KR20110068006A - System and method for strengthening security of virtual phone number service, apparatus applied to the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A security reinforcing system of a virtual telephone number service, method thereof, and apparatus applied to the same are provided to execute call connection with a real telephone number that is matched with a virtual telephone number. CONSTITUTION: A service providing server(300) receives a virtual telephone number and a calling telephone number through calling call exchange. The service providing server extracts a caller list from database. The service providing server controls the call connection to the real telephone number through the calling telephone number. A receiving switch(400) executes a receiving call exchange.

Description

System and method for strengthening security of virtual phone number service, and apparatus applied thereto {SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR STRENGTHENING SECURITY OF VIRTUAL PHONE NUMBER SERVICE, APPARATUS APPLIED TO THE SAME}

The present invention relates to a system and method for enhancing the security of a virtual telephone number service, and an apparatus applied thereto. More particularly, the present invention relates to a caller from a caller to a virtual telephone number after assigning a virtual telephone number to a called party using the virtual telephone number service. When this request is made, it is determined whether the caller requesting the call is included in the list of possible callers preset by the called party, and the virtual phone call is executed to make a call to the actual phone number matching the virtual phone number according to the determination result. A security enhancement system and method for a number service, and an apparatus applied thereto.

With the development of wired and wireless communication technology, almost all homes use wired telephone service, and most individuals use mobile telephone service.

While such service universalization has various advantages, there are large and small problems due to phone number exposure.

For example, if you park your car, you have no choice but to expose your contact number in case it is exposed. In this way, the exposed phone number can be misused by spammers or daily callers.

In addition, people often write down names and phone numbers on their belongings in case they lose their belongings.In this case, their contacts are exposed and exploited by others regardless of whether they have lost the belongings. There is a risk. This problem may occur similarly when a contact number is written on a tag for preventing childbirth and a tag of an elderly person or a disabled person.

As part of this, there has been a recent demand for a virtual number service for reasons such as personal privacy. That is, a user who does not want to know his actual phone number informs his / her virtual phone number, and when the other party attempts to call using the virtual phone number, the user connects the call to the actual phone number corresponding to the virtual phone number.

However, even in such a case, even if a virtual telephone number is used, there is a problem in that a call is connected to a real user's telephone number, and thus there is a possibility of being exploited for a crime.

Therefore, a method that can cope with this is required.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to assign a virtual phone number to a called party using a virtual phone number service and then to request a call when a call is requested from the caller to the virtual phone number. Enhance the security of the virtual telephone number service to determine whether the caller is included in the list of possible callers by the called party, and based on the determination result, to make a call to the actual phone number that matches the virtual phone number. To provide a system and method, and an apparatus applied thereto.

In addition, another object of the present invention is to allow a called party using a virtual phone number service to directly select a caller for responding to a call request via a virtual phone number, or an additional service (for example, a courier service) that the called party uses in addition to the virtual phone number service. The present invention provides a system and method for enhancing security of a virtual telephone number service for automatically setting a caller for responding to a call request through a virtual telephone number, and an apparatus applied thereto.

Security enhancement system of the virtual telephone number service according to the first aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object, an outgoing exchange to perform an outgoing call exchange when a call origination request using a virtual phone number is requested from the caller, the origination After receiving the virtual telephone number and the outgoing telephone number through a call exchange, extracting a caller list capable of making a phone call corresponding to the virtual telephone number from a previously stored database, and calling the caller on the caller list through the outgoing telephone number. A service providing server for controlling a call connection to an actual telephone number corresponding to the virtual telephone number according to a result of the determination of whether or not to include; and a called exchanger for performing an incoming call exchange using the actual telephone number as the called telephone number. Characterized in that.

Preferably, when the service provider server does not include the caller in the caller list, the service providing server transmits a control signal for rejecting the call request to the call exchange.

