Communication control system using telephone directory management system of mobile phone

• US 20020019225A1
• Filed: 08/07/2001
• Published: 02/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Miyashita, Shigehiro
• Application Number:
  US09/922,739
• Publication Number:
  US 20020019225A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/412.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4555 Directories for electronic mail or instant messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42178 by downloading data to substation equipment
• 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 3/4931 Directory assistance systems

Abstract

A communication control system including a directory server which include a storage unit and a communication control unit. The storage unit stores a replica of directory data of records, each of which includes data of a counter communication end. The communication control unit refers to the directory data replica to determine whether or not a connection of a communication request from the counter communication end to the mobile phone is permitted, in response to a connection confirmation request which is generated in response to the communication request, and transmits a response indicative permission or non-permission of the connection of the communication request to the mobile phone.

Claims

1. A communication control system comprising a directory server which comprises:

a storage unit which stores a replica of directory data of records, each of which includes data of a counter communication end; and

a communication control unit which refers to said directory data replica to determine whether or not a connection of a communication request from said counter communication end to a mobile phone is permitted, in response to a connection confirmation request which is generated in response to said communication request, and transmits a response indicative permission or non-permission of the connection of said communication request to said mobile phone.

2. The communication control system according to claim 1, wherein said mobile phone comprises:

a storage unit which stores said directory data of records, each of which contains at least one of a name, phone number and e-mail address of said counter communication end;

an operation section which generates an upload instruction in response to an operation by a user of said mobile phone; and

a transmitting section which transmits said directory data to said directory server in response to said upload instruction such that said directory data is stored as a part of said directory data replica in said directory server.

3. The communication control system according to claim 2, wherein a group of ones of the records has an edit flag,

said mobile phone further comprises:

an editing section which edits the group of records of said directory data in response to an operation by the user, and sets said edit flag, and

said transmitting section transmits the records of the groups with the set edit flags of said directory data to said directory server in response to said upload instruction such that said directory data of records with the set edit flags is stored as the part of said directory data replica in said directory server.

4. The communication control system according to claim 3, wherein the number of records in each group is one.

5. The communication control system according to claim 1, wherein said mobile phone comprises:

a storage unit;

an operation section which generates a download instruction in response to an operation by a user of said mobile phone;

a transmitting section which transmits said download instruction to said directory server; and

a receiving section which receives as said directory data, a part of said directory data replica of records which are read out from said storage unit of said directory server in response to said download instruction, wherein each of the records contains at least one of a name, phone number and e-mail address of said counter communication end.

6. The communication control system according to claim 1, wherein said communication request is a phone call, and each of the records includes said phone number of said counter communication end and further includes a non-permission flag set when said mobile phone should not be connected to said counter communication end and reset when said mobile phone should be connected to said counter communication end,

said communication control system further comprises:

a switching apparatus which generates said connection confirmation request to said directory server in response to said phone call, and connects said phone call to said mobile phone when receiving the permission response, and discards said phone call to said mobile phone when receiving the non-permission response, and

wherein said directory server refers to said directory data replica to determine whether said non-permission flag corresponding to said phone number of said counter communication end is set or reset, transmits said permission response to said switching apparatus when said non-permission flag is reset, and transmits said non-permission response to said switching apparatus when said non-permission flag is set.

7. The communication control system according to claim 1, wherein said communication request is an e-mail, and each of the records includes said e-mail address of said counter communication end and further includes a non-permission flag set when said e-mail should not be delivered to said mobile phone and reset when said e-mail should be delivered to said mobile phone,

said communication control system further comprises:

a mail server which generates said connection confirmation request to said directory server in response to said e-mail, and delivers said e-mail to said mobile phone when receiving the permission response, and discards said e-mail to said mobile phone when receiving the non-permission response, and

wherein said directory server refers to said directory data replica to determine whether said non-permission flag corresponding to said e-mail address of said counter communication end is set or reset, transmits said permission response to said mail server when said non-permission flag is reset, and transmits said non-permission response to said mail server when said non-permission flag is set.

11. The mobile phone according to claim 5, wherein said operation section generates a download instruction in response to an operation by a user of said mobile phone, and said transmitting section transmits said download instruction to said external unit, and

said mobile phone further comprises:

a receiving section which receives said directory data from said external unit in response to said download instruction.

13. The directory managing system according to claim 12, wherein a group of ones of the records has an edit flag,

said mobile phone further comprises:

an editing section which edits the group of records of said directory data in response to an operation by the user, and sets said edit flag, and

said transmitting section transmits the records of the groups with the set edit flags of said directory data to said directory server in response to said upload instruction such that said directory data of records with the set edit flags is stored as the part of said directory data replica in said directory server.

