one service located within a packet-switching network outside a trusted telephone network facilitating an outgoing call via said telephone line and communicative with a service provider for said telephone line within said trusted telephone network via a secured gateway;

said at least one service further comprising;

means for detecting an authenticated identity of a caller requesting use of said telephone line to place an outgoing call and a subject of said outgoing call, wherein said subject of said outgoing call specifies at least one anticipated subject matter to be discussed during said outgoing call;

means for selecting at least one relevant scheduled event for said telephone line from among a plurality of scheduled events for said telephone line, wherein said at least one relevant scheduled event specifies at least one limitation on at least one type of subject matter allowed during a current time period and a selection of user identities allowed to place outgoing calls via said telephone line during said current time period; and

means for only directing said service provider within said trusted telephone network to allow use of said telephone line by said caller to place said outgoing call during said current time period if said caller identity matches one of said selection of user identities currently allowed to place said outgoing call and said subject matter of said outgoing call matches said at least one type of subject matter allowed during said current time period.

8. The system for regulating use according to claim 7, wherein said means for detecting an identity further comprises:

means for detecting said identity of said caller from a voice authentication.

9. The system for regulating use according to claim 7, said service further comprising:

means for detecting an estimated time duration for said outgoing call requested by said caller, wherein said expected time duration for said outgoing call is detected from a caller profile associated with said authenticated identity comprising at least one from among an averaged time per call by said caller over a selection of previous call times stored in said caller profile and a schedule for said caller indicating scheduling limitations on a duration of said outgoing call; and

means responsive to said estimated time duration exceeding said current time period, for alerting said caller to said time limitation and enabling said caller to select to add a new scheduled event to said plurality of scheduled events for said telephone line designating a particular time period reserved for said caller identity and said subject for said estimated time duration.

10. The system for regulating use according to claim 7, said service further comprising:

means for detecting an amount of redeemable points available to said caller in a caller profile associated with said caller identity for placing said outgoing call; and

means for comparing a point cost for each minute during said current time period of said relevant scheduled event according to said amount of redeemable points available for said outgoing call and directing said service provider to only allow said outgoing call for a calculated time period available to said caller during said current time period with said amount of redeemable points.

11. The system for regulating use according to claim 7, said service further comprising:

means for controlling output of a message to said caller indicating at least one from among a reason for a blocking said telephone line, a next available time for use of said telephone line to place said outgoing call, and an amount of time available for use of said telephone line to place said outgoing call.

12. The system for regulating use according to claim 7, said service further comprising:

means for providing said caller with an option for reserving a call appointment in said plurality of scheduled events to place said outgoing call.

21. The system for regulating use according to claim 7, wherein said means for detecting an authenticated identity of a caller requesting use of a telephone line to place an outgoing call and a subject of said outgoing call further comprises:

means for accessing at said service a schedule accessible within said packet-switching network and associated with said authenticated identity of said caller, wherein said schedule comprises at least one scheduled entry for said caller, wherein said scheduled entry comprises a time period matching a present time and a subject entry; and

means for inferring said subject matter for said call from said subject entry of said scheduled entry.

22. The system for regulating use according to claim 7, wherein said means for detecting an authenticated identity of a caller requesting use of a telephone line to place an outgoing call and a subject of said outgoing call further comprises:

means for accessing at said service at least one of an identifier for a particular device used by said caller from among a plurality of devices enabled to place an outgoing call via said telephone line and a location of said particular device; and

means for inferring said subject matter to be discussed during said call from said at least one of said identifier for said particular device and said location of said particular device.

13. A program for regulating use of a telephone line, comprising:

a recording medium;

means, recorded on said recording medium, for detecting an authenticated identity of a caller requesting use of a telephone line to place an outgoing call and a subject of said outgoing call at at least one service located within a packet-switching network outside a trusted telephone network facilitating said outgoing call and communicative with a service provider within said trusted telephone network via a secured gateway, wherein said subject of said outgoing call specifies at least one anticipated subject matter to be discussed during said outgoing call;

means, recorded on said recording medium, for selecting, using said service, at least one relevant scheduled event for said telephone line from among a plurality of scheduled events for said telephone line, wherein said at least one relevant scheduled event specifies at least one limitation on at least one type of subject matter allowed during a current time period and a selection of user identities allowed to place outgoing calls via said telephone line during said current time period; and

means, recorded on said recording medium, for only directing said service provider within said trusted telephone network to allow use of said telephone line by said caller to place said outgoing call during said current time period if said caller identity matches one of said selection of user identities currently allowed to place said outgoing call and said subject matter of said outgoing call matches said at least one type of subject matter allowed during said current time period.

14. The program for regulating use according to claim 13, further comprising:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for detecting said identity of said caller from a voice authentication.

15. The program for regulating use according to claim 13, further comprising:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for detecting an estimated time duration for said outgoing call requested by said caller, wherein said expected time duration for said outgoing call is detected from a caller profile associated with said authenticated identity comprising at least one from among an averaged time per call by said caller over a selection of previous call times stored in said caller profile and a schedule for said caller indicating scheduling limitations on a duration of said outgoing call; and

means, recorded on said recording medium, responsive to said estimated time duration exceeding said current time period, for alerting said caller to said time limitation and enabling said caller to select to add a new scheduled event to said plurality of scheduled events for said telephone line designating a particular time period reserved for said caller identity and said subject for said estimated time duration.

16. The program for regulating use according to claim 13, further comprising:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for detecting an amount of redeemable points available to said caller in a caller profile associated with said caller identity for placing said outgoing call; and

means, recorded on said recording medium, for comparing a point cost for each minute during said current time period of said relevant scheduled event according to said amount of redeemable points available for said outgoing call and directing said service provider to only allow said outgoing call for a calculated time period available to said caller during said current time period with said amount of redeemable points.

17. The program for regulating use according to claim 13, further comprising:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for controlling output of a message to said caller indicating at least one from among a reason for a blocking said telephone line, a next available time for use of said telephone line to place said outgoing call, and an amount of time available for use of said telephone line to place said outgoing call.

18. The program for regulating use according to claim 13, further comprising:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for providing said caller with an option for reserving a call appointment in said plurality of scheduled events to place said outgoing call.

23. The program for regulating use according to claim 13, further comprising:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for accessing at said service a schedule accessible within said packet-switching network and associated with said authenticated identity of said caller, wherein said schedule comprises at least one scheduled entry for said caller, wherein said scheduled entry comprises a time period matching a present time and a subject entry; and

means, recorded on said recording medium, for inferring said subject matter for said call from said subject entry of said scheduled entry.

24. The program for regulating use according to claim 13, further comprising:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for accessing at said service at least one of an identifier for a particular device used by said caller from among a plurality of devices enabled to place an outgoing call via said telephone line and a location of said particular device; and

means, recorded on said recording medium, for inferring said subject matter to be discussed during said call from said at least one of said identifier for said particular device and said location of said particular device.