Method and apparatus to detect a stale number

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017201622-A1
Application number	US-201515312923-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 5, 2015
Priority date	Jul 5, 2015
Publication date	Jul 13, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method and apparatus for detecting a stale number. A stale number detection device obtains a call number, a call number contact creation date, and a call number issue date for the call number. The stale number detection device determines that a stale number state exists when the call number issue date is later than the call number contact creation date. The stale number detection device generates a stale number notification based on the stale number state.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A method for detecting a stale number, the method comprising:
obtaining, by a processor, a call number; obtaining, by the processor, a call number contact creation date; obtaining, by the processor, a call number issue date for the call number; determining, by the processor, that a stale number state exists when the call number issue date is later than the call number contact creation date; and generating, by the processor, a stale number notification based on the stale number state.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the call number and the call number contact creation date includes receiving a call request from a request device, the call request including the call number and the call number contact creation date.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising denying, by the processor, the call request when the stale number state exists.

4 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
determining, by the processor, a subscriber identifier based on the call number when the stale number state exists; and determining, by the processor, as active number based on the subscriber identifier; wherein the stale number notification includes the active number.

5 . The method, of claim 2 , further comprising:
sending, by the processor, the stale number notification to the request device; and denying, by the processor, the call request.

6 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
prompting, by the processor, for permission from a recipient device to complete the call request when the stale number state exists; and completing the call request by the processor, when permission to complete the call request is received from the recipient device.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein completing the call request includes one of a group consisting of accepting a voice telephone call and accepting a text message.

8 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
sending, by the processor, the stale number notification to the request device; and completing the call request when permission to complete the call request is received from the request device.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein completing the call request includes one of a group consisting of placing a voice telephone call and sending a text message.

10 . A stale number detection device, the stale number detection device comprising:
a memory having
an obtained call number,
an obtained call number contact creation date for the call number, and
an obtained call number issue date tor the call number; and
a processor configured to
access the memory,
determine that a stale number state exists when the obtained call number issue date is later than the obtained call number contact creation date, and
generate a stale number notification based on the stale number state.

11 . The stale number detection device of claim 10 , further comprising an input/output interface coupled to a request device that generates a call request, wherein the memory receives the obtained call number and the obtained call number contact creation date from the call request via the input/output interface.

12 . The stale number detection device of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to deny the call request when the stale number state exists.

13 . The stale number detection device of claim 11 , further comprising an input/output interface coupled to a database, wherein the processor is further configured to
retrieve from the database a subscriber identifier based on the obtained call number when the stale number state exists; retrieve from the database an active number based on the subscriber identifier; and wherein the stale number notification includes the active number.

14 . The stale number detection device of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to
send the stale number notification to the request device via the input/output interface; and deny the call request.

15 . The stale number detection device of claim 11 , wherein the input/output interface is further coupled to a recipient device and the processor is further configured to
prompt for permission from the recipient device to complete the call request when the stale number state exists; and complete the call request when permission to complete the call request is received from the recipient device.

16 . The stale number detection device of claim 15 , wherein completing the call request includes one of a group consisting of accepting a voice telephone call and accepting a text message.

17 . The stale number detection device of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to
send the stale number notification to the request device via the input/output interface; complete the call request when permission to complete the call request is received from the request device.

18 . The stale number detection device of claim 17 , wherein completing the call request includes one of a group consisting of placing a voice telephone call and sending a text message.

19 . The stale number detection device of claim 11 , further comprising an input/output interface coupled to a database, wherein the processor is configured to retrieve from the database at least one from the group consisting of the obtained call number, the obtained call number contact creation date, and the obtained call number issue date.

20 . The stale number detection device of claim 11 , wherein the stale number detection device is incorporated into at least one from the group consisting of the request device, a recipient device identified by the call number, and a communications network control system coupled to the request device and the recipient device.

Assignees

• Motorola Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Fei Xun
• Chen Dajun
• Tian Yong
• Wang Hongxia

Classifications

• H04M2201/18

  Comparators · CPC title

• H04M2201/16

  Sequence circuits · CPC title

• H04M2242/22

  Automatic class or number identification arrangements · CPC title

• H04M2203/558

  Databases · CPC title

• H04M3/436

  Arrangements for screening incoming calls {, i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it (based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54)} · CPC title