Methods and systems for preemptive rejection of calls
View Patent ↗Methods and systems consistent with the present invention screen calls. A first server receives information pertaining to a call to a user from a calling party. The first server then determines whether a real-time call management function is enabled for the user and determines whether a calling party number associated with the calling party is valid when the realtime call management function is not enabled. A call screening function is performed when the calling party number is invalid. The first server provides a notification of the call to a device associated with the user when the real-time call management function is enabled. A second server initiates the call screening function when the user selects a call screening option included in the notification.
1. A method for screening a call, comprising:
receiving information pertaining to a call to a user from a calling party;
determining whether a real-time call management function is enabled for the user;
determining whether a calling party number associated with the calling party is valid following a determination that the real-time call management function is not enabled, wherein a call screening function is performed when the calling party number is determined to be invalid;
providing a notification of the call to a device associated with the user following a determination that the real-time call management function is enabled, the notification including a user-selectable call screening option; and
initiating the call screening function when the user selects the call screening option.
2. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
accepting the call for the device based on a determination that the calling party number is valid.
3. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
determining whether a calling party number associated with the calling party is valid based on a determination that the user has not responded to the notification after a predetermined period of time, wherein a call screening function is performed when the calling party number is invalid.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the call screening function comprises:
playing an announcement to the calling party.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein playing an announcement comprises playing a Special Instruction Tone (SIT) cadence and prompting the calling party to record a name or enter an override code.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the call screening function further comprises:
routing the call to the device associated with the user based on a determination that the calling party entered a valid override code.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the call screening function further comprises:
ending the call based on the determination that the calling party does not record a name and does not enter a valid override code.
8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the call screening function further comprises:
placing a second call to the user at the device and playing a recording of the calling party when the calling party records a name.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the call screening function further comprises:
disposing of the call to the user from the calling party based on a response to the second call by the user.
10. A method for screening a call, comprising:
receiving information pertaining to a call to a user from a calling party;
retrieving data corresponding to the user using the information pertaining to the call;
determining whether a real-time call management function is enabled for the user;
determining whether a calling party number associated with the calling party is valid following a determination that the real-time call management function is not enabled, wherein a call screening function is performed when the calling party number is determined to be invalid;
selecting a device associated with the user to receive a notification of the call based on the retrieved data;
providing the notification of the call to the selected device following a determination that the real-time call management function is enabled, the notification including a user-selectable call screening option; and
initiating the call screening function when the user selects the call screening option.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the call screening function comprises:
playing an announcement to the calling party.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein playing an announcement comprises playing a Special Instruction Tone (SIT) cadence and prompting the calling party to record a name or enter an override code.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the call screening function further comprises:
routing the call to the device associated with the user based on a determination that the calling party entered a valid override code.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the call screening function further comprises:
ending the call based on the determination that the calling party does not record a name and does not enter a valid override code.
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the call screening function further comprises:
placing a second call to the user at the device and playing a recording of the calling party when the calling party records a name.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the call screening function further comprises:
disposing of the call to the user from the calling party based on a response to the second call by the user.
17. An apparatus for screening a call, comprising:
means for receiving information pertaining to a call to a user from a calling party;
means for determining whether a real-time call management function is enabled for the user;
means for determining whether a calling party number associated with the calling party is valid following a determination that the real-time call management function is not enabled, wherein a call screening function is performed when the calling party number is determined to be invalid;
means for providing a notification of the call to a device associated with the user following a determination that the real-time call management function is enabled, the notification including a user-selectable call screening option; and
means for initiating the call screening function when the user selects the call screening option.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 , comprising:
means for accepting the call for the device based on a determination that the calling party number is valid.
19. The apparatus of claim 17 , comprising:
means for determining whether a calling party number associated with the calling party is valid based on a determination that the user has not responded to the notification after a predetermined period of time, wherein a call screening function is performed when the calling party number is invalid.
20. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the call screening function comprises:
means for playing an announcement to the calling party.
21. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein means for playing an announcement comprises means for playing a Special Instruction Tone (SIT) cadence and means for prompting the calling party to record a name or enter an override code.
22. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the call screening function comprises:
means for routing the call to the device associated with the user based on a determination that the calling party entered a valid override code.
23. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the call screening function comprises:
means for ending the call based on the determination that the calling party does not record a name and does not enter a valid override code.
24. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the call screening function comprises:
means for placing a second call to the user at the device and playing a recording of the calling party when the calling party records a name.
25. The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the call screening function comprises:
means for disposing of the call to the user from the calling party based on a response to the second call by the user.
26. An apparatus for screening a call, comprising:
means for receiving information pertaining to a call to a user from a calling party;
means for retrieving data corresponding to the user using the information pertaining to the call;
means for determining whether a real-time call management function is enabled for the user;
means for determining whether a calling party number associated with the calling party is valid following a determination that the real-time call management function is not enabled, wherein a call screening function is performed when the calling party number is determined to be invalid;
means for selecting a device associated with the user to receive a notification of the call based on the retrieved data corresponding to the user;
means for providing the notification of the call to the selected device following a determination that the real-time call management function is enabled, the notification including a user-selectable call screening option; and
means for initiating the call screening function when the user selects the call screening option.
27. An apparatus for screening a call, comprising:
a computer readable medium storing a computer program that: receives information pertaining to a call to a user from a calling party; determines whether a real-time call management function is enabled for the user; determines whether a calling party number associated with the calling party is valid following a determination that the real-time call management function is not enabled, wherein a call screening function is performed when the calling party number is determined to be invalid; provides a notification of the call to a device associated with the user following a determination that the real-time call management function is enabled, the notification including a user-selectable call screening option; and initiates the call screening function when the user selects the call screening option; and
a processor that runs the program.
28. An apparatus for screening a call, comprising:
a computer readable medium storing a computer program that: receives information pertaining to a call to a user from a calling party; retrieves data corresponding to the user using the information pertaining to the call; determines whether a real-time call management function is enabled for the user; determines whether a calling party number associated with the calling party is valid following a determination that the real-time call management function is not enabled, wherein a call screening function is performed when the calling party number is determined to be invalid; selects a device associated with the user to receive a notification of the call based on the retrieved data corresponding to the user; provides the notification of the call to the selected device following a determination that the real-time call management function is enabled, the notification including a user-selectable call screening option; and initiates the call screening function when the user selects the call screening option; and
a processor that runs the program.
29. A computer-readable medium encoded with instructions capable of being executed by a computer for performing a method for screening a call, the method comprising:
receiving information pertaining to a call to a user from a calling party;
determining whether a real-time call management function is enabled for the user;
determining whether a calling party number associated with the calling party is valid following a determination that the real-time call management function is not enabled, wherein a call screening function is performed when the calling party number is determined to be invalid;
providing a notification of the call to a device associated with the user following a determination that the real-time call management function is enabled, the notification including a user-selectable call screening option; and
initiating the call screening function when the user selects the call screening option.
30. The computer-readable medium of claim 29 , the method comprising:
accepting the call for the device based on a determination that the calling party number is valid.
31. The computer-readable medium of claim 29 , the method comprising:
determining whether a calling party number associated with the calling party is valid based on a determination that the user has not responded to the notification after a predetermined period of time, wherein a call screening function is performed when the calling party number is invalid.
32. The computer-readable medium of claim 29 , wherein the call screening function comprises:
playing an announcement to the calling party.
33. The computer-readable medium of claim 32 , wherein playing an announcement comprises playing a Special Instruction Tone (SIT) cadence and prompting the calling party to record a name or enter an override code.
34. The computer-readable medium of claim 33 , wherein the call screening function comprises:
routing the call to the device associated with the user based on a determination that the calling party entered a valid override code.
35. The computer-readable medium of claim 33 , wherein the call screening function comprises:
ending the call based on the determination that the calling party does not record a name and does not enter a valid override code.
36. The computer-readable medium of claim 33 , wherein the call screening function comprises:
placing a second call to the user at the device and playing a recording of the calling party when the calling party records a name.
37. The computer-readable medium of claim 36 , wherein the call screening function comprises:
disposing of the call to the user from the calling party based on a response to the second call by the user.