In addition, the service providing server device according to a second aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object, the user management unit for receiving and storing the actual telephone number from the intended party to use the virtual telephone number service, the recipient of the user After allocating a virtual telephone number according to a request, a virtual telephone number assignment unit for storing the virtual telephone number by matching the actual telephone number, and forming a caller list through which the telephone number can be connected through the virtual telephone number upon request of a called party. A caller list forming unit for determining a caller list forming unit and a determination unit for determining whether a caller corresponding to the caller request signal is included in the caller list according to the caller request signal and the virtual telephone number from the call exchanger. The actual telephone matching the virtual telephone number based on After retrieving a call is characterized in that it comprises a routing processor for routing the call request signal to the actual telephone number.

Preferably, the service providing server device further comprises an authentication unit for performing authentication on the called party to use the virtual telephone number service.

Preferably, the user management unit is characterized in that receiving at least one or more of the actual telephone number.

Preferably, the user management unit is characterized in that for setting the at least one actual telephone number to be sequentially routed through the routing processing unit by priority.

Preferably, the virtual telephone number assignment unit may generate and assign the virtual telephone number arbitrarily or select and assign a number according to a request of the called party.

Preferably, the virtual telephone number assignment unit may assign the virtual telephone number to a number that can be dialed within a preset number of dialing or to a number that can be dialed without limiting the number of dialing.

Preferably, the virtual telephone number assignment unit assigns the virtual telephone number to a number that can be dialed within a preset transmission period or to a number that can be dialed without limiting the transmission period.

Preferably, when the called party uses the additional service, the virtual telephone number assignment unit assigns the service use number used in the additional service as the virtual phone number.

Preferably, when the additional service is a courier service, the virtual telephone number assignment unit may assign an invoice number to the virtual telephone number.

Preferably, the virtual telephone number allocating unit has exceeded the number of outgoing calls set in the virtual number, has elapsed a predetermined time period in the virtual number, and has been accepted / input for completion of the additional service. If any one of the cases occurs, the use of the virtual number is characterized in that the release.

Preferably, the virtual telephone number assignment unit enables the use of the virtual telephone number when the caller included in the caller list or sets a password to be input by the caller included in the caller list and then the secret. The virtual telephone number may be used depending on whether the number matches.

Preferably, the caller list forming unit automatically forms the caller list based on the service usage information of the called party, or forms the caller list according to the caller's number input.

In addition, a method for enhancing security of a virtual telephone number service according to a third aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object is a service providing server providing a virtual telephone number service of a called party connecting to the virtual telephone number service through a communication network. A service initiation step in response to a service use request, a virtual phone number assignment step for allocating and storing a real phone number from a called party and allocating a virtual phone number according to the request, and a caller list capable of telephone connection through the virtual phone number. Forming a caller list to form, and determining whether to include a caller corresponding to the incoming request signal in the caller list when receiving an incoming request signal from an originating exchange due to an outgoing request using the virtual telephone number as a destination phone number; Based on discrimination steps and results And retrieving the actual telephone number matching the virtual telephone number and routing the incoming request signal to the actual telephone number.

Preferably, the method of strengthening the security of the virtual telephone number service further comprises an incoming connection step of connecting a call in response to the incoming request signal in the called terminal device using the actual phone number.

Preferably, the method for enhancing the security of the virtual telephone number service further includes an authentication step for performing authentication on a called party who wants to use the virtual telephone number service before performing the virtual telephone number assignment step. It is done.

Preferably, when the caller is not included in the caller list, the method for enhancing security of the virtual telephone number service is characterized in that a control for rejecting the call request is executed.

Therefore, in the present invention, if a call is requested from the caller to the virtual phone number after allocating the virtual phone number to the caller using the virtual phone number service, whether the caller requesting the call is included in the caller list that can be preset by the caller. By determining whether or not, and performing a call connection to a real phone number that matches the virtual phone number according to the determination result, the caller is not only able to make a call through the virtual phone number without exposing the actual phone number but also has no risk factors. Since screening is performed only by the call connection, there is an advantage of minimizing the possibility of abuse.

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the security enhancement system of the virtual telephone number service according to the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in more detail.

1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a security enhanced system of a virtual telephone number service according to the present invention. As shown by way of example only in Figure 1, the security enhanced system of the virtual telephone number service is based on a communication network, such as a mobile communication network, the originating terminal device 100, the originating exchange 200, the destination exchange 400 and the called terminal. It comprises a device 500, it is connected to the communication interface including the originating exchange 200 and the destination exchange 400 is further configured to include a service providing server 300 for providing a virtual telephone number service.

Here, the virtual phone number service provided through the service providing server 300 refers to a caller using the called terminal device 500 to make a call connection through the virtual phone number without exposing the actual phone number. As such, after selecting and storing a caller for establishing a call connection through a virtual phone number in advance, only a specific caller can execute the call connection through the virtual phone number.

The service providing server 300 for providing such a virtual telephone number service is a user of a telephone service based on at least one of a wired and wireless network (eg, a mobile communication service subscriber, a landline telephone service subscriber, or a subscriber of an Internet switching service). Etc.) to use a virtual telephone number service by establishing a communication connection using its service request phone number or a service request Uniform Resource Locator (URL).

After the connection, the service providing server 300 allocates a virtual phone number according to a request for using a virtual phone number of a called user who is a service user of the present invention, and assigns the allocated virtual phone number to the called terminal 500 of the user's terminal. Matches and saves with the given real phone number.

During the registration process of such a virtual phone number, the service providing server 300 allows the caller to specify the caller for routing to the actual phone number in response to the call request from the called party through the virtual phone number, and then virtually calls the specific caller. Include and store in the list of callers who can try to connect through the phone number.

Therefore, only the caller included in the caller list can request to call through the virtual phone number to be connected to the call through the actual phone number of the called party.

2 is a diagram illustrating a service providing server 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown by way of example only in Fig. 2, the service providing server 300 for providing a virtual telephone number service is actually used for a telephone service such as a mobile communication telephone or a landline telephone from a called party who wants to use the virtual telephone number service. User management unit 310 for receiving and storing a phone number, a virtual telephone for storing the virtual telephone number assigned to the called party's actual telephone number after storing the virtual telephone number according to the request of the called party, the service user Number assignment unit 320, caller list forming unit 330 for forming a caller list that can make a telephone call with the called party through the assigned virtual phone number, when a call is requested to the virtual phone number request from the originating exchange Whether the caller corresponding to the incoming request signal is included in the caller list after receiving the signal and the virtual telephone number. In the case where the determination result transmitted from the determination unit 340 and the determination unit 340 for the determination is an outgoing request from the caller included in the caller list, the incoming request signal is routed through the actual phone number matching the virtual telephone number. Routing processing unit 350 to include.

Further, the service providing server 300 preferably further includes an authentication unit 360 for performing authentication to indicate whether the user is a legitimate user for the caller who wants to use the virtual phone number service.

The authentication unit 360 may receive a name, a resident registration number, an actual telephone number assigned to the called terminal device 500, etc. from the called party, and may verify whether the user is a legitimate user by interworking with a communication service management server located in the corresponding communication network. Depending on the implementation method, the authentication unit 360 may be configured through a separate authentication method without interworking with the communication service management server.

The user manager 310 may receive at least one actual phone number. The reason for this is to increase the call success rate in response to the call request through the virtual phone number from the caller included in the caller list.

For example, if the actual phone number is set to two, the user management unit 310 is the first actual phone number (for example, mobile communication of the called party) when any caller included in the caller list requests to call through the virtual phone number. Set the phone number as the first routing phone number so that the incoming request signal is transmitted to the first real phone number, and the second real phone number (for example, Set the wired telephone number) to the next routing telephone number so that the incoming request signal is transmitted to the second real telephone number again.

As will be described in more detail later, the virtual telephone number can be implemented within a predetermined number of times or can be implemented within a predetermined period of call, so that the call between the called party and the caller who requested the use of the virtual phone number There is also a need to increase the success rate.

In addition, according to the service policy of the virtual telephone number, the virtual telephone number may be temporarily set to one time or may be set without particular limitation.

Therefore, the virtual phone number assignment unit 320 may allocate the virtual phone number to be able to make a call within a preset number of times, or to make the call without restriction of the number of times.

For example, if the number of times the virtual phone number is set is set to five times, the caller included in the caller list may request to send the virtual phone number to the called phone number within five times through his caller device 100. The number of outgoing calls is deducted once for each outgoing request.

When the number of outgoing calls has elapsed five times, as the call connection between the called party and the calling party is impossible, the number of outgoing calls may be deducted by counting the case where the call connection is made between the called party and the calling party.

In the above, when the number of outgoing calls is set without limitation, interworking with the actual phone number through the virtual phone number may be stopped according to the termination of the use of the called party's virtual phone number.

Similarly, the virtual phone number assignment unit 320 may assign the virtual phone number to be transmitted within a preset transmission period, or may be assigned to be able to transmit without limitation of the transmission period.

In addition, the virtual phone number assignment unit 320 may be implemented by releasing and retrieving a virtual number that has exceeded a predetermined number of outgoing calls, or by releasing and reassigning an allocation for a virtual number that has passed a predetermined period. have.

In addition, the virtual telephone number assignment unit 320 is a virtual number that has been allocated corresponding to the reception / input of the completion of the courier delivery, if the recipient who is a service user of the present invention uses an additional service such as a courier service It is also possible to release by recovering.

As described above, the present invention is to prevent personal information from being leaked when the contact information exposed in the courier invoice, credit card delivery, etc. is mishandled or left unattended. After that, the use of the virtual phone number may be released to block the leakage of personal information.

In more detail, using the courier service as an example, register to allow all of the courier's courier's outgoing numbers in the caller list that can use the virtual phone number assigned to the courier invoice, or use a password that only the courier employees know. By enabling the use of the virtual phone number through an input, only an allowed caller can be implemented to use the virtual phone number.

In the above, the method of allowing the use of the virtual phone number through the input of a password known only to the delivery staff, to execute the call call by entering the password into the input window that is activated when the call request via the virtual phone number It can also be implemented by making a call request with a password attached to the virtual phone number.

For example, if the virtual phone number is "011-293-8506" and the password is "1234", when the delivery staff requests to make a call, the call is input by entering "011-293-8506-1234".

In addition, in the case of a text message or MMS (Multimedia Message Service), a special number such as "# 1234-011-293-8607" is entered before the virtual phone number, or a request is made by attaching a password after the virtual phone number. This is possible.

When the called party uses an additional service such as a parcel delivery service, the virtual phone number assignment unit 320 may allocate a service use number used in the additional service as a virtual phone number.

For example, when the additional service is a courier service, an invoice number specified for delivery is allocated as a virtual phone number.

In such a case, the virtual telephone number is automatically formed without the need for inputting the virtual telephone number separately from the called party.

Figure 3 is a flow chart illustrating an operation of the security enhanced system of the virtual telephone number service according to the present invention as an embodiment. As shown only as an example in FIG. 3, the method for enhancing the security of the virtual phone number service may be configured by allocating a virtual phone number according to a request of a called party who is a virtual phone number service user accessing the service providing server 300. It proceeds to set and save the caller list that can be dialed through the virtual phone number (S100).

Thereafter, the originating exchange 200 transmits the incoming request signal and the virtual telephone number to the service providing server 300 by executing the switching for the originating exchange in response to the originating request of the originating terminal apparatus 100 (S102). .

The service providing server 300 receives the incoming request signal and the virtual telephone number from the originating exchange 200, checks the caller information included in the incoming request signal, and includes the sender of the originating request in the previously stored caller list. It is determined whether there is (S104).

In step S104, when the caller list does not include the caller of the call request, it is determined that the call connection between the caller is impossible and the caller is notified to the caller device 100 through the call exchanger 200. Notify (S108).

In step S104, when the caller list includes the caller of the call request, it is confirmed that the call connection between the incoming and the outgoing call is possible, and when entering the incoming call connection step, the actual phone number matching the virtual phone number is extracted ( S110).

Thereafter, routing for the incoming request signal is performed through the extracted actual telephone number (S112).

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a process of registering a virtual phone number during an operation of the security enhanced system of the virtual phone number service shown in FIG. 3. As shown only as an example in FIG. 4, the registration process of the virtual telephone number in the security enhancement method of the virtual telephone number service proceeds to receiving a request for assigning a virtual telephone number from a called party who wants to use the virtual telephone number service ( S200).

Thereafter, the service providing server 300 executes authentication for the called party requesting the virtual phone number service, and then switches to the step for allocating the subsequent virtual phone number only in the case of the called party who has passed the authentication (S202). ).

Assign a virtual phone number by direct input of the called party, or automatically allocates a virtual phone number (eg, invoice number of the courier service) based on service usage information related to the use of additional service (eg courier service) together (S204). ).

Thereafter, an actual telephone number is input to be matched with the virtual telephone number (S206 and S208).

Here, at least one actual telephone number may be input.

In addition, after the virtual phone number and the actual phone number are set to be routed to the real phone number through the virtual phone number to set the caller list that can be called and connected (S210).

The caller list in step S210 may be set by direct input of the called party, or automatically set based on the usage information of the additional service when there is an additional service (for example, a courier service) that the called party additionally uses ( S212 to S218).

After the above process is completed, the receiving terminal apparatus 500, which is the called party's terminal, notifies that the registration of the virtual telephone number is completed (S220).

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a call connection process through a virtual phone number during an operation of a security enhanced system of the virtual phone number service shown in FIG. 3. As shown only as an example in FIG. 5, a call connection process through the virtual phone number in the security enhancement method of the virtual phone number service proceeds to receiving a call request through the virtual phone number from the calling terminal device 100 ( S300).

After that, the service providing server 300 receives the incoming request signal and the virtual telephone number, and first checks whether the virtual telephone number is valid (S302 and S304).

In step S304, if the virtual phone number is valid, the caller information included in the incoming request signal is checked, and whether or not the registered caller list is registered as a caller capable of making a phone call in the stored caller list using the checked caller information (S306 and S308).

If the caller is registered as a caller capable of a telephone connection, the service providing server 300 determines that an incoming / outgoing connection is possible and executes a process for subsequent call connection (S310).

Therefore, the service providing server 300 extracts the actual telephone number matched with the virtual telephone number (S312), and then performs routing for the incoming request signal through the extracted actual telephone number (S314).

Incoming request signal routed in step S314 is delivered to the destination terminal device 500 via the destination exchange 400, when there is a call response of the destination terminal device 500, the call connection between the incoming and outgoing call is completed and the call is executed. (S316).

When the call ends, the above process is terminated together (S318).

Although described above with reference to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, those skilled in the art will be variously modified and changed within the scope of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention described in the claims below I can understand that you can.

In addition, the present invention, if a call is requested from the caller to the virtual phone number after assigning a virtual phone number to the caller using the virtual phone number service, whether the caller requesting the call is included in the caller list that can be pre-set by the called party. The purpose of this is to determine whether or not to make a call to a real phone number that matches the virtual phone number according to the result of the determination, and thus it is not only commercially available or commercially viable, but also practically clearly implemented. It is a possibility invention.

1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a security enhanced system of a virtual telephone number service according to the present invention;

2 is a block diagram showing a service providing server according to an embodiment of the present invention;

3 is a flow chart showing an operation of the security enhanced system of the virtual telephone number service according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a process of registering a virtual phone number during an operation of the security enhanced system of the virtual phone number service shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a call connection process through a virtual phone number during an operation of a security enhanced system of the virtual phone number service shown in FIG. 3.

<Description of Symbols for Main Parts of Drawings>

100: calling terminal 200: calling exchange

300: service providing server 310: user management unit

320: virtual phone number assignment unit 330: caller list forming unit

340: determination unit 350: routing processing unit

360: authentication unit 400: terminating exchange

500: incoming terminal device

Claims (18)

