WO2005117460A1

WO2005117460A1 - Method, server and system for establishing a telephone connection

Info

Publication number: WO2005117460A1
Application number: PCT/NL2005/000388
Authority: WO
Inventors: Susan Duinhoven; Thomas Charles Snijder
Original assignee: De Telefoongids B.V.
Priority date: 2004-05-26
Filing date: 2005-05-26
Publication date: 2005-12-08
Also published as: NL1026272C2

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for establishing a connection between a first telephone handset (TA) belonging to a user and a second telephone handset (TB) belonging to a receiver. The method comprises, inter alias - searching in a database for data that correspond to a search command, and outputting the data found, - receiving an initiation signal from a computer device (PCA) via the first network (N1) for establishing the connection, and - establishing a telephone connection between the first telephone handset (TA) and the second telephone handset (TB) on the basis of the initiation signal received.

Description

METHOD, SERVER AND SYSTEM FOR ESTABLISHING A TELEPHONE CONNECTION

The invention relates to a method for establishing a connection between a first telephone handset belonging to a user and a second telephone handset belonging to a receiver, wherein the first telephone handset has a first telephone number and the second telephone handset has a second telephone number and the method comprises:

- receiving a search command for the second telephone number from a computer device via a first network,

- searching in a database for data that correspond to the search command, including one or more telephone numbers belonging to the receiver,

- outputting the data found to the computer device via the first network.

The invention furthermore relates to a server for establishing such a connection and a system containing such a server.

The use of paper telephone directories is increasingly being overtaken by the use of electronic telephone directories that can be consulted with the aid of, for example, a simple personal computer. The data in such electronic telephone directories can be read, for example, from a hard disk or CD-ROM by the personal computer. Such a database can, for example, consist of a set of files in which name, street address, postcode, town and telephone number are recorded for private individuals and/or companies.

Since the telephone data constitute a dynamic file in which changes are continually taking place, currently there are also electronic telephone directories in use where the data can be obtained from a central database. The user then makes contact with a provider's server, for example via the Internet. The user can enter one or more details, for example name and town for the person for whom the user wishes to find the telephone number, via the provider's home page.

After the user has executed a search command, the provider's server searches in the database for records that satisfy the search command. If there are one or more records that satisfy the search command given, these results are then presented to the user via his or her personal computer. In this way the user is able to find the telephone number of a specific person or a specific company in a relatively simple manner. The user does not have to have a paper telephone directory and always has access to a database that has been updated to incorporate the most recent changes.

Once the user has found a specific telephone number in this way, he/she has to note down this number from the computer screen and key it into a telephone handset in order to establish a telephone connection. This operation takes time and demands attention on the part of the user. It is also possible that the user makes an error when noting down the telephone number.

Furthermore it is not possible for the receiver of the call to find out whether the call has been established on the basis of listing in the electronic telephone directory. Especially for companies who pay for listing in specific electronic telephone directories it can be useful to have data on the number of calls that are established on the basis of a listing in such an electronic telephone directory. Such information cannot be obtained in a reliable manner at present.

The aim of the invention is to provide a system and method in which the user is enabled to search for a specific telephone number in a simple manner and subsequently to establish a telephone connection in a simple manner. In one embodiment the aim of the invention is to provide a system and method by means of which information on the number of calls that are established on the basis of listing in a specific electronic telephone directory can be obtained in a simple and reliable manner.

The said aims are achieved with a method as described in the preamble, characterised in that the method further comprises:

- receiving an initiation signal from the computer device via the first network for establishing the connection, and

- establishing a telephone connection between the first telephone handset and the second telephone handset on the basis of the initiation signal received. Such a method enables a user to establish a connection between a user's telephone handset and the receiver without a telephone number that has been found having to be noted down from a computer screen. A further advantage is that it is possible to record in a simple manner that the call has been established on the basis of listing in a specific electronic telephone directory. For the user it is also easy to establish via a first network a reverse charge call via a second network between his/her telephone handset and that of a receiver.

According to a further embodiment the invention relates to a method where the establishment of a telephone connection takes place using reverse charge technology. This makes it possible advantageously to make use of existing technologies and makes it possible for the costs of the call to be charged to the correct party in a simple manner.

According to a further embodiment the invention relates to a method where the establishment of a telephone connection takes place by first calling the first telephone handset and calling the second telephone handset after receipt of an authorisation signal from the first telephone handset. This method can preferably be used to establish a telephone connection where the costs are for the user of the first telephone handset and the latter is thus provided with an opportunity to accept the costs of the call.

