Method and apparatus for executing a call blocking function

• US 8,107,459 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2005
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RingCentral Incorporated
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Croak, Marian, Eslambolchi, Hossein
• Primary Examiner(s): Goins, Davetta W
• Assistant Examiner(s): ISLAM, MOHAMMAD K
• Application Number:
  US11/263,277
• Time in Patent Office: 2,283 Days
• Field of Search: 370352-356
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1079 of unsolicited session attempts, e.g. SPIT
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/47 Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/56 for VoIP communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/88 Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/888 severing connection after predetermined time or data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2218 Call detail recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• 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 7/0078 Security; Fraud detection; Fraud prevention

Abstract

A method and apparatus for executing a call blocking function in a communications network is described. In one embodiment, monitoring data is received from at least one network component in the communications network. The monitoring data is then analyzed to determine a fraudulent index that is associated with at least one endpoint device number. In the event the fraudulent index exceeds a predefined threshold level, a call blocking function is executed on the at least one endpoint device number.

Claims

1. A method for executing a call blocking function in a communications network, comprising:

receiving monitoring data from a plurality of network components in the communications network, wherein the monitoring data comprises call detail records;

analyzing the monitoring data to determine a fraudulent index associated with a destination telephone number, wherein the fraudulent index is representative of a likelihood of fraudulent activity for a predefined time period, wherein the destination telephone number comprises a number that causes a caller to be charged for a duration of a call when the number is called; and

executing the call blocking function on the destination telephone number if the fraudulent index exceeds a predefined threshold level.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communications network comprises an internet protocol network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the internet protocol network comprises a service over internet protocol network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyzing comprises:

determining whether a fraud value for the fraudulent index obtained from the monitoring data exceeds the predefined threshold level.

5. An apparatus for executing a call blocking function in a communications network, comprising:

an application server configured to;

receive monitoring data from a plurality of network components in the communications network, wherein the monitoring data comprises call detail records;

analyze the monitoring data to determine a fraudulent index associated with a destination telephone number, wherein the fraudulent index is representative of a likelihood of fraudulent activity for a predefined time period, wherein the destination telephone number comprises a number that causes a caller to be charged for a duration of a call when the number is called; and

execute the call blocking function on the destination telephone number if the fraudulent index exceeds a predefined threshold level.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the communications network comprises an internet protocol network.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the internet protocol network comprises a service over internet protocol network.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the application server is configured to analyze the monitoring data by determining whether a fraud value for the fraudulent index obtained from the monitoring data exceeds the predefined threshold level.

9. A computer readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions including instructions which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform a method for executing a call blocking function in a communications network, comprising:

receiving monitoring data from a plurality of network components in the communications network;

analyzing the monitoring data to determine a fraudulent index associated with a destination telephone number, wherein the fraudulent index is representative of a likelihood of fraudulent activity for a predefined time period, wherein the destination telephone number comprises a number that causes a caller to be charged for a duration of a call when the number is called; and

executing the call blocking function on the destination telephone number if the fraudulent index exceeds a predefined threshold level.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the communications network comprises an internet protocol network.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the internet protocol network comprises a service over internet protocol network.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the analyzing comprises:

determining whether a fraud value for the fraudulent index obtained from the monitoring data exceeds the predefined threshold level.