CA2255344C - Marking and screening telephone calls - Google Patents
Marking and screening telephone calls Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2255344C CA2255344C CA002255344A CA2255344A CA2255344C CA 2255344 C CA2255344 C CA 2255344C CA 002255344 A CA002255344 A CA 002255344A CA 2255344 A CA2255344 A CA 2255344A CA 2255344 C CA2255344 C CA 2255344C
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- Prior art keywords
- called party
- call
- calls
- specified category
- party
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Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
- H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
- H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
- H04M3/436—Arrangements for screening incoming calls, i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
- H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
- H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
- H04M3/50—Centralised arrangements for answering calls; Centralised arrangements for recording messages for absent or busy subscribers ; Centralised arrangements for recording messages
- H04M3/51—Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention, e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
- H04M3/5158—Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention, e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing in combination with automated outdialling systems
Abstract
A system and method that controls calls, such as telephone solicitations, by a calling party to a called party. A switch receives a call from the calling party and marks the call to identify it as a telephone solicitation. Such marking can be performed in various ways, such as altering a forward call indicator of an IAM message if the switch is using an ISUP procedure, or providing a station type with information digits used in multi-frequency signaling. After the call has been marked, it can then be identified by a switch serving the called party as a telephone solicitation. Once identified, the switch then analyzes a profile for the called party and determines how to complete the call. For example, if the profile indicates that the called party does not want to receive telephone solicitations, the call will not be completed to the called party, but instead will receive alternate treatment.
Description
Attorney Docket No. RR-2299 This paper and fee are being deposited with the United States Postal Service Express Mail service on:
DATE OF DEPOS{T: !)P stl L4CL~ EXPRESS MAIL LABEL NO.: E L~
1VIARxING AND SCREENING TELEPHONE CALLS
Technical Field The invention relates generally to signaling techniques in a telecommunication system and, more particularly, to a systerp and method for marking calls and allowing a called party to control receipt of the calls.
Background of the Invention Telephone solicitations, especially those that are not based on a prior relationship, or "cold calls", are often very time consuming and inefficient for both the calling and the called party. With respect to the calling party, or telemarketer, a great deal of time is wasted on unproductive phone calls, such as to called parties that are not at home or who are not receptive to such calls. With respect to the called party, or potential consumer, undesired solicitations can be an annoyance, especially at certain times of the day or night.
Typically, the attempted efforts to alleviate the above described problems have been directed to the potential consumer. In particular, the efforts have been centered around the calling parties identification number (CLID). For example, many local exchange companies provide an "anonymous call blocking" service which blocks calls with anonymous CLID's. However, this service has several problems. For one, it may block too many calls, such as calls from out-of-state pay phones and the like. For another, many telemarketers buy telecommunication lines that have no CLID. The anonymous call blocking service does not block these calls.
...._.~..____ Attorney Docket No. RR-2299 Summary of the Invention The foregoing problems are solved and a technical advance is achieved by a system and method that controls calls, such as telephone "-solicitations, by a calling party to a called party. In one embodiment, a switch receives a call from the calling party and marks the call to identify it as a telephone solicitation. Such marking can be performed in various ways, such as altering a forward call indicator of an IAM message if the switch is using an ISUP procedure, or providing a station type with information cfigits used in multi-frequency signaling.
After the call has been marked, it can then be identified by a switch serving the called party as a telephone solicitation. In some cases, the same switch that marks the call also identifies the call. Once identified, the switch then analyzes a profile for the called party and determines how to complete the call. For example, if the profile indicates that the called party does not want to receive telephone solicitations, the call will not be completed to the called party, but instead will receive alternate treatment.
An advantage achieved with the present invention is that the calling party does not waste any time calling parties who are unreceptive to such calls.
Another advantage achieved with the present invention is that the called party is not inconvenienced with unwanted calls at times when they are not desired, but can receive such calls at other predetermined times.
Brief Description of the Drawing Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a telecommunication system.
Fig. 2 is a flow chart of a method for use in the telecommunication system of Fig. 1.
DATE OF DEPOS{T: !)P stl L4CL~ EXPRESS MAIL LABEL NO.: E L~
1VIARxING AND SCREENING TELEPHONE CALLS
Technical Field The invention relates generally to signaling techniques in a telecommunication system and, more particularly, to a systerp and method for marking calls and allowing a called party to control receipt of the calls.
