Systems and methods for implementing a parental control feature within a telecommunications network
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for blocking at least one outgoing communication:
- from a calling party to a calling line selected by the calling party in connection with a parental control feature offered to subscribers as an outgoing call blocking service, said calling party having a calling line identification number, said method comprising;
enabling the subscriber to select special feature codes and request that outgoing communications that relate to the special feature codes, and that originate from the calling line identification number, be blocked, wherein special feature codes are received by an automated system that recognizes oral commands and alphanumeric input;
receiving an outgoing communication related to at least one of the special feature codes, said calling line associated with at least one subscriber to the outgoing call blocking service;
obtaining a calling line identification number for said received outgoing communication;
obtaining a called line identification number for said received outgoing communication;
activating the outgoing call blocking service at a first pre-set time;
de-activating the outgoing call blocking service at a second pre-set time;
looking for said calling line identification number associated with the received outgoing communication in a data store to determine data associated with said calling line identification number concerning calls from the calling line to a called line which are to be blocked;
terminating the received outgoing communication if the data indicates that the received outgoing communication is to be blocked; and
overriding the outgoing call blocking service for at least a second single outgoing communication from the calling line in response to receiving an override code.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A “parental control” (“PC”) telephone subscriber feature on a telephone system is disclosed. An authorized subscriber, such as a parent, may enter a feature code which initiates the PC feature. To deactivate the feature, the subscriber enters the code and is prompted for an authorization code, such as a personal identification number (“PIN”). If the authorization code entered matches the authorization code on file for the subscriber, the PC feature is deactivated. If no match is found in the subscriber database for the PIN, the feature is not deactivated.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method for blocking at least one outgoing communication:
- from a calling party to a calling line selected by the calling party in connection with a parental control feature offered to subscribers as an outgoing call blocking service, said calling party having a calling line identification number, said method comprising;
enabling the subscriber to select special feature codes and request that outgoing communications that relate to the special feature codes, and that originate from the calling line identification number, be blocked, wherein special feature codes are received by an automated system that recognizes oral commands and alphanumeric input; receiving an outgoing communication related to at least one of the special feature codes, said calling line associated with at least one subscriber to the outgoing call blocking service; obtaining a calling line identification number for said received outgoing communication; obtaining a called line identification number for said received outgoing communication; activating the outgoing call blocking service at a first pre-set time; de-activating the outgoing call blocking service at a second pre-set time; looking for said calling line identification number associated with the received outgoing communication in a data store to determine data associated with said calling line identification number concerning calls from the calling line to a called line which are to be blocked; terminating the received outgoing communication if the data indicates that the received outgoing communication is to be blocked; and overriding the outgoing call blocking service for at least a second single outgoing communication from the calling line in response to receiving an override code. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
- from a calling party to a calling line selected by the calling party in connection with a parental control feature offered to subscribers as an outgoing call blocking service, said calling party having a calling line identification number, said method comprising;
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10. A method of activating an outgoing call blocking service provided as a parental control feature, the method comprising:
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receiving, from a calling line at a central office associated with the calling line, a predetermined access code to the outgoing call blocking service; prompting a subscriber to the outgoing call blocking service to provide data concerning outgoing calls to be blocked, wherein the subscriber is prompted to use oral commands to provide data; receiving the orally-provided data and converting the orally-provided data to alphanumeric data; storing said alphanumeric data in a data store associated with the outgoing call blocking service; activating the outgoing call blocking service at one of a pre-set time and a pre-set day; enabling the subscriber to prohibit outgoing long-distance calls from being placed from the calling line; enabling the subscriber to prohibit outgoing calls to at least one specified area code; enabling the subscriber to prohibit outgoing calls to at least one specified telephone number; enabling the subscriber to prohibit calls that relate to special feature codes from being placed from the calling line, wherein at least one of the special features is a star feature code that relates to conference calling capabilities; enabling the subscriber to allow outgoing calls only to at least one specified local telephone number; and
enabling the subscriber to allow outgoing calls only to at least one specified telephone number. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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Specification