14. The directory managing system according to claim 13, wherein the number of records in each group is one.

15. The directory managing system according to claim 12, wherein said operation section generates a download instruction in response to an operation by a user of said mobile phone, and said transmitting section transmits said download instruction to said directory server, and

said mobile phone further comprises:

a receiving section which receives as said directory data, a part of said directory data replica of records which are read out from said storage unit of said directory server in response to said download instruction, wherein each of the records contains at least one of a name, phone number and e-mail address of said counter communication end.

17. The communication control method according to claim 16, wherein each of records of directory data contains at least one of a name, phone number and e-mail address of said counter communication end, and

said communication control method further comprises the steps of:

generating an upload instruction in response to an operation by a user of said mobile phone; and

transmitting said directory data as a part of said directory data replica in response to said upload instruction.

18. The communication control method according to claim 17, wherein a group of ones of the records has an edit flag,

said communication control method further comprises the steps of:

editing the group of records of said directory data in response to an operation by the user;

setting said edit flag; and

transmitting the records of the groups with the set edit flags of said directory data as the part of said directory data replica in response to said upload instruction.

19. The communication control method according to claim 18, wherein the number of records in each group is one.

20. The communication control method according to claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

generating a download instruction in response to an operation by a user of said mobile phone; and

holding a part of said directory data replica of records as said directory data.

21. The communication control method according to claim 16, wherein said communication request is a phone call, and each of the records includes said phone number of said counter communication end and further includes a non-permission flag set when said mobile phone should not be connected to said counter communication end and reset when said mobile phone should be connected to said counter communication end,

said (a) generating step comprises the step of:

generating said connection confirmation request in response to said phone call,

said (b) referring step comprises the steps of;

referring to said directory data replica to determine whether said non-permission flag corresponding to said phone number of said counter communication end is set or reset,

said (c) transmitting step comprises the steps of;

generating said permission response when said non-permission flag is reset;

connecting said phone call to said mobile phone in response to said permission response;

generating said non-permission response to said switching apparatus when said non-permission flag is set; and

discarding said phone call to said mobile phone in response to said non-permission response.

22. The communication control method according to claim 16, wherein said communication request is an e-mail, and each of the records includes said e-mail address of said counter communication end and further includes a non-permission flag set when said e-mail should not be delivered to said mobile phone and reset when said e-mail should be delivered to said mobile phone,

said (a) generating step comprises the step of:

generating said connection confirmation request in response to said e-mail,

said (b) referring step comprises the step of;

referring to said directory data replica to determine whether said non-permission flag corresponding to said e-mail address of said counter communication end is set or reset,

said (c) transmitting step comprises the steps of;

generating said permission response when said non-permission flag is reset;

delivering said e-mail to said mobile phone in response to said permission response;

generating said non-permission response when said non-permission flag is set; and

discarding said e-mail to said mobile phone in response to said non-permission response.

8. A mobile phone comprises:

a storage unit which stores directory data of records, each of which contains at least one of a name, phone number and e-mail address of a counter communication end;

an operation section which generates an upload instruction in response to an operation by a user of said mobile phone; and

a transmitting section which transmits said directory data to an external unit in response to said upload instruction.

9. The mobile phone according to claim 8, wherein a group of ones of the records has an edit flag,

said mobile phone further comprises:

an editing section which edits the group of records of said directory data in response to an operation by the user, and sets said edit flag, and

said transmitting section transmits the records of the groups with the set edit flags of said directory data to said directory server in response to said upload instruction such that said directory data of records with the set edit flags is stored as the part of said directory data replica in said directory server.

10. The mobile phone according to claim 9, wherein the number of records in each group is one.

12. A directory managing system comprises:

a directory server which stores a replica of directory data; and

a mobile phone which comprises;

a storage unit which stores said directory data of records, each of which contains at least one of a name, phone number and e-mail address of said counter communication end;

an operation section which generates an upload instruction in response to an operation by a user of said mobile phone; and

a transmitting section which transmits said directory data to said directory server in response to said upload instruction such that said directory data is stored as a part of said directory data replica in said directory server.

16. A communication control method comprising the steps of:

(a) generating a connection confirmation request in response to a communication request;

(b) referring to a directory data replica to determine whether or not a connection of a communication request from said counter communication end to said mobile phone is permitted, each of records of said directory data replica including data of a counter communication end; and

(c) transmitting a response indicative permission or non-permission of the connection of said communication request to said mobile phone based on whether or not the connection of said communication request from said counter communication end to said mobile phone is permitted.