1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to implementation of the “Do Not Call” registry. More particularly, it relates to communication blocking (e.g., call blocking) of Session Internet Protocol (SIP)-based communications over Voice Over Internet (VoIP) protocols and architectures.
2. Background of the Related Art
The United States' Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued the amended Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR) on Jan. 29, 2003. Like the original TSR issued in 1995, the amended Rule gives effect to the Telemarketing and Consumer Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act. This legislation gives the FTC and state attorneys general law enforcement tools to combat telemarketing fraud, give consumers added privacy protections and defenses against unscrupulous telemarketers, and help consumers tell the difference between fraudulent and legitimate telemarketing. Importantly, one significant amendment to the TSR prohibits calling consumers who have put their phone numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry. Key provisions limit when telemarketers may call consumers, and require transmission of Caller ID information.
Thus, outbound commercial calls are restricted by the government subject to a recipient having their phone number registered with a “Do Not Call” (DNC) list, e.g., the National Do Not Call Registry. As a practical matter, to implement current laws, businesses must procure and manage the various sources of DNC data and eliminate registered telephone numbers (TNs) from their outbound telemarketing. Non-compliance with the DNC list (e.g., calling a telephone number registered on the DNC) may result in a fine.
Many firms buy the DNC data from the National Do Not Call Registry, and incorporate it into their marketing systems so that lead or other targets will not be called if they are on the National Do Not Call Registry. However, such conventional systems and techniques leave it difficult at best to manage “Do Not Disturb” (DNC) data.
There is a need for a system and method that more accurately adheres to the DNC registry.
In accordance with the principles of the present invention, a Session Internet Protocol (SIP)-based real time communication blocker, comprises a do not call database. A communication blocking proxy intercepts a communication from a commercial source, and compares an intended recipient's identity to entries in the do not call database. The intercepted communication is blocked from being routed to an intended recipient if the intended recipient is listed in the do not call database.
In accordance with another aspect, a communication blocking proxy broker comprises a communication blocking proxy broker. A plurality of different type communication blocking proxies corresponding to a unique list of do not communicate list. The proxy broker arbitrates disposition of a received communication attempt into a given wireless communication network to only one of the plurality of different type communication blocking proxies.
In accordance with yet another aspect, a Session Internet Protocol (SIP)-based real time communication blocker comprises a do not contact database. Communication blocking means intercepts a communication from a commercial source. Means for comparing compares an intended recipient's identity corresponding to the communication to entries in the do not contact database. The intercepted communication is blocked from being routed to an intended recipient if the intended recipient is listed in the do not contact database.
A method for real-time blocking a Session Internet Protocol (SIP)-based communication in accordance with yet another aspect comprises intercepting a communication from a commercial source. An intended recipient's identity corresponding to the communication is compared to entries in a do not contact database. The intercepted communication is blocked from being routed to the intended recipient if the intended recipient is listed in the do not contact database.
Features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description with reference to the drawings, in which:
The inventors have appreciated that conventional techniques and systems result in a significant chance of mishandled DNC data, potentially resulting in non-compliance with relevant laws. The inventors herein have also appreciated that people are continually registering new telephone numbers in the DNC list, with cell phone telephone numbers being a fast growing and fast changing segment of the DNC list. And within the mobile phone market (and even within the wireline telephone market), Voice Over internet Protocol (VoIP) phones are the wave of the future.
Voice-Over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a technology that emulates a phone call, but instead of using a circuit based system such as the telephone network, utilizes packetized data transmission techniques most notably implemented in the Internet.
The use of VoIP technology is growing quickly. Given VoIP technology, there are at least three VoIP scenarios:
VoIP phone calls are routed to a VoIP voice gateway, from which they are passed on to their destination. A VoIP voice gateway or soft switch is a programmable network switch that can process the signaling for all types of packet protocols. Also known as a ‘media gateway controller,’ ‘call agent,’ or ‘call server,’ such devices are used by carriers that support converged communications services by integrating SS7 telephone signaling with packet networks. Softswitches can support, e.g., IP, DSL, ATM and frame relay.
VoIP telephone technology is quickly replacing conventional switched telephone technology. A location of a given VoIP device may be provisioned to be at a given geographic location, or queried from a home location register (HLR) in a mobile system.
With given VoIP technologies, a VoIP user must know the specific phone number of an individual, business, or other entity that they wish to call. There is no conventional technique for allowing a conference call between two or more VoIP users. In the Internet venue, users can find each other using a “chat room”, but the burden nevertheless remains on the user to search for, identify, and use a specific phone number or Universal Resource Identifier (URI) information to reach specific entities. This creates inefficiency and lack of flexibility with respect to the desire to establish a conference call, preventing VoIP users from managing their own communication needs and preferences. Generally, voice communication using VoIP technologies is limited to only point-to-point direct links between familiar or previously identified parties.
