Method and system for canceling unwanted calls

Abstract

The present method and system enable a called party to cancel an unwanted call and send a message to the calling party. The method and system are activated in response to a plurality of inputs provided by the called party. In response to the input provided by the called party, a custom or a standard message can be transmitted to the calling party. A confirmation message can also be transmitted to the called party. The method and system can be implemented in conjunction with other systems that are also activated in response to an input from the called party.

1 . A computer-readable storage medium comprising a set of instructions for canceling a call, the set of instructions to direct a computer system to perform acts of: 
 (a) analyzing a plurality of inputs from a called telephone station, where the plurality of inputs are selected from the group consisting of DTMF tones, flash-hook, dial pulse input, modem/fax input, and voice input;    (b) transmitting a message to a calling telephone station; and    (c) canceling a call placed to the called telephone station.    
   
   
       2 . A method for canceling a call, comprising: 
 (a) determining that a called telephone station seeks to cancel a call based on a plurality of inputs received from the called telephone station and based on data in a look-up table, the look-up table comprising an input required to be received by a called telephone station to cancel a call; and    (b) transmitting a message to a calling telephone station.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 (c) transmitting a signal to a call station to indicate termination of the call.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein (a) comprises determining whether a user at the called telephone station seeks to send a message to a calling telephone station.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein (b) comprises transmitting a message to the calling telephone station requesting that the telephone number associated with the called telephone station be removed from a call list.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein (b) comprises transmitting a message to the calling telephone station requesting that a caller at the calling telephone not call the telephone number associated with the called telephone station again in the future.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 (d) transmitting a confirmation message to the called telephone station.    
   
   
       8 . A computer-readable storage medium comprising a set of instructions for canceling a call, the set of instructions to direct a computer system to perform acts of: 
 (a) determining that a called telephone station seeks to cancel a call based on a plurality of inputs received from the called telephone station and based on data in a look-up table, the look-up table comprising an input required to be received by a called telephone station to cancel a call; and    (b) transmitting a message to a calling telephone station.    
   
   
       9 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , further comprising a set of instructions to direct the computer system to perform acts of: 
 (c) transmitting a signal to a call station to indicate termination of the call.    
   
   
       10 . A system for canceling a call, the system comprising: 
 at least one telecommunications network element operative to: 
 (a) determine that a called telephone station seeks to cancel a call based on a plurality of inputs received from the called telephone station and based on data in a look-up table, the look-up table comprising an input required to be received by a called telephone station to cancel a call; and  
 (b) transmit a message to a calling telephone station.  
   
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one telecommunication network element is further operative to: 
 (c) transmit a signal to a call station to indicate termination of the call.    
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the message comprises a message to the calling telephone station requesting that the telephone number associated with the called telephone station be removed from a call list.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the message comprises a message to the calling telephone station requesting that a caller at the calling telephone not call the telephone number associated with the called telephone station again in the future.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one telecommunications network element comprises a service switching point.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one telecommunications network element comprises a service control point.  
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one telecommunications network element comprises a service node.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one telecommunications network element comprises an intelligent peripheral.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one telecommunication network element is further operative to: 
 (d) transmit a confirmation message to the called telephone station.