Telecommunications Switch Call Handling via Trunk Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for preventing unsolicited and unwanted telephone calls, such as caller ID spoofing, are inefficient as they rely on carrier networks to add and transmit origination point data, leading to unintended blocking of genuine calls and are not universally implemented.
Innovation Solution
A telecommunications switch processes call setup signalling by detecting the trunk via which the call arrived and determining a call handling option based on the caller ID, independently of external network capabilities, using a database to maintain associations between caller IDs and legitimate or illegitimate signalling routes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a blacklist of caller IDs is maintained to block nuisance calls, then nuisance calls are blocked, but genuine calls from blacklisted caller IDs are inadvertently blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the identification mechanism by introducing a separate origination point identifier that is distinct from the caller ID. This allows the system to evaluate calls based on their actual origin rather than the presented caller ID, enabling differentiation between spoofed nuisance calls and genuine calls that may have blacklisted caller IDs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary verification mechanism that checks the origination point of calls against the network path. This intermediary layer validates whether the call genuinely originates from the indicated location before applying blacklist rules, preventing false blocking of genuine calls.
2Reliability
If the SHAKEN framework with digital signatures is implemented to verify caller IDs, then caller ID authentication is improved, but device complexity and implementation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential verification function from the complex SHAKEN framework by implementing a simplified mechanism that only checks whether the origination point identifier matches the actual call origin in the network path. This extracts the core authentication need while eliminating the complexity of digital signatures and cryptographic verification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a lightweight verification approach that does not require expensive cryptographic infrastructure. The origination point verification is performed using simple network path analysis that is already available in telecommunication switches, avoiding the need for complex security infrastructure.
3Reliability
If known systems add origination point data to call setup signalling for validation, then caller ID verification is enabled, but dependence on external network capabilities increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by having the telecommunication switch independently determine the actual origination point of incoming calls by analyzing the network path itself. The switch uses its own internal knowledge of trunk connections and network topology to verify the call origin without requiring external networks to provide verification data.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of relying on external networks to provide origination point data as known systems do, the patent inverts the approach by having the local switch independently extract and verify origination point information from the network path. This reverses the dependency direction, making the system independent rather than dependent on external capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of processing call setup signalling at a telecommunications switch. The telecommunications switch receives call setup signalling, comprising at least a caller ID. The telecommunications switch is connected via a plurality of trunks which connect the telecommunications switch to two or more other telecommunications switches capable of transmitting call setup signalling to the telecommunications switch. The telecommunications switch detects at least one of the plurality of trunks via which the call setup signalling has arrived at said telecommunications switch. The telecommunications switch determines a call handling option to be applied to the incoming call setup signalling based at least in part on the detecting and the caller ID.