Telephone Call Screening System and Method and Caller Registration System and Method For Use Therewith

Abstract

A telephone call screening system screens telephone calls placed to a subscriber based upon a preferred caller database established by the subscriber from a networked caller registry database. A caller registration system allows callers to select a private identifier unique to the caller and registers the callers in a caller registry database. The subscriber establishes the preferred caller database by connecting to the caller registration system and selecting the preferred callers. The private identifiers associated with the selected preferred callers are then stored in the preferred caller database. When a caller calls the subscriber, the caller is asked to enter the caller's private identifier. A caller disposition process is initiated based on whether the private identifier is in the preferred caller database.

1 . A computerized telephone call screening system comprising: 
 a data communications interface configured to interface with a data network;    a caller registration system access application configured to access a caller registry database over said data network and to select preferred callers from said caller registry database to establish a preferred caller database;    a telephony interface configured to interface with at least one telephone line and to answer telephone calls placed by callers; and    a call processing application configured to process said telephone calls by requesting at least private identifiers and searching said preferred caller database for said private identifiers received from said callers, wherein said call processing application is configured to initiate at least one caller disposition process.    
   
   
       2 . The computerized telephone call screening system of  claim 1  wherein said preferred caller database is located in said computerized telephone call screening system.  
   
   
       3 . The computerized telephone call screening system of  claim 1  further comprising a call announcing system configured to announce a call accepted by said call processing application.  
   
   
       4 . The computerized telephone call screening system of  claim 1  wherein said caller disposition process comprises an unidentified caller disposition process configured to handle unidentified callers and an unpreferred caller disposition process configured to handle callers not in said preferred caller database.  
   
   
       5 . A computerized telephone call screening system comprising: 
 means for establishing a preferred caller database comprising caller identifying information for preferred callers selected by a subscriber, wherein said caller identifying information for each caller includes at least a private identifier;    means for answering a telephone call placed by a caller;    means for interrogating said caller, wherein said computerized telephone call screening system requests from said caller at least a private identifier;    means for storing said private identifier;    means for searching said preferred caller database for said private identifier received from said caller; and    means for disposing of said telephone call.    
   
   
       6 . The computerized telephone call screening system of  claim 5  further comprising means for deciphering said private identifiers using an encryption key prior to searching said private identifiers.  
   
   
       7 . A machine-readable medium whose contents cause a computer system to perform a method for call processing in a computerized telephone call screening system, said method comprising: 
 receiving at least a private identifier provided by a caller placing a telephone call, wherein said private identifier is unique to said caller;    storing said private identifier;    searching a preferred caller database for a matching private identifier; and    disposing of said telephone call based on whether said matching private identifier is received and found in said preferred caller database.    
   
   
       8 . The call processing application of  claim 7  wherein disposing of said telephone call includes disposing of said telephone call if said matching private identifier is not in said preferred caller database.  
   
   
       9 . The call processing application of  claim 7  wherein disposing of said telephone call causes said telephone call to be announced.