Wireless communication device with call screening

• US 20040198361A1
• Filed: 04/02/2003
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Wireless Services Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Amin, Umesh J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,177,631 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• 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 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor

Abstract

A cellular telephone maintains a screening list of calling party numbers, and specifies call handling therefor. A mobile switching center is responsive to selected types of the specified call handling. The call handling can depend on whether the call is local or non-local, which is affected by the location of the cellular telephone. The call handling can also depend on the time at which the call is made. A subscriber updates his or her screening list via personal computer, and transmits via a communication network the updated screening list to a message center which sends the updated screening list to the cellular telephone via wireless communication. A calling party number can be specified as a wildcard.

Claims

1-29. -29. (Canceled)

30. A computer-readable medium on which is stored a screening list that defines functional and structural interrelationships with computer hardware and software for call handling, wherein the screening list comprises one or more records, each of the one or more records comprising:

a calling party number field value; and

plural call handling field values including a local call handling field value and a non-local call handling field value, wherein the calling party number field value is functionally interrelated with call handling according to the plural call handling field values.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 30 wherein at least one of the one or more records further comprises a calling party name field value.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 30 wherein at least one of the one or more records further comprises a calling party location field value.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 30 wherein at least one of the one or more records includes a boolean not operator.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 30 wherein, for at least one of the one or more records, one or more of the plural call handling field values specifies handling according to one or more of day and time of day.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 30 wherein, for at least one of the one or more records, at least one digit in the calling party number field value is specified with a wildcard symbol, thereby indicating a range of calling party numbers.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 30 wherein at least one of the plural call handling field values indicates handling by a subscriber on a call-by-call basis.

37. A wireless communication device including the computer-readable medium of claim 30.

38. A mobile switching center including the computer-readable medium of claim 30.

39. A network element including the computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the network element operates in conjunction with a home location register.

40. A message center including the computer-readable medium of claim 30.

41. The computer-readable medium of claim 30 wherein the call handling includes plural options, and wherein the plural options include accept, deny, forward to another telephone number, and forward to voice mail.

42. A computer-implemented method of call handling comprising:

receiving a call from a calling party having a calling party number, wherein a screening list includes a record with call handling associated with the calling party number;

if the call handling associated with the calling party number indicates handling of the call on a call-by-call basis by a subscriber,

displaying with a cellular telephone information about the calling party to the subscriber; and

receiving with the cellular telephone call handling instructions from the subscriber;

if the call handling associated with the calling party number indicates handling of the call on an automatic basis without subscriber intervention, retrieving pre-determined call handling instructions; and

directing handling of the call.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein the displayed information includes the calling party number.

44. The method of claim 42 wherein the displayed information includes call forwarding options.

45. The method of claim 42 wherein the call handling associated with the calling party number specifies handling according to one or more of day and time of day.

46. The method of claim 42 wherein the call handling associated with the calling party number specifies different handling for local calls and non-local calls.

47. A computer-readable medium on which is stored a screening list that defines functional and structural interrelationships with computer hardware and software for call handling, wherein the screening list comprises one or more records, each of the one or more records comprising:

a calling party number field value, wherein, for at least one of the one or more records, at least one digit in the calling party number field value is specified with a wildcard symbol, thereby indicating a range of calling party numbers; and

one or more call handling field values, wherein the calling party number field value is functionally interrelated with call handling according to the one or more call handling field values.

48. The computer-readable medium of claim 47 wherein the one or more call handling field values include a local call handling field value and a non-local call handling field value.

49. The computer-readable medium of claim 47 wherein at least one of the one or more records further comprises a calling party location field value.

50. The computer-readable medium of claim 47 wherein at least one of the one or more records includes a boolean not operator.

51. The computer-readable medium of claim 47 wherein, for at least one of the one or more records, at least one of the one or more call handling field values specifies handling according to one or more of day and time of day.

52. The computer-readable medium of claim 47 wherein at least one of the one or more call handling field values indicates handling by a subscriber on a call-by-call basis.

53. A wireless communication device including the computer-readable medium of claim 47.

54. A mobile switching center including the computer-readable medium of claim 47.

55. A network element including the computer-readable medium of claim 47, wherein the network element operates in conjunction with a home location register.

56. A message center including the computer-readable medium of claim 47.

57. The computer-readable medium of claim 47 wherein the call handling includes plural options, and wherein the plural options include accept, deny, forward to another telephone number, and forward to voice mail.