Privacy screening services

• US 7,715,538 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2006
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wood, Genniman, Koch, Robert, Forsberg, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, CREIGHTON H
• Application Number:
  US11/390,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20060239429A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,505 Days
• Field of Search: 379/142.05, 379/201.01, 379/201.11, 379/201.02, 379/207.02, 379/207.15, 379/211.01, 379/211.02
• US Class Current: 379/142.08
• 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 2203/651 Text message transmission triggered by call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• 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 3/53391 dependent on calling party

Abstract

A privacy screening service allows a subscriber to send a call screening request during a telephone call. The call screening request may comprise a Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency key (e.g., “Touch Tones”) on a telephone keypad, a softkey entry on a communications device, and/or a data message from an Internet Protocol phone or client application. The call screening request may store incoming line identification (ICLID) information of the connected communications signal in a database, add the ICLID information to a Do Not Call list, update a subscriber'"'"'s profile with the ICLID information, and/or storing the ICLID information in a subscriber'"'"'s blocked communications list. The Do Not Call list, the subscriber'"'"'s profile, and/or the subscriber'"'"'s blocked communications list may include communications instructions for the called number as well as include communications instructions for other registered communications addresses (e.g., other telephone numbers, an email address, and other communications addresses of the subscriber).

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

processing a telephone call from a calling telephone number to a called telephone number;

after a connection between the calling telephone number and the called telephone number, monitoring the telephone call for a call screening request; and

upon entry of the call screening request, taking an action in response to the call screening request.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein taking an action comprises playing an announcement.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein taking an action comprises terminating the connection.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein taking an action comprises forwarding the telephone call to voice mail.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein taking an action comprises storing incoming line identification information of the calling telephone number in a database.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein taking an action comprises communicating incoming line identification information of the calling telephone number to a Do Not Call list, the Do Not Call list associated with the called telephone number and with at least one other communications address.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein taking an action comprises updating a subscriber'"'"'s profile with the incoming line identification information of the calling telephone number, the subscriber'"'"'s profile list associated with the called telephone number and with at least one other communications address.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein taking an action comprises storing the incoming line identification information of the calling telephone number in a subscriber'"'"'s blocked communications list.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein monitoring the telephone call for the call screening request comprises monitoring for at least one of a Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency, a softkey entry, and a data message.

10. A method, comprising:

receiving a telephone call from a calling telephone number to a called telephone number;

connecting the telephone call to the called telephone number;

receiving a call screening request from the called telephone number; and

taking an action in response to the call screening request.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein taking an action comprises playing an announcement.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein taking an action comprises terminating the connection.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein taking an action comprises forwarding the telephone call to voice mail.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein taking an action comprises storing incoming line identification information of the calling telephone number in a database.

15. The method according to claim 10, wherein taking an action comprises communicating the incoming line identification information to a Do Not Call list, the Do Not Call list associated with the called telephone number and with at least one other communications address.

16. The method according to claim 10, wherein taking an action comprises updating a subscriber'"'"'s profile with the incoming line identification information, the subscriber'"'"'s profile list associated with the called telephone number and with at least one other communications address.

17. The method according to claim 10, wherein taking an action comprises storing the incoming line identification information of the calling telephone number in a subscriber'"'"'s blocked communications list.

18. The method according to claim 10, wherein receiving the call screening request comprises receiving at least one of a Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency, a softkey entry, and a data message.

19. A method, comprising:

receiving a telephone call from a calling telephone number to a called telephone number;

connecting the telephone call to the called telephone number;

receiving a call screening request from the called telephone number; and

playing an announcement to a communications address associated with the calling telephone number.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising terminating the telephone call.