Patent Application
20160380926
Technical Field
This disclosure relates to utilizing telecommunications channels. More particularly, this disclosure relates to establishing sender identities where such identities are initially withheld.
Description of Related Art
Situations often arise where an individual receives a telephone call, a fax, a page, an email, or another type of electronic communication from another party. Furthermore, situations often arise where the identity of the originating party is withheld. An incoming call or fax may not have caller ID or may have caller ID information withheld. Likewise, individuals frequently receive emails where the originator is not present or such data is withheld, or from a server identity. Likewise, pages to an individual or SMS/text messages can withhold the identity.
Individuals receiving such messages or calls or electronic communications may wish to receive these communications, but only in instances where the identity of the sending party is known or trusted. Terminating all communications where the sender ID is not provided might result in legitimate communications not reaching the receiver. For example, if a family member attempts to telephone the user from a pay phone or from a foreign country, the caller ID data might not be transmitted because of the telephone being used by the family member. Automatic termination of such communications might result in the user not receiving an important message from a friend or family member.
An approach is provided for
The foregoing is a summary and thus contains, by necessity, simplifications, generalizations, and omissions of detail; consequently, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. Other aspects, inventive features, and advantages of the present invention, as defined solely by the claims, will become apparent in the non-limiting detailed description set forth below.
The present invention may be better understood, and its numerous objects, features, and advantages made apparent to those skilled in the art by referencing the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The present invention may be a system, a method, and/or a computer program product. The computer program product may include a computer readable storage medium (or media) having computer readable program instructions thereon for causing a processor to carry out aspects of the present invention.
The computer readable storage medium can be a tangible device that can retain and store instructions for use by an instruction execution device. The computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but is not limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of the computer readable storage medium includes the following: a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a static random access memory (SRAM), a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD), a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanically encoded device such as punch-cards or raised structures in a groove having instructions recorded thereon, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. A computer readable storage medium, as used herein, is not to be construed as being transitory signals per se, such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through a waveguide or other transmission media (e.g., light pulses passing through a fiber-optic cable), or electrical signals transmitted through a wire.
Computer readable program instructions described herein can be downloaded to respective computing/processing devices from a computer readable storage medium or to an external computer or external storage device via a network, for example, the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network and/or a wireless network. The network may comprise copper transmission cables, optical transmission fibers, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers and/or edge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in each computing/processing device receives computer readable program instructions from the network and forwards the computer readable program instructions for storage in a computer readable storage medium within the respective computing/processing device.
Computer readable program instructions for carrying out operations of the present invention may be assembler instructions, instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state-setting data, or either source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like, and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The computer readable program instructions may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider). In some embodiments, electronic circuitry including, for example, programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), or programmable logic arrays (PLA) may execute the computer readable program instructions by utilizing state information of the computer readable program instructions to personalize the electronic circuitry, in order to perform aspects of the present invention.
Aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer readable program instructions.
These computer readable program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. These computer readable program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable storage medium that can direct a computer, a programmable data processing apparatus, and/or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the computer readable storage medium having instructions stored therein comprises an article of manufacture including instructions which implement aspects of the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
The computer readable program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other device to produce a computer implemented process, such that the instructions which execute on the computer, other programmable apparatus, or other device implement the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of instructions, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). In some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts or carry out combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.
The following detailed description will generally follow the summary of the invention, as set forth above, further explaining and expanding the definitions of the various aspects and embodiments of the invention as necessary. To this end, this detailed description first sets forth a computing environment in
Northbridge 115 and Southbridge 135 connect to each other using bus 119. In one embodiment, the bus is a Direct Media Interface (DMI) bus that transfers data at high speeds in each direction between Northbridge 115 and Southbridge 135. In another embodiment, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus connects the Northbridge and the Southbridge. Southbridge 135, also known as the I/O Controller Hub (ICH) is a chip that generally implements capabilities that operate at slower speeds than the capabilities provided by the Northbridge. Southbridge 135 typically provides various busses used to connect various components. These busses include, for example, PCI and PCI Express busses, an ISA bus, a System Management Bus (SMBus or SMB), and/or a Low Pin Count (LPC) bus. The LPC bus often connects low-bandwidth devices, such as boot ROM 196 and “legacy” I/O devices (using a “super I/O” chip). The “legacy” I/O devices (198) can include, for example, serial and parallel ports, keyboard, mouse, and/or a floppy disk controller. The LPC bus also connects Southbridge 135 to Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 195. Other components often included in Southbridge 135 include a Direct Memory Access (DMA) controller, a Programmable Interrupt Controller (PIC), and a storage device controller, which connects Southbridge 135 to nonvolatile storage device 185, such as a hard disk drive, using bus 184.