Background of the Invention Telephone solicitations, especially those that are not based on a prior relationship, or "cold calls", are often very time consuming and inefficient for both the calling and the called party. With respect to the calling party, or telemarketer, a great deal of time is wasted on unproductive phone calls, such as to called parties that are not at home or who are not receptive to such calls. With respect to the called party, or potential consumer, undesired solicitations can be an annoyance, especially at certain times of the day or night.
Typically, the attempted efforts to alleviate the above described problems have been directed to the potential consumer. In particular, the efforts have been centered around the calling parties identification number (CLID). For example, many local exchange companies provide an "anonymous call blocking" service which blocks calls with anonymous CLID's. However, this service has several problems. For one, it may block too many calls, such as calls from out-of-state pay phones and the like. For another, many telemarketers buy telecommunication lines that have no CLID. The anonymous call blocking service does not block these calls.
...._.~..____ Attorney Docket No. RR-2299 Summary of the Invention The foregoing problems are solved and a technical advance is achieved by a system and method that controls calls, such as telephone "-solicitations, by a calling party to a called party. In one embodiment, a switch receives a call from the calling party and marks the call to identify it as a telephone solicitation. Such marking can be performed in various ways, such as altering a forward call indicator of an IAM message if the switch is using an ISUP procedure, or providing a station type with information cfigits used in multi-frequency signaling.
After the call has been marked, it can then be identified by a switch serving the called party as a telephone solicitation. In some cases, the same switch that marks the call also identifies the call. Once identified, the switch then analyzes a profile for the called party and determines how to complete the call. For example, if the profile indicates that the called party does not want to receive telephone solicitations, the call will not be completed to the called party, but instead will receive alternate treatment.
An advantage achieved with the present invention is that the calling party does not waste any time calling parties who are unreceptive to such calls.
Another advantage achieved with the present invention is that the called party is not inconvenienced with unwanted calls at times when they are not desired, but can receive such calls at other predetermined times.
Brief Description of the Drawing Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a telecommunication system.
Fig. 2 is a flow chart of a method for use in the telecommunication system of Fig. 1.
Attorney Docket No. RR-2299 Description of the Preferred Embodiment Referring to Fig. 1, the reference numeral 10 designates a simplified public switched telephone network ("PSTN") that allows a calling party 12 ~-to communicate with a called party 14. For the sake of example, the communication between the calling party 12 and called party 14 will be voice communications, although electronic, facsimile, and other types of communications are equally applicable. Furthermore, wireless networks or combination wired/wireless networks include similar functionality for purposes of the present example and therefore can readily implement the present invention.
The calling party 12 is connected to an originating switch 16 and the called party 14 is connected to a terminating switch 18. In continuance of the example, the switches 16, 18 are local exchange carriers, but may alternatively be any private branch exchange, central office or network switch capable of performing the method steps described below.
Furthermore, switches 16 and 18 do not necessarily have to be the same type of switches.
The switches 16, 18 communicate using a standard protocol, such as signaling system 7("SS7"). It will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that other types of communication protocol may alternatively be used to accomplish the method described below.
The calling party 12 is a telemarketer in a dedicated telemarketing facility (not shown). There are several ways to identify dedicated telemarketing facilities. For example, if a line 20 connecting the calling party 12 to the originating switch 16 is an "out-only" line, e.g., the line has an incoming line restriction, it is most likely a line used for telemarketing.
However, to avoid confusion with other out-only lines, such as are used with pay telephones, a preferred embodiment would have the calling party 12 notify the originating switch 16 that it is a telemarketer. This notification can be done by many ways: it may be mandated, such as by governmental Attorney Docket No. RR-2299 regulation; it may be required by the owner of the originating switch before service is provided; or it may be retroactively determined by previous complaints from other called parties (not shown).
Once the originating switch 16 is aware that the calling party 12 is a telemarketer, all future calls are marked accordingly. There are several potential ways in which to mark the call. Continuing the present example in which the SS7 protocol is used, an initial address message ("IAM"), which is part of an integrated services digital network user part ("ISUP") procedure for setting up the connection between the calling party 12 and called party 14, includes a series of forward call indicators and a calling party station type indicator. Either or both of these indicators of the IAM
can be used by the originating switch 16 to mark the call so that other switches in the PSTN 10, including the terminating switch 18, can determine that the calling party 12 is a telemarketer.
If, however, the originating switch 16 does not facilitate ISUP
procedures, but instead uses another communication protocol, the originating switch 16 can still mark calls indicating that the calling party 12 is a telemarketer. For example, if the originating switch 16 uses multi-frequency signaling, the switch already sends out information digits indicating a station type such as a hotel, a pay telephone, a prison, etc.