According to a further embodiment the invention relates to a method where the establishment of a telephone connection takes place by first calling the second telephone handset and calling the first telephone handset after receipt of an authorisation signal from the second telephone handset. This method can preferably be used to establish a telephone connection where the costs are for the user of the second telephone handset and the latter is thus provided with an opportunity to accept the costs of the call.

According to a further embodiment the invention relates to a method where the establishment of the connection between the first telephone handset and the second telephone handset takes place by transmitting a ring command to an exchange for the establishment of the connection. This makes it possible to establish a telephone connection in a simple manner. According to a further embodiment the invention relates to a method where the initiation signal comprises at least the first and/or the second telephone number. This information is needed in order to establish a telephone connection between the two telephone handsets.

According to a further embodiment the invention relates to a method, wherein the method furthermore comprises:

- storing the telephone number of the user's telephone handset in a file on the user's computer device. If the computer device is used a second time in the method according to the invention this file can easily be read and information stored in the file does not have to be entered again by a user.

According to a further embodiment the invention relates to a method wherein the first network is the Internet and wherein the connection is established in a second network, wherein the second network is the public switched telephone network.

According to a further aspect the invention relates to a server for establishing a connection between a first telephone handset belonging to a user and a second telephone handset belonging to a receiver, wherein the first telephone handset has a first telephone number and the second telephone handset has a second telephone number, wherein the server comprises a processor and the processor is connected to memory components and the processor is connected to a first network by means of input/output means and wherein the server is equipped to: - receive a search command for the second telephone number by means of the input/output means via a first network,

- search in the memory components for data that correspond to the search command, including one or more telephone numbers that belong to the receiver,

- output by means of the input/output means via the first network the data found, characterised in that the server is furthermore equipped to:

- receive an initiation signal for establishing the call by means of the input/output means via the first network, and

- on the basis of the initiation signal received, generate a signal for the establishment of a telephone connection between the first telephone handset and the second telephone handset.

According to a further aspect the invention relates to a system comprising a server and an exchange, wherein the server is equipped as described above and the exchange is equipped to establish the telephone connection after receiving the signal.

According to a further embodiment the invention relates to a system which is equipped with reverse charge technology.

According to a further aspect the invention relates to a personal computer provided with a cookie that is suitable for reading by the server as described above and comprises the first telephone number.

The invention will be explained in more detail below on the basis of a few drawings in which a few illustrative embodiments are shown. The drawings are intended solely for illustrative purposes and do not serve to restrict the scope of protection, which is defined by the claims.

Figure 1 shows, schematically, an embodiment of the present invention,

Figure 2 shows a method according to the present invention on the basis of a flowchart, Figure 3 shows, schematically, a provider's server according to the present invention.

Fig. 1 shows a computer device PCA, for example a personal computer, which is equipped to make contact via a first network Nl with a server HP belonging to a provider of an electronic telephone directory, which has a database containing telephone data. The server HP is capable of making contact with a central computer TP of a telephone exchange. The central computer TP is equipped to establish connections via a second network N2 between various telephone handsets, such as between the telephone handsets TA and TB shown, which can both be so-called 'fixed' telephone handsets or mobile telephone handsets. Here a "telephone handset" must be given a broad interpretation, specifically as comprising any type of equipment by means of which a telephone connection can be established. Here telephone handset TA is the telephone handset by means of which the user wishes to call the telephone handset TB, which belongs to a third party.

A user of the computer device PCA can search in the database of the server HP for a specific telephone number, for example by entering a specific search command (name + town) via the Internet on a search screen of a web site that is hosted by the server HP. The interaction between the user's computer device PCA and the server HP is indicated by reference numeral 1 in Fig. 1.

On the basis of such a search command, the server HP searches in its database for data that correspond to the search command and outputs the results of the search activity to the computer device PCA. The results found are displayed on a screen of the user's computer device PCA.

The user can easily establish a telephone connection using the system shown in Fig. 1, as will be described in more detail below.

On the basis of the search command executed by the user the server HP can display one or more results to the user. According to the invention the user will be able to indicate to the server HP that he/she wishes to establish a telephone connection between his/her telephone handset TA and the telephone handset TB, where the telephone handset TB belongs to a telephone number that is at least one of the results supplied by the server HP.

