FR2837650A1 - Telephone switch for public telephone network uses personalised lists on wrong number server to require call confirmation for often confused numbers can include automatic approved list generation - Google Patents

Abstract

A telephone switch (C1, CAS1, SS) calls a terminal (TUS) on request from another terminal (T2) only if its number (N2) is included in a personalised approved list (LUS) and makes a call confirmation (RQC) request to the calling terminal if it does not. Includes Independent claims for user entry of numbers on the approved list or automatic entry based on the frequency of calls, calls from the protected terminal or length of calls

Description

13 when said program is executed on a computer.

  Notification of false telephone number The present invention relates generally to services related to the addressing of telephone terminals. More particularly, it relates to a service for notifying an unwanted call from a first terminal to a second terminal that called the first terminal when the user of the second terminal mistakenly dialed the number of the first

  o terminal, that is to say made a wrong number.

  The invention aims to avoid the disturbance of the user of the first terminal called by the second terminal when the telephone number of the first i5 terminal is similar in particular to a digit near a telephone number very often dialed by users, such as that a cinema or an administration. To this end, a method in a switching means attached to a first terminal for notifying an unwanted call from the first terminal to a second terminal after a request for a call from the first terminal by the second terminal and the establishment of a connection between the second terminal and the switching means, a list of telephone numbers associated with the first terminal having been previously stored in the switching means, is characterized in that it comprises the following steps: - calling the first terminal by the switching means in response to the call request from the second terminal when the telephone number of the second terminal is included in the list, - notification of a call confirmation request message to the second terminal by the switching means when the telephone number of the second terminal does not belong to the list, - call of the first terminal by the switching means in response to a me confirmation message transmitted by the second terminal having received the call confirmation request message, and - break in the connection between the second terminal and the switching means in the absence of

confirmation message.

  The false number notification service proposed by the invention aims to filter calls from the first terminal so that the calling user of the second terminal confirms the call of the first terminal when the calling user is a priori unknown to the user of the first terminal. Otherwise, the user of the second terminal breaks the communication

  to dial the correct phone number.

  As will be seen in the detailed description

  below, a telephone number of a given terminal is entered in the list associated with the telephone number of the first terminal according to one of several predetermined entry criteria which can be satisfied during an update of a personal directory or during a first call from the terminal determined by the first terminal or during the establishment of a communication between

the first and second terminals.

  According to another characteristic of the method of the invention, the call confirmation request message is notified to the second terminal when a prefix of the telephone number of the second terminal and / or of the data of the user of the second terminal satisfy at least a predetermined notification rule. The invention also relates to a false number service server for implementing the notification method according to the invention. The false number service server is linked to a switching means attached to a first terminal for notifying an unwanted call from the first terminal to a second terminal which has called the first terminal and has previously stored a list of telephone numbers associated with the first terminal . The server is characterized in that it comprises: - means for comparing the telephone number i5 of the second terminal and the telephone numbers in the list in order to control the transmission of a call signal from the switching means to the first terminal when the telephone number of the second terminal is included in the list, - means for notifying a call confirmation request message to the second terminal through the switching means when the telephone number of the second terminal is not included in the list, - means for controlling the transmission of a call signal from the switching means to the first terminal in response to a confirmation message transmitted by the second terminal having requested the call confirmation request message, and - means for breaking the link between the second terminal and the switching means in the switching means when the second terminal has not

  transmitted no confirmation message.

  According to another characteristic of the server, it comprises means for storing at least one notification rule in correspondence with the telephone number of the first terminal so that the means for notifying applies the notification rule to a prefix of the telephone number of the second terminal and / or to the coordinates of the user of the second terminal and not notifies the message of request for confirmation of call to the second terminal until

  o the notification rule is satisfied.

  Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly on

  reading the following description of several

  preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the corresponding appended drawings in which: - Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of a false telephone number notification system for implementing the method according to a preferred embodiment of the invention ; and - Figure 2 is an algorithm of main steps of the method of notification of false telephone number. According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the notification system for implementing the method according to the invention is described relative to a first user terminal TUS and to a second user terminal T2 which are respectively connected to routing autonomy switches C1 and C2 through user telephone lines L1 and L2 of the fixed switched telephone network PSTN. As a variant, the terminals TUS and T2 are attached to a common switch C1. Each of the telephone lines L1 and L2 is conventionally constituted by a pair of conductive wires and supports analog signals and in particular request and response messages in DTMF (Dual Tone MultiFrequency) code. These messages can alternatively be at least partially synthesized voice requests and voice responses. According to yet another variant, the messages are digital when the lines L1 and L2 have direct access to

  lo a digital network with ISDN services.

