Abstract:
A system and method for selectively rejecting telephone calls from soliciting and telemarketing organizations is provided. A solicitor database is maintained wherein the phone numbers of soliciting and telemarketing organizations are maintained. A non-solicitation database is maintained wherein the phone numbers of subscriber who have chosen to reject calls from soliciting organizations are maintained. During a request to establish a telephone call, the solicitor database is queried to determine whether the calling party is a soliciting organization while the non-solicitation database is queried to determine if the called party has chosen to reject calls from soliciting organizations. Where the calling party is a soliciting or telemarketing organization and the called party has chosen not to receive phone calls from soliciting and telemarketing organizations, the call is blocked. Further means are provided to dynamically maintain the solicitor database, wherein a subscriber who is contacted by a soliciting or telemarketing organization can conveniently have the calling party number placed in the solicitation database.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates generally to communication systems, and more specifically to rejecting unwanted telephone calls.  
           [0003]    2. Description of Related Art  
           [0004]    Traditionally, the home telephone has been an instrument for communication between individuals and their friends and families. No longer is this case. Today, a large percentage of all received phone calls are from telemarketing organizations for their own purposes, namely, trying to market a product or service or trying to obtain information. The home telephone has become an instrument for telemarketers to reach persons who might prefer to remain unknown. The home telephone is then used for its intended purpose by the one paying for it only a portion of the time.  
           [0005]    In response to the great demand for phone company features to help stem back this form of invasion of privacy, phone companies are now offering several different subscriber features. One subscriber feature is known as caller ID. A person subscribing to caller ID utilizes a caller ID display to determine the phone number and perhaps name of the party originating an incoming call. Typically, the caller identifying information is displayed while a call is being placed and the phone is ringing. By observing the name of the party originating the call, a person subscribing to caller ID can determined whether to answer or ignore the call.  
           [0006]    Another subscriber feature is that of anonymous call rejection. Typically, relatives and friends allow their caller ID to be displayed. Telemarketing organizations, however, frequently block their caller ID so as to prevent a called party from readily determining their phone number. By blocking the number, the calling party prevents display of the caller&#39;s ID on the called party&#39;s caller ID display. A subscriber to this feature can either selectively or perpetually have a local switch reject all anonymous calls whose caller ID is not to be shown on a called party&#39;s caller ID display.  
           [0007]    Each of the above-mentioned features have their drawbacks. In the case of the caller ID display, a called party must look at the caller ID display to determine who is the calling party. Having to get up from the easy chair or from the dinner table often constitutes a significant portion of the aggravation experienced by the called party receiving an unwanted telephone solicitation. Additionally, caller ID requires the called party to purchase and install additional hardware along with their telephone. Furthermore, if a subscriber choosing to ignore a phone call from a telemarketer has an answering machine, the answering machine may answer the call, leaving the called party with an unwanted recorded message.  
           [0008]    On the other hand, the problem with subscribing to the feature of anonymous call blocking is that important calls will occasionally be blocked. In addition to telemarketing organizations, a number of individuals block their caller ID, either deliberately or inadvertently. Accordingly, when one of these calls is in fact legitimate and even important to the called party, the call is still blocked.  
           [0009]    Accordingly, it would be advantageous if a subscriber could selectively reject calls from telemarketing and soliciting organizations at the local exchange without having to purchase and install additional hardware with the telephone connection.  
           [0010]    Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to allow a subscriber to selectively reject calls from telemarketing organizations.  
           [0011]    It is also an object of the present invention to allow the subscriber to reject calls from telemarketing and soliciting organizations without having to purchase and install additional hardware.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0012]    The present invention is directed to a system and method for rejecting telephone calls from soliciting and telemarketing organizations by querying a solicitor database to determine whether the calling party number is associated with a soliciting or telemarketing organization, and querying a non-solicitation database to determined whether the called party has chosen to reject calls from soliciting and telemarketing organizations. Where the calling party is a soliciting and telemarketing organization, and the called party has chosen to reject calls from soliciting and telemarketing organizations, the call is blocked.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]    Other advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 is an exemplary telecommunications system embodying the present invention;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of a telecommunication system in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3 is an exemplary telecommunications system embodying the present invention;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of a telecommunication system in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of a telecommunications system in accordance with the present invention; and  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of a telecommunications system in accordance with the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0020]    The numerous innovative teachings of the present application will be described with particular reference to the presently preferred exemplary embodiments. However, it should be understood that this class of embodiments provides only a few examples of the many advantageous uses of the innovative teachings herein. In general, statements made in the specification of the present application do not necessarily delimit any of the various claimed inventions. Moreover, some statements may apply to some inventive features but not to others.  