The user of the computer PCA can initiate this by sending an initiation signal to the server HP. This can, for example, be effected in a simple manner by clicking with a mouse on a virtual button or icon displayed by the server HP for this purpose. Such an icon can be displayed by the server HP, for example alongside the search result displayed on the screen of the computer device PCA. If several search results are displayed to the user of the computer device PCA, several icons can be displayed, each icon being associated with a specific search result. It is also possible that the telephone number itself is rendered as an icon. It will be clear that there are also other possibilities for the user to send an initiation signal to the server HP. The initiation signal that the user sends via his/her computer device PCA to the server HP contains not only the telephone number of the telephone handset TB but also the telephone number of the user's telephone handset TA. If the user is making use of the service provided by the server HP for the first time, the server HP will ask the user to enter the telephone number of the telephone handset TA. After receipt of the telephone number of telephone handset TA the server HP can have a file, for example a so-called "cookie", in which the telephone number of the telephone handset TA is stored, saved on the computer device PCA. If the user wishes to make use of the service provided by the server HP again, the server HP will simply read the cookie from the user's computer device PCA and the user thus does not have to enter his/her telephone number again. Such a cookie is suitable for reading by the server HP, for example in that the cookie comprises one or more URLs (uniform resource locators) for which this is valid, in this case URLs that belong to the server HP.

Of course, it is also possible that the user's telephone number is stored in a special database on the server HP and is linked to the user by means of an IP address or a special log-on procedure that the user has to complete when opening the web site of the server HP.

Furthermore, it is also still possible that the initiation signal comprises only a short designation for the telephone number of the telephone handset TB. If, for example, ten search results are displayed to the user, the initiation signal can comprise, for example, just a reference to a specific search result (for example number "4", for example the fourth search result. In this way the volume of the data transmitted can remain restricted.

After the server HP has received such an initiation signal, it passes on the request for establishing the designed telephone connection to the exchange TP, see reference numeral 2. The exchange TP is now able to establish a connection via a second network N2 between telephone handset TA and telephone handset TB which makes use of the already existing technique for the initiation of a 'reverse charge call', see reference numeral 3. The telephone handset TA and the telephone handset TB are both connected to the second network N2, as is indicated by reference numerals 4 and 5. In the example shown in Fig. 1 both telephones are connected directly to the second network N2, but it will be clear that both telephone handsets can also be connected to different networks and are able to establish a connection with one another via different networks. For instance network N2 can even be partially a fixed network (for example PSTN, public switched telephone network) and partially a mobile network.

The exchange TP now first sends a call signal to the telephone handset TA. As soon as the user hears his/her telephone handset TA ring, he/she lifts the receiver and hears a spoken message in which he/she is asked to confirm that he/she actually wishes to establish the connection with telephone handset TB. This message can comprise, for example, the name and/or number of the receiver, as well as a request as to whether the user accepts the costs for the connection to the receiver's telephone handset TB. The spoken message can be a pre-recorded message, but it is also possible that the user is able to talk directly to an operator at, for example, the exchange TP. Use can also be made of so-called interactive voice response techniques (IVR: interactive voice response).

The spoken message can, of course, also comprise other elements, such as an indication of the call costs per unit time or, for example, an advertising message.

The user can accept the call by sending an authorisation signal via his/her telephone handset TA, for example by pressing a specific key on his/her telephone handset TA (#), or a specific key combination (#*).

In this way it is possible to give the user of telephone handset TA, as well as the receiver (telephone handset TB) the opportunity for indicating that he/she wishes to accept the call (opt-in) or does not wish to accept the call (opt-out). It is also possible to give the user of telephone handset TA as well as the receiver (telephone handset TB) the opportunity for indicating that he/she wishes to accept or to refuse all future calls that are established by means of the invention. After the exchange TP has received confirmation of the call, the exchange TP puts the call through to the receiver's telephone handset TB. The user of telephone handset TA now hears telephone handset TB ring as if he/she had initiated the call him/herself in the conventional manner.

The receiver hears his/her telephone handset TB ring. If the receiver answers telephone TB, he/she can be in direct communication with the user of the telephone handset TA, but it is also possible that the receiver first hears a spoken message that indicates that the connection has been established via the server HP.

In this way it is easy for the receiver to check how often his/her telephone number has been requested via the services offered by the provider associated with server HP.

The telephone connection described above can also be established in the reverse manner, that is to say the role of the user and the receiver are reversed. This thus means that the exchange TP starts by sending a first call signal to the telephone TB. The remainder of the procedure described will then likewise be carried out with the roles for telephone handset TA and TB reversed.

Fig. 2 shows in a flowchart the steps that are carried out successively by the server HP. In a first step 101 the server HP receives a search command from the user's computer device PCA via the first network Nl . In response to this in a following step 102 the server HP will start to search in a database intended for this purpose for results that correspond to the search command received. The server HP then sends the search results found via the first network Nl to the computer device PCA in step 103.

