System and method for control of communications connections and notifications

• US 8,385,524 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2011
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gryphon Networks Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gryphon Networks Corporation
• Inventors: Fotta, Keith A., Boudrieau, Richard P.
• Primary Examiner(s): HONG, HARRY S
• Application Number:
  US13/187,943
• Publication Number:
  US 20110280386A1
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 370/230, 370/351, 370/352, 370/389, 370/400, 370/431, 379/188, 379196-200, 37920201-20601, 379/210.02, 379/210.03
• US Class Current: 379/196
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0227 Filtering policies mail message filtering H04L51/212
• 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

Abstract

A method and system for selectively establishing a communications connection between an origin and destination in a communications network based on one or mediations rules and one or more lists of prohibited and exempted destination identifiers either in real-time using a control unit or with a pre-check using an analysis unit while also providing notification messages associated with the allowed or designated allowed communications connections.

Claims

1. A control system for selectively establishing a communications connection between an origin and destination within a communications network, the communications connection being established by a connection unit that bridges a first connection with the origin and a second connection with the destination, the system comprising:

at least one list of prohibited destination identifiers;

at least one list of exempted destination identifiers;

a control unit to provide real-time control of the communications connection; and

the control unit configured to order the connection unit to establish the communications connection between the origin and destination based on one or more mediation rules and the lists of prohibited and exempted destination identifiers, wherein the control unit delivers one or more notification messages to any one or combination of the established connections.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the control unit delivers one or more notification messages to any one or combination of the origin and destination, the notification message is any one or combination of an audio recording, interactive voice response, human-initiated voice message, text message, electronic mail message, instant message, multimedia message, IP-based message, audio tone, sequence of audio tones, visual indicator, and graphical image.

3. A method of selectively establishing a communications connection between an origin and destination in a communications network, the communications connection being established by a connection unit that bridges a first connection with the origin and a second connection with the destination, the method comprising:

receiving or initiating a connection request for a communication connection between an origin and destination, the request including the destination identifier;

providing real-time control of the communications connection via a control unit;

establishing the requested communications connection based on one or more mediation rules and lists of prohibited and exempted destination identifiers; and

delivering one or

more notification messages to any one or combination of the established connections.

4. The method according to claim 3 further comprising delivering one or more notification messages to any one or combination of the origin and destination, the notification message is any one or combination of an audio recording, interactive voice response, human-initiated voice message, text message, electronic mail message, instant message, multimedia message, IP-based message, audio tone, sequence of audio tones, visual indicator, and graphical image.

5. An analysis and notification system for selectively designating whether communications connections between an origin and one or more destinations are allowed, the system comprising:

an interface unit that receives one or more proposed destination identifiers;

at least one list of prohibited destination identifiers;

at least one list of exempted destination identifiers;

a control unit to provide real-time control of the communications connection; and

an analysis unit that designates whether the communications connection between an origin and one or more proposed destinations are prohibited or allowed based on one or more mediation rules and the list of prohibited and exempted destination identifiers, the analysis unit providing one or more notification messages associated with one or more proposed communication connections.

6. The system according to claim 5 wherein the interface unit delivers a certified list of proposed destination identifiers to the analysis unit whereupon the analysis unit designates prohibited and allowed destination identifiers and sends a designation list to the interface unit.

7. The system according to claim 6 wherein the one or more notification messages are included in the designation list.

8. The system according to claim 5 wherein logs of allowed destination identifiers and associated notification messages are generated.

9. A method of selectively designating whether communications connections between an origin and one or more destinations in a communications network are allowed and providing notification information, the method comprising:

receiving one or more destination identifiers at an interface unit;

providing real-time control of the communications connection via a control unit;

designating whether the communications connections between the origin and one or more destinations are prohibited or allowed based on one or more mediation rules and lists of prohibited and exempted destination identifiers; and

providing by a notification unit one or more notification messages associated with one or more proposed communication connections.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the received destination identifiers are included within a certified list and the designated destination identifiers are included within a designated list.

11. The system according to claim 10 wherein the one or more notification messages are included in the designation list.

12. The system according to claim 9 wherein logs of allowed destination identifiers and associated notification messages are generated.