Call Blocking via Validated Identity Attributes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing call-blocking methods are ineffective in distinguishing between desired and undesired calls, often blocking necessary or emergency calls due to reliance on whitelists and blacklists, and fail to prevent telemarketers who frequently change phone numbers.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a call-blocking system that uses validated identities and shared attributes, where users undergo an identity verification process to obtain signed attributes, which are then selectively shared with the callee, allowing the callee to apply preconfigured rules to block or allow calls based on these attributes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If whitelists are used to identify permitted callers, then unwanted calls are blocked, but necessary calls from numbers not in the whitelist are also blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the parameters used for call filtering from simple phone numbers to rich identity attributes (name, business category, affiliated institution, etc.). This allows for more nuanced classification of callers, enabling the system to distinguish between unwanted telemarketers and legitimate callers even when using different numbers, thereby reducing false positives while maintaining spam blocking effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an attribute validation service as an intermediary that verifies and signs caller attributes. This mediator provides a trusted layer between the caller and callee, ensuring that shared attributes are authentic and not spoofed. The signed attributes serve as reliable identification that can distinguish desired callers from spammers without relying solely on pre-configured phone number whitelists.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If blacklists are used to block unwanted callers, then some spam calls are prevented, but telemarketers who change numbers frequently are not effectively blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary identity verification and attribute validation before calls are made. By pre-validating caller attributes through the attribute validation service and obtaining signed identity information in advance, the system creates a robust identification framework that remains effective even when telemarketers change phone numbers, as the validation is based on persistent identity attributes rather than transient phone numbers.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from using phone numbers as the primary blocking parameter to using validated identity attributes (business category, affiliated institution, verified name) as the basis for call filtering. This parameter change makes the blocking system adaptable to number-changing telemarketers since their identity attributes remain consistent even when their contact information changes.
3Ease of operation
If phone numbers are used as the basis for call blocking, then implementation is simple, but identity verification is unreliable due to spoofing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an attribute validation service as a trusted intermediary that verifies caller identities and signs their attributes. This mediator layer adds cryptographic verification to the call identification process, making it computationally infeasible for spammers to spoof attributes. The signed attributes provide reliable identity verification while maintaining automated processing, thus preserving ease of operation while dramatically improving measurement precision.
4Measurement precision
If users manually configure whitelists, then control over permitted callers is precise, but the process is time-consuming and requires user effort
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables callers to automatically share their validated identity attributes with callees without requiring manual whitelist configuration. The automated attribute sharing mechanism allows the system to self-configure based on the caller's verified identity information, eliminating the need for users to manually add each permitted caller while maintaining precise control through attribute-based filtering rules.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary identity validation and attribute preparation before calls are made. By pre-validating attributes through the attribute validation service and having them ready for automatic sharing, the system eliminates the need for time-consuming manual configuration while maintaining precise caller control through pre-configured attribute-based filtering rules.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, apparatuses, methods, and computer readable mediums for implementing a flexible call blocking scheme using validated identities and selected attribute sharing. A user may undergo an identity verification process to generate one or more signed attributes associated with the user. When the user initiates a phone call, the user may select which attributes to expose to the callee. In one embodiment, the user's device may prevent the user's phone number from being exposed to the callee. The selected attributes may be sent to the callee, and then the device of the callee may compare the selected attributes to preconfigured rules. If the preconfigured rules indicate the selected attributes of the caller meet one or more criteria, then the call may be allowed to ring the device of the callee. Otherwise, the call may be blocked.