If the results sent to the user do not satisfy his/her requirements, the server HP can receive a new search command, as is indicated in Fig. 2 by arrow A. If the results sent to the user contain a result with which the user wishes to initiate a telephone call, the server HP then receives an initiation signal from computer device PCA, as is shown in step 104. On the basis of the initiation signal received and the information contained therein, the server HP sends a ring command to the exchange TP in step 105. This can take place simply via the first network Nl, but in an alternative embodiment could also take place via another network, for example via the second network N2.

If the telephone number of the user's telephone handset TA is not known to the server HP, for example if the user is making use of services offered by the provider of the server HP for the first time, the server HP will first ask the user for the telephone number of telephone handset TA after receiving the initiation signal, as is indicated in step 106. Only after this has been received by the server HP will the server HP continue with carrying out step 105. The server HP can optionally also have a 'cookie' saved on the computer device PCA.

After the initiation signal has been received in step 104, or after the ring command has been sent to the exchange TP via the first network Nl and the user' s computer device PCA, the server HP can optionally display information on the status of the establishment of the connection. This can be a simple confirmation of the command and an indication that the connection will be established in a few seconds. This is shown in Fig. 2 by step 107.

In the example discussed with reference to Fig. 1 the user's computer device PCA and user's telephone handset TA are shown as two separate devices. However, it will be clear to an expert that these two devices can also be combined in a single device. Thus, it is, for example, possible that the user accesses the Internet via his/her mobile telephone handset (for example by making use of a WAP or i-mode protocol, or future other protocol) and finds a telephone number on a certain Internet page. In that case it is possible that the user sends an initiation signal to the server HP for this Internet page in the same manner as discussed above with reference to Fig. 1 and that the server HP then establishes a connection between the mobile telephone handset TA and the receiver's telephone handset TB. In this case the first network Nl and the second network N2 are then also not physically separated networks but different networks in the sense that different protocols are used to transmit data. It will be clear to an expert that the server HP and the exchange TP can also be one and the same.

The server HP that supports the service according to the invention can, for example, be a computer installation as shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 3 shows an example of such a computer installation with a processor 21 for performing arithmetic processing.

The processor 21 is connected to a number of memory components including a hard disk 18, tape unit 19, read only memory (ROM) 24, electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) 23 and random access memory (RAM) 22. Not all of these types of memory necessarily have to be present. Moreover, they do not have to be positioned physically close to the processor 1. They can also be positioned remotely therefrom.

The processor 21 is also connected to means for the input of instructions, data, etc. by a user, such as a keyboard 26 and a mouse 27. Other input means, such as a touch screen, a track ball and/or speech converter, which are known to those skilled in the art, can also be used.

A reader 30 connected to the processor 21 is provided. The reader 30 is equipped to read data from, and optionally to store data on, a data carrier, such as a floppy disk 17 or a CD-ROM 20. Other data carriers can be, for example, DVDs, as is known to those skilled in the art.

The processor 21 is also connected to a printer 29 for printing output data on paper, as well as a display unit 28, for example a monitor or LCD (liquid crystal display) screen or any other type of display unit known to those skilled in the art.

According to the invention the processor 21 is connected to the first network Nl, for example the PSTN (public switched telephone network), a local network (LAN = local area network), a wide area network (WAN = wide area network), etc. by means of input/output means 7. The processor 21 is equipped to communicate with other communication devices via the first network Nl . In the case of the invention, the user's computer device PCA (not shown) can, for example, log on to the processor 21 via the first network Nl.

The processor can have been implemented as a standalone system or as a number of processors operating in parallel, each of which is equipped to perform sub-tasks of a larger program, or as one or more main processors with various sub-processors. Parts of the functionality of the invention can even, if desired, be performed by processors located remotely which communicate with processor 21 via, for example, the first network Nl.

According to the invention a user can thus make contact via his/her computer device PCA (not shown in Fig. 3) with the computer installation of the server HP via the first network Nl . The server HP then receives a search command via the first network Nl and the input/output means 7, on the basis of which the server HP starts to search in its database, which, for example, has been stored on the hard disk 18. It will be clear to a person skilled in the art that such a database can also have been stored elsewhere. For instance, it is possible that the server HP makes contact via the input/output means 7 with a further computer installation (not shown) on which the database, or part thereof, is located.

If the server HP has found results, it can output these to the user's computer device PCA via the input/output means 7.

The initiation signal already discussed above will also reach the server HP via the input/output means 7. Any request by the server HP for the telephone number of the user's telephone handset TA also takes place via the input/output means 7.

