Systems and methods for enforcing call restrictions between domains

• US 8,036,651 B1
• Filed: 05/19/2006
• Issued: 10/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nextel Communications (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Nextel Communications (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Sharma, Manish, Manroa, Arun
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng; George
• Assistant Examiner(s): TORRES, MARCOS L
• Application Number:
  US11/436,762
• Time in Patent Office: 1,971 Days
• Field of Search: 455/422.1, 4554561-457, 455/417, 455418-419, 455/565, 370/310, 370/328
• US Class Current: 455/422.1
• 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: 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: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Systems and methods for enforcing calling restrictions are provided. When a first and second communication station are located in different domains, calling restrictions for a first communication station can be based on a current geographic location of the second communication station. The calling restrictions can be enforced independent of an address/identifier of the first or second communication station. The calling restrictions can be based on the current geographic locations of the first and second communication stations and the allowed geographic area of the first communication station.

Claims

1. A method for enforcing call restrictions, the method comprising the acts of:

receiving a call request from a first communication station supported by a first domain for a second communication station supported by a second domain;

converting the call request from a format of the first domain into a format of the second domain;

determining at a first network element that the first communication station is subject to calling restrictions wherein the call request is allowed or denied according to the geographic location of the second communication station;

receiving the geographic location of the second communication station at the first network element when the first network element can determine the geographic location of the second communication station, and sending a message from the first network element to a second network element to determine the geographic location of the second communication station when the first network element cannot determine the geographic location of the second communication station; and

allowing the call by the first network element when the first network element can determine the geographic location of the second communication station and by the second network element when the second network element can determine the geographic location of the second communication station when the second communication station is located in a geographic area which is not restricted according to the calling restrictions of the first communication station.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein it is determined that the second communication station is supported by the second domain based on an identifier of the second communication station.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the call request is for a dispatch voice call, interconnect voice call or data call.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network element is a gateway of the first domain.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second network elements are network elements coupled between the first and second domains.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second network element is a gateway of the second domain.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second network element is a call processing element of the second domain.

8. A method for enforcing call restrictions, the method comprising the acts of:

receiving a call request at a first network element from a first communication station supported by a first domain for a second communication station supported by a second domain;

converting the call request from a format of the first domain into a format of the second domain;

determining an allowed geographic area for the first communication station at the first network element;

determining a current geographic location of the second communication station at the first network element or a second network element, wherein when the first network element cannot determine the geographic location of the second communication station the first network element sends a message to the second network element to determine the geographic location of the second communication station; and

denying the call request by the first network element when the first network element can determine the geographic location of the second communication station and by the second network element when the second network element can determine the geographic location of the second communication station when the current geographic location of the second communication station is not within the allowed geographic area for the first communication station.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the call request includes a calling restriction for the first communication station.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the calling restriction identifies the allowed geographic area for the first communication station.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein a determination that the second communication station is supported by the second domain is based on an identifier of the second communication station.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the call request is for a dispatch voice call, interconnect voice call or data call.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the first network element is a gateway of the first domain.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the first and second network elements are network elements coupled between the first and second domains.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the second network elements is a gateway of the second domain.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein the second network element is a call processing element of the second domain.