System and method for spam detection

Abstract

A caller verification system and method include generating a challenge to be sent to a caller which requires a response from the caller prior to accepting a call. A response or lack thereof is determined from the caller, and the response is analyzed relative to an acceptable response to determine whether the caller is acceptable to communicate with. If the caller is acceptable, the call may be accepted.

1 . A caller verification method comprising: 
 generating a challenge to be sent to a caller which needs a response from the caller prior to accepting a call;    determining a response or lack thereof from the caller; and    analyzing the response relative to an acceptable response to determine whether the caller is acceptable to communicate with.    
   
   
       2 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein generating a challenge includes generating a test pattern.  
   
   
       3 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein analyzing includes analyzing a response to the test pattern to determine if the response is acceptable.  
   
   
       4 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein generating a test pattern includes generating a pattern of provisional response acknowledgements (PRACKS).  
   
   
       5 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein analyzing includes analyzing the response by measuring the PRACKS to correlate the PRACKS to the test pattern to determine if the response is acceptable.  
   
   
       6 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the challenge includes content which is undecipherable by machine for recognition.  
   
   
       7 . The method as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the challenge includes an image the content of which is decipherable by a human, the method further comprising transmitting the image to the caller to evoke a response to the content.  
   
   
       8 . The method as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the image includes an instruction and determining a response includes determining if the caller responds to the instruction properly.  
   
   
       9 . The method as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the challenge includes audio the content of which is decipherable by a human, the method further comprising transmitting the audio to the caller to evoke a response to the content.  
   
   
       10 . The method as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the audio includes an instruction and determining a response includes determining if the caller responds to the instruction properly.  
   
   
       11 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising fingerprinting the caller using a session initiation protocol (SIP) profile to determine whether the caller is acceptable.  
   
   
       12 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising if the caller is acceptable, accepting the call wherein accepting the call includes permitting a ring at the callee.  
   
   
       13 . A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to perform the method steps of: 
 generating a challenge to be sent to a caller which requires a response from the caller prior to accepting a call or permitting the call to ring at the callee;    determining a response or lack thereof from the caller;    analyzing the response relative to an acceptable response to determine whether the caller is acceptable to communicate with; and    if the caller is acceptable, accepting the call or permitting the ring at the callee.    
   
   
       14 . A system for caller verification, comprising: 
 a challenge generator which generates challenges to be sent to a caller responsive to an initiation by the caller for communications, the challenge requiring a response;    a determination module which determines if a response has been received and receives the response from the caller; and    an analyzing device which determines if the response is acceptable as compared to an acceptable response to determine whether the caller is acceptable to communicate with.    
   
   
       15 . The system as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the challenge includes a test pattern.  
   
   
       16 . The system as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the analyzing device compares the response to the test pattern to determine if the response is acceptable.  
   
   
       17 . The system as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the test pattern includes a pattern of provisional response acknowledgements (PRACKS).  
   
   
       18 . The system as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the PRACKS are measured to correlate the PRACKS to the test pattern to determine if the response is acceptable.  
   
   
       19 . The system as recited in  claim 13 , further comprising a rendering device wherein the challenge includes content which is rendered undecipherable by machine for recognition by the rendering device.  
   
   
       20 . The system as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the challenge includes an image the content of which is decipherable by a human.  
   
   
       21 . The system as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the image includes an instruction and an acceptable response includes the caller responding to the instruction properly.  
   
   
       22 . The system as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the challenge includes audio the content which is decipherable by a human.  
   
   
       23 . The system as recited in  claim 21 , wherein the audio includes an instruction and an acceptable response includes the caller responding to the instruction properly.