         [0021]    Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a block diagram of an exemplary telecommunications network  100  embodying the present invention. The telecommunications network  100  comprises a network of telecommunications switches  105   a ,  105   b , each serving a plurality of telephone terminals  110 . The telecommunications switch  105  comprises, for example, a local exchange or a mobile switching center. Where the telecommunications switch is a local exchange, the telephone terminal  110  comprises wireline telephonic equipment such as a wireline telephone or a computer or fax machine with either a wireline modem or an ISDN connection. Where the telecommunications switch  105  comprises a mobile switching center, the telephone terminal  110  comprises wireless telephonic equipment such as a mobile station or a computer or fax machine with a wireless modem connection. Each telephone terminal  110  is in communication with a particular telecommunications switch  105  via a communication channel  115 . The communication channel  115  comprises either a land based telephone line where the telecommunications switch  105  is a local exchange or a wireless air interface where the telecommunications switch comprises a mobile switching center or a base station.  
         [0022]    When a subscriber of telephone  110   a  wishes to initiate a call to a subscriber at telephone terminal  110   b , telephone terminal  110   a  communicates a directory number associated with telephone terminal  110   b  to the serving telecommunications switch  105   a  over communications channel  115   a . In a manner well known in the art, telecommunications switch  105   a  ascertains the telecommunications switch  105   b  which is associated with telephone terminal  110   b . Telecommunications switch  105   a  and telecommunications switch  105   b  then coordinate to establish a voice connection between telephone terminal  110   a  and telephone terminal  110   b . The voice connection comprises the communication channel  115   a , a trunk connection connecting telecommunications switch  105   a  and communications switch  105   b  and communications channel  115   b.    
         [0023]    Traditionally, the home telephone terminal  110  has been an instrument for communication between individuals and their friends and families. No longer is this case. Today, a large percentage of all received phone calls are from telemarketing organizations for their own purposes, namely, trying to market a product or service or trying to obtain information. The home telephone terminal  110  has become an instrument for telemarketers to reach persons who might prefer to remain unknown. The home telephone is then used for its intended purpose by the one paying for it only a portion of the time.  
         [0024]    To allow the subscriber to selectively reject incoming calls from telemarketing and soliciting organizations, the present invention proposes the addition of a solicitor database  120  and a non-solicitation database  125 . The solicitor database  120  stores the directory phone numbers of telephone terminals  110  used by known soliciting and telemarketing organizations. The directory phone numbers of telephone terminals  110  used by known soliciting and telemarketing organizations can be ascertained in a number of ways. For example, a municipality may require the licensing of soliciting and telemarketing organizations, subject to penalty for violation, and make available a list of phone numbers of licensed solicitating and telemarketing organizations.  
         [0025]    The non-solicitation database  125  stores the directory phone numbers of telephone terminals  110  associated with subscribers who prefer not to receive calls from soliciting and telemarketing organizations. The directory phone numbers of telephone terminals  110  associated with subscribers who do not wish to be contacted by soliciting and telemarketing organizations can be developed by offering a “no-solicitation service” as an optional subscriber service feature. The subscriber can register for the no-solicitation service in a manner similar to other subscriber service features, such as call-waiting, and three-way calling. The directory phone numbers of the telephone terminals  110  used by subscribers who elect the foregoing feature can then be stored in the non-solicitation database  125 .  
         [0026]    In one embodiment, both the solicitor database  120  and the non-solicitation database  125  are accessible by each of the telecommunications switches  105 . Those skilled in the art will recognize that the solicitor database  120  and the non-solicitation database  125  can be integrated with, for example, a service control point (SCP) (not shown).  
         [0027]    By adding the solicitor database  120  and the non-solicitation database  125 , a telecommunications switch  105  can block calls from the telephone terminals  110 , e.g.,  110   a , referred to in the solicitor database  120  to the telephone terminals  110 , e.g.  110   b , referred to in the non-solicitation database  125 . During a phone call, an application module  106  causes the telecommunications switch  105  to selectively block calls by querying the solicitor database  120  using the calling party number and querying the non-solicitation database  125  using the called party number. Where the calling party number is found in the solicitor database  120  and the called party number is found in the non-solicitation database  125 , the application module  106  causes the telecommunication switch  105  to block the phone call by simply halting the call establishment process.  
