System and method for controlling the use of a wireless device

• US 7,336,945 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2006
• Issued: 02/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: At&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilch-Ringen, Brenda S., Ringen, Deron J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost; William
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEREZ, JULIO R
• Application Number:
  US11/611,006
• Publication Number:
  US 20070082662A1
• Time in Patent Office: 439 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/419, 455/411, 455/414.1, 455/565
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/677 Preventing the dialling or sending of predetermined telephone numbers or selected types of telephone numbers, e.g. long distance numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72475 specially adapted for disabled users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2272 Subscriber line supervision circuits, e.g. call detection circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64

Abstract

Preferred embodiments of the present invention provide for enabling a user to select telephone numbers to which a wireless device may place calls and from which the wireless device may receive calls. One preferred embodiment of the present invention includes software for use on a general purpose computer allowing the user to input into the memory of a wireless device desired telephone numbers that may not be changed by the operator of the wireless device. The computer software also programs the wireless device to only place calls to, or receives calls from, the telephone numbers entered into the memory of the wireless device by the owner.

Claims

1. A system for controlling the use of a first device, the system comprising:

a first device; and

a computer connected to the first device, wherein the computer is configured with software to program the first device to prevent an operator of the first device from adding a telephone number of a second device to the first device except through the software, such that the operator may not add the telephone number of the second device through manipulation of the first device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the software is further configured to enable the user to program the first device with the telephone number of the second device such that the first device will only place telephone calls to telephones involving the telephone number of the second device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the second device is associated with a plurality of telephone numbers.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the plurality of telephone numbers of the second device includes a first set to which the first device will only place telephone calls and a second set from which the first device will only accept communications.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the first set of telephone numbers of the second device and the second set of telephone numbers of the second device comprise the same telephone numbers.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first device comprises at least one of a pager, an Internet pager, a cellular telephone, and a personal digital assistant.

7. A method for controlling the use of a first device, the method comprising:

selecting at least one telephone number of a second device;

storing the at least one telephone number of the second device into an acceptable number memory of the first device; and

programming the first device to only allow alteration of the acceptable number memory by the programming software, such that an operator of the first device may not alter the acceptable number memory through manipulation of the first device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein storing and programming are performed by a computer connected to the first device, the computer configured with programming software.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein selecting is performed by a user inputting the telephone numbers into the computer.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one telephone number of the second device further comprises a first plurality of telephone numbers of the second device and a second plurality of telephone numbers of the second device, the first plurality of telephone numbers of the second device stored in an acceptable receiving number memory of the first device, and the second plurality of telephone numbers of the second device stored in an acceptable calling number memory of the first device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein programming further comprises preventing an operator of the first device from altering the telephone numbers stored in the acceptable calling number memory of the first device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein preventing an operator of the first device from altering the telephone numbers stored in the first device further comprises programming a unique identifier into the first device, the unique identifier associated with a computer.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein preventing an operator of the first device from altering the telephone numbers stored in the first device further comprises programming the first device to only allow alteration of the telephone numbers stored in the memory of the first device by the computer.

14. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with computer executable instructions for performing:

receiving a set of at least one telephone number of the second device from a user;

programming a first device to use the at least one telephone number of the second device to restrict communications involving the first device;

restricting the reception of the at least one telephone number of the second device to a reception from a particular user; and

restricting the updating of the set of at least one telephone number of the second device to a computer in communication with the first device, such that an operator of the first device may not alter the plurality of telephone numbers through manipulation of the first device.

15. The computer-readable medium encoded with computer executable instructions of claim 14, wherein programming further includes storing the received set of at least one telephone number of the second device to an acceptable receiving number memory on the first device.

16. The computer-readable medium encoded with computer executable instructions of claim 14, wherein programming further includes programming the first device to reject telephone calls placed by the first device to a called number that is not in the set of at least one telephone number of the second device received from the user.

17. The computer-readable medium encoded with computer executable instructions of claim 16, wherein programming further includes storing the received set of at least one telephone number of the second device into the acceptable calling number memory on the first device.

18. The computer-readable medium encoded with computer executable instructions of claim 16, wherein receiving further includes receiving a plurality of telephone numbers of the second device.

19. The computer-readable medium encoded with computer executable instructions of claim 16, wherein programming further includes storing a first plurality of telephone numbers of the second device in the acceptable calling number memory, and storing a different plurality of telephone numbers of the second device in the acceptable receiving number memory.