US5864613A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method for controlling telephone use
Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc
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Filing: 1996-09-16
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Granted: 1999-01-26
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Expires: 2016-09-16
Abstract
Abstract A system and method for controlling the use of a telephone based on usersupplied access criteria. The system includes a database for storing the access criteria. The access criteria can be modified in response to commands received from the telephone. The system also includes a switch, electrically coupled between the telephone and a telephone network, for selectively coupling the telephone and the telephone network based on the access criteria stored in the database.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert J. Flood
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 12:30
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M15/00; H04M15/70; H04M15/745; H04M15/88; H04M3/00; H04M3/38; H04M3/42; H04M3/436; H04M2215/00; H04M2215/01; H04M2215/0108; H04M2215/0116; H04Q; H04Q2213/00; H04Q2213/1309; H04Q2213/13095; H04Q2213/13103; H04Q2213/13204; H04Q2213/13213; H04Q2213/13251; H04Q2213/13299
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
224 words
A system for controlling access between a telephone and a telephone network based on user-supplied access criteria, comprising: a database for storing the access criteria; means for modifying the access criteria stored in said database in response to commands received from the telephone; a switch, electrically coupled between the telephone and the telephone network, for selectively coupling the telephone and the telephone network based on the access criteria stored in said database; means for rejecting calls to the telephone from at least one telephone number when the access criteria stored in said database indicates that calls from said telephone number are blocked; means for rejecting calls from the telephone to at least one further telephone number when the access criteria stored in said database indicates that calls to said further telephone number are blocked; means for allowing calls between the telephone and a blocked telephone number during a validity period when the access criteria stored in said database includes said validity period for said blocked telephone number; and means for allowing calls between the telephone and said blocked telephone number for a duration during said validity period when the access criteria stored in said database includes said duration for said blocked telephone number wherein said duration is a sum of lengths of time for multiple calls between the telephone and said blocked telephone number.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
224 words
A system for controlling access between a telephone and a telephone network based on user-supplied access criteria, comprising: a database for storing the access criteria; means for modifying the access criteria stored in said database in response to commands received from the telephone; a switch, electrically coupled between the telephone and the telephone network, for selectively coupling the telephone and the telephone network based on the access criteria stored in said database; means for rejecting calls to the telephone from at least one telephone number when the access criteria stored in said database indicates that calls from said telephone number are blocked; means for rejecting calls from the telephone to at least one further telephone number when the access criteria stored in said database indicates that calls to said further telephone number are blocked; means for allowing calls between the telephone and a blocked telephone number during a validity period when the access criteria stored in said database includes said validity period for said blocked telephone number; and means for allowing calls between the telephone and said blocked telephone number for a duration during said validity period when the access criteria stored in said database includes said duration for said blocked telephone number wherein said duration is a sum of lengths of time for multiple calls between the telephone and said blocked telephone number.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
205 words
A method for controlling access between a telephone and a telephone network based on user-supplied access criteria, comprising the steps of: storing the access criteria on a database; modifying the access criteria stored in said database in response to commands received from the telephone; selectively coupling the telephone and the telephone network based on the access criteria stored in said database; rejecting calls to the telephone from at least one telephone number when the access criteria stored in said database indicates that calls from said telephone number are blocked; rejecting calls from the telephone to at least one further telephone number when the access criteria stored in said database indicates that calls to said further telephone number are blocked; allowing calls between the telephone and a blocked telephone number during a validity period when the access criteria stored in said database includes said validity period for said blocked telephone number; and allowing calls between the telephone and said blocked telephone number for a duration during said validity period when the access criteria stored in said database includes said duration for said blocked telephone number, wherein said duration is a sum of lengths of time for multiple calls between the telephone and said blocked telephone number.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
205 words
A method for controlling access between a telephone and a telephone network based on user-supplied access criteria, comprising the steps of: storing the access criteria on a database; modifying the access criteria stored in said database in response to commands received from the telephone; selectively coupling the telephone and the telephone network based on the access criteria stored in said database; rejecting calls to the telephone from at least one telephone number when the access criteria stored in said database indicates that calls from said telephone number are blocked; rejecting calls from the telephone to at least one further telephone number when the access criteria stored in said database indicates that calls to said further telephone number are blocked; allowing calls between the telephone and a blocked telephone number during a validity period when the access criteria stored in said database includes said validity period for said blocked telephone number; and allowing calls between the telephone and said blocked telephone number for a duration during said validity period when the access criteria stored in said database includes said duration for said blocked telephone number, wherein said duration is a sum of lengths of time for multiple calls between the telephone and said blocked telephone number.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
