Selective feature blocking in a communications network

摘要

In the context of a communications system, means are disclosed for ensuring that invocation of redirect features, such as call forwarding, do not circumvent call blocking settings. User profile information associated with a party controls the invocation of features for the party and controls the screening of redirect contacts resulting from feature invocation. The behavior of feature-associated contact screening for the party is configurable independently of the originating calling permissions of the party.

主权项

1. A network device comprising:
a memory to store a plurality of screening criteria; and a processor to:
receive a routing request associated with an originating party and an intended terminating party;determine, based on the originating party and at least one first screening criterion of the plurality of screening criteria, that the routing request is permissible based on outbound permissions for the originating party;determine, after determining that the routing request is permissible based on the outbound permissions for the originating party, that a terminating profile is available for the intended terminating party;determine, after determining that the terminating profile is available for the intended terminating party, that the terminating profile indicates that feature processing is enabled;identify contact information for the intended terminating party;determine an address type associated with the contact information after determining that the terminating profile indicates that the feature processing is enabled;determine whether the contact information passes at least one second screening criterion, of the plurality of screening criteria, based on the determined address type associated with the contact information,
the at least one second screening criteria being different from the at least one first screening criteria; andcause, when the contact information passes the at least one second screening criterion, a communications session to be established based on the contact information and the routing request.