         [0028]    The database queries can be performed at either the telecommunication switch  105   a  serving the calling party&#39;s telephone terminal  110   a  or by the telecommunication switch  105   b  serving the called party  110   b . Performing the database query at the telecommunications switch  105   a  serving the calling party  110   a  is advantageous because where a call is blocked at telecommunications switch  105   a , an unnecessary trunk connection connecting telecommunications switch  105   a  to telecommunications switch  105   b  is avoided. Alternatively, performing the query at the telecommunications switch  105   b  is advantageous because the resources serving the benefitting party  110   b  are utilized.  
         [0029]    Referring now to FIG. 2, which will be described in connection with FIG. 1, there is illustrated a flow diagram describing the operation of an application module  106  during a phone call in accordance with the present invention. At step  205 , telecommunications switch  105   a  or  105   b  receives a request to establish a phone call from telephone terminal  110   a  to telephone terminal  110   b . The application module  106  responds by checking to determine if the directory phone number associated with telephone terminal  110   a  is listed in the solicitor database  120  (step  210 ). Where the directory phone number associated with telephone terminal  110   a  is not listed in the solicitor database  120  during step  210 , the application module  106  signals the telecommunications switch  105  to connect the call (step  215 ) and the process is terminated. If on the other hand, the directory phone number associated with telephone terminal  110   a  is listed in the solicitor database  120  during step  210 , the application module  106  queries the non-solicitation database  125  to determine if the phone number associated with telephone terminal  110   b  subscribes to the “no-solicitation service” (step  220 ). If the phone number associated with telephone terminal  110   b  is not found in the non-solicitation database  125  during step  220 , the application module  106  signals the telecommunications switch  105  to connect the call (step  215 ), and the process is terminated. If the phone number associated with telephone terminal  110   b  is found in the non-solicitation database  125  during step  220 , a soliciting or telemarketing organization at telephone terminal  110   a  is attempting to call a subscriber at telephone terminal  110   b  who does not wish to receive a call from the soliciting and telemarketing organizations. Therefore, the applications module  106  causes the telecommunications switch  105  to transmit a message to telephone terminal  110   a  that the subscriber does not wish to accept the call (step  225 ) and blocks the call (step  230 ).  
         [0030]    Referring now to FIG. 3, there is illustrated an alternative embodiment wherein the solicitor database  120 , and the non-solicitation database  125  are implemented as local databases  120   a ,  120   b  and  125   a ,  125   b , respectively, wherein each telecommunications switch  105  is associated with and accesses a particular solicitor database  120  and a particular non-solicitation database  125 . The solicitor database  120   a  stores the directory phone numbers of telephone terminals  110  used by known soliciting and telemarketing organizations that are served by associated telecommunications switch  105   a , while the solicitor database  120   b  stores the directory phone numbers of telephone terminals  110  used by known soliciting and telemarketing organizations that are served by associated telecommunications switch  105   b.    
         [0031]    The non-solicitation database  125   a  stores the directory phone numbers of telephone terminals  110  served by telecommunications switch  105   a  that are associated with subscribers who prefer not to receive calls from soliciting and telemarketing organizations, while the non-solicitation database  125   b  stores the directory phone numbers of telephone terminals  110  served by telecommunications switch  105   b  that are associated with subscribers who prefer not to receive calls from soliciting and telemarketing organizations.  
         [0032]    Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, there are illustrated flow diagrams describing the operation of the embodiment described in FIG. 3. After receiving a request to establish a phone call from, e.g., telephone terminal  110   a  to, e.g., telephone terminal  110   b , (step  405 ) the application module  106   a  of the telecommunications switch  105   a  serving the calling party, telephone terminal  110   a , queries the solicitor database  120   a  to determine if the subscriber associated with telephone terminal  110   a  is a soliciting or telemarketing organization (step  410 ). Where the calling party number, the phone number associated with telephone terminal  110   a  is found in the solicitor database  120   a , the application module signals the telecommunications switch  105   a  to transmit a signal to telecommunications switch  105   b  indicating that the incoming call originating from telephone terminal  110   a  is from a soliciting or telemarketing organization (step  415 ). To establish a phone call, involving two or more telecommunications switches  105   a ,  105   b , a packet of information is transmitted from the telecommunications switch  105   a  serving the calling party to the telecommunications switch  105   b  serving the called party (step  420 ). The signal indicating that the call originating from telephone terminal  110   a  is from a soliciting or telemarketing organization can be included in the packet of information that is transmitted from telecommunications switch  105   a  to telecommunications switch  105   b.    
