IP Library Granted Patent US 8,681,967
Granted Patent B1
US 8,681,967 · App. 13/329,812 · Granted Mar 25, 2014

Method and apparatus of applying call suppression measures to restrict phone calls

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,681,967
App. No.
13/329,812
Granted
Mar 25, 2014
Kind
B1
Abstract

A method, apparatus and non-transitory computer readable medium for determining whether to perform telephone call blocking. One example method of operation provides initiating a telephone call from a call server, determining whether the call is a solicitation call and determining the area code of the call and performing a lookup operation of the area code in a call suppression database. The method may also include retrieving a call block entry for a current day from the call suppression database, and comparing the area code to the call block entry for the current day to determine whether the call should be blocked.

Claims (43)

1. A method of determining whether to perform outgoing telephone call blocking from a business organization that performs outgoing solicitation calls and outgoing non-solicitation calls, the method comprising:

initiating an outgoing telephone call from a call server of the business organization to a destination number comprising an area code;

determining, by the business organization, whether the outgoing call is a solicitation call;

when the outgoing call is a solicitation call:

determining the area code of the call and performing a lookup operation of the area code in a call suppression database;

retrieving at least one call block entry for a current day from the call suppression database; and

comparing the area code to the at least one call block entry for the current day to determine whether the call should be blocked.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein if the call is not a solicitation then routing the call.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

blocking the call responsive to matching the area code with the at least one call block entry.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that the area code is not blocked by the at least one call block entry; and

determining whether the call is violating an additional call regulation.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the additional call regulation is at least one of a state regulation and a Federal regulation.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the state regulation is applied to the call based on the area code of the call and an area code of the state stored in the call suppression database.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the state regulation blocks the call based on a prohibited calling window of time that solicitation calls are not permitted to be made.

8. An apparatus configured to determine whether to perform telephone call blocking of an outgoing call, the apparatus comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit a telephone call to a destination number comprising an area code; and

a processor configured to

determine whether the outgoing call is a solicitation call;

determine the area code of the call and perform a lookup operation of the area code in a call suppression database,

retrieve at least one call block entry for a current day from the call suppression database, and

compare the area code to the at least one call block entry for the current day to determine whether the call should be blocked.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein if the call is not a solicitation then continuing with the call transmission.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to block the call responsive to matching the area code with the at least one call block entry.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to determine that the area code is not blocked by the at least one call block entry, and determine whether the call is violating an additional call regulation.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the additional call regulation is at least one of a state regulation and a Federal regulation.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the state regulation is applied to the call based on the area code of the call and an area code of the state stored in the call suppression database.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the state regulation blocks the call based on a prohibited calling window of time that solicitation calls are not permitted to be made.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions that when executed cause a processor to perform determining whether to perform telephone call blocking, the processor being further configured to perform:

initiating an outgoing telephone call from a call server to a destination number comprising an area code;

determining whether the outgoing call is a solicitation call;

determining the area code of the call and performing a lookup operation of the area code in a call suppression database;

retrieving at least one call block entry for a current day from the call suppression database; and

comparing the area code to the at least one call block entry for the current day to determine whether the call should be blocked.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein if the call is not a solicitation then routing the call.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform:

blocking the call responsive to matching the area code with the at least one call block entry.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform:

determining that the area code is not blocked by the at least one call block entry; and

determining whether the call is violating an additional call regulation.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the additional call regulation is at least one of a state regulation and a Federal regulation.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein the state regulation is applied to the call based on the area code of the call and an area code of the state stored in the call suppression database, and the state regulation blocks the call based on a prohibited calling window of time that solicitation calls are not permitted to be made.

Assignments (11)
OMNIBUS ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Recorded Nov 25, 2024
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH (AS SUCCESSOR TO CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH IN ITS CAPACITY AS COLLATERAL AGENT)
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS THE SUCCESSOR COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 069438/0775 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 3, 2023
From: WEST CORPORATION
To: INTRADO CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 063239/0900 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 3, 2023
From: INTRADO CORPORATION
To: WEST TECHNOLOGY GROUP, LLC
Reel/Frame 063239/0876 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST (SECOND LIEN) IN PATENTS Recorded Jan 31, 2023
From: CX360, INC.; WEST TECHNOLOGY GROUP, LLC (FKA INTRADO CORPORATION, FKA WEST CORPORATION); INTRADO INTERACTIVE SERVICES CORPORATION (FKA WEST INTERACTIVE SERVICES CORPORATION, FKA COBALT ACQUISITION COMPANY)
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 062571/0018 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 20, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: WEST CORPORATION; WEST NOTIFICATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 062201/0987 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 1, 2018
From: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: WEST CORPORATION; WEST INTERACTIVE SERVICES CORPORATION; WEST SAFETY SERVICES, INC.; WEST UNIFIED COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES, INC.; RELIANCE COMMUNICATIONS, LLC
Reel/Frame 046046/0547 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS (FIRST LIEN) Recorded Oct 10, 2017
From: WEST CORPORATION
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 044166/0901 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 20, 2016
From: WEST CORPORATION; WEST INTERACTIVE SERVICES CORPORATION; WEST SAFETY SERVICES, INC.; WEST UNIFIED COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES, INC.; RELIANCE COMMUNICATIONS, LLC
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 039093/0944 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 20, 2014
From: WEST CORPORATION, AS GRANTOR; WEST NOTIFICATIONS, AS GRANTOR
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 033204/0215 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 14, 2012
From: INTERCALL, INC. A DELAWARE CORPORATION; INTRADO INC. A DELAWARE CORPORATION; TELEVOX SOFTWARE, INC. A DELAWARE CORPORATION; TUVOX INCORPORATED, A DELAWARE CORPORATION; TWENTY FIRST CENTURY COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AN OHIO CORPORATION; WEST CORPORATION, A DELAWARE CORPORATION; WEST DIRECT, LLC, A DELAWARE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY; WEST INTERACTIVE CORPORATION, A DELAWARE CORPORATION; WEST NOTIFICATIONS GROUP, INC. A DELAWARE CORPORATION
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 027865/0218 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 19, 2011
From: JOHNSON, REBEKAH; MORVANT, BARON J.; HOWARD, WILLIAM COREY
To: WEST CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 027409/0559 →