Abstract:
This invention relates to the use of a customer phonebook feature for storing white lists and black lists for filtering unwanted voice calls or data messages. It also relates to the automatic population of a customer phonebook of identifications of a destination of outgoing calls. Advantageously, the phonebook can be rapidly and effortlessly populated with white lists and black lists to reduce processing for determining whether incoming calls or messages should be blocked or passed to the called destination.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001]     This invention relates to the filtering of unwanted communications and, more specifically, to the use of a phonebook facility to assist such filtering.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     With the advent of the Internet, it has become easy to send messages to a large number of destinations at little or no cost to the sender. The same is true of short message service (SMS). These messages include unsolicited and unwanted messages (spam) which are a nuisance to the receiver of the message who has to clear the message and determine whether it is of any importance. Further, it is a nuisance to the carrier of the telecommunications network used for transmitting the message, not only because it presents a customer relations problem with respect to irate customers who are flooded with spam, but also because these messages, for which there is usually little or no revenue, use network resources. An illustration of the seriousness of this problem is given by the following two statistics. In China in 2003, two trillion short message service (SMS) messages were sent over the Chinese telecommunications network; of these messages, an estimated three quarters were spam messages. The second statistic is that in the United States an estimated 85-90% of e-mail messages are spam.  
         [0003]     A problem of the prior art is to minimize additional processing of messages (e-mail or SMS/MMS messages) while still filtering the bulk of the messages in order to minimize the number of spam messages which are sent to the recipient.  
         [0004]     A further problem is the filtering of unwanted voice calls or unwanted messages from known sources. The arrangements for performing such filtering, such as the filtering of nuisance calls are difficult to control and generally limited.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     Applicant has carefully studied these problems and has concluded that the phonebook facility available in such applications as the Active Phonebook system available from Lucent Technologies Inc. can be usefully employed to perform white list (WL) (accept) and black list (BL) (reject) screening of all types of incoming and outgoing communications, including SMS messages, voice calls, video calls, e-mail messages, and instant messages. Applicant has inventively discovered a method and apparatus for helping to overcome the problem of the prior art and is adding to the prior art in accordance with this invention wherein incoming and outgoing communications, including voice or video calls and data messages, are checked against a white list and a black list stored in a network based phonebook associated with the destination device and for passing communications to that destination device if the source or destination is in the white list, or blocking communications if the source or destination is in the black list. The network based phonebook is automatically updated from the phonebook in the customer&#39;s device (customer premises equipment) in response to customer requests; changes in the current status of terminals, detected in the network are used to update the network based phonebook, and thence, the phonebook in the customer&#39;s device. Advantageously, this minimizes or eliminates further processing of an incoming communication to determine whether it should be passed if the source of the communication is in the white list, or blocked if the source is in the black list. That will significantly increase network efficiency, save network resources, and make the telecommunication service more attractive. It will also allow for a more rapid and more user friendly customer change facility.  
         [0006]     In accordance with one feature of Applicant&#39;s invention, when the customer device is used for originating an outgoing call, the outgoing number or other identification, appropriately filtered, is automatically entered into the white list or black list stored in the phonebook associated with the device if the customer dials an appropriate indication code; this process is based on the assumption that appropriately filtered destination identifications are not likely to be sources of unwanted messages or calls, or that a customer has recognized a good black list entry. The filtration can lead, for example, to the storage of numbers or identifications only in pre-specified area codes or can include or exclude foreign destinations numbers. Advantageously, a useful white list and/or black list can be built up and augmented automatically. The network will query the public number database to obtain the names associated with the outgoing numbers; the names/numbers are then saved together in the device phonebooks. The network will also convert E-mail addresses, instant message user identifications and others into a wireless or wireline number if the outgoing identity is not a phone number.  
         [0007]     In accordance with another feature of Applicant&#39;s invention, the outgoing number is automatically added to the non-filtration database (i.e., the database excluding the black list and white list) of the phonebook. Advantageously, this allows the non-filtration database of the phonebook to be populated automatically. The automatic addition to the white list or black list can be requested or inhibited if the caller dials a special prefix or suffix code such as * * #. The prefix or suffix can indicate whether the number is to be added to the phonebook white list or black list. Advantageously, the automatic addition to the phonebook allows a caller to utilize phonebook features immediately on any call to a new destination, and allows for immediate customized updating of the customer&#39;s white list and black list.  