ExpressCard 155 is a slot that connects hot-pluggable devices to the information handling system. ExpressCard 155 supports both PCI Express and USB connectivity as it connects to Southbridge 135 using both the Universal Serial Bus (USB) the PCI Express bus. Southbridge 135 includes USB Controller 140 that provides USB connectivity to devices that connect to the USB. These devices include webcam (camera) 150, infrared (IR) receiver 148, keyboard and trackpad 144, and Bluetooth device 146, which provides for wireless personal area networks (PANs). USB Controller 140 also provides USB connectivity to other miscellaneous USB connected devices 142, such as a mouse, removable nonvolatile storage device 145, modems, network cards, ISDN connectors, fax, printers, USB hubs, and many other types of USB connected devices. While removable nonvolatile storage device 145 is shown as a USB-connected device, removable nonvolatile storage device 145 could be connected using a different interface, such as a Firewire interface, etcetera.
Wireless Local Area Network (LAN) device 175 connects to Southbridge 135 via the PCI or PCI Express bus 172. LAN device 175 typically implements one of the IEEE 0.802.11 standards of over-the-air modulation techniques that all use the same protocol to wireless communicate between information handling system 100 and another computer system or device. Optical storage device 190 connects to Southbridge 135 using Serial ATA (SATA) bus 188. Serial ATA adapters and devices communicate over a high-speed serial link. The Serial ATA bus also connects Southbridge 135 to other forms of storage devices, such as hard disk drives. Audio circuitry 160, such as a sound card, connects to Southbridge 135 via bus 158. Audio circuitry 160 also provides functionality such as audio line-in and optical digital audio in port 162, optical digital output and headphone jack 164, internal speakers 166, and internal microphone 168. Ethernet controller 170 connects to Southbridge 135 using a bus, such as the PCI or PCI Express bus. Ethernet controller 170 connects information handling system 100 to a computer network, such as a Local Area Network (LAN), the Internet, and other public and private computer networks.
While
The Trusted Platform Module (TPM 195) shown in
The approach described herein triggers a business process workflow on behalf of the receiving user. This business process workflow can be motivated by a server or device preference specified by the user (e.g. account settings for a PSTN line, cell settings/preferences for a GSM phone, etc). It can also be triggered by an operator or administrator, or via admin support triggered by the user. The approach triggers a handshaking protocol between the receiving device and the sending device. The handshaking protocol has two primary steps. First, the receiving device acknowledges that the incoming call/communication has no identity, or is anonymous, or is unknown. User settings are interrogated to ascertain how the user wishes to handle the communication. If the preference is for the user to simply not receive calls (or messages) then the call will not come through. However, this approach provides a way to establish a sender's identity by taking steps to establish this identity. In the second step of the approach, handshaking occurs between the devices with the originating device requesting that the sender provide identity information. The incoming call is left open whilst this takes place. On the originating device a message is provided asking the sender to provide identity information. For example, the prompt might be “the recipient of this communication has requested your identity, dialed number will not accept call without identity, do you wish to reveal your identity?” If the originator (sender) rejects the request, then the call is terminated on the receiver's side. However, if the originator accepts and provides identity information, then the session information for the call in progress is updated with the user's identity—which may be caller ID in the case of a phone call.
Likewise, in one embodiment, the business workflow may operate on the user's behalf to establish precision in the identity. For example, the workflow may provides prompts, such as a pop-up dialog, on the sending device that forces the sender to provide particular identification details before allowing the call to interrupt the receiver. Indeed, in a world of rich devices, such as “smart phones,” such a workflow can also mandate a field to be filled describing “brief purpose of call/communication”. In a PSTN example the receiving user can then see the additional data and chose whether to answer the call or not.
Likewise, in one embodiment the workflow that mandates field(s) to be completed to describe the “brief purpose of call/communication,” etc. can also relay a message back to the sender. For example, a PSTN user receiving a call with this message can chose a “respond with message” option whereby the call is suspended in favor of a message that is sent from the receiver back to the sender perhaps allowing for constraints like “John—mad busy now, can you call me back at 6 pm, I am free then” or “John—I have no update on the PwC project, I'll know more at noon and will call you when I have this”. Hence a PSTN interruption in this way is converted in to a two-way instant messaging communication leveraging native SMS on both receiving and sending devices.
In the second step (2), receiver 320 receives the transmission on the user's communication device and automatically requests identity information from the sender by sending an identification request to sender 300 over electronic communications channel 200 using transmission 340. Transmission 340 is sent automatically from the user's communication device without interrupting the user of the communication device. In the third step (3), sender 300 replies to the identification request with the requested information (e.g., name, phone number, etc.) by transmitting sender identification response transmission 360 to the receiver over electronic communications channel 200. Based upon the sender identification data received at the user's communication device, a responsive action is performed at 380. The responsive action might be to terminate the communication if the sender was found to be someone with whom the receiver did not wish to communicate, such as a political message or solicitation message. The responsive action might be to transmit a message back to the sender and terminate the communication session (e.g., “sorry, I can't talk now, I'll call you later”).
