Apparatus and method of location based telecommunication authorization

• US 7,840,226 B1
• Filed: 12/29/2009
• Issued: 11/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Concert Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Grandios Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Walsh, Richard J., Issa, Benjamin Ferid, Issa, Alfredo C.
• Primary Examiner(s): CAI, WAYNE HUU
• Application Number:
  US12/648,417
• Time in Patent Office: 329 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-4564, 455/404.2, 455/414.2, 455/433, 455/435.1, 455/457, 379/8, 379 9302- 9303, 379/142.02, 37914205-14206, 379/201.01, 379/201.02, 37920106-20107, 379/207.12, 37921002-21003, 379/142.1
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• 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: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

An apparatus and method directed to automated call screening, and specifically the utilization of location history of a call recipient to determine call authorization, are provided. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, a computer readable medium embodied in an article of manufacture is encoded with instructions for directing a processor to receive a request from a first device to communicate with a second device. The processor is further directed to determine at least one location associated with the first device, determine an authorization for the request based at least in part upon the at least one location associated with the first device and at least one prior location of the second device, and transmit the request to the second device in accordance with the authorization.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a communication interface and a controller associated with the communication interface and configured to;

receive a request from a first device to communicate with a second device;

determine at least one location associated with the first device;

determine an authorization for the request based at least in part upon the at least one location associated with the first device and at least one prior location of the second device; and

transmit the request to the second device in accordance with the authorization, wherein the at least one location associated with the first device comprises a present location, wherein determining the authorization comprises comparing the present location of the first device to the at least one prior location of the second device and wherein determining the authorization comprises applying at least one rule to the least one location associated with the first device and the at least one prior location of the second device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one rule is defined by a user of the second device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one rule is generated from the at least one location associated with the first device and the at least one prior location of the second device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein determining the authorization comprises comparing the at least one location associated with the first device to the at least one prior location of the second device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein determining the authorization comprises comparing the at least one location associated with the first device to at least one prior location of a third device associated with the second device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein determining the authorization comprises determining a proximity between the at least one location associated with the first device and the at least one prior location of the second device.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein determining the at least one location associated with the first device comprises transmitting a request for additional information to the first device and receiving the additional information from the first device.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processor is further directed to transmit a request status to the second device prior to transmitting the request to the second device.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the processor is further directed to receive an authorization for the request from the second device.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processor is further directed to store information related to the authorization in an audit trail.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the processor is further directed to transmit the information related to the authorization to the first device.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first device and the second device is a mobile device.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the mobile device is selected from a group consisting of a cell phone, a personal digital assistant, and a voice communication enabled computer.

14. A method comprising:

receiving a request from a first device to communicate with a second device;

determining at least one location associated with the first device;

determining an authorization for the request based at least in part upon the at least one location associated with the first device and at least one prior location of the second device; and

transmitting the request to the second device in accordance with the authorization, wherein the at least one location associated with the first device comprises a present location, wherein determining the authorization comprises comparing the present location of the first device to the at least one prior location of the second device and wherein determining the authorization comprises applying at least one rule to the least one location associated with the first device and the at least one prior location of the second device.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein determining the authorization comprises comparing the at least one location associated with the first device to at least one prior location of a third device associated with the second device.

16. A non-transistory computer readable medium embodied in an article of manufacture encoded with instructions for directing a processor to:

receive a request from a first device to communicate with a second device;

determine at least one location associated with the first device;

determine an authorization for the request based at least in part upon the at least one location associated with the first device and at least one prior location of the second device; and

transmit the request to the second device in accordance with the authorization, wherein the at least one location associated with the first device comprises a present location, wherein determining the authorization comprises comparing the present location of the first device to the at least one prior location of the second device and wherein determining the authorization comprises applying at least one rule to the least one location associated with the first device and the at least one prior location of the second device.