         [0033]    After the telecommunications switch  105   b  receives the packet of information (step  505 ) the application module  106   b  of telecommunications switch  105   b  serving the called party can examine the packet of information transmitted from telecommunications switch  105   a  to determine whether the call is from a soliciting or telemarketing organization (step  510 ). Where the call is not from a soliciting or telemarketing organization, the application module  106   b  signals the telecommunications switch  105   b  to establish a call between telephone terminal  110   a  and telephone terminal  110   b  (step  515 ) and the process is terminated. On the other hand, if the packet of information indicates that the call is from a soliciting or telemarketing organization, the application module  106   b  queries the non-solicitation database  125   b  to determine whether the subscriber at telephone terminal  110   b  has chosen to reject calls from soliciting and telemarketing organizations (step  520 ). If the subscriber at telephone terminal  110   b  has not chosen to reject calls from soliciting and telemarketing organizations, the application module  106   b  signals the telecommunications switch to establish the call (step  515 ) and the process is terminated. However, if the subscriber at telephone terminal  110   b  has chosen to reject calls from soliciting and telemarketing organizations, the application module  106   b  signals the telecommunications switch  105   b  to transmit a message to telephone terminal  110   a  that the called party does not wish to accept the call (step  525 ), and blocks the call (step  530 ).  
         [0034]    The foregoing represents a way for subscribers to conveniently reject unwanted calls from registered soliciting and telemarketing organizations. However, it is noted that many soliciting and telemarketing organizations might not make the appropriate data for the solicitor database  120  available, even when legally required to do so. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a way to prevent or discourage unregistered soliciting and telemarketing organizations from contacting subscribers.  
         [0035]    To prevent or discourage unregistered soliciting and telemarketing organizations from contacting subscribers, a subscriber who has chosen to reject calls from a soliciting or telemarketing organization and receives a call from an unregistered soliciting or telemarketing organization, can have the unregistered soliciting or telemarketing organization temporarily placed in the solicitor database  120  by, for example, dialing a particular subscriber feature code.  
         [0036]    Referring now to FIG. 6, which will be described in connection with FIG. 1, there is illustrated a flow diagram describing the operation of the application module  106  when a subscriber at telephone terminal  110   b  who has chosen to reject calls from a soliciting or telemarketing organization and receives a call from an unregistered soliciting or telemarketing organization at telephone terminal  110   a . At step  605 , the subscriber at telephone terminal  110   b  receives a call from an unregistered soliciting or telemarketing organization at telephone terminal  110   a . Because the soliciting or telemarketing organization is unregistered, the call to telephone terminal  110   b  is not blocked. At the completion of the phone call, the application module  106  detects that the called party has placed telephone terminal  110   b  in an on-hook state (step  610 ). Shortly thereafter, the subscriber can, for example, dial a subscriber feature code, e.g., “*99”. When the subscriber dials the subscriber feature code, the application module detects that the subscriber has placed telephone terminal  110   b  in an off-hook state (step  615 ) and that the subscriber has dialed the appropriate subscriber code (step  620 ). At step  625 , the application module determines whether the subscriber has chosen to reject calls from soliciting or telemarketing organizations by querying the non-solicitation database  125 . Where the subscriber has not chosen to reject calls from soliciting or telemarketing organizations, the process is terminated. However, where the has chosen to reject calls from soliciting or telemarketing organizations, the application module  106  retrieves the calling party number for the most recent telephone call to telephone terminal  110   b , i.e., the directory phone number associated with telephone terminal  110   a  (step  630 ). Those skilled in the art will recognize that the calling party number for the most recent phone call to a particular telephone terminal  110  can be retrieved in a number of ways. For example, to support the subscriber feature known as “Subscriber Call Back”, wherein a subscriber can call back the calling party from the most recent call, the calling party number is stored in a database (not shown). Accordingly, the calling party number can be retrieved from the aforementioned database. After the directory phone number of telephone terminal  110   a  is retrieved, the directory phone number of telephone terminal  110   a  is placed in the solicitor database  120  as an unregistered soliciting or telemarketing organization and associated with a particular time limit at the expiration of which, the solicitor database  120  removes the directory phone number (step  635 ).  
         [0037]    Although the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it should be recognized that elements thereof may be altered by persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention is limited only by the following claims and their equivalents.