Telephone call handling list for multiple users
View Patent ↗Enabling handling of incoming phone calls includes receiving an indication from one or more call recipients reflecting a desire to block future calls from a call source. A number of received indications reflecting a desire to block future calls from the call source is determined and compared to a threshold. An identifier of the call source is added to a list of call sources from which future calls are specially handled when the number of indications meets the threshold. Handling an incoming call from an undesired call source includes receiving an indication of a call placed to a call recipient. A source of the call is identified. Whether the identified call source is included in the list of call sources from which future calls are specially handled is determined. Special handling is applied to the call when the identified call source is included in the list.
1. A computer-implemented method for handling an incoming call from a call source, the method comprising:
electronically receiving an indication of a call placed to a call recipient;
electronically identifying a source of the call;
electronically determining if the identified call source is included in a first set of call sources, a second set of call sources, or a third set of call sources;
electronically applying a first call treatment to the call when the identified call source is determined to be included in the first set of call sources; and
electronically applying a second call treatment to the call when the identified call source is determined to be included in the second set of call sources; and
electronically applying a third call treatment to the call when the identified call source is determined to be included in the third set of call sources, the first, the second, and the third call treatments being distinct from each other,
wherein the call source is included in the first set of call sources when a number of received indications is zero, said indications reflect a desire of corresponding call recipients to block future calls from the call source,
wherein the call source is included in the second set of call sources when a number of said indications is greater than zero but less than a threshold number, and
wherein the call source is included in the third set of call sources when a number of said indications is greater than or equal to the threshold number.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
electronically applying the first call treatment comprises causing the call to ring on a phone of the call recipient using a first ring tone,
electronically applying the second call treatment comprises causing the call to ring on the phone of the call recipient using a second ring tone, and
electronically applying the third call treatment comprises causing the call to ring on the phone of the call recipient using a third ring tone, the first, the second and the third ring tones being different from each other.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
electronically applying the first call treatment comprises providing a first visual notification of the call to the call recipient,
electronically applying the second call treatment comprises providing a second visual notification of the call to the call recipient, and
electronically applying the third call treatment comprises providing a third visual notification of the call to the call recipient,
the first, the second and the third visual notifications being visually distinct from each other.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein
the first visual notification is presented in a first color,
the second visual notification is presented in a second color, and
the third visual notification is presented in a third color, the first, the second and the third colors being distinct from each other to reflect inclusion of the call source in the first, the second, and the third sets of call sources, respectively.