Therefore, another station type can be made available to indicate a telemarketer. In this way, other switches in the PSTN 10, including the terminating switch 18, can determine the station type of the calling party 12. Furthermore, the marking of calls can be translated from one communication protocol to another, depending on the individual requirements of lines and trunks used by the PSTN 10 to connect the calling party 12 to the called party 14.
The terminating switch 18 receives and handles the appropriately marked calls according to a profile established by the called party 14. The profile is a record indicating if and/or when the called party is willing to Attorney Docket No. RR-2299 accept telephone solicitations. The profile may have global terms, such as "no telephone solicitations" or "all telephone solicitations", or may have predefined time periods for telephone solicitations, such as "weekdays from--9:00a.m. to 5:00p.m." Also, profiles may be unique to each customer, or there may be a limited number of predefined profiles, such as the three examples described above, from which the customer must choose. In the preferred embodiment, the profile is stored in a memory location of the terminating switch 18 before the called party is called.
Referring to Fig. 2, once the station type indicators has been defined and a profile 48 has been established, a routine 50 operates to facilitate telephone solicitations from the calling party 12 to the called party 14. At step 52, the calling party 12 initiates a call to the called party 14. At step 54, the originating switch 16 marks the call as one originating from a telemarketer. At step 56, the terminating switch receives the call. The step of receiving a call may include many intermediate steps depending on the protocol between the intermediate switches. These intermediate steps are conventional and well known by those of ordinary skill in the art and therefore, for the sake of brevity, will not be further discussed.
At step 58, the terminating switch 18 retrieves the station type from the marked call and compares the station type, along with the current day and date, with the profile 48. At step 62, the terminating switch 18 determines if the call should be completed to the called party 14. If the profile indicates that the called party 14 is accepting telephone solicitations at the present time, at step 64 the call is connected to the called party. If, however, the profile does not indicate that the called party 14 is accepting telephone solicitations, at step 66 the call is treated accordingly. Such treatment of the non-completed call can take many forms. For one, a tone can be placed on the call indicating that the call will not be completed.
Alternatively, if the profile 48 indicates times that the called party is _,_~..,~....~..,,~..w..._ Attorney Docket No. RR-2299 willing to accept telephone solicitations, the treatment may relay these acceptance times to the calling party 12.
Alternatively, the method 50 may be performed by a single switch. "-For example, if the calling party 12 and called party 14 share a common local exchange carrier ("LEC"), the LEC may perform all of steps 54, 58-66 itself (step 56 is not required). Furthermore, the LEC may not mark the call at all, thereby sltipping step 54 and proceeding directly to step 58.
In another embodiment, prior to step 64, the terminating switch 18 may also interpret the marking on the call so that if the called party has a "caller-ID" service, the caller-ID will properly indicate that the call is a telemarketing call.
Although illustrative embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, other modifications, changes, and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure. For example, the above system and method may easily accommodate many different types of calls, and is not limited to telemarketing calls. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention.
The calling party 12 is connected to an originating switch 16 and the called party 14 is connected to a terminating switch 18. In continuance of the example, the switches 16, 18 are local exchange carriers, but may alternatively be any private branch exchange, central office or network switch capable of performing the method steps described below.
Furthermore, switches 16 and 18 do not necessarily have to be the same type of switches.
The switches 16, 18 communicate using a standard protocol, such as signaling system 7("SS7"). It will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that other types of communication protocol may alternatively be used to accomplish the method described below.
The calling party 12 is a telemarketer in a dedicated telemarketing facility (not shown). There are several ways to identify dedicated telemarketing facilities. For example, if a line 20 connecting the calling party 12 to the originating switch 16 is an "out-only" line, e.g., the line has an incoming line restriction, it is most likely a line used for telemarketing.
However, to avoid confusion with other out-only lines, such as are used with pay telephones, a preferred embodiment would have the calling party 12 notify the originating switch 16 that it is a telemarketer. This notification can be done by many ways: it may be mandated, such as by governmental Attorney Docket No. RR-2299 regulation; it may be required by the owner of the originating switch before service is provided; or it may be retroactively determined by previous complaints from other called parties (not shown).