         [0008]     The network based phonebook will automatically synchronize all contact lists for the end user. For example, contact lists on all clients/devices such as mobile phone, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), personal computers (PC), smart phone will be updated. The contact lists can be phonebook, address book, buddy list for applications of IM, SMS/MMS, Push to Talk, E-mail, Interactive Game. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS(S)  
       [0009]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating the operation of Applicant&#39;s invention;  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of Applicant&#39;s invention for incoming calls or messages;  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of Applicant&#39;s invention for outgoing calls or messages; and  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is a flow diagram illustrating the process of adding a number to the white list of a customer&#39;s phonebook. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0013]     The basic objective of Applicant&#39;s invention is to allow the black list and white list of Applicant&#39;s phonebook to be used to reject unwanted voice calls or data messages, to accept known wanted voice calls and data messages, and to deal with the different types of services available in the telecommunications network. While, at this time, the phonebook is only connectable to a wireless station, the basic equipment is such that it can also be connected to a land-based telephone station. Further, a number of facilities already exist independent of the phonebook for storing and processing information on black lists (reject) and white lists (accept). The integration of phonebook facilities gives the telecommunications customer more immediate control of the sources and destinations to be subject to black and white list control. The basic phonebook is associated with a wireless station or a land-based station. In order to make the phonebook accessible to the various elements of the telecommunications network, an active phonebook accessible via the public switched Internet Protocol network and the signaling portion of the public switched Signaling System 7 (SS7) network. This active phonebook contains a white list and a black list that can be accessed before completing an incoming or outgoing voice, video, or data call.  
         [0014]     The customer&#39;s phonebook can be used by the customer to check and update family/friend address, availability and current locations of voice phone, video, email, IM, SMS. The client software within the customer&#39;s device interfaces with the Active Phonebook Server to obtain the above information dynamically. This invention adds a permit(block list to the capabilities of the phonebook allowing the customer&#39;s phonebook to sync up with an Active Phonebook server to input allow/disallowed entries to the network based Active Phonebook server.  
         [0015]      FIG. 1  illustrates the interconnection among the various network elements and the active phonebook  50 . The term “network elements” as used herein comprises mobile switching centers  10 ,  11  for serving cellular calls; land-based switches  13  for serving calls to or from a land-based telephone station  15 ; short message service centers  20 ,  21  for serving short message service (SMS) data messages; e-mail servers  23  for serving e-mail and instant message servers  25  for serving instant messages. Of these elements, the short message service center is unique in having an anti-spam application  30  either directly apart of the short message service center (as shown) or closely associated with the short message service center. The spam problem, discussed in the Background of the Invention, is a particularly acute problem for short message service which is why in the present and future public switched telecommunications network the short message service center is equipped to filter out as much spam as possible. The anti-spam application has its own black list  32  and white list  31  controlled from a network administration terminal  40  and built up over time. In addition, the anti-spam application  30  or the short message service center  20  checks the active phonebook  50  to see if the source is on a white list or black list for the destination station. In accordance with Applicant&#39;s preferred embodiment, the active phonebook is checked first or in parallel and a white list or a black list entry in the active phonebook dominates the processing of the call.  
         [0016]     The primary black list  52  and white list  51  that is the subject of this invention is that of a network based active phonebook  50 , accessed by the various network elements prior to establishing a voice or video or data connection. Separate black lists and white lists are provided for incoming and outgoing service. The black list for outgoing service can include, for example, restrictions to limit voice calls to foreign countries. The black list for incoming calls can include lists of advertisers whose calls or messages are not wanted by the customer. The customer only controls the customer device phonebook  55 , including black list  57  and white list  58 , directly. The phonebook within the wireless station equipment or the land-based station equipment updates the active phonebook, including black list  52  and white list  51  through messages sent via the IP network  62  or the signaling portion of the SS7 network  60 . The other black lists and white lists shown in  FIG. 1  are controlled from the network administration via a network administration terminal. The terminal is connected to the various network elements by the public switched SS7 network  60  signaling facilities and by the public Internet Protocol network  62  which serves both Internet Protocol (IP) messages and Internet Protocol multimedia (IM) messages.  
         [0017]     The home location register  70  serves as a database for the mobile switching center. It also contains a white list  71  and black list  72  which can be used further for controlling completion of voice or data calls to or from cellular stations.  
         [0018]     Calls originated from the wireless station  54  pass through a radio base station  59  to a mobile switching center  10 . Thence, they are sent via the SS 7  network  60  to a mobile switch center  11  or a land-based switch  13 . Outgoing calls are checked to see if the destination is in an outgoing portion of black list  18 , incoming calls are checked to see if they are in an incoming portion of black list  18 . Before a call received in a mobile switching center is sent on to a station identified as the destination of the call, the mobile switching center will check whether the destination station is willing to accept calls from the source, i.e., whether the source is on a white list or is not on a black list associated with the destination station. In addition, the-mobile switching center checks the active phonebook  50  to see if the source is on a white list or black list for the destination station. In accordance with Applicant&#39;s preferred embodiment, the active phonebook is checked first or in parallel and a white list or a black list entry in the active phonebook dominates the processing of the call.  
