E911 call blocking for non-initialized wireless telephones

• US 8,116,722 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2008
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: Dickinson, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOLLIDAY, JAIME MICHELE
• Application Number:
  US12/216,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20090011750A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,323 Days
• Field of Search: 455/417, 455/445
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2281 Call monitoring, e.g. for law enforcement purposes; Call tracing; Detection or prevention of malicious calls
• 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: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

Calls from a phone identified as being a source of harassing or other undesirable phone calls are blocked at a mobile positioning center (MPC). Upon request by the PSAP, a call record detail can be obtained from the MPC revealing a simulated “callback phone number” as well as a unique number identifier of the phone, such as an ESN or MEID. The MPC then intercepts all future incoming calls from phones with that unique identifier number and routes them to a recording that advises the harasser that the phone has been identified as a harasser and is now blocked. The recording can also advise the caller how to restore service. In a preferred embodiment, the MPC sets a timer to automatically restore service after a designated length of time.

Claims

1. A method of blocking an undesirable emergency voice call from being routed to an intended phone device, comprising:

associating a simulated callback phone number with a unique phone device identifier number and an undesirable emergency voice call;

querying a mobile positioning center (MPC) for routing instructions for said undesirable emergency voice call, said mobile positioning center (MPC) being distinct and remote from a mobile switching center (MSC);

comparing said simulated callback phone number and said unique phone device identifier number with a known list of phone devices to be blocked; and

if a match is made by said comparing, blocking routing at said mobile positioning center (MPC) of said undesirable emergency voice call to said intended phone device, by said MPC sending routing instructions including a routing number of a pre-recorded announcement element.

2. The method of blocking an undesirable emergency voice call from being routed to an intended phone device according to claim 1, wherein:

said undesirable emergency call is a 911 call.

3. The method of blocking an undesirable emergency voice call from being routed to an intended phone device according to claim 1, wherein:

said designated recipient is a public safety answering point (PSAP).

4. The method of blocking an undesirable emergency voice call from being routed to an intended phone device according to claim 1, wherein:

said simulated callback phone number is a 10-digit number.

5. The method of blocking an undesirable emergency voice call from being routed to an intended phone device according to claim 4, wherein said 10-digit simulated callback phone number comprises:

“

911”

plus 7 digits corresponding to the electronic serial number (ESN) of the phone sending said undesirable emergency call.

6. The method of blocking an undesirable emergency voice call from being routed to an intended phone device according to claim 5, wherein:

said 7 digits are the last 7 digits of said ESN.

7. Apparatus for blocking an undesirable emergency voice call from being routed to an intended phone device, comprising:

means for associating a simulated callback phone number with a unique phone device identifier number and an undesirable emergency voice call;

means for querying a mobile positioning center (MPC) for routing instructions for said undesirable emergency voice call, said mobile positioning center (MPC) being distinct and remote from a mobile switching center (MSC);

means for comparing said simulated callback phone number and said unique phone device identifier number with a known list of phone devices to be blocked; and

means for blocking routing at said mobile positioning center (MPC) of said undesirable emergency voice call to said intended phone device if a match is made by said means for comparing, by said MPC sending routing instructions including a routing number of a pre-recorded announcement element.

8. The apparatus for blocking an undesirable emergency voice call from being routed to an intended phone device according to claim 7, wherein:

said undesirable emergency call is a 911 call.

9. The apparatus for blocking an undesirable emergency voice call from being routed to an intended phone device according to claim 7, wherein:

said intended phone is a public safety answering point (PSAP).

10. The apparatus for blocking an undesirable emergency voice call from being routed to an intended phone device according to claim 7, wherein:

said simulated callback phone number is a 10-digit number.

11. The apparatus for blocking an undesirable emergency voice call from being routed to an intended phone device according to claim 10, wherein said 10-digit simulated callback phone number comprises:

“

911”

plus 7 digits corresponding to an electronic serial number (ESN) of a sending phone device of said undesirable emergency call.

12. The apparatus for blocking an undesirable emergency voice call from being routed to an intended phone device according to claim 11, wherein:

said 7 digits are the last 7 digits of said ESN.

13. Apparatus for blocking an undesirable wireless emergency voice call from being routed, comprising:

a blocked phone list maintained in electronic storage by a mobile positioning center (MPC) that is distinct and remote from a mobile switching center (MSC), said blocked phone list comprising a unique phone device identifier;

a module to compare a callback number associated with a received, at said mobile positioning center (MPC), query for routing instructions to unique identifier phone device numbers in said blocked phone list; and

if a match is made between said callback number and said unique identifier phone device number in said blocked phone list, blocking routing at said mobile positioning center (MPC) of an undesirable wireless emergency call to an intended destination phone device, by said MPC sending routing instructions including a routing number of a pre-recorded announcement element.

14. The apparatus for blocking an undesirable wireless emergency voice call from being routed according to claim 13, further comprising:

if said match is made, providing routing to a predesignated recorded message instructing a calling device of a reason for blocking routing of said undesirable wireless emergency voice call.

15. The apparatus for blocking an undesirable wireless emergency voice call from being routed according to claim 13, further comprising:

a timer to automatically purge entries from said blocked phone number list after a predetermined amount of time.

16. Apparatus for blocking an undesirable wireless emergency voice call from being routed, comprising:

a blocked phone list maintained in electronic storage by a mobile positioning center (MPC) that is distinct and remote from a mobile switching center (MSC), said blocked phone list comprising a unique phone device identifier;

means for comparing a callback number associated with a received, at said mobile positioning center (MPC), query for routing instructions to unique phone device identifier numbers in said blocked phone list; and

means for blocking routing, at said mobile positioning center (MPC), of said undesirable wireless emergency voice call to an intended destination phone device if a match is made between said callback number and said unique phone device identifier number in said blocked phone list, by said MPC sending routing instructions including a routing number of a pre-recorded announcement element.

17. The apparatus for blocking an undesirable wireless emergency voice call from being routed according to claim 16, further comprising:

means for providing routing, to a predesignated recorded message instructing a calling device of a reason for blocking routing of, said undesirable wireless emergency voice call if said match is made.

18. The apparatus for blocking an undesirable wireless emergency voice call from being routed according to claim 16, further comprising:

means for automatically purging entries from said blocked phone list after a predetermined amount of time.