There is no known real-time call blocking system based on Session Internet Protocol (SIP).
The present invention relates to Session Internet Protocol (SIP)-based communications, e.g., Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) over both wireline and/or wireless systems. This also includes communications originating on traditional legacy or other non-SIP protocols that are converted to SIP somewhere during the call processing (e.g., using a media gateway to terminate a non-SIP device).
In particular, as shown in
The service provider IP device 116 may be any suitable calling system (e.g., SIP-based PBX or Predictive Dialers or soft-switches or other VoIP signaling interface devices), and may be implemented, e.g., with a VoIP positioning center (VPC) 175.
Importantly, the VoIP positioning center (VPC) is adapted to include a real time call blocker 100. The real time call blocker 100, e.g., a Do Not Call registry call blocker, looks at ‘dialed’ digits of the telephone number from a given commercial calling source and determines that the incoming call is not an emergency call (i.e., not a 9-1-1 call). If not an emergency call, a suitable application within the real time call blocker 100 then searches its copy of the Do Not Call (DNC) database and manager 125, and compares that to the dialed digits of the attempted incoming call. If the dialed telephone number is in fact on the “Do Not Call” (DNC) list maintained in the DNC database 125, the incoming Session Internet Protocol (SIP) signal attempting to establish the incoming call is modified in any suitable way to affect non-completion of the call to the intended party. Thus, if the attempted called party is registered in the DNC list, the relevant switch or server does not complete the associated incoming call.
One suitable way for the relevant switch or server to affect non-completion of the incoming call is by modification to the SIP signal attempting to establish the incoming call with a new called party number that the switch recognizes as non-dialable. Alternatively, the calling party may be connected with a recording indicating non-completion of the call.
In particular, as shown in
The Do Not Call proxy 202 and other proxies 204 communicate with a suitable routing rules engine 206, which in turn is in communication with a suitable customer routing database 210.
The use of a DNC proxy 202, and techniques as disclosed, provide a real-time backup to any other processes/techniques put in place upstream to ensure elimination of unwanted calls, e.g., Do Not Call calls.
A SIP-based real time call blocker with DNC proxy as disclosed may be optionally integrated with upstream systems to allow calls to DNC registered telephone numbers where even though the called telephone number is on the DNC list, the relevant commercial source has authority to contact the called party, e.g., where the commercial source has a pre-existing business relationship, etc.
In particular, as shown in step 1 of
In step 2, a SIP proxy 150 authenticates the requestor (FROM in SIP) and passes a SIP INVITE message to the SIP proxy broker 200.
In step 3, the SIP proxy broker 200 analyzes the incoming SIP signal relating to the attempted incoming call and determines that it requires a request to check the “Do Not Call” (DNC) list.
In step 4, the SIP proxy broker 200 routes the SIP signaling to the DNC proxy broker (application server) 200.
In step 5, the DNC proxy broker 200 checks the DNC database manager 125. The DNC database manager 125 modifies the SIP signaling to indicate if the destination telephone number is found and should be blocked.
In step 6, once the DNC check is complete, the DNC proxy 202 sends the SIP signaling to a suitable routing rules engine 206.
In step 7, the routing rules engine 206 determines the proper handling of the call, e.g., based on the customer routing rules database 210, and modifies the signaling appropriately.
In step 8, the signaling is routed back to the DNC proxy broker 200.
In step 9, the signaling is routed back to the SIP proxy 150, and the SIP proxy 150 egresses the call according to the signaling.
In step 10, the call is forwarded to, e.g., a PSTN via an appropriate media gateway to convert from SIP signaling to SS7 signaling; directed to a destination uniform resource identifier (URI); back to the originating switch/device indicating that the call is blocked, etc.
In an alternative embodiment, the blocked incoming call is routed to an interactive voice recognition (IVR)-like system to play a message to the caller to indicate that a “Do Not Call” (DNC) related call block has occurred.
In particular, as shown in
SIP-based DNC call blocking in accordance with the principles of the present invention has particular application not only with companies that use outbound marketing, but with any unsolicited outbound call center, e.g., outbound telemarketing centers.
Call blocking may be implemented on a time of day basis (relative to the receiving party) for relevant phone numbers. For instance, certain numbers (or even all unsolicited phone calls dialed from a commercial source) may be prohibited from being called during night hours.
Whereas the embodiments of the present invention are described and shown with respect to SIP-based call blocking for registered telephone numbers, the invention is also applicable for blocking other packet communications such as short messages or email.
While the invention has been described with reference to the exemplary embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art will be able to make various modifications to the described embodiments of the invention without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.
The present application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/136,731 entitled “Real-Time Communication Blocking for “Do Not Call” Registered Information”, filed Sep. 29, 2008, the entirety of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61136731 | Sep 2008 | US |