319 words
In a system for controlling access between a telephone and a telephone network based on user-supplied access criteria, a computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for causing an application program to execute on a computer, said computer readable program code means comprising: a computer readable first program code means for causing the computer to store the access criteria in a database; a computer readable second program code means for causing the computer to modify the criteria stored in said database in response to commands received from the telephone; a computer readable third program code means for causing the computer to selectively couple the telephone and the telephone network based on the access criteria stored in said database; a computer readable fourth program code means for causing the computer to reject calls to the telephone from at least one telephone number when the access criteria stored in said database indicates that calls from said telephone number are blocked; a computer readable fifth program code means for causing the computer to reject calls from the telephone to least one telephone number when the access criteria stored in said database indicates that calls to said telephone number are at blocked; a computer readable sixth program code means for causing said computer to allow calls between the telephone and a blocked telephone number during a validity period when the access criteria stored in said database includes said validity period for said blocked telephone number; and a computer readable seventh program code means for causing said computer to allow calls between the telephone and said blocked telephone number for a duration during said validity period when the access criteria stored in said database includes said duration for said blocked telephone number, wherein said duration is a sum of lengths of time for multiple calls between the telephone and said blocked telephone number.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
319 words
In a system for controlling access between a telephone and a telephone network based on user-supplied access criteria, a computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for causing an application program to execute on a computer, said computer readable program code means comprising: a computer readable first program code means for causing the computer to store the access criteria in a database; a computer readable second program code means for causing the computer to modify the criteria stored in said database in response to commands received from the telephone; a computer readable third program code means for causing the computer to selectively couple the telephone and the telephone network based on the access criteria stored in said database; a computer readable fourth program code means for causing the computer to reject calls to the telephone from at least one telephone number when the access criteria stored in said database indicates that calls from said telephone number are blocked; a computer readable fifth program code means for causing the computer to reject calls from the telephone to least one telephone number when the access criteria stored in said database indicates that calls to said telephone number are at blocked; a computer readable sixth program code means for causing said computer to allow calls between the telephone and a blocked telephone number during a validity period when the access criteria stored in said database includes said validity period for said blocked telephone number; and a computer readable seventh program code means for causing said computer to allow calls between the telephone and said blocked telephone number for a duration during said validity period when the access criteria stored in said database includes said duration for said blocked telephone number, wherein said duration is a sum of lengths of time for multiple calls between the telephone and said blocked telephone number.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
192 words
A system for controlling access between a telephone and a telephone network based on user-supplied access criteria, comprising: a database for storing the access criteria; means for modifying the access criteria stored in said database in response to commands received from the telephone; a switch, electrically coupled between the telephone and the telephone network, for selectively coupling the telephone and the telephone network based on the access criteria stored in said database; means for rejecting calls from the telephone to at least one telephone number when the access criteria stored in said database indicates that calls to said telephone number are blocked; means for allowing calls from the telephone to said blocked telephone number during a validity period when the access criteria stored in said database includes said validity period for said blocked telephone number; and means for allowing calls from the telephone to said blocked telephone number for a duration during said validity period when the access criteria stored in said database includes said duration for said blocked telephone number, wherein said duration is a sum of lengths of time for multiple calls from the telephone to said blocked telephone number.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
192 words
A system for controlling access between a telephone and a telephone network based on user-supplied access criteria, comprising: a database for storing the access criteria; means for modifying the access criteria stored in said database in response to commands received from the telephone; a switch, electrically coupled between the telephone and the telephone network, for selectively coupling the telephone and the telephone network based on the access criteria stored in said database; means for rejecting calls from the telephone to at least one telephone number when the access criteria stored in said database indicates that calls to said telephone number are blocked; means for allowing calls from the telephone to said blocked telephone number during a validity period when the access criteria stored in said database includes said validity period for said blocked telephone number; and means for allowing calls from the telephone to said blocked telephone number for a duration during said validity period when the access criteria stored in said database includes said duration for said blocked telephone number, wherein said duration is a sum of lengths of time for multiple calls from the telephone to said blocked telephone number.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