Once the originating switch 16 is aware that the calling party 12 is a telemarketer, all future calls are marked accordingly. There are several potential ways in which to mark the call. Continuing the present example in which the SS7 protocol is used, an initial address message ("IAM"), which is part of an integrated services digital network user part ("ISUP") procedure for setting up the connection between the calling party 12 and called party 14, includes a series of forward call indicators and a calling party station type indicator. Either or both of these indicators of the IAM
can be used by the originating switch 16 to mark the call so that other switches in the PSTN 10, including the terminating switch 18, can determine that the calling party 12 is a telemarketer.
If, however, the originating switch 16 does not facilitate ISUP
procedures, but instead uses another communication protocol, the originating switch 16 can still mark calls indicating that the calling party 12 is a telemarketer. For example, if the originating switch 16 uses multi-frequency signaling, the switch already sends out information digits indicating a station type such as a hotel, a pay telephone, a prison, etc.
Therefore, another station type can be made available to indicate a telemarketer. In this way, other switches in the PSTN 10, including the terminating switch 18, can determine the station type of the calling party 12. Furthermore, the marking of calls can be translated from one communication protocol to another, depending on the individual requirements of lines and trunks used by the PSTN 10 to connect the calling party 12 to the called party 14.
The terminating switch 18 receives and handles the appropriately marked calls according to a profile established by the called party 14. The profile is a record indicating if and/or when the called party is willing to Attorney Docket No. RR-2299 accept telephone solicitations. The profile may have global terms, such as "no telephone solicitations" or "all telephone solicitations", or may have predefined time periods for telephone solicitations, such as "weekdays from--9:00a.m. to 5:00p.m." Also, profiles may be unique to each customer, or there may be a limited number of predefined profiles, such as the three examples described above, from which the customer must choose. In the preferred embodiment, the profile is stored in a memory location of the terminating switch 18 before the called party is called.
Referring to Fig. 2, once the station type indicators has been defined and a profile 48 has been established, a routine 50 operates to facilitate telephone solicitations from the calling party 12 to the called party 14. At step 52, the calling party 12 initiates a call to the called party 14. At step 54, the originating switch 16 marks the call as one originating from a telemarketer. At step 56, the terminating switch receives the call. The step of receiving a call may include many intermediate steps depending on the protocol between the intermediate switches. These intermediate steps are conventional and well known by those of ordinary skill in the art and therefore, for the sake of brevity, will not be further discussed.
At step 58, the terminating switch 18 retrieves the station type from the marked call and compares the station type, along with the current day and date, with the profile 48. At step 62, the terminating switch 18 determines if the call should be completed to the called party 14. If the profile indicates that the called party 14 is accepting telephone solicitations at the present time, at step 64 the call is connected to the called party. If, however, the profile does not indicate that the called party 14 is accepting telephone solicitations, at step 66 the call is treated accordingly. Such treatment of the non-completed call can take many forms. For one, a tone can be placed on the call indicating that the call will not be completed.
Alternatively, if the profile 48 indicates times that the called party is _,_~..,~....~..,,~..w..._ Attorney Docket No. RR-2299 willing to accept telephone solicitations, the treatment may relay these acceptance times to the calling party 12.
Alternatively, the method 50 may be performed by a single switch. "-For example, if the calling party 12 and called party 14 share a common local exchange carrier ("LEC"), the LEC may perform all of steps 54, 58-66 itself (step 56 is not required). Furthermore, the LEC may not mark the call at all, thereby sltipping step 54 and proceeding directly to step 58.
In another embodiment, prior to step 64, the terminating switch 18 may also interpret the marking on the call so that if the called party has a "caller-ID" service, the caller-ID will properly indicate that the call is a telemarketing call.
Although illustrative embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, other modifications, changes, and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure. For example, the above system and method may easily accommodate many different types of calls, and is not limited to telemarketing calls. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention.
Claims (13)
1. A method for controlling calls from a calling party to a called party, the method comprising the steps of:
specifying, at a switch serving the calling party, a category of calls for marking;
specifying, at a switch serving the called party, a profile for the called party;
receiving, at the switch serving the called party, a call from the calling party serviced by the switch;
if the call is in the specified category, the switch serving the calling party marking the call to indicate that the call is in the specified category;
receiving the marked call at a switch servicing the called party;
the switch servicing the called party analyzing a profile for the called party; and the switch servicing the called party handling the call based upon the analysis of the profile for the called party;
wherein the specified category of calls is calls originating on a telephone line of a selected type and wherein the selected type of telephone line is an out-only line having restrictions against incoming calls, wherein the switches servicing the calling and called parties communicate using an Integrated Services Digital Network User Part (ISUP) procedure and wherein the step of marking the call includes altering an indicator of an Initial Address Message (IAM) message used in the ISUP procedure.
specifying, at a switch serving the calling party, a category of calls for marking;
specifying, at a switch serving the called party, a profile for the called party;
receiving, at the switch serving the called party, a call from the calling party serviced by the switch;
if the call is in the specified category, the switch serving the calling party marking the call to indicate that the call is in the specified category;
receiving the marked call at a switch servicing the called party;
the switch servicing the called party analyzing a profile for the called party; and the switch servicing the called party handling the call based upon the analysis of the profile for the called party;
wherein the specified category of calls is calls originating on a telephone line of a selected type and wherein the selected type of telephone line is an out-only line having restrictions against incoming calls, wherein the switches servicing the calling and called parties communicate using an Integrated Services Digital Network User Part (ISUP) procedure and wherein the step of marking the call includes altering an indicator of an Initial Address Message (IAM) message used in the ISUP procedure.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the profile is unique for the called party.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the profile is used for a plurality of parties, including the called party.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the specified category is telemarketing.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the switches servicing the calling and called parties communicate using multi-frequency signaling having information digits and wherein the step of marking the call includes providing a station type with the information digits.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the profile indicates whether the called party will (1) accept calls of the specified category; (2) accept calls of the specified category at selected times; or (3) not accept calls of the specified category and wherein the step of handling the call includes the steps of:
connecting the calling party to the called party if the analysis of the profile indicates that the called party will accept calls of the specified category;
placing a tone on the call indicating non-completion if the analysis of the profile indicates that the called party will not accept calls of the specified category; and informing the calling party of selected times when the called party will accept the call if the analysis of the profile indicates that the called party will accept calls of the specified category at selected times.
connecting the calling party to the called party if the analysis of the profile indicates that the called party will accept calls of the specified category;
placing a tone on the call indicating non-completion if the analysis of the profile indicates that the called party will not accept calls of the specified category; and informing the calling party of selected times when the called party will accept the call if the analysis of the profile indicates that the called party will accept calls of the specified category at selected times.
7. A system for controlling calls by a calling party to a called party, the system comprising:
a switch for servicing the calling party, the switch servicing the calling party including a computer readable medium having instructions for marking calls of a specified category with an indicator of the specified category;
the switch servicing the called party including:
a memory for storing a profile for the called party;
a computer readable medium having instructions for:
determining that the call is in the specified category;
analyzing the profile for the called party if the call is in the specified category; and handling the call based upon the analysis of the profile for the called party;
wherein instructions for marking calls of a specified category with an indicator of the specified category further comprises instructions for marking calls originating on a telephone line of a selected type with an indicator that the call originated on the selected type of telephone line and wherein the instructions for marking calls originating on a telephone line of a selected type with an indicator that the call originated on the selected type of telephone line further comprises instructions for marking calls originating on an out-only line having restrictions against incoming calls with an indicator that the call originated on an out-only line having restrictions against incoming calls, wherein the switches servicing the calling and called parties communicate using an ISUP procedure and wherein the step of marking the call includes altering an indicator of an IAM message used in the ISUP procedure.
a switch for servicing the calling party, the switch servicing the calling party including a computer readable medium having instructions for marking calls of a specified category with an indicator of the specified category;
the switch servicing the called party including:
a memory for storing a profile for the called party;
a computer readable medium having instructions for:
determining that the call is in the specified category;
analyzing the profile for the called party if the call is in the specified category; and handling the call based upon the analysis of the profile for the called party;
wherein instructions for marking calls of a specified category with an indicator of the specified category further comprises instructions for marking calls originating on a telephone line of a selected type with an indicator that the call originated on the selected type of telephone line and wherein the instructions for marking calls originating on a telephone line of a selected type with an indicator that the call originated on the selected type of telephone line further comprises instructions for marking calls originating on an out-only line having restrictions against incoming calls with an indicator that the call originated on an out-only line having restrictions against incoming calls, wherein the switches servicing the calling and called parties communicate using an ISUP procedure and wherein the step of marking the call includes altering an indicator of an IAM message used in the ISUP procedure.
8. The system of claim 7 wherein the profile is unique for the called party.
9. The system of claim 7 wherein the profile is used for a plurality of parties, including the called party.
10. The system of claim 7 further comprising:
means for notifying the called party that the call is in the specified category.
means for notifying the called party that the call is in the specified category.
11. The system of claim 10 wherein the specified category is telemarketing.
12. The system of claim 7 wherein the switches servicing the calling and called parties communicate using multi-frequency signaling having information digits and wherein the step of markng the call includes providing a station type with the information digits.
13. The system of claim 7 wherein the instructions for handling the call includes:
instructions for connecting the calling party to the called party if the profile indicates that the called party will accept calls of the specified category;
instructions for placing a tone on the call indicating non-completion if the profile indicates that the called party will not accept calls of the specified category; and and instructions for informing the calling party when the called party will accept the call if the profile indicates that the called party will accept calls of the specified category at selected times.
instructions for connecting the calling party to the called party if the profile indicates that the called party will accept calls of the specified category;
instructions for placing a tone on the call indicating non-completion if the profile indicates that the called party will not accept calls of the specified category; and and instructions for informing the calling party when the called party will accept the call if the profile indicates that the called party will accept calls of the specified category at selected times.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US08/990,109 | 1997-12-12 | ||
| US08/990,109 US6115457A (en) | 1997-12-12 | 1997-12-12 | Marking and screening telephone calls |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2255344A1 CA2255344A1 (en) | 1999-06-12 |
| CA2255344C true CA2255344C (en) | 2008-10-21 |
Family
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| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002255344A Expired - Fee Related CA2255344C (en) | 1997-12-12 | 1998-12-09 | Marking and screening telephone calls |
Country Status (5)
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|---|---|
| US (2) | US6115457A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2255344C (en) |
| DE (1) | DE19857003A1 (en) |
| FR (1) | FR2772536B1 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB2332338B (en) |
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| US20070127652A1 (en) * | 2005-12-01 | 2007-06-07 | Divine Abha S | Method and system for processing calls |
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| DE102006027386A1 (en) * | 2006-06-13 | 2007-12-20 | Nokia Siemens Networks Gmbh & Co.Kg | Method and device for the prevention of unwanted telephone calls |
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| US5033076A (en) * | 1990-01-31 | 1991-07-16 | At&T Bell Laboratories | Enhanced privacy feature for telephone systems |
| US5388150A (en) * | 1992-07-28 | 1995-02-07 | Schneyer; Robin | Automatic incoming telephone call identification and disposition system |
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| US5467388A (en) * | 1994-01-31 | 1995-11-14 | Bell Atlantic Network Services, Inc. | Method and apparatus for selectively blocking incoming telephone calls |
| US5651053A (en) * | 1995-01-26 | 1997-07-22 | Mitchell; Peter P. | Telephone call screening |
| US5625680A (en) * | 1995-02-07 | 1997-04-29 | At&T | Method and apparatus for prioritizing telephone calls |
| US5757899A (en) * | 1995-07-21 | 1998-05-26 | Boulware; Joni R. | Call screening using subscriber specified timers and schedules |
| US5751800A (en) * | 1995-12-15 | 1998-05-12 | Lucent Technologies Inc. | Screening of incoming telephone calls prior to call completion to the destination party |
| US5867562A (en) * | 1996-04-17 | 1999-02-02 | Scherer; Gordon F. | Call processing system with call screening |
| US6031899A (en) * | 1996-10-28 | 2000-02-29 | Ericsson Inc | Method and apparatus for identifying type of call |
| US5832072A (en) * | 1996-11-27 | 1998-11-03 | Bell Communications Research, Inc. | Communication network with hidden calling number capability |
| US5926537A (en) * | 1997-04-29 | 1999-07-20 | Ericsson Inc | Generating a distinctive ring tone for a calling party subscriber within a telecommunications network |
-
1997
- 1997-12-12 US US08/990,109 patent/US6115457A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
1998
- 1998-12-09 CA CA002255344A patent/CA2255344C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1998-12-10 DE DE19857003A patent/DE19857003A1/en not_active Ceased
- 1998-12-11 FR FR9815695A patent/FR2772536B1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1998-12-11 GB GB9827399A patent/GB2332338B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
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2000
- 2000-04-14 US US09/549,790 patent/US6385310B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
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| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB9827399D0 (en) | 1999-02-03 |
| CA2255344A1 (en) | 1999-06-12 |
| FR2772536B1 (en) | 2000-10-13 |
| FR2772536A1 (en) | 1999-06-18 |
| GB2332338B (en) | 2002-06-19 |
| DE19857003A1 (en) | 1999-06-17 |
| US6115457A (en) | 2000-09-05 |
| US6385310B1 (en) | 2002-05-07 |
| GB2332338A (en) | 1999-06-16 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| MKLA | Lapsed |
Effective date: 20161209 |