Method and apparatus for controlling calling-party identification

• US 7,995,727 B1
• Filed: 04/21/2006
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Wallace, Raymond Bruce, Chmara, Thomas P.
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US11/379,595
• Time in Patent Office: 1,936 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93.17, 379/93.23, 379/142.01, 379/142.04, 379/142.06, 379/142.09, 379/142.17, 379/245, 379/142.05, 370352-400
• US Class Current: 379/142.09
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier

Abstract

The present invention provides a system, method, and apparatus for managing the calling-party identification information offered to called parties. Accordingly, a caller can designate the Caller ID information to the called party based on the context of the call (e.g. the role of the caller) rather than the terminal used. Typically the calling party does this by selecting which of multiple values they wish to have sent with the call request. It is beneficial to implement such a mechanism in a secure manner—the ability to employ a different calling-number or calling-name ID should be restricted to properly-authorized and authenticated persons—in order to ensure the quality of this information. Accordingly, preferred embodiments include an authentication mechanism for verifying the calling party information is authentic.

Claims

1. A method of providing caller identification information (Caller ID) of a calling party associated with a first device to a called party associated with a second device, the first device and the second device being operationally connectable to a call server, the method comprising, at the call server:

sending to the first device, for selection at the first device, a set of more than one possible Caller IDs to be displayed on the first device, the set of more than one possible Caller IDs being based on an estimation of the likelihood of a Caller ID being selected;

receiving from the first device a selected Caller ID selected from the set of more than one possible Caller IDs; and

conveying the selected Caller ID to the second device.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the set of more than one possible Caller IDs represents multiple identities associated with the calling party.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the set of more than one possible Caller IDs represents multiple identities associated with the first device.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein conveying the selected Caller ID to the second device is preceded by authenticating the selected Caller ID, wherein the authenticating comprises receiving authentication information to establish the right of the calling party to use the selected Caller ID.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the authentication information is received from an administrative entity which has administrative control over the selected Caller ID.

6. The method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the authentication information is received from an administrative entity which has established trustworthiness to the called party.

7. The method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the first device is controlled by a first administrative entity, and the selected Caller ID is controlled by a second administrative entity.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the authenticating comprises the second administrative entity confirming the right of the calling party to use the selected Caller ID.

9. The method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the authentication information comprises an identifier of the first device, which has been pre-approved to use the selected Caller ID.

10. The method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the authentication information is received from a third administrative entity which has been granted the authority to authenticate.

11. The method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the authentication information comprises a user ID and password.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first device is controlled by a first administrative entity, and the selected Caller ID is controlled by a second administrative entity.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising authenticating the selected Caller ID prior to the conveying to establish the right of the calling party to use the selected Caller ID.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the call server includes a SIP proxy.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the estimation is based on presence information.

16. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the set of more than one possible Caller IDs includes only pre-authorized Caller IDs.

22. The method as claimed in claim 16 further comprising charging the calling party a fee.

17. A method of providing caller identification information (Caller ID) of a calling party associated with a first device to a called party associated with a second device, the first device and the second device being operationally connectable to a call server, the method comprising, at the call server:

sending to the first device, for selection at the first device, a set of more than one possible Caller IDs to be displayed on the first device, the set of more than one possible Caller IDs being based on an estimation of the likelihood of a Caller ID being selected;

receiving from the first device a selected Caller ID selected from the set of more than one possible caller IDs, the first device administered by a first domain, the Caller ID administered by a second domain;

authenticating the selected Caller ID; and

conveying the selected Caller ID to the second device.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the estimation is based on presence information.

19. A method of providing caller identification information (Caller ID) of a calling party associated with a first device to a called party associated with a second device, the first device and the second device being operationally connectable to a call server, the method comprising, at the call server:

sending to the first device, for selection at the first device, a set of more than one possible Caller IDs to be displayed on the first device, the set of more than one possible Caller IDs being based on an estimation of the likelihood of a Caller ID being selected;

receiving from the first device a selected Caller ID selected from the set of more than one possible caller IDs;

determining an administrative entity which can authenticate the selected Caller ID;

authenticating a permission of the calling party to use the selected Caller ID; and

conveying the selected Caller ID to the second device.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the estimation is based on presence information.

