Abstract:
A call prevention device. The device includes a caller ID detection unit for detecting caller ID data transmitted over a telecommunication network before a connection is established when a call is made by a calling party. The device also includes a processing unit in communication with the caller ID detection unit for retrieving a caller profile from a caller profile database in response to the caller ID data and for comparing the caller profile with the caller ID data, the processing unit further for incrementing a call total value when the caller profile and the caller ID data match favorably, and the processing unit further for generating a message when the call total value exceeds a user defined value.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to caller identification (ID) technology and caller ID data as it is provided by telephone companies through a telephone network that generally enables a user to view the telephone number of the calling party and possibly other information relating to the calling party.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Invention Background  
           [0004]    Telephone users generally desire an increasing number of features and functions to assist them in handling and preventing escalating numbers of unwanted incoming calls. One of the methods currently used to assist in the prevention of calls is the utilization of caller ID technology. Caller ID service capability is typically provided through a telephone network by a telecommunication service provider. A dedicated terminal or feature in a device such as a telephone or answering machine that has caller ID capability is specifically designed to read and display the caller ID data relating to the calling party that are transmitted over a telecommunications network to the called party. The caller ID data, received from the telecommunication service provider, are generally displayed on a display device to inform the called party of the caller name and/or number. Once the caller ID data are displayed, the called party may choose to either accept the call or allow the call to continue until the call is either answered by an answering device or the calling party terminates the call.  
           [0005]    Problems with conventional caller ID systems stem from the limitations of such systems to dispose of calls efficiently without the called party having to take any action. With a standard caller ID system, the called party either has to actively read the caller ID number or has to let the phone ring until some other device disposes of the call or the calling party terminates the call. Either scenario is unfavorable to a called party that receives a large volume of undesirable calls. The constant ringing of the phone, checking the caller ID data, or listening to countless numbers of messages left by unsolicited parties can be annoying and time-consuming.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    The present invention is directed to a call prevention device. The device includes a caller ID detection unit for detecting caller ID data transmitted over a telecommunication network before a connection is established when a call is made by a calling party. The device also includes a processing unit in communication with the caller ID detection unit for retrieving a caller profile from a caller profile database in response to the caller ID data and for comparing the caller profile with the caller ID data, the processing unit further for incrementing a call total value when the caller profile and the caller ID data match favorably, and the processing unit further for generating a message when the call total value exceeds a user defined value.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a call prevention device;  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2 is a flowchart of an embodiment of a process performed by the call prevention device of FIG. 1,  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 3 is a flowchart of an embodiment of a caller ID data tally routine that is performed by the call prevention device of FIG. 1; and  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 4 is a block diagram of another embodiment of a call prevention device. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]    Referring now to the drawings for the purpose of illustrating the invention and not for the purpose of limiting the same, the block diagram in FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a call prevention device  10 . The call prevention device  10  generally determines whether an originating call  30 , coming through a telecommunications network  32  such as, for example, the PSTN (public-switched telephone network), is to be prevented. The call prevention device  10  generally comprises a caller ID detection unit  34 , a caller ID data processor  36 , a caller profile database  38 , and a message device  40  according to one embodiment of the invention. The call prevention device  10  is connected to a telecommunications device, such as a telephone set  42  for routing an acceptable originating call  30  to the telephone set  42 .  
         [0012]    In an embodiment of the caller ID data processor  36  of the present invention, a caller ID processing program, described hereinbelow in connection with FIGS. 2 and 3, is stored in a memory device (not shown) of the call prevention device  10 . The memory of the call prevention device  10  is, for example, a RAM (random access memory), a ROM (read-only memory), a PROM (programmable ROM), an EPROM (erasable PROM), or an EEPROM (electronically erasable PROM). The memory of the call prevention device  10 , or other allocated memory of the aforementioned types, is further capable of storing incoming caller ID data (designated by “D”), caller profiles (designated by “P”) in a caller profile database  38 , and entries of accepted callers not to be prevented from connecting to the telephone set  42 .  
         [0013]    As shown in FIG. 2, the originating call  30  is initiated at block  50  by a calling party through a telephone network  32  at block  52 . The originating call  30  is detected at block  54  by the caller ID detection unit  34 , which monitors the phone line for caller ID signals, stores the caller ID data D at block  56  and routes the caller ID data D at block  58  to the caller ID data processor  36 . The incoming caller ID data D are separated into two categories, the name of the caller (designated by “A”) and the number of the caller (designated by “B”), and then stored at block  56  by the memory of the call prevention device  10 . The caller ID data D, comprised of A and B, is then routed at block  58  to the caller ID data processor  36 .  
         [0014]    The program code instructions cause the caller ID data processor  36  to compare the caller ID data D at block  60  which are stored at block  56  in the memory of the call prevention device  10 , with the caller profile in the caller profile database  38 . This comparison at block  60  begins what will be understood as the caller ID data D tally routine.  
         [0015]    The caller profile P consists of a name of a previous caller (designated by “N”), and a telephone number of a previous caller (designated by “R”). If the caller profile P cannot be found, the program code instructions cause the call prevention device  10 -to create a caller profile P at block  62  consisting of N and R. The call prevention device  10  will then create a call total (designated by “T”) at block  64  to begin to tally each originating call  30  that matches the caller profile P. Once the originating call  30  has a caller profile P and a call total T, the originating call  30  is continued at block  66  on the telephone set  42  before a subsequent ring occurs after receiving the caller ID data D. If a match is found, after A and B are compared at block  60  to N and R, then the call total T is incremented at block  68 . This is the end of the caller ID data D tally routine.  
