Method of safeguarding anonymity during a telephone communication and telecommunication system for implementing the method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9614966-B2
Application number	US-201314403400-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2013
Priority date	May 24, 2012
Publication date	Apr 4, 2017
Grant date	Apr 4, 2017

Abstract

A method is provided for safeguarding anonymity during a communication with a correspondent, between a caller and a user being called. The communication has an anonymous nature. The method includes the following steps: upon receiving a response from the correspondent to the communication sent by the caller, putting the caller on hold; analysis of the response received from the correspondent, for determining whether the correspondent corresponds to the voicemail of the user being called; and in the case of a positive determination, playing to the caller an anonymous welcome message in which the identity of the user being called is masked.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method for safeguarding anonymity of a user being called during a communication between a terminal of a caller and a correspondent device of the user being called, the correspondent device being a terminal of the user being called or a voicemail server associated with the user being called, the method comprising executing on a processor the following acts:
storing in a database an association between a telephone number of the correspondent device and an alias of the correspondent device, which is different than the telephone number of the correspondent device;
detecting that the communication is directed from the terminal of the caller to the alias of the correspondent device that is stored in the database;
in response to detecting the communication being directed to the alias, routing the communication to the telephone number of the correspondent device associated with the alias;
receiving an audio sequence from the correspondent device in response to the communication sent by the terminal of the caller;
putting the terminal of the caller on hold before or after receiving the audio sequence, to prevent the terminal of the caller from receiving a welcome message from the voicemail server,
analyzing the audio sequence received from the correspondent device, in order to determine whether the audio corresponds to a pick-up of the terminal of the user being called, or a pick-up of the voicemail server associated with the user being called,
in the case in which the processor determines that the audio sequence corresponds to the pick-up of the terminal of the user being called, taking the terminal of the caller off hold and establishing a communication link between the terminal of the caller and the terminal of the user being called; and
in the case in which the processor determines that the audio sequence corresponds to the pick-up of the voicemail server associated with the user being called, interrupting the communication link between the terminal of the caller and the correspondent device, and initiating transmission to the terminal of the caller of an anonymous welcome message in which the identity of the user being called is not revealed, the anonymous welcome message being stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium, which is not part of the voicemail server.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 furthermore comprising the following acts:
saving a message left by the caller in response to the anonymous welcome message,
transmission of an indication of the presence of a message left by the caller to the terminal of the user being called.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , in which the putting on hold of the terminal of the caller is implemented by sending to the terminal of the caller a succession of specific sounds or a specific on-hold message.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 in which correspondence between the audio sequence received from the correspondent device and the voicemail response of the user being called is determined by at least one of the following acts:
identifying a DTMF code specific to the activation of a voicemail message,
comparing at least a part of the audio sequence received from the correspondent device with at least a part of a default welcome message of the voicemail server from a telecommunications operator,
transmitting an interactive message to the correspondent device and comparing a response to the interactive message received with an expected response.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 in which the anonymous welcome message is hosted on a server distinct from the voicemail server of the user being called.

6. The method as claimed in claim 2 in which the indication of the presence of a message left by the caller is communicated to the terminal of the user being called via a text message comprising a link allowing the message left by the caller to be accessed.

7. The method as claimed in claim 2 in which the message left by the caller is transmitted to the voicemail server of the user being called by using a call simulation mechanism.

8. The method as claimed in claim 2 in which information indicating that the communication is anonymous is inserted into the message left by the caller before transmission to the terminal of the user being called.

9. A device for safeguarding the anonymity of a user being called during a communication between a terminal of a caller and a correspondent device of the user being called, the correspondent device being a terminal of the user being called or a voicemail server associated with the user being called, the device comprising:
a memory storing computer-readable instructions; and
a processor configured by the instructions to perform acts comprising:
storing in a database an association between a telephone number of the correspondent device and an alias of the correspondent device, which is different than the telephone number of the correspondent device;
detecting that the communication is directed from the terminal of the caller to the alias of the correspondent device that is stored in the database;
in response to detecting the communication being directed to the alias, routing the communication to the telephone number of the correspondent device associated with the alias;
receiving an audio sequence from the correspondent device in response to the communication sent by the terminal of the caller;
putting the terminal of the caller on hold before or after receiving the audio sequence, to prevent the terminal of the caller from receiving a welcome message from the voicemail server;
analyzing the audio sequence received from the correspondent device, in order to determine whether the audio sequence corresponds to a pick-up of the terminal of the user being called, or a pick-up of the voicemail server associated with the user being called;
in the case in which the processor determines that the audio sequence corresponds to the pick-up of the terminal of the user being called, taking the terminal of the caller off hold and establishing a communication link between the terminal of the caller and the terminal of the user being called; and

in the case in which the processor determines that the audio sequence corresponds to the pick-up of the voicemail server associated with the user being called, interrupting the communication link between the terminal of the caller and the correspondent device, and initiating transmission of an anonymous welcome message to terminal of the caller in which the identity of the user being called is not revealed, the anonymous welcome message being stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium, which is not part of the voicemail server.

10. The device as claimed in claim 9 wherein the processor is further configured to safeguard a message left by the caller in response to the anonymous welcome message and transmit an indication of a presence of the message left by the caller to the terminal of the user being called.

11. The device as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the device is a server.

12. The device as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the device is a terminal.

13. A non-transitory recording medium readable by a processor and on which is recorded a program comprising instructions for execution of a computer-implemented method for safeguarding anonymity of a user being called during a communication between a terminal of a caller and a correspondent device of a user being called, when the program is executed by the processor, wherein the correspondent device corresponds to a terminal of the user being called or a voicemail server associated with the user being called, and w

Assignees

• Orange

Inventors

• Moncomble Ghislain
• Petesch Fabrice

Classifications

• H04L63/0407 Primary

  wherein the identity of one or more communicating identities is hidden (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for anonymous credentials or for identity based cryptographic systems H04L9/00) · CPC title

• H04M3/53383 Primary

  Message registering commands or announcements; Greetings · CPC title

• H04M3/42008

  Systems for anonymous communication between parties, e.g. by use of disposal contact identifiers · CPC title

• H04W12/02

  Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII] · CPC title

• H04M3/53391

  dependent on calling party · CPC title