21. The method as claimed in claim 19 wherein the determining comprises determining the administrative entity from a plurality of possible administrative entities, based on the selected Caller ID.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein the estimation is based on presence information.

24. A call server comprising a controller and machine-readable medium tangibly embodying instructions for execution by a call server to carry out a method of providing caller identification information (Caller ID) of a calling party associated with a first device to a called party associated with a second device, the first device and the second device being operationally connectable to the call server, the method comprising, at the call server:

sending to the first device, for selection at the first device, a set of more than one possible Caller IDs to be displayed on the first device, the set of more than one possible Caller IDs being based on an estimation of the likelihood of a Caller ID being selected;

receiving from the first device a selected Caller ID selected from the more than one possible Caller IDs;

determining an administrative entity which can authenticate the selected Caller ID;

authenticating a permission of the calling party to use the selected Caller ID; and

conveying the selected Caller ID to the second device.

25. The call server of claim 24 wherein the estimation is based on presence information.

26. The call server as claimed in claim 24 wherein the set of more than one possible Caller IDs represents multiple identities associated with the calling party.

27. The call server as claimed in claim 24 wherein the set of more than one possible Caller IDs represents multiple identities associated with the first device.

28. The call server as claimed in claim 24 wherein authenticating includes receiving authentication information from an administrative entity which has administrative control over the selected caller ID.

29. The call server as claimed in claim 28 wherein the authentication information comprises an identifier of the first device, which has been pre-approved to use the selected Caller ID.

30. The call server as claimed in claim 28 wherein the authentication information comprises a user ID and password.

31. The call server as claimed in claim 24 wherein authenticating includes receiving authentication information from an administrative entity which has established trustworthiness to the called party.

32. The call server as claimed in claim 24 wherein the first device is controlled by a first administrative entity, and the selected Caller ID is controlled by a second administrative entity.

33. The call server as claimed in claim 32 wherein authenticating comprises receiving from the second administrative entity a confirmation of the right of the calling party to use the selected Caller ID.

34. The call server as claimed in claim 24 wherein authenticating includes receiving authentication information from an administrative entity which has been granted the authority to authenticate.

35. A computer program product embodied in a machine-readable medium tangibly embodying computer executable instructions for execution by a call server to carry out a method of providing caller identification information (Caller ID) of a calling party associated with a first device to a called party associated with a second device, the first device and the second device being operationally connectable to the call server, the method comprising, at the call server:

sending to the first device, for selection at the first device, a set of more than one possible Caller IDs to be displayed on the first device, the set of more than one possible Caller IDs being based on an estimation of the likelihood of a Caller ID being selected;

receiving from the first device a selected Caller ID selected from the more than one possible Caller IDs;

determining an administrative entity which can authenticate the selected Caller ID;

authenticating a permission of the calling party to use the selected Caller ID; and

conveying the selected Caller ID to the second device.

36. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein the estimation is based on presence information.

37. A computer program product embodied in a machine-readable medium tangibly embodying computer executable instructions for execution by a call server to carry out a method of providing caller identification information (Caller ID) of a calling party associated with a first device to a called party associated with a second device, the first device and the second device being operationally connectable to the call server, the method comprising, at the call server:

a. receiving an indication that the calling party desires to call a called party;

b. sending to the first device, for selection at the first device, a set of more than one possible Caller IDs to be displayed on the first device, the set of more than one possible Caller IDs being based on an estimation of the likelihood of a Caller ID being selected;

c. receiving from the first device, a selected Caller ID, selected from the more than one possible Caller IDs, as part of a call set up message.

38. The computer program product of claim 37 wherein the estimation is based on presence information.