IP Library Granted Patent US 9,066,203
Granted Patent B2
US 9,066,203 · App. 13/963,691 · Granted Jun 23, 2015

System and method for restricting communications at a network level

Inventors: Andrew Cook (Lenexa, KS); Jade Kerr (Kansas City, MO); Mohit Mathur (Olathe, KS); Michael Morrissey (Overland Park, KS); Clinton Smoyer (Raymore, MO)
Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Proprty LLC
H04W4/02H04M1/72577H04M11/04H04W4/001H04W12/08H04W76/007H04W76/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,066,203
App. No.
13/963,691
Granted
Jun 23, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

The disclosed embodiments include a method, apparatus, and computer program product for restricting communications at a network level. For example, one disclosed embodiment includes a system that includes at least one processor and at least one memory coupled to the at least one processor. The memory stores instructions that when executed by the at least one processor performs operations that includes receiving location coordinates such as, but not limited to, a building's coordinates, a name of a business, and a freeform shape that defines a boundary. The operations include restricting, at the network level, communications associated with a device determined to be within a boundary corresponding to the location coordinates.

Claims (35)

1. A computer implemented method for restricting communications at a network level, said computer implemented method comprising:

executing instructions, using a processor, to receive location coordinates;

retrieving permissions associated with the location coordinates, wherein the permissions indicate one or more communications restrictions associated with the location coordinates;

restricting, at the network level, based on the permissions, communications associated with a device determined to be within a boundary corresponding to the location coordinates; and

sending the permissions to an originating device that is attempting to communicate with the device, wherein the permissions are configured to allow the originating device to generate a notification to indicate any restrictions in communicating with the device prior to attempting to establish communications between the originating device and the device.

2. The computer implemented method according to claim 1 , wherein the location coordinates include a northwest corner location coordinate, a northeast corner location coordinate, a southwest corner location coordinate, and a southeast corner location coordinate.

3. The computer implemented method according to claim 1 , wherein the location coordinates is a business name of a location, and wherein the computer implemented method further includes retrieving from a database GPS coordinates corresponding to the business name.

4. The computer implemented method according to claim 1 , wherein the location coordinates are received via a user interface that is configured to enable a user to define the boundary using a layout wizard.

5. The computer implemented method according to claim 4 , wherein the boundary is a freeform shape defined by the user using the layout wizard.

6. The computer implemented method according to claim 4 , wherein the user interface enables the user to define a type of communication to be restricted.

7. The computer implemented method according to claim 1 , wherein restricting communications does not restrict communications to and from emergency services.

8. The computer implemented method according to claim 1 , wherein restricting communications includes restricting the device to utilize only non-audible notification of a communication.

9. A system, comprising:

at least one processor; and

memory communicatively coupled to the at least one processor, the memory storing computer executable instructions for restricting communications at a network level,

the computer executable instructions comprises instructions to:

receive location coordinates;

retrieve permissions associated with the location coordinates, wherein the permissions indicate one or more communications restrictions associated with the location coordinates;

restrict at the network level, based on the permissions, communications associated with a device determined to be within a boundary corresponding to the location coordinates; and

send the permissions to an originating device that is attempting to communicate with the device, wherein the permissions are configured to allow the originating device to generate a notification to indicate any restrictions in communicating with the device prior to attempting to establish communications between the originating device and the device.

10. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the location coordinates include a northwest corner location coordinate, a northeast corner location coordinate, a southwest corner location coordinate, and a southeast corner location coordinate.

11. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the location coordinates is a business name of a location, and wherein the system further executes the computer executable instructions to retrieve from a database GPS coordinates corresponding to the business name.

12. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the location coordinates are received via a user interface that is configured to enable a user to define the boundary using a layout wizard.

13. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the boundary is a freeform shape defined by the user using the layout wizard.

14. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the user interface enables the user to define a type of communication to be restricted.

15. The system according to claim 9 , wherein restricting communications includes restricting the device to utilize only non-audible notification of a communication.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions for restricting communications at a network level, the computer executable instructions when executed causes one or more machines to perform operations comprising:

receiving location coordinates;

retrieving permissions associated with the location coordinates, wherein the permissions indicate one or more communications restrictions associated with the location coordinates;

restricting at the network level, based on the permissions, communications associated with a device determined to be within a boundary corresponding to the location coordinates; and

sending the permissions to an originating device that is attempting to communicate with the device, wherein the permissions are configured to allow the originating device to generate a notification to indicate any restrictions in communicating with the device prior to attempting to establish communications between the originating device and the device.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 16 , wherein the location coordinates include a northwest corner location coordinate, a northeast corner location coordinate, a southwest corner location coordinate, and a southeast corner location coordinate.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 16 , wherein the location coordinates is a business name of a location, and wherein the operations further include retrieving from a database GPS coordinates corresponding to the business name.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 16 , wherein the location coordinates are received via a user interface that is configured to enable a user to define the boundary using a layout wizard.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 19 , wherein the boundary is a freeform shape defined by the user using the layout wizard.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 9, 2013
From: COOK, ANDREW; KERR, JADE; MATHUR, MOHIT; MORRISSEY, MICHAEL; SMOYER, CLINTON
To: EMBARQ HOLDINGS COMPANY, LLC
Reel/Frame 030981/0218 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 9, 2013
From: EMBARQ HOLDINGS COMPANY, LLC
To: CENTURYLINK INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LLC
Reel/Frame 030997/0968 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 12398813 · Mar 5, 2009
Related Publication 20130324102A1 · Dec 5, 2013