System and method for mobile number verification

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10015670-B2
Application number	US-201514798155-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 13, 2015
Priority date	Jul 11, 2014
Publication date	Jul 3, 2018
Grant date	Jul 3, 2018

Abstract

A mobile phone number that is been provided by a customer during enrollment is verified for use. SS7 protocol data associated with the mobile phone number is collected and evaluated, and if the condition of the subscriber account associated with phone number has changed or is inconsistent with the circumstances surrounding the enrollment of the phone number, the phone number is designated as one that is not to be called.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for verifying that a phone number, after authorized by a customer for use in contacting the customer, subsequently continues to be authorized for use, comprising:
receiving, from a customer, a phone number specified by the customer as authorized for use in contacting that customer;
maintaining, at a customer data management system, the specified phone number on behalf of an entity desiring to contact the customer;
when the customer is to be contacted, accessing the specified phone number at the customer data management system;
sending a request, including the specified phone number, for status data relating to the specified phone number, the status data collected from out-of-band protocol data generated when communications are made using the specified phone number and stored in a mobile call database, the out-of-band protocol data comprising signaling system 7 (SS7) protocol data, including a Mobile ID Created Date reflecting a date that a mobile account associated with the specified number has been set up;
accessing a ported number database having data indicating whether the customer having the specified number has changed mobile carriers on a porting date;
evaluating the status data stored in the mobile call database for an eligible condition for the specified phone number, the eligible condition indicative that the specified number associated with the customer continues to be authorized for receiving communications and has not been assigned to a person that has not consented to receiving the communications, where communications to such a person is prohibited, the evaluating of the status data including determining that the Mobile ID Created Date is about the same time as the porting date; and
wherein a determination is made, by the execution of computer instructions stored on computer-readable media, whether the specified phone number continues to be authorized for contacting the customer, including (1) determining that the specified phone number is authorized when the evaluation of the status data finds the Mobile ID Created Date is about the same time as the porting date and finds the eligible condition and (2) determining that the specified phone number is no longer authorized when the evaluation of the status data does not find the eligible condition and determining that the specified phone number is no longer authorized when the evaluation of the status data does not find the Mobile ID Created Date is about the same time as the porting date.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the SS7 protocol data comprises a network status that indicates the availability for use of the specified phone number.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the specified phone number comprises a Mobile Subscriber Integrated Services Digital Network Number (MSISDN).

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the specified telephone number is dialed using an auto dialer to make a voice phone call to the customer when it is determined that the specified phone number may be used for contacting the customer.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein a text message is sent to the identified telephone when it is determined that the specified phone number may be used for contacting the customer.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the status data further comprises ported number data.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining that the specified phone number is not a mobile phone number; and
in response to determining that specified phone number is not a mobile phone number, determining that the specified number continues to be authorized for use in contacting the customer.

Assignees

• Early Warning Services Llc

Inventors

• Woodward Eric
• Bartrim Aaron
• Chan-Bauza Betty
• Desai Rodger
• Brown Matt
• Cunningham Chris

Classifications

• H04L63/18

  using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215) · CPC title

• H04M3/38

  Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections (queuing arrangements H04Q3/64) · CPC title

• H04W8/28 Primary

  Number portability {; Network address portability} · CPC title

• H04M1/677

  Preventing the dialling or sending of predetermined telephone numbers or selected types of telephone numbers, e.g. long distance numbers · CPC title

• H04M7/126

  Interworking of session control protocols · CPC title