Selective call reject feature for a telephone

• US 8,351,590 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2007
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: MetroPCS Wireless Incorporated (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Guven, Mesut
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, QUYNH H
• Application Number:
  US11/834,786
• Publication Number:
  US 20090041222A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,981 Days
• Field of Search: 379/210.02, 379/211.01, 379/201.01, 379/207.15
• US Class Current: 379/210.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set

Abstract

A telephone includes first circuitry enabling communications with a telephone network. A call block list includes at least one user designated number. A call blocking logic module is implemented within the first circuitry and selectively blocks incoming calls to the telephone over the telephone network responsive to the at least one user designated number in the call block list.

Claims

1. A wireless telephone comprising:

first circuitry enabling communications with a wireless communications network;

a call block list including at least one user designated number, wherein the at least one user designated number of the call block list has at least one user designated call type indication associated therewith, the call type indication enabling blocking of either one of or each of a text message and voice call, wherein the at least one user designated telephone number in the call blocking list is downloaded to the call blocking list from a remote location; and

a call blocking logic module implemented within the first circuitry for selectively blocking incoming calls from the at least one user designated number of the user designated call type to the wireless telephone over the wireless communications network responsive to the at least one user designated number in the call block list and the call type indication associated with the user designated number and for selectively blocking outgoing calls from the wireless telephone to the at least one user designated number in the call block list of the user designated call type over the wireless communications network responsive to the at least one user designated number and the call type indication, wherein the call blocking logic module blocks incoming calls based upon a code in a presentation indicator field of an incoming call.

2. The wireless telephone of claim 1, wherein the call blocking logic module further provides the ability to block all incoming calls to the wireless telephone.

3. The wireless telephone of claim 1, wherein the call blocking logic module further provides the ability to block all outgoing calls from the wireless telephone.

4. The wireless telephone of claim 1, wherein the at least one user designated number of the call block list has a user designated time period associated therewith, the user designated time period defining a selected time period during a day the at least one designated number is selectively blocked.

5. The wireless telephone of claim 4, wherein the call blocking logic module further selectively activates blocking of incoming calls to the wireless telephone over the wireless communications network responsive to the at least one user designated number in the call block list and the user designated time period during the day.

6. The wireless telephone of claim 1, wherein the call blocking logic module enables a user to store a received call number as the at least one user designated number.

7. The wireless telephone of claim 1, wherein the call blocking logic module enables a user to enter a number to store as the at least one user designated number.

8. The wireless telephone of claim 1, wherein the call blocking logic module blocks incoming calls having a caller ID of the incoming call blocked from the telephone.

9. The wireless telephone of claim 1, wherein the at least one user designated number of the call block list is password protected.

10. The wireless telephone of claim 9, wherein the call blocking logic module further enables information associated with the at least one user designated number to be changed responsive to entry of the password.

11. A wireless telephone comprising:

first circuitry enabling communications with a wireless communications network;

a call block list including at least one user designated number, wherein the at least one user designated number of the call block list has at least one user designated call type indication associated therewith, the call type indication enabling blocking of any combination of and any one of a text message, an MMS message and a voice call, further wherein the at least one user designated number of the call block list has a user designated time period during a day associated therewith, the user designated time period defining a selected time period during the day that the at least one designated number type is selectively blocked, wherein the at least one telephone number, the at least one user designated call type and the user designated time in the call blocking list are downloaded to the call blocking list from a remote location; and

a call blocking logic module implemented within the first circuitry for selectively activating blocking of incoming calls to the user designated number of the designated call type to the wireless telephone over the wireless communications network responsive to the at least one user designated number in the call block list, the designated call type indication associated therewith and the user designated time period and for selectively blocking outgoing calls to the at least one user designated number in the call block list of the designated call type during the selected time period during the day responsive to the at least one user designated number and the call type indication, the at least one user designated call type associated therewith and the user designated time period, wherein the call blocking logic module blocks incoming calls based upon a code in a presentation indicator field of an incoming call.

12. The wireless telephone of claim 11, wherein the call blocking logic module further provides the ability to activate blocking of all incoming calls to the wireless telephone.

13. The wireless telephone of claim 11, wherein the call blocking logic module further provides the ability to activate blocking of all outgoing calls from the wireless telephone.

14. The wireless telephone of claim 11, wherein the call blocking logic module enables a user to store a received call number as the at least one user designated number.

15. The wireless telephone of claim 11, wherein the call blocking logic module enables a user to enter a number to store as the at least one user designated number.

16. The wireless telephone of claim 11, wherein the call blocking logic module blocks incoming calls having a caller ID of the incoming blocked from the wireless telephone.

17. The wireless telephone of claim 11, wherein the at least one user designated number of the call block list is password protected.

18. The wireless telephone of claim 17, wherein the call blocking logic module further enables information associated with the at least one user designated number to be changed responsive to entry of the password.

19. A method for selectively blocking calls associated with a wireless telephone connected to a wireless communications network, comprising the steps of:

defining a call block list including at least one user designated number and an associated call type indication indicating a text message or a voice call at the wireless telephone within the wireless telephone wherein the step of defining further comprises the step of downloading the at least one telephone number to the call blocking from a remote location;

selectively blocking incoming calls at the wireless telephone from the at least one user designated number of a selected call type based upon a code in a presentation indicator field of an incoming call responsive to the at least one user designated number in the call block list and the call type indication associated therewith, the call type indication enabling blocking of either one of or each of a text message and a voice call; and

selectively blocking outgoing calls from the wireless telephone to the at least one user designate number of the designated call type, responsive to the at least one user designated number and the call type indication enabling blocking of either one of or each of a text message and a voice call.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of defining further comprises the step of defining all incoming calls as the at least one user designated call.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of selectively blocking further comprises the step of selectively blocking all outgoing calls to the at least one user designated number.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of defining further comprises the step of designating a call type associated with the at least one user designated number.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the step of selectively blocking further comprises the step of selectively blocking incoming calls to the wireless telephone over the wireless telephone network responsive to the at least one user designated number in the call block list and the at least one user designated call type associated therewith.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of defining further comprises the step of designating a time period associated with the at least one user designated number, the user designated time period defining a selected period time the at least one designated number is selectively blocked.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of selectively blocking further comprises the step of selectively blocking incoming calls to the wireless telephone over the wireless communications network responsive to the at least one user designated number in the call block list and the user designated time period.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of defining further comprises the step of storing a received call number as the at least one user designated number.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of defining further comprises the step of entering a number to store as the at least one user designated number.

28. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of selectively blocking further includes the step of blocking incoming calls having a caller ID of the incoming call blocked from the wireless telephone.

29. The method of claim 19, further including the step of protecting the defined call block list using a password.