175 words
A method for controlling access between a telephone and a telephone network based on user-supplied access criteria, comprising the steps of: storing the access criteria on a database; modifying the access criteria stored in said database in response to commands received from the telephone; selectively coupling the telephone and the telephone network based on the access criteria stored in said database; rejecting calls from the telephone to at least one telephone number when the access criteria stored in said database indicates that calls to said telephone number are blocked; allowing calls from the telephone to said blocked telephone number during a validity period when the access criteria stored in said database includes said validity period for said blocked telephone number; and allowing calls from the telephone to said blocked telephone number for a duration during said validity period when the access criteria stored in said database includes said duration for said blocked telephone number, wherein said duration is a sum of lengths of time for multiple calls from the telephone to said blocked telephone number.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
175 words
A method for controlling access between a telephone and a telephone network based on user-supplied access criteria, comprising the steps of: storing the access criteria on a database; modifying the access criteria stored in said database in response to commands received from the telephone; selectively coupling the telephone and the telephone network based on the access criteria stored in said database; rejecting calls from the telephone to at least one telephone number when the access criteria stored in said database indicates that calls to said telephone number are blocked; allowing calls from the telephone to said blocked telephone number during a validity period when the access criteria stored in said database includes said validity period for said blocked telephone number; and allowing calls from the telephone to said blocked telephone number for a duration during said validity period when the access criteria stored in said database includes said duration for said blocked telephone number, wherein said duration is a sum of lengths of time for multiple calls from the telephone to said blocked telephone number.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
279 words
In a system for controlling access between a telephone and a telephone network based on user-supplied access criteria, a computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for causing an application program to execute on a computer, said computer readable program code means comprising: a computer readable first program code means for causing the computer to store the access criteria in a database; a computer readable second program code means for causing the computer to modify the criteria stored in said database in response to commands received from the telephone; a computer readable third program code means for causing the computer to selectively couple the telephone and the telephone network based on the access criteria stored in said database; a computer readable fourth program code means for causing the computer to reject calls from the telephone to at least one telephone number when the access criteria stored in said database indicates that calls to said telephone number are blocked; a computer readable fifth program code means for causing the computer to allow calls from the telephone to said blocked telephone number during a validity period when the access criteria stored in said database includes said validity period for said blocked telephone number; and a computer readable sixth program code means for causing the computer to allow calls from the telephone to said blocked telephone number for a duration during said validity period when the access criteria stored in said database includes said duration for said blocked telephone number, wherein said duration is a sum of lengths of time for multiple calls from the telephone to said blocked telephone number.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
279 words
In a system for controlling access between a telephone and a telephone network based on user-supplied access criteria, a computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for causing an application program to execute on a computer, said computer readable program code means comprising: a computer readable first program code means for causing the computer to store the access criteria in a database; a computer readable second program code means for causing the computer to modify the criteria stored in said database in response to commands received from the telephone; a computer readable third program code means for causing the computer to selectively couple the telephone and the telephone network based on the access criteria stored in said database; a computer readable fourth program code means for causing the computer to reject calls from the telephone to at least one telephone number when the access criteria stored in said database indicates that calls to said telephone number are blocked; a computer readable fifth program code means for causing the computer to allow calls from the telephone to said blocked telephone number during a validity period when the access criteria stored in said database includes said validity period for said blocked telephone number; and a computer readable sixth program code means for causing the computer to allow calls from the telephone to said blocked telephone number for a duration during said validity period when the access criteria stored in said database includes said duration for said blocked telephone number, wherein said duration is a sum of lengths of time for multiple calls from the telephone to said blocked telephone number.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-01-25 | 2002-07-27 | 2003-01-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-01-25 | 2006-07-27 | 2007-01-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-01-25 | 2010-07-27 | 2011-01-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |