Voice Call Controller for Upstream Nuisance Call Filtering

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing VoIP systems face inefficiencies due to the inability to effectively filter and manage nuisance calls, leading to unnecessary resource allocation and waste in session border controllers (SBCs), as IP addresses are not reliable indicators of call legitimacy, and calls often consume resources before being identified as undesirable.

Innovation Solution

Implementing voice call controllers (VCCs) upstream of SBCs to filter calls based on call source and originator parameters, re-route calls, and generate filter rules, allowing for efficient resource allocation and management by observing call behaviors and implementing blacklists/whitelists.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If SBCs allocate resources to handle all incoming calls, then call handling capacity is maximized, but resources are wasted on nuisance calls and calls to numbers not in service

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecall handling capacityVSAvoidresource waste on nuisance calls

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary screening of incoming calls by analyzing call originator behavior patterns, IP addresses, and call characteristics before SBCs allocate resources. This advance filtering prevents nuisance calls from consuming SBC resources while allowing legitimate calls to proceed normally.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

An intermediary screening system is introduced between the call source and SBCs. This intermediary analyzes call characteristics and originator behavior patterns, generating screening data that directs legitimate calls to SBCs while blocking nuisance calls before they reach the SBCs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If multiple SBCs are deployed to handle extra capacity for nuisance calls, then call service reliability is maintained, but device complexity and capital investment increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecall service reliabilityVSAvoidnumber of SBCs required

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The nuisance call filtering function is extracted from the SBCs and placed in a separate screening system. This allows SBCs to focus exclusively on handling legitimate calls with full capacity, while the screening system independently identifies and blocks nuisance calls, eliminating the need for redundant SBC capacity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of operation

If IP address-based filtering is used to block nuisance calls, then filtering simplicity is maintained, but filtering effectiveness decreases because the same IP address is used for both spam and legitimate traffic

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefiltering simplicityVSAvoidcall legitimacy identification accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system transitions from uniform IP address-based filtering to differentiated filtering based on local characteristics of each call originator. By analyzing specific behavior patterns, call ratios, and originator characteristics, the system creates customized filtering rules for each originator, improving precision while maintaining operational simplicity through automated analysis.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS12457251B2Voice call controller

Publication Date: 2025.10.28 COMCAST CABLE COMM LLC

AI summary

A voice call controller (VCC) polls session border controllers (SBCs) to determine routing of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls and filter calls based on call source and originator parameters. The VCC re-routes calls in the event of errors, generates filters based on observed behaviors, and communicates filter rules or statistics to other entities.