  According to yet another variant, the lines L1 and L2

  are radio local loop type links.

  The PSTN telephone network is associated with an RS signaling network through which i5 various services are offered to users, and in particular the false number notification service according to the invention. Within the framework of an intelligent network separating the functions specific to each service and the processing common to all the services, each switch C1, C2 has a service functionality called "service access switch" CAS1, CAS2. In a geographical area, several service access switches are connected through the RS signaling network to at least one SS service server, also called point de

PCS service command.

  In this case, the service server SS is intended to manage calls according to false terminal numbers whose users have subscribed to the notification service of the invention and which are connected in particular by the switch C1. The SS server essentially comprises a manager of request messages and confirmation messages GM, a table for direct access TAD and a table of notification rule TRN. When the messages exchanged with user terminals are voice, the GM manager contains a voice synthesizer to establish voice requests and a recognition module

  voice to process voice responses.

  The first correspondence table TAD matches the telephone number NUS of each user, such as the user US of the first terminal TUS, having subscribed to the notification service according to the invention, to a list LUS of telephone numbers NT which are associated to calling users authorized to directly access the terminal called TUS, without notification of a message requesting

RQC call confirmation.

  The introduction of a telephone number NT in the LUS list associated with the telephone number NUS in the table TAD is carried out automatically without the user called US intervening in the configuration of this list. A telephone number NT of a determined terminal is introduced into the LUS list either during a call from the determined terminal, such as the terminal T2 as will be seen below with reference to FIG. 2, or during a call from the terminal determined from the TUS terminal of the user US having subscribed to the service, or else when entering a user number in a personal RPUS directory associated with the telephone number NUS and linked to the switch C1 of serving

  the first TUS terminal, as shown in Figure 1.

  For example, the RPUS directory is a database which associates with the NT number the name, first name, city, postal code and other telephone numbers and URLs (Uniform Resource Locator) including mail addresses

  electronic, linked to the determined terminal user.

  For example, an NT telephone number for a specific terminal can be entered in the

  LUS list for direct access to the TUS terminal, i.e.

  say without exchanging RQC confirmation request and CONF confirmation response messages, according to one of the following entry criteria CI1 to CI5: - CI1) an NT telephone number is entered beforehand in said LUS list when the number o NT telephone line is entered by the US user in the RPUS personal directory in correspondence with the NUS user number associated with the first TUS terminal and possibly when the NT telephone number belongs to a predetermined group in the RPUS directory; when the user US updates the directory linked to the switch C1, the directory proposes to the user US that the NT number and the coordinates of the user corresponding to the NT number be arranged in a group bringing together, for example professionals, or the family, or members of a club in relation to the US user; - CI2) NT telephone numbers in the NUS list are not necessarily added to the RPUS personal directory; an NT telephone number in the LUS list of the TAD table can be entered systematically as soon as the first TUS terminal calls the determined terminal designated by the NT telephone number for the first time, that is to say as soon as the PSTN network has established a link between the TUS terminal and the determined terminal in response to a call request from the TUS terminal; this subsequently means that the user of the determined terminal has chosen to call the user US when he dials the NUS number, which will authorize him to directly access the terminal TUS; - CI3) more generally, the telephone number NT in the LUS list is entered in the LUS list as soon as one of the other terminals of the user US of the first terminal TUS called for the first time one of the others user terminals corresponding to the fixed fixed terminal having the NT number; the other terminals of a user can be a mobile radiotelephone, a laptop computer and a fax machine whose addresses and numbers are associated with the respective telephone number NUS, NT in the respective personal directory linked to the switch attached to the fixed terminal of the user as well as in the table for direct access TAD; as a variant, the addresses and the numbers of the other terminals of a user are associated with the respective telephone number NUS, NT via a website containing a telephone directory, for example called "white pages", which can be searched automatically; all the numbers and addresses of the aforementioned terminals of a user US can be partly linked and partly inserted into a unified messaging MUS which is typically connected to the switch C1 to which the fixed telephone terminal TUS of the user US is connected and which comprises the RPUS personal directory of the user; the unified messaging MUS of the user US comprises for example at least one voicemail for a telephone set and a fax recorder connected to the PSTN switched telephone network, at least one electronic mail box (e-mail) connected to the internet network, and at least one short message receiver; the RPUS personal directory of the user US is also incorporated into the MUS unified messaging; when one of the terminals of a given user is called from one of the terminals of the user US, the unified messaging connected to the switch of the terminal of the user US transmits the fixed terminal number NUS to the server SS, and the unified messaging system connected to the switch of the terminal of the determined user transmits the number of this terminal and preferably the number of the fixed terminal of the determined user to the SS server so that the GM manager automatically enters into the LUS list designated by the number NUS the numbers of the terminal o called and the fixed terminal of the determined user so that he can directly access the TUS terminal during a next call; - CI4) the entry of the NT telephone number into the LUS list can be carried out as soon as the number of calls from the determined terminal corresponding to the NT telephone number from the TUS terminal of the user having subscribed to the notification service is greater than one first predetermined number, for example 2 or 3, or is greater than the first predetermined number during a first predetermined period, for example 7 days; or as soon as the number of calls to the user terminal TUS from the determined terminal designated by the number NT is greater than a second predetermined number, for example 5, or is greater than the second predetermined number during a second predetermined period, by example 2 to 3 days; for this purpose, the numbers NT for example in number at most equal to are associated with call counters in the table TAD which can be reset to zero by the user US via the manager GM; - CI5) the entry of the telephone number NT into the LUS list can be carried out after a communication duration exceeding a predetermined duration, for example of 3 minutes, between the user US of the first terminal TUS, and the user of the determined terminal corresponding to the NT telephone number, whether the US user or the other user is calling or called. s The GM message handler in the SS service server is programmed to update the lists of telephone numbers according to one or more of the entry criteria described above. The second correspondence table TRN stores correspondences between telephone NUS numbers of users who have subscribed to the notification service according to the invention and RUS notification rules linked respectively to predetermined characteristics relating to telephone numbers and possibly to contact details including addresses of users likely to call the US user. The RUS rules are applied in particular to the telephone number, such as the number N2 of the terminal T2, of the caller U2 in order to notify him of a confirmation request message.

  RQC call if number N2 satisfies the rule.

  For example, at least one of the 2s RUS rules can be as follows - the prefix of 1 to N digits of the telephone number N2 of the calling terminal T2 is less than or greater than a determined number, or is between predetermined numbers, N being less than the number of digits of a telephone number; one of the personal characteristics linked to the user of the terminal T2 is stored in the personal directory R2 linked to the 3s attachment switch C2 and is compared to a list of predetermined characteristics in the table TAD by the user US having subscribed to the notification service for example when the city of the domicile of the calling user U2 is identical to one of several predetermined cities, or when the postal code of the domicile of the user U2 is identical to one of the predetermined postal codes, or else when the region of domicile of user U2 is identical to one of predetermined regions, the number N2 of the calling terminal o is deemed to satisfy notification rule i as a variant, the contact details linked to the calling user of the terminal T2 are searched and saved by the GM manager of the SS service server in an external database, such as a website containing a telephone directory,

  for example called "white pages".

  When the telephone number of the calling terminal, such as the terminal T2, cannot be known because the user U2 has not authorized its publication or because the user U2 has requested a "secret function" inhibiting the presentation of the identification of its terminal T2 in any called terminal, such as the TUS terminal, a function known as "Calling Line Identification Restriction CLIR", it is provided in the calling terminal T2 an "access without RQC call confirmation request" function. The latter function is activated for example by pressing a predetermined key or a sequence of predetermined keys on the keyboard of the terminal T2 following the dialing of the NUS call number which controls the transmission of a message of indibition of notification. As a variant, when the call is made by an intermediary, such as a telephone information operator, the "access without request for RQC call confirmation" function is

  also activated by said intermediary.

  The GM message manager in the false number service server SS in particular composes a call confirmation request message RQC which contains the NUS call number of the terminal TUS to be displayed in the calling terminal T2 and / or to synthesize 0 by voice in the GM manager or in the access switch to services CAS2 or even in the calling terminal T2. As a variant, the RQC message is a predetermined greeting message including the NUS telephone number, of the type "You have dialed the NUS telephone number; please confirm your call by pressing the asterisk key". Pressing the predetermined key "*" results in the transmission of a CONE call confirmation response from the T2 terminal to the GM manager so that the latter establishes the requested communication between the T2 terminal and TUS

as will be seen below.

