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Method and system for canceling unwanted callsRelated Patent Categories: Telephonic Communications, Audio Message Storage, Retrieval, Or SynthesisMethod and system for canceling unwanted calls description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060233320, Method and system for canceling unwanted calls. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/811,614 (pending), filed Mar. 29, 2004, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/209,184 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,765,994), filed Jun. 30, 2002, which is a continuation of U.S. patent Ser. No. 9,261,012 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,453,019), and the entirety of each is hereby incorporated by reference. BACKGROUND [0002] The present invention relates generally to telecommunications services and more particularly to canceling unwanted telephone calls. [0003] Telecommunications system users commonly receive unwanted telephone calls. These calls are often placed by callers, such as telemarketers, whose identities are not revealed by traditional caller identification systems. Accordingly, the user does not discover the identity of the caller until after the user has answered the call and has begun speaking with the caller. Once the user has begun speaking with the caller, many users find it difficult to end the call even if it is unwanted. The callers are often aggressive and the user typically does not want to be perceived as being rude to the callers. Accordingly, the user may be forced to engage in unwanted telephone calls for extended periods of time because they do not have what they view as a polite way of ending the calls. [0004] One system that enables a user to disconnect an unwanted call and send a message to the caller, in what the user might view as a polite manner, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,651,053 to Mitchell. The system disclosed in Mitchell disconnects an unwanted call and sends a message to the caller in response to the user hanging up, or performing a flash hook at (i.e. hanging up) their telephone. However, telecommunications service providers typically offer a number of other services, such as three-way calling, that are initiated by the user first performing a flash hook at their telephone and then providing some additional input to signify the service sought by the user. Since the system described in Mitchell is automatically activated by the user performing a flash hook, this system cannot be used in conjunction with other services that are activated by the user performing a flash-hook. Therefore a system that overcomes these deficiencies is needed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0005] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a telecommunications system of a preferred embodiment. [0006] FIG. 2 is a flow chart of a method of a preferred embodiment for canceling a telephone call and transmitting a message to the calling communications station. [0007] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a first preferred embodiment of the telecommunications system of FIG. 1. [0008] FIG. 4. is a block diagram of a second preferred embodiment of the telecommunications system of FIG. 1. [0009] FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a method of a preferred embodiment for canceling a telephone call and transmitting a message to the calling communications station using the system of FIG. 3 or 4. [0010] FIG. 6 is a more detailed flow chart of a portion the method of FIG. 5. [0011] FIG. 7 is a more detailed flow chart of a portion of the method of FIG. 5. [0012] FIG. 8 is flow chart of an alternative method for canceling a telephone call and transmitting a message to the calling communications station using the system of FIG. 3 or 4. [0013] FIG. 9 is flow chart of an alternative method for canceling a telephone call, transmitting a message to the calling communications station, and transmitting a message to the called communications station using the system of FIG. 3 or 4. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0014] By way of introduction, the preferred embodiments described below include a method and system for canceling a telephone call that has been established between a calling communication station and a called communication station. In one embodiment, a called party at the called communication station provides a plurality of inputs that are transmitted from the called communication station to a telecommunications network. The plurality of inputs can vary depending upon the type of action sought by the called party. The plurality of inputs are analyzed to determine what action the called party is seeking. In response to a determination of the action sought, the call can be canceled. In addition, a message can be transmitted to the calling communication station and the called communication station. [0015] By way of example, FIG. 1 depicts a system 10 of a preferred embodiment. The system 10 comprises a network 20, a called communication station 30 coupled with the network 20 and a calling communication station 40 coupled with the network 20. The term "coupled with," as used herein, means directly coupled with or indirectly coupled with through one or more components. The network 20 preferably comprises a computer usable medium having first, second and third computer readable program codes 22, 24, 26 embodied therein. It is important to note that while the program codes 22, 24, 26 have been shown as three separate elements, their functionality can be combined and/or distributed. It is also important to note that "medium" is intended to broadly include any suitable medium including analog or digital, hardware or software, now in use or developed in the future. [0016] The system 10 is preferably implemented in a telecommunications network. Alternatively, the system 10 can be implemented in a computer network or any other network that is adapted to transmit, store and retrieve information. The calling communication station 40 and the called communication station 30 preferably comprise analog telephone stations. According to an alternative embodiment, the communication stations 30, 40 can comprise any suitable communication station adapted for use in the present embodiments. [0017] The system 10 of FIG. 1 can be used to implement the method 100 depicted in FIG. 2. Assume for purposes of this example that a call originating from calling communication station 40 has been established between calling communication station 40 and called communication station 30. When a called party at the called communication station 30 decides to cancel the call, the called party causes a plurality of inputs to be transmitted from the called communication station 30 to the network 20. The first computer readable program code 22 receives the plurality of inputs and analyzes the plurality of inputs to determine what action the called party seeks (step 110, FIG. 2). If it is determined that the called party seeks to cancel the call and transmit a message to the calling communication station 40, the second computer readable program code 24 cancels the call (step 120). After the call has been canceled, the third computer readable program code 26 transmits a message to the calling communication station 40 (step 130). [0018] By way of further example, FIG. 3 depicts a preferred embodiment of the system 10 described above. The system 200 comprises a service switching point (SSP) 220, a look-up table 224, a signal transfer point (STP) 230, a service control point (SCP) 240, a SCP database 242, a service node (SN) 250, a central office 260, called telephone station 222, and calling telephone station 262. Intelligent network system components, commonly referred to as advanced intelligent network (AIN) components, suitable for implementing the present embodiment are commercially available from several vendors and are known to those skilled in the art. AIN components can implement computer readable program code as known to those skilled in the art. Vendors of AIN components typically have a preferred programming language and operating platform as known to those skilled in the art. [0019] SSP 220 preferably comprises an AIN switch that routes calls, recognizes and responds to triggers, generates queries to obtain call control information, and responds to returned call control information. SSP 220 connects called telephone station 222 with central office 260 to enable calls to be placed by and established between called telephone station 222 and calling telephone station 262. SSP 220 is preferably coupled with look-up table 224 and preferably communicates with SCP 240, central office 260 and SN 250 by utilizing a signaling protocol such as Signaling System 7 (SS7) or other such signaling protocols as presently known to those skilled in the art or developed in the future. SSP 220 preferably generates queries to SCP 240 and receives and responds to responses to the queries returned from SCP 240. [0020] SSP 220 can disconnect and forward telephone calls that have been established between calling telephone station 262 and called telephone station 222. SSP 220 can forward calls to SN 250 through standard call transfer capabilities. SSP 220 is preferably coupled with look-up table 224 such that SSP 220 can access the information stored within look-up table 224 as described herein. Continue reading about Method and system for canceling unwanted calls... Full patent description for Method and system for canceling unwanted calls Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Method and system for canceling unwanted calls patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Method and system for canceling unwanted calls or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Automatic messaging system Next Patent Application: Voice over ip telephone recording architecture Industry Class: Telephonic communications ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Method and system for canceling unwanted calls patent info. 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