Method and apparatus for selective silencing of telephone ringing

• US 9,167,088 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2013
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steve Cha
• Original Assignee: Steve Cha
• Inventors: Cha, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): Teshale, Akelaw
• Application Number:
  US13/740,555
• Publication Number:
  US 20140198903A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,009 Days
• Field of Search: 379/68, 379/88.1, 379/142.01, 379/142.04, 379/142.06, 379/142.09, 379/201.02, 379/210.02, 379/210.03, 379/211.01, 379/211.02, 379/88.12, 379/88.22, 379/142.05, 379/201.01, 379/207.03, 379/207.15, 379/207.16, 379/373.01, 379/373.02, 379/51, 379/67.1, 379/88.13, 379/88.16, 379/88.23, 455/413, 455/412.2, 455/415
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/247 Telephone sets including user guidance or feature selection means facilitating their use user interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/02 Calling substations, e.g. by ringing selective calling H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• 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: H04M 3/53308 Message originator indirectly connected to the message centre, e.g. after detection of busy or absent state of a called party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/537 Arrangements for indicating the presence of a recorded message , whereby the presence information might include a preview or summary of the message
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A system and method for a selective ring silencer that prevents people from having to listen to the telephone ring on and on with nuisance calls. The ringer silencer can be: (1) discretely constructed from a telephone, (2) part of a telecommunication device, or (3) part of a central telephone network construction. A receiver demodulates an incoming call. Control logic reads at least a portion of the called identification (CID) data and determines an action based on the reading. A switch in communication with the control logic is actuated to a first state that allows the communication data to be output from the ring silencer, and a second state that blocks the communication data from being output from the ring silencer to a user'"'"'s communication device. The control logic blocks toll-free area codes originated calls from ringing a user'"'"'s telephone, optionally forwarding the call to a voice mail module.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a receiver configured for receiving and demodulating an input communication signal and providing an output of data from a calling party;

a controller, in communication with the receiver, configured for reading at least a portion of the data output from the receiver and for determining an action based only on the read portion of the output data; and

a ringer in communication with the controller,

wherein the controller detects an identification of an incoming call from the calling party, and in response to detecting the identification of the incoming call, assigns priority based on a predefined scheme, wherein a higher priority call is forwarded to the electronic device, and a remainder is forwarded to voice mail without having the electronic device ring regardless of a time of receipt of the incoming call, and flashing a specific light or a message for indicating a reception of the voice mail from the remainder.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein, when the identification of the incoming call is one of a toll-free code, an out of area code, a private and a block, actuating the switch via the second state.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the controller is updated with additional area codes of toll-free area codes.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is wired or wireless phone.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a mobile phone or a cell phone.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the remainder forwarded to the voice mail without having the electronic device ring is stored for future blocking.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the controller detects at least the area code of the incoming call and assigns the priority based on the predefined priority scheme.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the controller is added with discrete telephone numbers corresponding to unwanted incoming numbers via a keypad or by flagging the unwanted incoming numbers for future blocking.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein a notification of incoming calls occurs on a television or a computer in a voice over IP protocol.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the ringer can be optionally shut off and provides an indication of the incoming call in a non-interrupting way.

11. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the ringer includes an audible means including vibration, a light indicator or any combination thereof.

12. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the voice mail is provided in the electronic device or by a telephone carrier.

13. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a television or a computer.

14. A method of providing a selective silencing in an electronic device, the method comprising:

demodulating an incoming call signal from a calling party;

detecting at least a portion of the incoming call signal to determine an identification of the incoming call signal from the calling party; and

in response to the determined identification of the incoming call, assigning a priority to the incoming signal based on a predefined scheme,

wherein a higher priority call is forwarded to the electronic device for communication, and a remainder is forwarded to voice mail without having the electronic device ring regardless of a time of receipt of the incoming call.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein, when the identification of the incoming call signal is one of a toll-free code, an out of area code, a private and a block.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising updating additional area codes of toll-free area codes.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the electronic device comprises one of a mobile phone, a cell phone, a television and a computer.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs comprising instructions which, when executed by an electronic device, cause the device to execute the method according to claim 14.

19. An electronic device for providing a selective silencing, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

demodulate an incoming call signal from a calling party;

detect at least a portion of the incoming call signal to determine an identification of the incoming call signal from the calling party; and

in response to the determined identification of the incoming call, assign a priority to the incoming signal based on a predefined scheme,

wherein a higher priority call is forwarded to the electronic device for communication, and a remainder is forwarded to voice mail without having the electronic device ring regardless of a time of receipt of the incoming call.