The right side of the flowchart commences at 320 and shows the steps taken by the receiver (i.e., responder, etc.) of the communication. At step 410, the process performed by the receiver's communication device receives the communication request (e.g., phone call, fax, text message, etc.). The process performed on the receiver's communication device determines as to whether the sender's identity data was withheld from the communication (decision 420). If the sender's identity data was withheld from the communication, then decision 420 branches to the ‘yes’ branch to perform predefined process 430. On the other hand, if the sender's identity data was included in the communication, then decision 420 branches to the ‘no’ branch bypassing predefined process 430.
If the sender's identity data was withheld from the communication then, at predefined process 430, the process performs the Manage Unknown Caller routine (see
The result of predefined process 430 will either be an open communication channel with the sender or having the channel closed (terminated). The process running on the receiver's device determines as to whether the status of communication with the sender is open or closed (decision 460). If communications are open, then decision 460 branches to the “open” branch and, at step 470, the process notifies the user of the device of the communication and the user is able to communicate with the sender. On the other hand, if the result of predefined process 430 is a closed communication channel, then decision 460 branches to the “closed” branch bypassing step 470. Receiver processing thereafter ends at 490. Returning to sender processing, at step 480, the sender communicates with receiver if the receiver accepted the sender's communication request after receiving the sender's identification information. Sender processing thereafter ends at 495.
If the user preferences indicate an automatic termination of communications where the sender's identification data is withheld, then decision 515 branches to the ‘yes’ branch whereupon, at step 520, the process terminates the communication with the sender (e.g., hang up, etc.) and processing returns to the calling routine at 525. On the other hand, if the user preferences do not indicate an automatic termination of communications where the sender's identification data is withheld, then decision 515 branches to the ‘no’ branch and processing continues.
The process next determines as to whether the user preferences indicate a preference to establish the sender's identification (decision 530). If the user preferences do not indicate a preference to establish the sender's identification, then decision 530 branches to ‘no’ branch whereupon, at step 535, the process interrupts the user of the recipient device with the communication and processing returns to the calling routine at 540. On the other hand, if the user preferences indicate a preference to establish the sender's identification then decision 530 branches to the ‘no’ branch and processing continues to establish the sender's identity.
At step 545, the process identifies the type of communication being conducted (e.g. PSTN call, cell call, text message, etc.). At step 550, the process transmits an identification request to the sender over the electronic communications channel. For example, the identification request might state “recipient requests your identity, please provide to continue.” The identification request is transmitted to originator (sender) 300. The process running on the receiver's communication device determines as to whether a sender identification response was received from the sender (decision 555).
If a sender identification response was received from the sender, then decision 555 branches to the ‘yes’ branch for further processing. On the other hand, if a sender identification response was not received from the sender, then decision 555 branches to the ‘no’ branch whereupon the communication is terminated at 575 and processing returns to the calling routine at 595. At step 560, the process receives the sender identification response from the sender.
At step 565, the process applies an acceptance criteria to the received sender identification response, with the user of the communication device being notified in response to a successful application of the acceptance criteria. In one embodiment, the acceptance criteria compares the received sender identification data to a “whitelist” and/or “blacklist” of communications to accept and/or reject.
The process determines as to whether to accept communications with the sender (decision 570). If communications with the sender is accepted, then decision 570 branches to the ‘yes’ branch whereupon at step 580, the process interrupts the user of the recipient device with the sender's identification data, and a user response is received (open comm. line, send message back to originator, etc.). in one embodiment, the response can be a terminating message (e.g., “sorry, I'm really busy but will call you back in a while,” etc.). On the other hand, if communications with the sender is not accepted, then decision 570 branches to the ‘no’ branch whereupon the communication is terminated at 575 and processing returns to the calling routine at 595.
While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that, based upon the teachings herein, that changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention and its broader aspects. Therefore, the appended claims are to encompass within their scope all such changes and modifications as are within the true spirit and scope of this invention. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the invention is solely defined by the appended claims. It will be understood by those with skill in the art that if a specific number of an introduced claim element is intended, such intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation no such limitation is present. For non-limiting example, as an aid to understanding, the following appended claims contain usage of the introductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claim elements. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim element by the indefinite articles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim element to inventions containing only one such element, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases “one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an”; the same holds true for the use in the claims of definite articles.
