Call blocking based on the network access type for the called party

• US 8,126,131 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2005
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Florkey, Cynthia K., Gayde, Ruth S., Halsell, Victoria M., Hunter, Karla R., Lou, E-Ling
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Hemant
• Application Number:
  US11/153,182
• Publication Number:
  US 20070003049A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,449 Days
• Field of Search: 370351-356, 370259-271, 379/201.01, 379/207.02, 379/210.02, 379/210.03, 379/211.01, 379/220.01, 379/221.02, 379/221.08, 379/221.14, 379/221.15, 379/225, 379/243, 455/414.1, 455/417, 709201-207, 709243-244, 709217-232, 348 1401- 1416
• US Class Current: 379/210.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• 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 communication network and method are disclosed that block calls from a calling party based on the network access type of a called party. The communication network of the invention includes a permission system, an access system, and a call control system. Based on a call from a calling party to a called party, the permission system identifies permissions associated with the calling party. The access system identifies a network access type for the called party, such as wireless, circuit-based, etc. The call control element determines if the network access type for the called party is permitted by the calling party based on the permissions associated with the calling party. If the network access type for the called party is not permitted by the calling party, then the call control system releases the call.

Claims

1. A communication network operable to receive a call from a calling party to a called party, the communication network comprising:

a permission system operable to identify permissions associated with the calling party that indicate access network types that are permitted by the calling party in terminating calls to called parties;

an access system operable to identify an access network type for the called party, wherein the access network type indicates a service used by the called party to access the communication network; and

a call control system operable to determine if the access network type for the called party is permitted by the calling party for the call based on the permissions associated with the calling party, and to attempt to connect the call to the called party if the access network type for the called party is permitted by the calling party.

2. The communication network of claim 1 wherein the call control system is operable to release the call if the access network type for the called party is not permitted by the calling party.

3. The communication network of claim 1 wherein the access network type comprises one of wireless or circuit-based.

4. The communication network of claim 1 wherein the access network type comprises one of a plurality of service providers.

5. The communication network of claim 1 further comprising:

a subscriber database operable to store the permissions associated with the calling party.

6. The communication network of claim 5 wherein the permission system is operable to query the subscriber database to identify the permissions associated with the calling party.

7. The communication network of claim 1 wherein the access system is operable to query a terminating node in the communication network that serves the called party to identify the access network type for the called party.

8. The communication network of claim 1 further comprising:

an external access type database operable to store access type information for the called party.

9. The communication network of claim 8 wherein the access system is operable to transmit a query to the external access type database, and to identify the access network type of the called party based on a response from the external access type database.

10. The communication network of claim 8 wherein the access type information originates from a local exchange routing guide (LERG).

11. A method comprising:

receiving a call from a calling party to a called party;

identifying permissions associated with the calling party that indicate access network types that are permitted by the calling party in terminating calls to called parties;

identifying an access network type for the called party, wherein the access network type indicates a service used by the called party to access the communication network;

determining if the access network type for the called party is permitted by the calling party for the call based on the permissions associated with the calling party; and

attempting to connect the call to the called party if the access network type for the called party is permitted by the calling party.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

releasing the call if the access network type for the called party is not permitted by the calling party.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the access network type comprises one of wireless or circuit-based.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the access network type comprises one of a plurality of service providers.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

storing the permissions associated with the calling party in a subscriber database.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein identifying permissions associated with the calling party comprises:

querying the subscriber database to identify the permissions associated with the calling party.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein identifying an access network type for the called party comprises:

querying a terminating node in the communication network that serves the called party to identify the access network type for the called party.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

storing access type information in an external access type database.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein identifying an access network type for the called party comprises:

transmitting a query to the external access type database; and

identifying the access network type of the called party based on a response from the external access type database.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the access type information originates from a local exchange routing guide (LERG).