Call screening method and apparatus
View Patent ↗A cellular telephone system is provided with a process and apparatus for screening an incoming call. The process is carried out by, and the apparatus comprises, a service provider ( 20 ) and a mobile station ( 30 ). The mobile station ( 30 ) answers the incoming call and places the call on hold. The mobile station ( 30 ) connects to the service provider ( 20 ) and places the service provider ( 20 ) and the incoming caller on multi-party hold. The mobile station ( 30 ) then signals the service provider ( 20 ) to begin screening the call. In response, the service provider ( 20 ) prompts the incoming caller for the incoming caller's identification and then communicates this information to the mobile station ( 30 ). Based on this information, the mobile station ( 30 ) can elect to accept or reject the incoming call.
1. A method for screening a call from a caller, comprising:
receiving a call from the caller at a mobile station;
answering the call at the station;
putting the caller on hold;
connecting with a service provider;
putting the service provider on hold with the caller; and
signaling to the service provider to begin screening the call.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the service provider is configured to prompt the caller for identification.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving identification information associated with the caller from the service provider.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the service provider is configured to send a user prompt to the mobile station for determining whether to accept the call.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving user input indicating a desire to accept the call.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving user input indicating a desire to reject the call.
7. A system for screening a call from a caller, comprising:
a first receiving component configured to receive a call from the caller at a mobile station and answer the call at the mobile station;
a first holding component configured to put the caller on hold;
a connecting component configured to connect with a service provider;
a second holding component configured to put the service provider on hold with the caller; and
a signaling component configured to signal the service provider to begin screening the call.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the service provider is configured to prompt the caller for identification.
9. The system of claim 7 , further comprising a second receiving component configured to receive identification information associated with the caller from the service provider.
10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the service provider is configured to send a user prompt to the mobile station for determining whether to accept the call.
11. The system of claim 7 , further comprising a first electing component configured receive a user input indicating a desire to accept the call.
12. The system of claim 7 , further comprising a second electing component configured to receive a user input indicating a desire to reject the call.
13. A computer readable medium containing instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to screen a call from a caller by:
receiving a call from the caller at a mobile station;
answering the call at the mobile station;
putting the caller on hold;
connecting with a service provider;
putting the service provider on hold with the caller; and
signaling to the service provider to begin screening the call.
14. The computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the service provider is configured to prompt the caller for identification.
15. The computer readable medium of claim 13 , further comprising instructions for receiving identification information associated with the caller from the service provider.
16. The computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the service provider is configured to send a user prompt to the mobile station for determining whether to accept the call.
17. The computer readable medium of claim 13 , further comprising instructions for receiving a user input indicating a desire to accept the call.
18. The computer readable medium of claim 13 , further comprising instructions for receiving a user input indicating a desire to reject the call.