         [0016]    In the event where a match is found and the call total T is incremented at block  68 , the call total T is evaluated at block  70  as to whether the call total T is greater than or equal to the maximum allowed calls (designated by “Q”). The maximum allowed calls Q is generally a value entered by the user of the call prevention device  10 . In the case where the call total T is not equal to or greater than the maximum allowed calls Q, the originating call  30  is continued at block  66  on the telephone set  42  before a subsequent ring occurs after receiving the caller ID data D.  
         [0017]    Where the call total T is equal to or greater than the maximum allowed calls Q, the caller profile P of the originating call  30  is routed to be checked at block  72  against an accepted caller profile (designated by “X”). The accepted caller profile X is entered by the user of the call prevention device  10 , thus permitting acceptable callers to bypass the exclusion of calls to be prevented. If the caller profile P of the originating call  30  matches an accepted caller profile X, the originating call  30  is continued at block  66  on the telephone set  42  before a subsequent ring occurs after receiving the caller ID data D. If the caller profile P of the originating call  30  does not match an accepted caller profile X, the originating call  30  is determined to be of the class of calls to be prevented and is given a message at block  74  before the call prevention device  10  terminates the originating call  30  at block  76  prior to a subsequent ring after receiving the caller ID data D.  
         [0018]    The message given at block  74  to the caller of the originating call  30  can include several different options. The message at block  74  may include an audible response to the caller that the originating call  30  is unsolicited and undesired. The message at block  74  may also include an audible response stating that the name of the caller N and the number of the caller R is known and that the caller has called T times. Persons skilled in the art will recognize that the message given at block  74  may be substituted or replaced with other information or various personalized messages. This would provide added versatility and customization capabilities for the user of the call prevention device.  
         [0019]    Referring now to FIG. 3, an embodiment of the caller ID D tally routine of FIG. 2 is shown. The program code instructions cause the caller ID data processor  36  to perform the caller ID data D tally routine in the course of processing. The caller ID D tally routine begins with caller ID data D (A, B) being read at block  80  from memory. The caller profile P (N,R) is then referenced at block  82  and first compared at block  84  to the caller ID data D (A,B). In this first comparison at block  84 , an exact match is being checked for A with N, and B with R. If both A is equal to N and B is equal to R, then the call total T for that caller profile P is incremented at block  86 .  
         [0020]    The second comparison at block  88  occurs where A does not equal N or B does not equal R, or where A does not equal N and B does not equal R. The second comparison at block  88  is to determine whether A is equal to N or B is equal to R Where neither of the inquiries of the second comparison at block  88  is true, it is decidedly understood that the originating call  30  must be a new caller or otherwise a caller without a caller profile P. A caller profile P is then created at block  90 , storing the name N and the number R of the originating call  30  in the caller profile database  38 . A call total T is then created at block  92  to be incremented at block  86  when the caller makes subsequent calls.  
         [0021]    In the event that A is equal to N or B is equal to R in the second comparison at block  88 , the program code instructions cause the call prevention device  10  to increment the call total T at block  86  for the particular caller profile P that corresponds to the matching value A or B. Where A is equal to N or B is equal to R, a match is determined to have been made for purposes of preventing unwanted calls. This will prevent a caller from changing their caller ID data slightly to circumvent the call prevention device  10 . If either the name A or the number B of the originating call  30  matches a value in the caller profile P, the call total T will increment at block  86 .  
         [0022]    Caller profile P is understood to contain values N and R. Where either A equals N or B equals R, but not both of these is true, the call prevention device  10  determines which of the values does not match at block  94 . Caller profile P is then updated to include the value that does not match the incoming caller ID data D (A, B) at blocks  96  and  98 . If A is not equal to N at block  94 , then A must be the value to be added to the array of N values at block  96  and the call total T is incremented at block  86 . Otherwise, B must be the value to be added to the array of R values at block  98  as block  88  determined that either A equals N or B equals R, and block  94  determined that A did equal N. After B is added to the array of R values at block  98 , call total T is incremented at block  86 .  
         [0023]    Referring now to FIG. 4, another embodiment of a call prevention device  110  is shown. When a first originating call  130  has already established a connection, the call prevention device  110  generally determines whether a second originating call  132 , coming through a telephone network  134 , is to be prevented. The call prevention device  110  generally comprises a caller ID detection unit  136 , a caller ID data processor  138 , a caller profile database  140 , and a message device  142  according to one embodiment of the invention. The call prevention device  110  may be connected to a telephone set  144  for routing an acceptable second originating call  132  to the telephone set  144  for notifying the called party that a call is waiting to be answered.  
         [0024]    The call prevention device  110  operates similarly in the prevention of calls to that of the call prevention device  10  described hereinbefore. In this embodiment, the call prevention device  110  is provided with a second line in which to route the second originating call  132 . The second originating call  132  can be determined as either an acceptable call, where it will subsequently go to call waiting on the telephone set  144 , or it will be determined to be a call to be prevented and will be routed to the message device  142 .  
         [0025]    Whereas particular embodiments of the invention have been described herein for the purpose of illustrating the invention and not for the purpose of limiting the same, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that numerous variations of the details, materials and arrangement of parts may be made within the principle and scope of the invention without departing from the invention as described in the appended claims.