Systems and methods for selective filtering of inbound mobile communications

• US 8,868,046 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2014
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Regina M. Fernicola
• Original Assignee: Regina M. Fernicola
• Inventors: Fernicola, Regina M.
• Primary Examiner(s): HOANG, THAI D
• Application Number:
  US14/147,307
• Publication Number:
  US 20140192684A1
• Time in Patent Office: 291 Days
• Field of Search: 455/466, 455566-567, 455415-416, 455419-420, 4554122-413, 379/201.12, 379/211.01
• US Class Current: 455/413
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services

Abstract

Various implementations of the disclosed technology relate to selectively filtering inbound communications. An example implementation may send filtered incoming calls directly to an alternate voicemail account based on a list of pre-approved contacts. Moreover, a user notification may not be provided at the time of receiving the incoming call. In another implementation, a response message indicating a user status may automatically be sent back to the sender of the inbound communication. In some implementations, selective filtering of inbound communications may be activated manually by a user, or automatically at a scheduled time, or responsive to a mobile device entering a threshold distance of a location. Discrete logs may be kept for each of selective filtered and allowed inbound communications.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a mobile computing device, a contact whitelist comprising a first one or more contacts, each contact of the first one or more contacts associated with one or more identifiers;

activating an operating mode of the mobile computing device, the operating mode for filtering inbound communications to the mobile computing device based on the contact whitelist;

receiving, at the mobile computing device, a first inbound communication comprising a first phone call;

responsive to determining that a first identifier associated with the first inbound communication does not correspond to an identifier associated with any of the one or more contacts of the contact whitelist, filtering the first inbound communication including directing the first phone call to a first voicemail account associated with the mobile computing device without providing user notification of the first inbound communication at a time of receipt of the first inbound communication;

receiving, at the mobile computing device, a second inbound communication comprising a second phone call; and

responsive to determining that a second identifier associated with the second inbound communication corresponds to an identifier associated with at least one of the one or more contacts in the contact whitelist, allowing the second inbound communication including directing the second phone call to a second voicemail account associated with the mobile computing device;

wherein the first identifier and second identifier are different identifiers associated with a same sender.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein filtering the first inbound communication is further responsive to the determining that the first inbound communication comprises a first predetermined type of communication.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising unlocking functionality for activating the operating mode, responsive to receiving an indication of a first user gesture at the mobile computing device, the activating of the operating mode responsive to receiving an indication of a second user gesture at the mobile computing device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the operating mode is activated automatically at a scheduled time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the operating mode is activated automatically responsive to determining the mobile computing device is substantially proximate to a predetermined location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the operating mode is scheduled to automatically deactivate after a predetermined amount of time.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising deactivating one or more user notification functionalities of the mobile computing device responsive to activating the operating mode.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically sending an outbound communication to a destination corresponding to an identifier associated with the first inbound communication, responsive to the determining that the identifier associated with the first inbound communication does not correspond.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving, at a mobile computing device, a contact whitelist comprising a first one or more contacts, each contact associated with one or more identifiers;

activating an operating mode of the mobile computing device, the operating mode for filtering inbound communications to the mobile computing device based on the contact whitelist;

receiving, at the mobile computing device, a first inbound communication;

responsive to determining that a first identifier associated with the first inbound communication does not correspond to an identifier associated with any of the one or more contacts in the contact whitelist, filtering the first inbound communication including directing the first phone call to a first voicemail account associated with the mobile computing device without providing user notification of the first inbound communication at a time of receipt of the first inbound communication;

receiving, at the mobile computing device, a second inbound communication; and

responsive to determining that a second identifier associated with the second inbound communication corresponds to an identifier associated with at least one of the one or more contacts in the contact whitelist, allowing the second inbound communication including directing the second phone call to a second voicemail account associated with the mobile computing device;

wherein the first identifier and second identifier are different identifiers associated with a same sender.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the operating mode is deactivated automatically at a scheduled time.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the operating mode is deactivated automatically, responsive to determining the mobile computing device is within a threshold distance of a predetermined location.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the operating mode is scheduled to automatically activate after a predetermined amount of time.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, the method further comprising maintaining discrete logs of filtered and allowed inbound communications.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the first inbound communication comprises a text message, and filtering the first inbound communication comprises logging the text message without providing user notification at the time of receipt of the text message.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, the method further comprising activating one or more user notification capabilities of the mobile computing device responsive to deactivating the operating mode.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, the method further comprising automatically forwarding the first inbound communication to a predetermined destination responsive to the determining that an identifier associated with the first inbound communication does not correspond.