System and method for control of communications connections and notifications

• US 20050226221A1
• Filed: 12/23/2004
• Published: 10/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gryphon Networks Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gryphon Networks Corporation
• Inventors: Fotta, Keith A., Boudrieau, Richard P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,005,200 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0227 Filtering policies mail message filtering H04L51/212
• 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

A method and system for selectively establishing a communications connection between an origin and destination in a communications network based on one or mediations rules and one or more lists of prohibited and exempted destination identifiers either in real-time using a control unit or with a pre-check using an analysis unit while also providing notification messages associated with the allowed or designated allowed communications connections.

Claims

1. A control system for selectively establishing a communications connection between an origin and destination within a communications network, the communications connection being established by a connection unit that bridges a first connection with the origin with a second connection with the destination, the system comprising:

at least one list of prohibited destination identifiers;

at least one list of exempted destination identifiers; and

a control unit that orders the connection unit to establish the communications connection between the origin and destination based on one or more mediation rules and the lists of prohibited and exempted destination identifiers.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the control unit delivers one or more notification messages to any one or combination of the origin and destination.

3. The system according to claim 2 wherein one or more notification messages are delivered to the origin from the connection unit using the first connection at any one or combination of the time before the communications are established with the destination, during established communications with the destination, and after communications have ended with the destination.

4. The system according to claim 2 wherein one or more notification messages are delivered to the destination from the connection unit using the second connection at any one or combination of the time before the communications are established with the origin, during established communications with the origin, and after communications have ended with the origin.

5. The system according to claim 2 wherein the notification message is any one or combination of an audio recording, interactive voice response, human-initiated voice message, text message, electronic mail message, instant message, multimedia message, IP-based message, audio tone, sequence of audio tones, visual indicator, and graphical image.

6. The system according to claim 2 wherein at least one notification message indicates an exemption determined by the mediation rules and at least one list of exempted destination identifiers.

7. The system according to claim 2 wherein at least one notification message requests information from any one or combination of the origin and destination.

8. The system according to claim 2 wherein at least one notification message includes information derived from any one of or combination of client-specific requirements, origin agent-specific requirements, and destination user-specific requirements.

9. The system according to claim 2 wherein the notification message is delivered in-band through the connection unit.

10. The system according to claim 2 wherein the notification message is delivered out-of-band.

11. A method of selectively establishing a communications connection between an origin and destination in a communications network, the communications connection being established by a connection unit that bridges a first connection with the origin with a second connection with the destination, the method comprising:

receiving or initiating a connection request for a communication connection between an origin and destination, the request including the destination identifier;

establishing the requested communications connection based on one or more mediation rules and lists of prohibited and exempted destination identifiers.

12. The method according to claim 11 further comprising delivering one or more notification messages to any one or combination of the origin and destination.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein one or more notification messages are delivered to the origin from the connection unit using the first connection at any one or combination of the time before the communications are established with the destination, during established communications with the destination, and after communications have ended with the destination.

14. The method according to claim 12 wherein one or more notification messages are delivered to the destination from the connection unit using the second connection at any one or combination of the time before the communications are established with the origin, during established communications with the origin, and after communications have ended with the origin.

15. The method according to claim 12 wherein the notification message is any one or combination of an audio recording, interactive voice response, human-initiated voice message, text message, electronic mail message, instant message, multimedia message, IP-based message, audio tone, sequence of audio tones, visual indicator, and graphical image.

16. The method according to claim 12 wherein at least one notification message indicates an exemption determined by the mediation rules and at least one list of exempted destination identifiers.

17. The method according to claim 12 wherein at least one notification message requests information from any one or combination of the origin and destination.

18. The method according to claim 12 wherein at least one notification message includes information derived from any one of or combination of client-specific requirements, origin agent-specific requirements, and destination user-specific requirements.

19. The method according to claim 12 wherein the notification message is delivered in-band through the connection unit.

20. The method according to claim 12 wherein the notification message is delivered out-of-band.

21. An analysis and notification system for selectively designating whether communications connections between an origin and one or more destinations are allowed, the system comprising:

an interface unit that receives one or more proposed destination identifiers;

at least one list of prohibited destination identifiers;

at least one list of exempted destination identifiers; and

an analysis unit that designates whether the communication connection between an origin and one or more proposed destinations are prohibited or allowed based on one or more mediation rules and the list of prohibited and exempted destination identifiers, the analysis unit providing one or more notification messages associated with one or more proposed communication connections.

22. The system according to claim 21 wherein the interface unit delivers a certified list of proposed destination identifiers to the analysis unit whereupon the analysis unit designates prohibited and allowed destination identifiers and sends a designation list to the interface unit.

23. The system according to claim 22 wherein the one or more notification messages are included in the designation list.

24. The system according to claim 21 wherein logs of allowed destination identifiers and associated notification messages are generated.

25. A method of selectively designating whether communications connections between an origin and one or more destinations in a communications network are allowed and providing notification information, the method comprising:

receiving one or more destination identifiers;

designating whether the communications connections between the origin and one or more destinations are prohibited or allowed based on one or more mediation rules and lists of prohibited and exempted destination identifiers; and

providing one or more notification messages associated with one or more proposed communication connections.

26. The method according to claim 25 wherein the received destination identifiers are included within a certified list and the designated destination identifiers are included within a designated list.

27. The system according to claim 26 wherein the one or more notification messages are included in the designation list.

28. The system according to claim 25 wherein logs of allowed destination identifiers and associated notification messages are generated.

29. A notification system for delivering messages to an origin and destination of a communications connection in a communications network, the system comprising:

a connection unit that establishes a first connection with the origin and a second connection with the destination, the connection unit bridging the first and second connections to establish a communications connection between the origin and destination; and

a notification unit that delivers at least one notification message to any one or combination of the origin and destination.

30. The system according to claim 29 wherein one or more notification messages are delivered to the origin from the connection unit using the first connection at any one or combination of the time before the communications are established with the destination, during established communications with the destination, and after communications have ended with the destination.

31. The system according to claim 29 wherein one or more notification messages are delivered to the destination from the connection unit using the second connection at any one or combination of the time before the communications are established with the origin, during established communications with the origin, and after communications have ended with the origin.

32. The system according to claim 29 wherein at least one notification message originates from the notification unit, a relationship management system, a control unit, and other information system.

33. The system according to claim 29 wherein the notification message is any one or combination of an audio recording, interactive voice response, human-initiated voice message, text message, electronic mail message, instant message, multimedia message, IP-based message, audio tone, sequence of audio tones, visual indicator, and graphical image.

34. The system according to claim 29 wherein at least one notification message requests information from any one or combination of the origin and destination.

35. The system according to claim 34 wherein the information is derived from any one of or combination of client-specific requirements, origin agent-specific requirements, and destination user-specific requirements.

36. The system according to claim 29 wherein the notification message is delivered in-band through the connection unit.

37. The system according to claim 29 wherein the notification message is delivered out-of-band.