System and method for blocking the use of a service in a telecommunication system

• US 8,805,350 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2011
• Issued: 08/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Ala-Luukko, Sami
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DANH C
• Application Number:
  US13/282,982
• Publication Number:
  US 20120046053A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,020 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/445, 455/466, 370/278
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0236 Filtering by address, protocol, port number or service, e.g. IP-address or URL
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0245 Filtering by information in the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/61 based on the service used
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/88 Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• 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 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 Subscriber identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/184 Messaging devices, e.g. message centre

Abstract

A method and system for controlling the use of a short message service in a telecommunication system that includes a telecommunication network, a terminal device by which a subscriber is connected to the network, a mobile services switching center connected to the network, a gateway connected to the network, a short message service center connected to the gateway, and a database (DB) connected to or associated with the gateway. A short message sent by an originating subscriber is checked as to whether the short message is among those deemed non-allowed. Forwardable short messages are directed to the gateway, from which the database is queried to determine whether the originating subscriber is permitted the short message to the intended recipient or, alternatively, whether the message should been blocked based on predetermined criteria.

Claims

1. A method of routing a message comprising:

receiving a short message from a first node at a second node, wherein the short message is forwarded from the first node to the second node only if the short message satisfies a first predetermined criterion and satisfies a checking condition based on monetary charges associated with a destination address of the short message;

comparing the short message to a second predetermined criterion to determine that a blocking condition is satisfied; and

blocking provision of the short message from the second node to a third node based on the satisfied blocking condition.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first predetermined criterion comprises an indication of whether a blocking service has been activated.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein a home location register node compares the short message to the first predetermined criterion.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first node receives an address of the second node from the home location register node.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second predetermined criterion is based at least in part on an origination address of the short message.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a notification message to an origination address of the short message that the provision of the short message from the second node to the third node is blocked.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the checking condition is further based on a predetermined set of destination addresses and a destination address of the short message.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the checking condition is further based on a predetermined word in a message text of the short message.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein a monetary charge is associated with the predetermined word.

10. A system for routing a message, the system comprising:

a database configured to store a first predetermined criterion; and

a second node in communication with the database, wherein the second node is configured to;

receive a short message from a first node, wherein the short message is forwarded from the first node to the second node only if the short message satisfies the first predetermined criteria and satisfies a checking condition based on monetary charges associated with a destination address of the short message;

compare the short message to a second predetermined criterion to determine that a blocking condition is satisfied; and

block provision of the short message from the second node to a third node based on the satisfied blocking condition.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the second node is further configured to send a notification message to an origination address of the short message that the provision of the short message from the second node to the third node is blocked.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the first predetermined criterion comprises an indication of whether a blocking service has been activated.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the second predetermined criterion is based at least in part on an origination address of the short message.

14. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause a computing device to:

receive a short message from a first node, wherein the short message is received from the first node only if the short message satisfies a first predetermined criterion and satisfies a checking condition based on monetary charges associated with a destination address of the short message;

compare the short message to a second predetermined criterion to determine that a blocking condition is satisfied; and

block provision of the short message to a second node based at least on the satisfied blocking condition.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the second predetermined criterion is based at least in part on an origination address of the short message.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the computer readable instructions further cause the computing device to send a notification message to an origination address of the short message that the provision of the short message from the second node to the third node is blocked.