Did You Know...
...that to encourage use of his new invention, the shopping cart, market owner Sylvan Goldman hired fake shoppers to push the carts around his store in Oklahoma City? Seems his customers were reluctant to give up their hand-carried baskets.
PatentStorm News
Make the Most of Our Site
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Registered users: Manage your profile.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8184794 | Do not call registry database access system An apparatus and method for providing users operating on Signaling System No. 7 (SS7) networks with the ability to interconnect with Advance Intelligent Networking (AIN) and, in particular, to provide database lookup for the Do Not Call (DNC) Registry, without requi... | 05/22/2012 |
| 8160226 | Key word programmable caller ID Methods and systems are disclosed for providing Key Word Programmable Caller ID Screening services. One method monitors a telephone call for a key word call screening request. The telephone call is from a calling telephone number to a called telephone number. An act... | 04/17/2012 |
| 8139747 | Method and apparatus for selective silencing of telephone ringing A system and method for a selective ring silencer that prevents people from having to listen to the telephone ring on and on with nuisance calls. The ringer silencer can be: (1) discretely constructed from a telephone, (2) part of a telecommunication device, or (3) ... | 03/20/2012 |
| 8139746 | Caller treatment in a SIP network In a SIP network, SIP servers are provisioned with information used to authenticate subscribers and entities that will be placing calls. This information can be used during call establishment to allow or deny calls, as well as to determine the appropriate party to b... | 03/20/2012 |
| 8126131 | Call blocking based on the network access type for the called party A communication network and method are disclosed that block calls from a calling party based on the network access type of a called party. The communication network of the invention includes a permission system, an access system, and a call control system. Based on ... | 02/28/2012 |
| 8094800 | Call treatment based on user association with one or more user groups A method is described for call treatment based on user association with one or more user groups. The method includes receiving a phone call from a call source that is directed to a call recipient, identifying a user group associated with the call recipient, and dete... | 01/10/2012 |
| 8081747 | System and method of managing telephone calls within a voice over internet protocol telephone system A voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) telephone server is disclosed and includes a computer readable medium that is accessible to a processor. A centralized address book is embedded within the computer readable medium. Further, a computer program is embedded within ... | 12/20/2011 |
| 8027448 | Method and apparatus for monitoring telephone status The monitor is for monitoring the status of a first client telephone, and for sending this status information via a central server to an authorized second client telephone. The central server stores a database of registered client telephones and corresponding client... | 09/27/2011 |
| 7991138 | Social error prevention Inappropriate messages can be eliminated by an automatic etiquette agent which, based on prescribed etiquette rules, initially prevents a communication from being established unless it receives a further authorization from the user. The etiquette rules represent pre... | 08/02/2011 |
| 7974400 | Systems and methods for implementing a parental control feature within a telecommunications network A “parental control” (“PC”) telephone subscriber feature on a telephone system. An authorized subscriber, such as a parent, may enter a feature code which initiates the PC feature. To deactivate the feature, the subscriber enters the code and is prompted for... | 07/05/2011 |
| 7957515 | Selective telephone blocker with timer Disclosed is a selective telephone call blocker, preferably with timer. The user preferably sets the current time and one or more beginning and ending time periods during which the call block feature is active. The user then selects, one or more codes, such as two l... | 06/07/2011 |
| 7907715 | System and method for blocking a telephone call A system and method are provided for blocking a telephone call from a calling party to a called party, the calling party associated with a calling party directory number, including a local-designated trunk group over which the incoming telephone call from the callin... | 03/15/2011 |
| 7894589 | Method and system for identifying telemarketer communications A method and system for identifying telemarketer communications directed to a subscriber of a call screening service is provided. A link monitoring system monitors all inbound and outbound calls of a carrier network collecting data such as calling and called telepho... | 02/22/2011 |
| 7894588 | Telephone call handling list for multiple users Enabling handling of incoming phone calls includes receiving an indication from one or more call recipients reflecting a desire to block future calls from a call source. A number of received indications reflecting a desire to block future calls from the call source ... | 02/22/2011 |
| 7860230 | Telephone call screening and routing device and related method A method for screening and routing incoming telephone calls includes extracting caller identification information from an incoming telephone call, providing a plurality of tables including a primary ring table, a secondary ring table, a voicemail table, a block call... | 12/28/2010 |
| 7848505 | Security system and method for blocking an incoming telephone call, and a security system with a telephone do not disturb feature A method and system for blocking an incoming telephone call based upon at least one predetermined criterion. The system includes a security device having a user device for imputting a first control signal to block the incoming telephone call, and for inputting a sec... | 12/07/2010 |
| 7822187 | Telephone system with emergency override for caller to bypass telephone answering device and cause phone of called party to ring A telephone system allowing a caller whose call is intercepted by a telephone answering machine (TAD) to hear an alternate outgoing message from the TAD with instructions allowing the caller, who feels his/her call is an emergency, to override the TAD and cause the ... | 10/26/2010 |
| 7787606 | Communication terminal and reception blocking method thereof A communication terminal and reception blocking method thereof are disclosed, by which a signal of a sender having poor credibility can be blocked in advance, by which a plurality of recipients are able to rate a credibility of a specific sender to block a signal of... | 08/31/2010 |
| 7627105 | Method for protecting against undesired telephone advertising in communication networks A first list and a second list of identifications are established, with which a telemarketing advertisement or no undesirable telemarketing advertisement is expected. The identification of the caller an incoming call is compared to the identifications in the list. I... | 12/01/2009 |