After the initiation signal has been received the server HP will send a ring command to the exchange TP. This ring command can be sent via the first network Nl making use of the input/output means 7, but can also be sent via a second network N2 (not shown in Fig. 3). In that case the input/output means 7 are also equipped to communicate via the second network N2. It will be clear that the user's computer device PCA can comprise the same components as shown in Fig. 3 with corresponding functionality. The same applies for the exchange TP.

If the server HP and the exchange TP are one and the same, the ring command will not be sent but the connection between the telephone handset TA and the user's telephone handset TB will be established immediately. In this case as well the input/output means 7 are equipped to communicate via the second network N2.

It will be clear that the invention also relates to a system that comprises both server HP and exchange TP.

The invention can also advantageously be used to establish a reverse charge call with the aid of a computer installation. A user can, for example, send an initiation signal to the server HP, where the telephone number of the telephone handset TA and the telephone number of the telephone handset TB are reversed. In this case in the first instance a connection is made to the telephone handset TB and, after lifting the receiver, the user of the telephone handset TB hears a spoken message in which the telephone number of the telephone handset TA and/or the name of the user of the telephone handset TA is mentioned and he/she is asked to accept the costs of the call. If he/she accepts the call the connection with the telephone handset TA is established. In this way it is possible in a simple manner to establish a reverse charge call via the Internet and, for example, it is not necessary to know the telephone number of the reverse charge call service. It is now possible to establish a reverse charge call from anywhere in the world in one and the same way. The user has, for example, only to remember the Internet address of the server HP.

It will be clear that the embodiment described above has been described solely by way of example and not with any limiting significance and that various modifications and adaptations are possible without going beyond the scope of the invention and that the scope is determined only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. Method for establishing a connection between a first telephone handset (TA) belonging to a user and a second telephone handset (TB) belonging to a receiver, wherein the first telephone handset (TA) has a first telephone number and the second telephone handset (TB) has a second telephone number and the method comprises:

- receiving a search command for a second telephone number from a computer device (PCA) via a first network (Nl),

- outputting the data found to the computer device (PCA) via the first network (Nl), characterised in that the method further comprises:

- receiving an initiation signal from the computer device (PCA) via the first network (Nl) for establishing the connection, and - establishing a telephone connection between the first telephone handset (TA) and the second telephone handset (TB) on the basis of the initiation signal received.

2. Method according to Claim 1 , wherein the establishment of a telephone connection takes place using reverse charge technology.

3. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, where the establishment of a telephone connection takes place by first calling the first telephone handset (TA) and calling the second telephone handset (TB) after receipt of an authorisation signal from the first telephone handset (TA).

4. Method according to any one of Claims 1 - 2, where the establishment of a telephone connection takes place by first calling the second telephone handset (TB) and calling the first telephone handset (TA) after receipt of an authorisation signal from the second telephone handset (TB).

5. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the establishment of the connection between the first telephone handset (TA) and the second telephone handset (TB) takes place by transmitting a ring command to an exchange (TP) for the establishment of the connection.

6. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the initiation signal comprises at least the first and/or the second telephone number.

7. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the method further comprises:

- storing the telephone number of the user's telephone handset (TA) in a file on the user's computer device (PCA).

8. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first network (Nl) is the Internet.

9. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the connection is established in a second network (N2), wherein the second network (N2) is the public switched telephone network.

10. Server for establishing a connection between a first telephone handset (TA) belonging to a user and a second telephone handset (TB) belonging to a receiver, wherein the first telephone handset (TA) has a first telephone number and the second telephone handset (TB) has a second telephone number, wherein the server comprises a processor (21) and the processor (21) is connected to memory components (18, 19, 24, 23, 22) and the processor (21) is connected to a first network (Nl) by means of input/output means (7) and wherein the server is equipped to: - receive a search command for the second telephone number by means of the input/output means (7) via a first network (Nl),

- search in the memory components (18, 19, 24, 23, 22) for data that correspond to the search command, including one or more telephone numbers that belong to the receiver,

- output by means of the input/output means (7) via the first network (Nl), the data found, characterised in that the server is further equipped to:

- receive an initiation signal for establishing the call by means of the input/output means (7) via the first network (Nl), and - on the basis of the initiation signal received, generate a signal for the establishment of a telephone connection between the first telephone handset (TA) and the second telephone handset (TB).

11. System comprising a server and an exchange, wherein the server (HP) is equipped according to Claim 10 and the exchange (TP) is equipped to establish the telephone connection after receiving the signal.

12. System according to Claim 11 , which is equipped with reverse charge technology.

13. Personal computer provided with a file that is suitable for reading by the server (HP) according to Claim 10 and contains the first telephone number.