Selective facsimile denial

Abstract

A method includes determining, at a processor of a computing device, whether an incoming transmission to a first destination is authorized at an electronic device of a communication network. The method includes, in response to determining that the incoming transmission is not authorized, determining whether a particular type of content is communicated via the incoming transmission. The incoming transmission is routed to the first destination when the particular type of content is not communicated via the incoming transmission, and the incoming transmission is not routed to the first destination when the particular type of content is communicated via the incoming transmission.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 determining, at a processor of a computing device, whether an incoming transmission to a first destination is authorized at an electronic device; and   in response to determining that the incoming transmission is not authorized:
 determining whether a particular type of content is communicated via the incoming transmission; 
 routing the incoming transmission to the first destination when the particular type of content is not communicated via the incoming transmission; and 
 denying routing of the incoming transmission to the first destination when the particular type of content is communicated via the incoming transmission. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, in response to determining that the incoming transmission is authorized, routing the incoming transmission to the first destination. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising routing the incoming transmission to a second destination when the particular type of content is communicated via the incoming transmission. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining whether the incoming transmission to the first destination is authorized is based on an identifier of a source of the incoming transmission. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising determining whether a particular telephone number is included in a list of authorized identifiers. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining whether the incoming transmission to the first destination is authorized is based on a date of the incoming transmission, a time of the incoming transmission, or a combination thereof 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising determining whether the time of the incoming transmission is within an authorized time range. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising adding an identifier of a source of the incoming transmission to a list of unauthorized identifiers after determining that the particular type of content is communicated via the incoming transmission. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing a message to a source of the incoming transmission after denying routing of the incoming transmission to the first destination. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining whether the particular type of content is communicated via the incoming transmission comprises determining whether content of the incoming transmission includes a particular type of audio content. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the particular type of audio content comprises an identifying tone. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the identifying tone is within an auditory frequency range. 
     
     
         13 . A system comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations including:
 determining whether an incoming transmission to a destination is authorized; 
 in response to a determination that the incoming transmission is not authorized:
 determining whether a particular type of content is communicated via the incoming transmission; 
 instructing an electronic device coupled to the processor to route the incoming transmission to the destination when the particular type of content is not communicated via the incoming transmission; and 
 instructing the electronic device to deny routing of the incoming transmission to the destination when the particular type of content is communicated via the incoming transmission. 
 
   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the memory is configured to store restriction information including a first list of authorized source identifiers, a second list of unauthorized source identifiers, an authorized time range, an authorized date range, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the restriction information is received via a web interface. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the restriction information is received via an interactive voice response interface. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the processor is an element of an internet protocol network. 
     
     
         18 . A computer readable storage device including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations including:
 determining whether an incoming transmission to a destination is authorized at an electronic device of a communication network; and   in response to determining that the incoming transmission is not authorized:
 determining whether a particular type of content is communicated via the incoming transmission; 
 routing the incoming transmission to the destination when the particular type of content is not communicated via the incoming transmission; and 
 denying routing of the incoming transmission to the destination when the particular type of content is communicated via the incoming transmission. 
   
     
     
         19 . The computer readable storage device of  claim 18 , wherein determining whether the incoming transmission to the destination is authorized is based on a identifier of a source of the incoming transmission, a date of the incoming transmission, a time of the incoming transmission, or a combination thereof 
     
     
         20 . The computer readable storage device of  claim 18 , wherein the operations further include providing a message to a source of the incoming transmission while determining whether the particular type of content is communicated via the incoming transmission.