38. A computer-readable medium encoded with instructions capable of being executed by a computer for performing a method for screening a call, the method comprising:
receiving information pertaining to a call to a user from a calling party;
retrieving data corresponding to the user using the information pertaining to the call;
determining whether a real-time call management function is enabled for the user;
determining whether a calling party number associated with the calling party is valid following a determination that the real-time call management function is not enabled, wherein a call screening function is performed when the calling party number is determined to be invalid;
selecting a device associated with the user to receive a notification of the call based on the retrieved data corresponding to the user;
providing the notification of the call to the selected device following a determination that the real-time call management function is enabled, the notification including a user-selectable call screening option; and
initiating the call screening function when the user selects the call screening option.
39. The computer-readable medium of claim 38 , wherein the call screening function comprises:
playing an announcement to the calling party.
40. The computer-readable medium of claim 39 , wherein playing an announcement comprises playing a Special Instruction Tone (SIT) cadence and prompting the calling party to record a name or enter an override code.
41. The computer-readable medium of claim 40 , wherein the call screening function comprises:
routing the call to the device associated with the user based on a determination that the calling party entered a valid override code.
42. The computer-readable medium of claim 40 , wherein the call screening function comprises:
ending the call based on the determination that the calling party does not record a name and does not enter a valid override code.
43. The computer-readable medium of claim 40 , wherein the call screening function comprises:
placing a second call to the user at the device and playing a recording of the calling party when the calling party records a name.
44. The computer-readable medium of claim 43 , wherein the call screening function comprises:
disposing of the call to the user from the calling party based on a response to the second call by the user.
45. A method for screening a call, comprising:
receiving notification of a call to a user at a device associated with the user, the notification including a user-selectable call screening option, the notification being received following a determination that a real-time call management function is enabled for the user, wherein when the real-time call management function is not enabled for the user, a call screening function is performed if a calling party number associated with the calling party is determined to be invalid;
receiving input from the user indicative of selection of the call screening option; and
sending, to a server, information reflective of the selection of the call screening option, wherein the server initiates the call screening function responsive to the selection of the call screening option.
46. A device for screening a call, comprising:
a computer readable medium storing a computer program that: receives notification of a call to a user at a device associated with the user, the notification including a user-selectable call screening option, the notification being received following a determination that a real-time call management function is enabled for the user, wherein when the real-time call management function is not enabled for the user, a call screening function is performed if a calling party number associated with the calling party is determined to be invalid; receives input from the user indicative of selection of the call screening option; and sends information to a server reflective of the selection of the call screening option, wherein the server initiates the call screening function responsive to the selection of the call screening option;
a user interface that displays the notification; and
a processor that runs the program.
47. A system for screening a call, comprising:
a voice network;
a data network;
a plurality of devices associated with a user; and
a service center operable to:
receive information pertaining to a call to a user from a calling party;
determine whether a real-time call management function is enabled for the user;
determine whether a calling party number associated with the calling party is valid following a determination that the real-time call management function is not enabled, wherein a call screening function is performed when the calling party number is determined to be invalid;
provide a notification of the call to one of the plurality of devices associated with the user via the data network following a determination that the real-time call management function is enabled, the notification including a user-selectable call screening option;
and initiate the call screening function when the user selects the call screening option.
48. An apparatus for screening a call, comprising:
a first server operable to receive information pertaining to a call to a user from a calling party; determine whether a real-time call management function is enabled for the user; determine whether a calling party number associated with the calling party is valid following a determination that the real-time call management function is not enabled, wherein a call screening function is performed when the calling party number is determined to be invalid; and provide a notification of the call to a device associated with the user following a determination that the real-time call management function is enabled, the notification including a user-selectable call screening option; and
a second server operable to initiate the call screening function when the user selects the call screening option.
49. An apparatus for screening a call, comprising:
a first server operable to receive information pertaining to a call to a user from a calling party; retrieve data corresponding to the user using the information pertaining to the call; determine whether a real-time call management function is enabled for the user; determine whether a calling party number associated with the calling party is valid following a determination that the real-time call management function is not enabled, wherein a call screening function is performed when the calling party number is determined to be invalid; select a device associated with the user to receive a notification of the call based on the retrieved data corresponding to the user; and provide the notification of the call to the selected device following a determination that the real-time call management function is enabled, the notification including a user-selectable call screening option; and
a second server operable to initiate the call screening function when the user selects the call screening option.