Social error prevention
View Patent ↗Inappropriate messages can be eliminated by an automatic etiquette agent which, based on prescribed etiquette rules, initially prevents a communication from being established unless it receives a further authorization from the user. The etiquette rules represent prescribed social characteristics and situations and they may be set by, or customized by the user, an organization to which the user belongs, or a communication service provider. The automatic etiquette agent may question the user on the advisability of establishing a communication, e.g., by presenting a dialog box or voice prompt to the user and receiving a simple affirmation if communication is to be established. Alternatively, the user may be prompted by the automatic etiquette agent to enter a password that clearly indicates the user's assent. In the event that the automatic etiquette agent does not receive the appropriate affirmation of the user's intent, the communication is not established.
1. A method for controlling the ability to establish a communication, by a user originating said communication using a telecommunications equipment, the method comprising the step of:
in response to (i) origination of said communication and (ii) automatic detection of a violation by said communication of an etiquette rule that is prestored in a computer readable medium, preventing said communication from being completed at least until receipt of an indication of further authorization of said user to establish said communication notwithstanding said violation,
wherein for a data communication said prestored etiquette rule is determined to be violated as a function of a content of said communication, and wherein for a voice communication said prestored etiquette rule is determined to be violated as a function of a location of at least one party other than said user, and as a function of a characteristic of the environment at a location from which said user originated said communication.
2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said indication of said further authorization of said user is receipt of a correct password.
3. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said indication of said further authorization of said user is an indication of a prescribed affirmation act performed in response to a dialog box.
4. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said indication of said further authorization of said user is an indication of a prescribed affirmation act in response to a voice prompt.
5. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said method is performed at least in part by a device of said user that is used to initiate said communication to be established.
6. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said method is performed at least in part by a device within a communications network through which said communication must pass to be established.
7. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said method is performed at least in part by a communications network associated with said user.
8. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said prestored etiquette rule is one of a plurality of prestored etiquette rules stored in a database.
9. The invention as defined in claim 8 wherein said database is stored, at least in part, in a device of said user.
10. The invention as defined in claim 8 wherein said database is administered, at least in part, by said user.
11. The invention as defined in claim 8 wherein said database is administered at least in part, by a provider of a communications network associated with said user.
12. The invention as defined in claim 8 wherein said database is stored, at least in part, in a communications network associated with said user.
13. The invention as defined in claim 8 wherein said database is administered at least in part, by an organization with which said user is affiliated.
14. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said prestored etiquette rule is determined to be violated during the occurrence of a prescribed duration.
15. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said prestored etiquette rule is determined to be violated as a function of a location of said user.
16. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said prestored etiquette rule is determined to be violated as a function of a prescribed time and a location of said user.
17. A method for controlling the ability to establish a communication, by a user originating said communication, the method comprising the steps of:
setting at least one etiquette rule;
storing said set at least one etiquette rule in a computer readable medium;
determining, in response to origination of said communication by said user, if any of said at least one set etiquette rule is violated by said communication, wherein for a data communication said etiquette rule is determined to be violated as a function of a content of said communication, and wherein for a voice communication said prestored etiquette rule is determined to be violated as a function of a location of at least one party other than said user, and as a function of a characteristic of the environment at a location from which said user originated said communication; and
when it is determined in said determining step that at least one of said at least one etiquette rule is violated, preventing said communication from being established until receipt of an indication of further authorization of said user to establish said communication notwithstanding said violation.
18. The invention as defined in claim 17 wherein said setting step is performed using a page on a display device presenting choices for said at least one said etiquette rule to said user.
19. The invention as defined in claim 18 wherein said choices are parameters of said at least one etiquette rule.
20. The invention as defined in claim 17 wherein said further authorization is a password received from said user.
21. The invention as defined in claim 17 wherein said step of preventing said communication from being established further comprises the step of prompting said user to supply said further authorization.
22. Apparatus for controlling the ability to establish a communication, by a user originating said communication, the apparatus comprising:
means for setting at least one etiquette rule;
means for storing in a computer readable medium said set at least one etiquette rule;
means for determining, in response to origination of said communication, if any of said at least one set etiquette rule is violated by said communication, wherein for a data communication said etiquette rule is determined to be violated as a function of a content of said communication, and wherein for a voice communication said prestored etiquette rule is determined to be violated as a function of a location of at least one party other than said user, and as a function of a characteristic of the environment at a location from which said user originated said communication; and
means for preventing said communication from being established at least until receipt of an indication of further authorization of said user to establish said communication notwithstanding said violation when it is determined by said determining means that at least one of said at least one set etiquette rule is violated.
23. Apparatus for controlling the ability to establish a communication, by a user originating said communication, the apparatus comprising:
prompting means for requesting an affirmation from a user initiating a communication that said communication should indeed be established notwithstanding that at least one etiquette rule stored in a computer medium is violated by said communication, wherein for a data communication said etiquette rule is determined to be violated as a function of a content of said communication, and wherein for a voice communication said prestored etiquette rule is determined to be violated as a function of a location of at least one party other than said user, and as a function of a characteristic of the environment at a location from which said user originated said communication; and
means for receiving said affirmation from said user.
24. The invention as defined in claim 23 further comprising a display screen for setting said at least one etiquette rule.
25. The invention as defined in claim 23 wherein said means for prompting provides a visual prompt.
26. The invention as defined in claim 23 wherein said means for prompting provides an oral prompt.
27. The invention as defined in claim 23 wherein said means for receiving receives an indication of an oral affirmation supplied by said user.
28. The invention as defined in claim 23 wherein said means for receiving receives an indication of a tactile affirmation supplied by said user.