# US 2014/0192684 A1 · Systems and methods for selective filtering of inbound mobile communications > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0192684 A1 - Document ID: US20140192684A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/147,307 - Filed: 2014-01-03 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-04 - Inventors: Regina M. Fernicola - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140192684A1 ## CPC - H04W 4/06: Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services - H04W 4/023: {using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds} - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract Various implementations of the disclosed technology relate to selectively filtering inbound communications. An example implementation may send filtered incoming calls directly to an alternate voicemail account based on a list of pre-approved contacts. Moreover, a user notification may not be provided at the time of receiving the incoming call. In another implementation, a response message indicating a user status may automatically be sent back to the sender of the inbound communication. In some implementations, selective filtering of inbound communications may be activated manually by a user, or automatically at a scheduled time, or responsive to a mobile device entering a threshold distance of a location. Discrete logs may be kept for each of selective filtered and allowed inbound communications. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: receiving, at a mobile computing device, a contact whitelist comprising a first one or more contacts, each contact of the first one or more contacts associated with one or more identifiers; activating an operating mode of the mobile computing device, the operating mode for filtering inbound communications to the mobile computing device based on the contact whitelist; receiving, at the mobile computing device, a first inbound communication; responsive to determining that a first identifier associated with the first inbound communication does not correspond to an identifier associated with any of the one or more contacts of the contact whitelist, filtering the first inbound communication; receiving, at the mobile computing device, a second inbound communication; and responsive to determining that a second identifier associated with the second inbound communication corresponds to an identifier associated with at least one of the one or more contacts in the contact whitelist, allowing the second inbound communication. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first identifier and second identifier and different identifiers associated with a same sender. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that a type of the first inbound communication comprises a first type of communication, and wherein filtering the first inbound communication is further responsive to the determining that a type of the first inbound communication comprises the first type of communication. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising unlocking functionality for activating the operating mode, responsive to receiving an indication of a first user gesture at the mobile computing device, the activating of the operating mode responsive to receiving an indication of a second user gesture at the mobile computing device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the operating mode is activated automatically at a scheduled time. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the operating mode is activated automatically responsive to determining the mobile computing device is substantially proximate to a predetermined location. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the operating mode is scheduled to automatically deactivate after a predetermined amount of time. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first inbound communication comprises a first phone call, and filtering the first inbound communication comprises directing the first phone call to a first voicemail account associated with the mobile computing device without providing user notification of the first inbound communication at a time of receipt of the first inbound communication. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the second inbound communication comprises a second phone call and allowing the second inbound communication comprises directing the second phone call to a second voicemail account associated with the mobile computing device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising deactivating one or more user notification functionalities of the mobile computing device responsive to activating the operating mode. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically sending an outbound communication to a destination corresponding to an identifier associated with the first inbound communication, responsive to the determining that the identifier associated with the first inbound communication does not correspond. ### Claim 12 A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising: receiving, at a mobile computing device, a contact whitelist comprising a first one or more contacts, each contact associated with one or more identifiers; activating an operating mode of the mobile computing device, the operating mode for filtering inbound communications to the mobile computing device based on the contact whitelist; receiving, at the mobile computing device, a first inbound communication; responsive to determining that a first identifier associated with the first inbound communication does not correspond to an identifier associated with any of the one or more contacts in the contact whitelist, filtering the first inbound communication; receiving, at the mobile computing device, a second inbound communication; and responsive to determining that a second identifier associated with the second inbound communication corresponds to an identifier associated with at least one of the one or more contacts in the contact whitelist, allowing the second inbound communication. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the first identifier and second identifier and different identifiers associated with a same sender. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the operating mode is deactivated automatically at a scheduled time. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the operating mode is deactivated automatically, responsive to determining the mobile computing device is within a threshold distance of a predetermined location. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the operating mode is scheduled to automatically activate after a predetermined amount of time. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The computer-readable medium of claim 12, the method further comprising maintaining discrete logs of filtered and allowed inbound communications. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the first inbound communication comprises a text message, and filtering the first inbound communication comprises logging the text message without providing user notification at the time of receipt of the text message. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The computer-readable medium of claim 12, the method further comprising activating one or more user notification capabilities of the mobile computing device responsive to deactivating the operating mode. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The computer-readable medium of claim 12, the method further comprising automatically forwarding the first inbound communication to a predetermined destination responsive to the determining that an identifier associated with the first inbound communication does not correspond.