Methods and systems for blocking unwanted communications

• US 8,958,782 B1
• Filed: 07/03/2014
• Issued: 02/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CallWave Communications, LLC
• Original Assignee: CallWave Communications, LLC
• Inventors: Kirchhoff, Leland W., Kelley, Colin D., Trandal, David S., Hofstatter, David F.
• Primary Examiner(s): KIM, WESLEY LEO
• Application Number:
  US14/323,762
• Time in Patent Office: 229 Days
• Field of Search: 455/415, 455/417, 455/445, 455/565, 379/210.02, 379/210.03, 379/211.01
• US Class Current: 455/415
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27453 Directories allowing storage of additional subscriber data, e.g. metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2011 Service processing based on information specified by a party before or during a call, e.g. information, tone or routing selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/60 logging of communication history, e.g. outgoing or incoming calls, missed calls, messages or URLs logging of telephone numbers H04M1/56, H04M1/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• 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: H04M 3/4365 based on information specified by the calling party, e.g. priority or subject
• 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 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

Methods and systems are described for processing call blocking instructions and for managing mobile messaging. A method of processing call blocking instructions is described. A call processing system receives a call from a caller intended for a first user. A notification regarding the call is transmitted to a mobile device associated with the first user. A message from the user is received via the mobile device, wherein the message is a text or multimedia type message. At least partly in response to the message, the caller is placed on a blacklist indicating that future calls from the caller to the user are to be blocked.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

at least one computing device comprising hardware;

non-transitory memory coupled to the at least one computing device that stores instructions that when executed by the at least one computing device cause, at least in part, the system to perform operations comprising;

receiving a plurality of calls directed to a phone address associated with a user;

displaying, via a user interface, a list of call records corresponding to the plurality of calls directed to the phone address associated with the user;

determining that the user has selected a blocking instruction, provided to the user via the user interface, in association with a call record from the list of call records;

at least partly in response to the determination that the user has selected the blocking instruction, recording in memory an indication that future communications, of at least a first type and a second type, from a caller corresponding to the user-selected call record from the list of call records are to be blocked; and

enabling at least one communication of the first type or the second type from the caller corresponding to the user-selected call record to be blocked in accordance with the selected blocking instruction.

2. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the non-transitory memory stores instructions that when executed by the at least one computing device cause, at least in part, the system to perform operations comprising:

receiving a text message directed to the user from a sender wherein a text message address of the received text message corresponds to a text message address contained in a text message address field of the user-selected contact record, which includes a phone address of the caller;

based at least in part on the text message address of the received text message, accessing at least the blocking instruction; and

blocking a display of the received text message to the user.

3. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the list of call records comprises answered and not answered calls.

4. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the first type of future communication comprises a phone call.

5. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the second type of future communication comprises a text message.

6. The system as defined in claim 1, the operations further comprising:

receiving via the user interface a selection by the user of an unblocking instruction in association with a contact record;

receiving an inbound call directed to the phone address associated with the user wherein a phone address of the inbound call corresponds to a stored phone address contained in a phone address field of the contact record; and

determining that the inbound call directed to the phone address associated with the user is to be connected to the user.

7. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the displayed list of call records includes a call from a private phone address.

8. The system as defined in claim 1, the operations further comprising:

enabling the user via the user interface to display a list of currently blocked callers, blocked text message senders, or blocked callers and blocked text message senders.

9. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a computer system comprising hardware, a plurality of calls directed to a phone address associated with a user;

displaying, via a user interface, a list of call records corresponding to the plurality of calls directed to the phone address associated with the user;

determining that the user has selected a blocking instruction, provided to the user via the user interface, in association with a call record from the list of call records; and

at least partly in response to the determination that the user has selected the blocking instruction, recording in memory an indication that future communications, of at least a first type and a second type, from a caller corresponding to the user-selected call record from the list of call records are to be blocked; and

enabling at least one communication of the first type or the second type from the caller corresponding to the user-selected call record to be blocked in accordance with the selected blocking instruction.

10. The method as defined in claim 9, the method further comprising:

receiving a text message directed to the user from a sender wherein a text message address of the received text message corresponds to a text message address contained in a text message address field of the user-selected contact record, which includes a phone address of the caller;

based at least in part on the text message address of the received text message, accessing at least the blocking instruction; and

blocking a display of the received text message to the user.

11. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein the list of call records comprises answered and not answered calls.

12. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein the first type of future communication comprises a phone call.

13. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein the second type of future communication comprises a text message.

14. The method as defined in claim 9, the method further comprising:

receiving via the user interface a selection by the user of an unblocking instruction in association with a contact record;

receiving an inbound call directed to the phone address associated with the user wherein a phone address of the inbound call corresponds to a stored phone address contained in a phone address field of the contact record; and

determining that the inbound call directed to the phone address associated with the user is to be connected to the user.

15. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein the displayed list of call records includes a call from a private phone address.

16. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein the computer system comprises a mobile computing device associated with the user.

17. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein the computer system comprises a network-connected computing server.

18. The method as defined in claim 9, the method further comprising:

enabling the user via the user interface to display a list of currently blocked callers, blocked text message senders, or blocked callers and blocked text message senders.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions that when executed by a processor perform operations comprising:

receiving a plurality of calls directed to a phone address associated with a user;

displaying, via a user interface, a list of call records corresponding to the plurality of calls directed to the phone address associated with the user;

determining that the user has selected a blocking instruction, provided to the user via the user interface, in association with a call record from the list of call records;

at least partly in response to the determination that the user has selected the blocking instruction, recording in memory an indication that future communications, of at least a first type and a second type, from a caller corresponding to the user-selected call record from the list of call records are to be blocked; and

enabling at least one communication of the first type or the second type from the caller corresponding to the user-selected call record to be blocked in accordance with the selected blocking instruction.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, the operations further comprising:

receiving a text message directed to the user from a sender wherein a text message address of the received text message corresponds to a text message address contained in a text message address field of the user-selected contact record, which includes a phone address of the caller;

based at least in part on the text message address of the received text message, accessing at least the blocking instruction; and

blocking, by at least one computing device comprising hardware, a display of the received text message to the user.