Stopping robocalls

Abstract

A robocall is prevented from reaching a telephone subscriber, by an automated calling screening system that tests for presence of a human caller on the line, and disconnects calls absent a predetermined response. Audio messages to stymy a robocaller but answerable by a human are used, such as Broadway-style singing and/or a question or instruction that a robocalling system and/or a Siri system, could not handle.

What I claim as my invention is: 
     
         1 . A method, performed by an automated system comprising at least one computer, of preventing a robocall from reaching a telephone subscriber, comprising:
 testing a candidate audio message, performed by an automated test system that comprises a robocalling system and/or a Siri system, for what output or response results from the candidate audio message;   comparing an output or a response by the automated test system that resulted in the testing step against a set of predetermined response patterns for the candidate message, and (a) processing any candidate audio message for which the automated test system outputs or performs a response pattern that is among a set of predetermined response patterns that the automated system has associated with the candidate message, as a Failed candidate audio message and not adding the Failed candidate audio message to a database of audio messages used against actual incoming telephone calls; (b) processing any candidate audio message for which the automated test system outputs or performs a response pattern outside a set of predetermined response patterns that the automated system has associated with the candidate message, as a Successful candidate audio message and adding the Successful candidate audio message to the database of audio messages used against actual incoming telephone calls in an audio-message-delivering step;   before an incoming telephone call is permitted to ring through to a telephone subscriber, pre-answering the incoming call, performed by the automated system;   delivering an audio message;   disconnecting the incoming call unless the automated system receives a predetermined response pattern;   processing the incoming call for ring-through to the telephone subscriber if and only if the predetermined response pattern has been received.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the audio message comprises a message along the lines of “are you a human caller?” 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the audio message comprises a sung instruction or question. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the audio message comprises a recording of a human having sung the sung instruction or question. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the audio message comprises (a) sung words forming an instruction and (b) extraneous musical or vocal sounds. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the extraneous musical or vocal sounds comprise at least one repetition of an immediately preceding word. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the sung instruction or question comprises Broadway-musical-style singing. 
     
     
         8 . An automated system, comprising:
 a stored set of audio messages wherein an audio message comprises a sung instruction or question;   for each audio message, stored in association therewith, at least one predetermined response pattern that represents how a human is expected to respond;   a processor, processors, computer or computers that perform steps of:
 pre-answering a call directed to a telephone subscriber; 
 delivering, onto the line of the pre-answered call, an audio message from the stored set of audio messages; 
 screening the line of the call onto which the audio message has been delivered, for whether a predetermined response pattern associated with the audio message comprising the sung instruction or question is detected, and, if the predetermined response pattern for the question is not detected, disconnecting the call before the call is permitted to ring-through to the telephone subscriber. 
   
     
     
         9 . The automated system of  claim 8 , wherein the audio message comprises sung words forming an instruction substance and extraneous musical or vocal sounds.