Video communication call authorization

• US 20060253895A1
• Filed: 03/29/2006
• Published: 11/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Glowpoint, Inc. (Oblong, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Glowpoint, Inc. (Oblong, Inc.)
• Inventors: Brandofino, Michael, Eriksson, Andreas
• Application Number:
  US11/391,673
• Publication Number:
  US 20060253895A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords
• 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

The disclosed systems and methods provide a centrally located call manger for authorizing calls from a caller to a recipient. In particular, the systems and methods relate to using a centralized store of authorization parameters relating to one or more appliances, callers, recipients, or content types. Packet-based communications between a caller and a recipient can be allowed or denied based on the stored authorization data.

Claims

1. A method for authorizing packet-based network calls, the method comprising:

receiving an authorization parameter associated with a caller endpoint;

storing the caller endpoint authorization parameter in a centralized database;

receiving a call request from the caller endpoint to initiate a call to a destination endpoint;

retrieving the caller endpoint authorization parameter from the database; and

determining if the caller endpoint is authorized to place a call to the destination endpoint based on the caller endpoint authorization parameter retrieved from the database.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the caller endpoint is not authorized to call the destination endpoint, determining an alternative destination endpoint based on a predefined alternative routing rule and initiating a call to the alternative destination endpoint.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the authorization parameter from an administrator.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the authorization parameter further comprises a wildcard defining a plurality of endpoints.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the authorization parameter defines one or more users.

6. The method of claim 1;

wherein the authorization parameter defines one or more types of content.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the authorization parameter defines one or more communication appliances.

8. A method for authorizing packet-based network calls, the method comprising:

receiving an authorization parameter associated with a destination endpoint;

storing the destination endpoint authorization parameter in a centralized database;

receiving a call request from a caller endpoint to initiate a call to the destination endpoint;

retrieving the destination endpoint authorization parameter from the database; and

determining if the destination endpoint is authorized to receive a call from the caller endpoint based on the destination endpoint authorization parameter retrieved from the database.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving an authorization parameter associated with the caller endpoint;

storing the authorization parameter in the database;

retrieving the caller endpoint authorization parameter from the database;

determining if the caller endpoint is authorized to place a call to the destination endpoint based on the caller endpoint authorization parameter retrieved from the database; and

establishing a packet-based communications session between the caller endpoint and destination endpoint only if the caller endpoint is authorized to place a call to the destination endpoint and the destination endpoint is authorized to receive a call from the caller endpoint.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the authorization parameter further comprises a wildcard defining a plurality of endpoints, a plurality of users, communication appliances, or types of content.

11. A system for authorizing packet-based network calls, the system comprising a call manager configured for:

receiving an authorization parameter associated with a caller endpoint;

storing the caller endpoint authorization parameter in a centralized database;

receiving a call request from the caller endpoint to initiate a call to a destination endpoint;

retrieving the caller endpoint authorization parameter from the database; and

determining if the caller endpoint is authorized to place a call to the destination endpoint based on the caller endpoint authorization parameter retrieved from the database.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein, the call manager is further configured for determining an alternative destination endpoint based on a predefined alternative routing rule and initiating a call to the alternative destination endpoint if the caller endpoint is not authorized to call the destination endpoint.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the call manager is configured for receiving authorization information from an administrator.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the authorization parameter further comprises a wildcard defining a plurality of endpoints.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the authorization parameter defines one or more users.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the authorization parameter defines one or more types of content.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the authorization parameter defines one or more communication appliances.

18. A machine-readable medium having program code stored thereon which, when executed by a machine, causes the machine to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving an authorization parameter associated with a caller endpoint;

storing the caller endpoint authorization parameter in a centralized database;

receiving a call request from the caller endpoint to initiate a call to a destination endpoint;

retrieving the caller endpoint authorization parameter from the database; and

determining if the caller endpoint is authorized to place a call to the destination endpoint based on the caller endpoint authorization parameter retrieved from the database.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 18, the method further comprising:

receiving an authorization parameter associated with a destination endpoint;

storing the destination endpoint authorization parameter in the database;

retrieving the destination endpoint authorization parameter from the database;

determining if the destination endpoint is authorized to receive a call from the caller endpoint based on the destination endpoint authorization parameter retrieved from the database; and

establishing a packet-based communications session between the caller endpoint and destination endpoint only of the caller endpoint is authorized to place a call to the destination endpoint and the destination endpoint is authorized to receive a call from the caller endpoint.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the authorization parameter further comprises a wildcard defining a plurality of endpoints, a plurality of users, communication appliances, or types of content.