         [0019]     For calls originating or terminating on a land-based station  15 , the call is served by a land-based switch  13 . The call is received from or sent to a public switched SS7 network. The land-based switch checks its own black list  22  and white list  21  but also the black list  52  and white list  51  of the active phonebook  50  to see if calls from a source of an incoming call or a destination of an outgoing call are in the white list or black list of the active phonebook.  
         [0020]     Calls served by an e-mail server  23  or an instant message server  25  are routed through the public IP network  62 . These calls are also checked against a white list  73  or  75 , and a black list  74  or  76  of the corresponding server (e-mail or IM, respectively). The server also checks the active phonebook white list and black list. The e-mail server and IM server access the active phonebook through the IP network.  
         [0021]     White list and black list entries are made for each type of telecommunications device of a customer. This permits a customer to place a communications source on a black list of, for example, a cellular station and on a white list, for example, of a land-based station; similarly short message service messages may be accepted but not instant messages and not e-mail. Further, and this is especially useful for voice calls, time of day and day of week restrictions may be provided so that a white list entry is active only during business hours or only outside business hours.  
         [0022]     As mentioned above, the short message service center is a special case because this center must directly or indirectly filter out spam as well as messages from pre-identified sources. For example, the anti-spam facility  30  can be provided to filter out pornographic messages based on the content of the message without having to rely on a previously known pornographic source list. The anti-spam facility  30  contains a white list  31  and black list  32 . However, the short  5  message service center also takes advantage of the immediate and complete control provided by the phonebook arrangement to reject or allow messages from a source specified by the customer who owns the phonebook. Because of the high traffic between the short message service center  20  and the active phonebook  50 , it may be desirable, as illustrated, to provide a direct link between these two units as well as providing the link via the SS7 and IP networks.  
         [0023]      FIG. 2  is a flow chart illustrating the operation of Applicant&#39;s invention. One of the network elements listed above receives an incoming call or message (action block  201 ). Test  203  is used to determine if the caller&#39;s identification is on the white list or black of the active phonebook. If the caller&#39;s identification is on a white list or black list of the phonebook, then the call is completed or the message is passed (white list) or the call is rejected or the message blocked (black list) (action block  205 ). Test  207  determines whether the call or message has been rejected. If the call or message has not been rejected, then the call is processed as in the prior art (action block  211 ). If the call or message has been rejected, then an announcement or message is sent to the caller (action block  209 ). If the result of test  203  is that the caller&#39;s identification is not on a white list or black list of the phonebook, then the call is processed as in the prior art (action block  211 ).  
         [0024]      FIG. 3  illustrates the processing of outgoing calls or messages. The system prepares to set up an outgoing call or transmit an outgoing message (action block  301 ). Test  303  is used to determine whether the called party&#39;s identification is on a white list or a black list of the phonebook. If the result of test  303  indicates that the called party&#39;s ID is on a white list or black list of the phonebook, then the call is set up or blocked or the message is passed or blocked in accordance with whether the identity was on a white list or black list (action block  305 ). In case the call or message is blocked (test  307 ), then an announcement or message is sent to the caller (action block  309 ). If the result of test  303  is that the called party&#39;s identification is not on a white list or a black list of the phonebook, then the call or message is processed as in the prior art (action block  311 ).  
         [0025]      FIG. 4  is a flow diagram illustrating a process for adding an entry into the phonebook of a device owner. The device owner makes an outgoing call (action block  401 ). Test  403  is used to determine whether the number or identification of the outgoing call is already in the phonebook. If it is, then the outgoing call is processed as in the prior art (action block  405 ). If the number is not already in the phonebook, then test  407  is used to determine-whether the number passes a filtering test for entering numbers and other identification into the non-spam portion and/or in the white list or black list of the caller&#39;s phonebook. The filtering may, for example, eliminate from the white or black list of the caller&#39;s phonebook numbers that are not in a pre-specified list of area codes or numbers located in foreign locations. If the called number passes-the filtering test (positive result of test  407 ) then the number is added to the white or black list in the phonebook and in the main entry of the phonebook (action block  409 ). The main entry, white list or black list entry is not made if the caller dials an appropriate prefix or suffix such as * * #. If the number does not pass the filtering test, then the call is processed as in the prior art. Also, following action block  409  the call is processed as in the prior art (action block  405 ).  
         [0026]     While in the preferred embodiment illustrated herein, the IP network  9  is used for more queries of the Active Phone Book  50 , other arrangements such as direct data links, or the highly reliable signaling portion of the SS7 network can be used.  
         [0027]     The above description is of one preferred embodiment of Applicant&#39;s invention. Other embodiments will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. The invention is limited only by the attached claims.