Selective Unblocking of Caller ID Based on Security Level

• US 20100202601A1
• Filed: 04/19/2010
• Published: 08/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: FRANK, Edward H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,300,787 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/142.60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A system for selectively blocking and unblocking the sending of outgoing caller ID information from a communication device comprises a communication device, a processor coupled to the communication device and a storage medium coupled to the processor containing a directory of information entries. The information entries include both telephone numbers and associated security levels. When a call is placed to a number using the communication device, the processor seeks the number in the directory of the storage medium. If an entry is found for the number by the processor, caller ID information is prevented from being sent to the number unless a security level associated with the number is at or above a predefined cut-off level.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive a telephone number associated with an outbound call,

determine a match between the telephone number and a stored telephone number in a directory of stored telephone numbers, and

if a match is successful, block caller ID information from being transmitted with the outbound call unless a condition associated with the matching stored telephone number is satisfied.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a storage medium coupled to the processor, wherein the directory of stored telephone numbers is stored in the storage medium.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a hardware security module coupled to the storage medium, wherein the hardware security module is configured to store the directory of stored telephone numbers in the storage medium in an encrypted state.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a communication device coupled to the processor, wherein the outbound call is placed by the communication device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the communication device is a mobile phone, a wired phone or a personal digital assistant (PDA).

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a subscriber identity module coupled to the processor, wherein the directory of stored telephone numbers is stored in the subscriber identity module.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the caller ID information comprises a telephone number of a calling party.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the caller ID information comprises a telephone number of a calling party and a geographic location of the calling party.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

block caller ID information from being transmitted with the outbound call if a match is not determined.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the condition includes a requirement that at least one parameter associated with the matching stored telephone number be satisfied.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the condition includes a requirement that all parameters associated with the matching stored telephone number be satisfied.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the condition includes a requirement that a security level parameter associated with the matching stored telephone number satisfies a predefined cut-off level.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the condition is a null condition that has no requirements to be satisfied.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the condition is an entry of a PIN number.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the condition includes a requirement that a geographic position of the processor satisfy a predefined geographic location.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the condition includes a requirement that a geographic position of the processor satisfy a predefined geographic location and a time of the outbound call is within a certain time interval.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the condition includes a requirement that biometric data be satisfied.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the condition includes a requirement that proximity or use of an enabling device be satisfied.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured as a default setting to block caller ID information from being transmitted with the outbound call if the match between the telephone number and a stored telephone number is not successful.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured as a default setting to allow caller ID information to be transmitted with the outbound call if the match between the telephone number and a stored telephone number is not successful.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the caller ID information includes a telephone number associated with the processor.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the caller ID information includes location information associated with the processor.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the location information associated with the processor is received from a GPS device.

24. A method, comprising:

receiving a telephone number associated with an outbound call,

determining a match between the telephone number and a directory of stored telephone numbers, and

if the match is successful, blocking caller ID information from being transmitted with the outbound call unless a condition associated with the matching stored telephone number is satisfied.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

storing the directory of stored telephone numbers in a storage medium.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the storing the directory of stored telephone numbers includes using a hardware security module to store the directory of stored telephone numbers in an encrypted state in the storage medium.

27. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

placing the outbound call using a communication device.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the placing the outbound call using a communication device includes placing the outbound call using a mobile phone, a wired phone or a personal digital assistant (PDA).

29. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

storing the directory of stored telephone numbers in a subscriber identity module.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein the blocking the caller ID information includes blocking a telephone number of a calling party.

31. The method of claim 24, wherein the blocking the caller ID information includes blocking a telephone number of a calling party and a geographic location of the calling party.

32. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

blocking caller ID information from being transmitted with the outbound call if a match is not determined.

33. The method of claim 24, wherein the blocking the caller ID information unless a condition is satisfied includes blocking the caller ID information unless a requirement that at least one parameter associated with the matching stored telephone number is satisfied.

34. The method of claim 24, wherein the blocking the caller ID information unless a condition is satisfied includes blocking the caller ID information unless a requirement that all parameters associated with the matching stored telephone number are satisfied.

35. The method of claim 24, wherein the blocking the caller ID information unless a condition is satisfied includes blocking the caller ID information unless a requirement that a security level parameter associated with the matching stored telephone number meets a predefined cut-off level is satisfied.

36. The method of claim 24, wherein the blocking the caller ID information unless a condition is satisfied includes blocking the caller ID information when the condition is a null condition that has no requirements to be satisfied.

37. The method of claim 24, wherein the blocking the caller ID information unless a condition is satisfied includes blocking the caller ID information unless an entry of a PIN number is performed.

38. The method of claim 24, wherein the blocking the caller ID information unless a condition is satisfied includes blocking the caller ID information unless a requirement that a geographic position meets a predefined geographic location is satisfied.

39. The method of claim 24, wherein the blocking the caller ID information unless a condition is satisfied includes blocking the caller ID information unless a requirement that a geographic position meets a predefined geographic location and a time of the outbound call is within a certain time interval is satisfied.

40. The method of claim 24, wherein the blocking the caller ID information unless a condition is satisfied includes blocking the caller ID information unless a biometric data requirement is satisfied.

41. The method of claim 24, wherein the blocking the caller ID information unless a condition is satisfied includes blocking the caller ID information unless a requirement that proximity or use of an enabling device is satisfied.

42. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

if the match is not successful, blocking caller ID information from being transmitted with the outbound call as a default setting.

43. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

if the match is not successful, allowing caller ID information to be transmitted with the outbound call as a default setting.

44. The method of claim 24, wherein the blocking caller ID information includes blocking a telephone number associated with a processor that performs at least one of the steps of receiving, determining and blocking.

45. The method of claim 24, wherein the blocking caller ID information includes blocking location information associated with a processor that performs at least one of the steps of receiving, determining and blocking.

46. The method of claim 45, further comprising:

receiving the location information from a GPS device.