Patent ID: 8526979

Claim:
A method of processing short message service (SMS) calls for a subscriber's communication device in a communication network, the method comprising: receiving an SMS request involving the communication device at a short message service center; accessing a family access control database storing family access control information for SMS with respect to the communication device, wherein the family access control information stored in the family access control database includes an indication whether the family access control service has been enabled or disabled for the communication device; determining whether the short message service request should be allowed or denied based on the family access control information found in the database; sending an SMS rejection notification to the communication device, the SMS rejection notification being forwarded from an originating short message service center to the communication device attempting to send a message, when the SMS request is denied; sending the SMS rejection notification to one or more of the subscriber's designated numbers or IP addresses, the SMS rejection notification being forwarded from the originating short message service center to the subscriber via a terminating short message service center, when the SMS request is denied.