An originating exchange for executing an outgoing call exchange when a call origination is requested from the originator to the virtual telephone number; After receiving the virtual telephone number and the outgoing telephone number through the outgoing call exchange, extracting a caller list capable of making a phone call in correspondence with the virtual telephone number from a previously stored database, and extracting the caller list through the outgoing telephone number. A service providing server for controlling a call connection to an actual telephone number corresponding to the virtual telephone number according to a result of determining whether the caller is included; And And a terminating exchange for executing an incoming call exchange using the actual telephone number as a terminating telephone number. The method of claim 1, And the service providing server transmits a control signal for rejecting the originating request to the calling exchange when the calling party is not included in the calling party list. A user manager for receiving and storing an actual telephone number from a called party who wants to use a virtual telephone number service; A virtual telephone number assignment unit for allocating a virtual telephone number and storing the virtual telephone number by matching the actual telephone number; A caller list forming unit for forming a caller list capable of telephone connection through the virtual telephone number; A discriminating unit for determining whether or not to include a caller corresponding to the incoming request signal in the caller list as the incoming request signal and the virtual telephone number are received from the originating exchange due to the outgoing request; And And a routing processing unit for searching for the actual telephone number matching the virtual telephone number and routing the incoming request signal to the actual telephone number based on the determination result. The method of claim 3, wherein The service providing server device further comprises an authentication unit for performing authentication on the called party who wants to use the virtual telephone number service. The method according to claim 3 or 4, And the user manager receives at least one input of the actual telephone number. The method of claim 5, And the user manager sets the at least one actual telephone number to be sequentially routed through the routing processor in order of priority. The method according to claim 3 or 4, And the virtual telephone number assignment unit randomly generates and assigns the virtual telephone number or selects and assigns the number according to the request of the called party. The method according to claim 3 or 4, And the virtual telephone number assignment unit assigns the virtual telephone number to a number that can be dialed within a preset number of dialing or to a number that can be dialed without limiting the number of dialing. The method according to claim 3 or 4, The virtual telephone number assignment unit allocates the virtual telephone number to a number that can be dialed within a preset transmission period or to a number that can be dialed without limiting the transmission period. The method according to claim 3 or 4, And when the called party uses an additional service, the virtual phone number assignment unit assigns a service use number used in the additional service as the virtual phone number. 11. The method of claim 10, And the virtual telephone number assignment unit assigns an invoice number to the virtual telephone number when the additional service is a courier service. 11. The method of claim 10, The virtual telephone number allocating unit has one of a number exceeding a preset number of outgoing calls to the virtual phone number, a case of passing a preset period of time to the virtual phone number, and a case of receiving / input of completion of the additional service. If the case occurs, the service providing server device, characterized in that to release the use of the virtual phone number. The method according to claim 3 or 4, The virtual telephone number assignment unit enables the use of the virtual telephone number when the caller is included in the caller list or sets a password to be input by the caller included in the caller list, and then confirms whether the password matches. The service providing server device, characterized in that to enable the use of the virtual telephone number. The method according to claim 3 or 4, The caller list forming unit automatically forms the caller list based on the service usage information of the called party, or forms the caller list according to the caller's number input. A service initiation step of a service providing server providing a virtual telephone number service responding to a service use request of a called party accessing the virtual telephone number service through a communication network; A virtual telephone number assignment step for receiving and storing an actual telephone number from the called party and allocating a virtual telephone number according to the request; A caller list forming step of forming a caller list capable of telephone connection through the virtual telephone number; A determination step of determining whether or not to include a caller corresponding to the incoming request signal in the caller list in response to receiving an incoming request signal from an originating exchange due to the outgoing request having the virtual telephone number as the incoming phone number; And And a routing processing step of searching for the actual telephone number matching the virtual telephone number and routing the incoming request signal to the actual telephone number based on the determination result. Way. The method of claim 15, The method of strengthening the security of the virtual telephone number service further includes: an incoming connection step of connecting a call in response to the incoming request signal from a terminating terminal device using the actual telephone number. Strengthening method. 17. The method according to claim 15 or 16, The method of strengthening security of the virtual phone number service may further include an authentication step for performing authentication on the called party who wants to use the virtual phone number service before performing the virtual phone number assignment step. How to increase security of virtual phone number service. 17. The method according to claim 15 or 16, And when the caller is not included in the caller list, the security strengthening method of the virtual telephone number service is configured to execute control for rejecting the call request.

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