Performing human client verification over a voice interface

• US 9,020,117 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2008
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Caceres, Barry Mark, Pamdeth, Jessica Lynne
• Primary Examiner(s): ZENATI, AMAL S
• Application Number:
  US12/342,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20100158233A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,317 Days
• Field of Search: 379/207.02
• US Class Current: 379/201.02
• 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

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for managing telephone calls. Upon completion of a telephone call, a telephone services subscriber is provided with a post-call interface. The post call interface allows the subscriber to define how future telephone calls from the caller are to be managed. Instructions are received from the subscriber through the post-call interface. The instructions pertain to the management of future telephone calls from the caller. The received instructions are saved.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for managing telephone calls, the method comprising:

upon completion of a telephone call, automatically providing a post-call interface to a telephone services subscriber, the post call interface allowing the subscriber to define how future telephone calls from the caller are to be managed;

receiving instructions from the subscriber through the post-call interface, the instructions pertaining to the management of future telephone calls from the caller, wherein future calls from the caller are to be managed without providing a specific password or passwords to the caller; and

saving the received instructions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the post-call interface is provided as a web page.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the post-call interface is provided at least in part as a touch-tone interface that can be accessed through a subscriber'"'"'s telephone.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the post-call interface is provided in response to the subscriber remaining on the line upon completion of the telephone call.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the post-call interface is provided as an automated callback service from the subscriber'"'"'s telephone services provider.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the post-call interface is provided in response to the subscriber dialing a special sequence of numbers on the subscriber'"'"'s telephone.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving instructions from the subscriber includes one of:

receiving instructions to add the caller to a list of denied telephone calls, receiving instructions to add the caller to a list of allowed telephone calls, receiving instructions to play one or more challenge questions to the caller before future telephone calls from the caller are passed through to the subscriber'"'"'s telephone, receiving instructions to direct the caller to voicemail, receiving instructions to direct the caller to a different telephone number, and receiving instructions to leave a particular message to the caller.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

defining one or more challenge questions that are variable based on one or more of the following;

a specific day, a specific time of day, a location of the caller, an authorization level, and a status indication by the subscriber.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

specifying whether the one or more challenge questions should be answered by one or more of;

at least one tone-dialed numeric response by a human caller, and at least one voice response by a human caller.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

configuring an allowed number of attempts for the caller to respond to the one or more challenge questions; and

configuring a handling of failed responses received from the caller.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is a server-implemented method at a telecommunications provider'"'"'s device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is a client-implemented method at a subscriber'"'"'s device.

13. A non-transitory computer program product for managing telephone calls, the computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer usable program code embodied therewith, the computer usable program code comprising;

computer usable program code configured to upon completion of a telephone call, automatically provide a post-call interface to a telephone services subscriber, the post call interface allowing the subscriber to define how future telephone calls from the caller are to be managed;

computer usable program code configured to receive instructions from the subscriber through the post-call interface, the instructions pertaining to the management of future telephone calls from the caller, wherein future calls from the caller are to be managed without providing a specific password or passwords to the caller; and

computer usable program code configured to save the received instructions.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the post-call interface is provided as one or more of:

a web page and a touch-tone interface that can be accessed through a subscriber'"'"'s telephone.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein receiving instructions from the subscriber includes one of:

receiving instructions to add the caller to a list of denied telephone calls, receiving instructions to add the caller to a list of allowed telephone calls, receiving instructions to play one or more challenge questions to the caller before future telephone calls from the caller are passed through to the subscriber'"'"'s telephone, receiving instructions to direct the caller to voicemail, receiving instructions to direct the caller to a different telephone number, and receiving instructions to leave a particular message to the caller.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising:

computer usable program code configured to define one or more challenge questions that are variable based on one or more of the following;

a specific day, a specific time of day, a location of the caller, an authorization level, and a status indication by the subscriber.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising:

computer usable program code configured to specify whether the one or more challenge questions should be answered by one or more of;

at least one tone-dialed numeric response by a human caller, and at least one voice response by a human caller.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising:

computer usable program code configured to configure an allowed number of attempts for the caller to respond to the one or more challenge questions; and

computer usable program code configured to configure a handling of failed responses received from the caller.

19. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the computer program product is a server-implemented computer program product at a telecommunications provider'"'"'s device.

20. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the computer program product is a client-implemented computer program product at a subscriber'"'"'s device.