| 7623646 | Method and system for identifying telemarketer communications A method and system for identifying telemarketer communications directed to a subscriber of a call screening service is provided. A link monitoring system monitors all inbound and outbound calls of a carrier network collecting data such as calling and called telepho... | 11/24/2009 |
| 7616748 | Central call screening system A screening service for individual telephone lines to block unwanted calls based on call character signals and caller identification signals function in conjunction with a public switched telephone network. Calls identified by call character signals, as which identi... | 11/10/2009 |
| 7613286 | Automatic identification and blocking method of spam cell Disclosed herein is a method of visually or auditorily indicating spam status or a spam class for a calling number through a called terminal. The method includes the steps of the destination switching system requesting service from a spam call blocking server by del... | 11/03/2009 |
| 7602894 | Method and system for caller association A method for caller association includes receiving from a user a first request for a number that may be called to reach the user and generating a first number that may be called to reach the user. The method includes communicating the first number to the user and re... | 10/13/2009 |
| 7580515 | Method and system for providing enhanced caller identification information including total call control for all received calls All calls terminating to a customer's directory number are intercepted. If caller identification information can be presented, the call is forwarded to a service node for disposition. The service node reconfigures signaling information of the call so that the call i... | 08/25/2009 |
| 7529359 | Caller treatment in a SIP network In a SIP network, SIP servers are provisioned with information used to authenticate subscribers and entities that will be placing calls. This information can be used during call establishment to allow or deny calls, as well as to determine the appropriate party to b... | 05/05/2009 |
| 7440562 | Phone line supervisory controls Controlling use of a telephone line includes receiving a specification from a first entity that defines one or more supervisory controls on use of a controlled telephone line by a second entity. The supervisory controls specify people with whom the second entity may... | 10/21/2008 |
| 7440778 | Methods and apparatus for providing restrictions on long distance calls from a wireless communication device Methods and apparatus for providing restrictions on long distance calls from wireless communication devices which operate in a wireless communication network are described. The wireless devices are preferably combined voice and data communication devices. In one ill... | 10/21/2008 |
| 7437171 | System and method for long distance dispatch calling restrictions A method and system for long distance dispatch calling restrictions are provided. A user who does not subscribe to long distance dispatch services can make a long distance dispatch call to the originator of the last received dispatch call within a predetermined peri... | 10/14/2008 |
| 7412049 | System and method for real-time blocking of a telephone call A preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a call blocking service to which a user subscribes. The preferred call blocking service includes maintaining an updateable list of calling parties that the user wishes to block from being able to complete tele... | 08/12/2008 |
| 7400717 | Enhanced directory assistance system with voice over IP call handling A method is provided for operating a directory assistance system. The method includes the steps of storing a plurality of directory listings, including listings relating to identification of Voice over IP devices. A directory request is received for one of the direc... | 07/15/2008 |
| 7382242 | Method and receiver for blocking a runaway dialer at a local security system A monitoring receiver having a memory, a control section, a counter and transmitting and receiving section. An operator can input a blocking time period, blocking criteria and a blocking threshold into the receiver. The control section causes a comparator to compare... | 06/03/2008 |
| 7379544 | Comprehensive telephone call screening system A dynamic telephone-call screening system detects indications of the character for incoming calls as a basis to determine acceptance. Calls that are identified and indicated to be undesirable, as from a facsimile machine, may be categorically screened on the basis o... | 05/27/2008 |
| 7373137 | Method to challenge cell phone user for fraudulent use A method and system for monitoring calls being made from a cellular phone and preventing calls being made to unauthorized numbers, as defined by the owner of the cellular phone. A security challenge is issued to a cell phone user when a suspicious, previously unknow... | 05/13/2008 |
| 7372949 | System and method for call redirect detection and treatment Disclosed are systems and methods in which call intelligence, such as may be disposed in communication with signaling systems utilized in controlling calls, is used to provide information for making determinations with respect to the treatment of calls. Call intelli... | 05/13/2008 |
| 7372948 | Method and system for providing enhanced caller identification information A method and apparatus permit handling of unwanted calls from callers such as telemarketers, when caller identification is provided. In one embodiment, the called party adds the caller identification information for the telemarketer to a personal list after receivin... | 05/13/2008 |
| 7359499 | Method and apparatus for eliminating unwanted telephone calls In accordance with the principles of the present invention, unwanted calls may be prevented. In particular, information about a particular destination is stored in a registry at a clearinghouse server located within a network, e.g., the public telephone network. Whe... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7359502 | System for providing network information service using CID-type messages A network-based announcement and message delivery service for providing a landline customer with information of interest such as weather, financial market data, time/temperature, sporting event results, etc. The information is provided to the subscriber by way of in... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7356135 | Telephone usage control A device and method for controlling the use of a communication device make a determination as to whether a communication may proceed. The determination may be based upon a time reference, such as a total amount of time that the communication may proceed or an interv... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7352855 | Method and system for providing a privacy management service A method for providing a privacy management service in a telephone system including initiating a telephone call from a subscriber telephone number to a called party telephone number. The initiating is performed by a subscriber. It is determined if the called party t... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7340048 | System and method for directory services and e-commerce across multi-provider networks The present invention solves the problem of cross-provider access proprietary information between unaffiliated and competing network providers, but not allow that information to be disclosed to competing providers. The invention provides a system that allows increas... | 03/04/2008 |
