Patent ID: 7756531
Filing Date: 2010-07-13
Classification: H04M,H04W

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for controlling access to at least one subscriber in a communication system, the subscriber being in either an access-denied state or an access-allowed state, comprising: a memory to store a single parameter, the single parameter having two states, a first state indicating the access-allowed state and a second state indicating the access-denied state; a receipt circuit to receive a message from a calling party directed to the subscriber; a state evaluation circuit to determine whether the subscriber is in the access-denied state or the access-allowed state according to the two states of the single parameter; a message handling circuit to forward the received message to the subscriber when the subscriber is in the access-allowed state, according to the two states of the single parameter; and a transmit circuit to send a reply message to the calling party indicating that the subscriber is in the access-denied state and to provide an override option to the calling party, wherein the message handling circuit is configured to forward the received message to the subscriber when the calling party selects the override option and the subscriber is in the access-allowed state, and wherein the message handling circuit is configured to store the received message until the subscriber is in the access-allowed state when the subscriber is in the access-denied state and the calling party does not select the override option.