  The message manager is accessible to any user US who has subscribed to the notification service according to the invention by dialing a special telephone number from the server SS preferably followed by a password. The US user subscribing to the notification service has the possibility of composing the RQC call confirmation request messages: - by selecting via the GM manager a default RQC preselected message in which the name and / or contact details of the US user subscribing to the service; - or by recording in the SS server a personalized RQC message whose address is associated with the NUS number in the TRN table; - or preferably by recording in a predetermined message RQC the telephone number, called false number, which is confusing with the telephone number NUS of the terminal TUS of the user US; this false number can be obtained in a "reverse" directory depending on the name of the corresponding o to which calls are actually directed by the users who dialed the false number. Any user having dialed the wrong number is informed by the RQC call confirmation request that the number they have dialed is different from the number

  by telephone of the correspondent sought.

  Referring now to FIG. 2, it is assumed that the first user US has subscribed to the false number notification service according to the method of the invention, and that a second terminal T2 calls the first terminal TUS. Prior to step EO, the manager GM in the service server SS has opened a list LUS of telephone numbers associated with the NUS number of the terminal called TUS in the table for direct access TAD and at least one RUS notification rule is associated with the NUS phone number in the TRN table. One or more NT numbers have possibly been entered in the LUS list according to the criteria

from introduction CI1 to CI3.

  The notification process includes

  essentially nine steps E1 to E9.

  In step E1, the user of the calling terminal T2 dials the NUS number of the terminal TUS after a hang-up operation in the terminal T2. In response to this call request from the outset, the C2 switch transmits the N2 and NUS telephone numbers, or else respect usage identifiers ifs read in a table of the C2 switch corresponding to the two N2 and NUS telephone numbers, to the C1 switch. attached to the TDS call terminal. Optionally, as indicated at 1 @ tape Ell, if the user calling U2 has requested the pre-determined key or a sequence of 0 pAdAtermines keys requesting the "access without RQC call confirmation" function, this request is transmitted with the request call from the terminal T2 via the switch C2 to the switch C1 which, Step E8, normally transmits a call signal SAP to the terminal TUS in 4 response to the inhibition message; this could be followed by a hang-up operation in the TUS terminal to initiate the establishment of the connection between the T2 and TUS terminals in the switch C1. A step similar to step Ell is also performed when an intermediary such as an information operator

tAlAphonics makes the call.

  When the call is requested at Step E1 without the access function without RQC request, the switch 2s CAS1 verifies that the subscription profile of the user US contains an indication of subscription to the notification service according to the invention in order that the switch CAS1 transmits an activation message including the call number NUS to the manager GM in the server 55 through the signaling network RS, Step E2. If the user calling US has not subscribed to the notification service according to the invention, the switch C1 calls the terminal

  ALL step E8 in a classic way.

  The GM message handler that has been activated compares the caller's N2 telephone number with the NT telephone numbers contained in the LUS list

  designated by the called party's NUS number, in step E3.

  If the caller number N2 is included in the LUS list, the GM manager requests the transmission of the SAP call signal from switch C1 to

TUS terminal in step E8.

  On the other hand, if the caller number N2 is o unknown from the LUS list, the manager GM submits the caller number N2 to the pre-defined entry criterion CI4 if it exists. When the number N2 satisfies the entry criterion CI4, the manager GM enters the calling number N2 in the list LUS in the table TAD in correspondence with the number called NUS in step E41 which is followed by the transmission of the SAP call signal at the terminal

ALL at step E8.

  After step E4 according to which the number N2 does not satisfy the appropriate predefined criterion, the manager GM reads the predetermined notification rule or rules RUS associated with the called number NUS in the table TRN in order to apply them to the number d caller N2 and / or to the caller's coordinates, in step E5. If none of the RUS notification rules are satisfied by the calling number N2, the SAP call signal is transmitted by the switch C1

at the TUS terminal in step E8.

  On the other hand, when the RUS notification rule or rules are satisfied by the calling number N2, the manager GM composes a request for confirmation of call RQC comprising at least the telephone number NUS of the terminal called TUS and, where appropriate, certain characteristics of the user calling US in accordance with the message preselected or personalized by the user US. The RQC request is noted by the server SS at the terminal T2 through the switches CAS1, C1 and C2, in step E6. The GM manager then goes into the CONF confirmation response waiting state. If before the expiration of a predetermined time delay triggered by the transmission of the RQC request, the GM manager receives a call confirmation message CONF transmitted by the calling terminal T2 through the PSTN and RS networks, in step E7 , the GM manager triggers the transmission of the SAP call signal by

  the switch C1 to the terminal TUS in step E8.

  Otherwise, the connection between the switch C1 and the terminal T2 through the switch C2 is broken when no call confirmation response message CONF has been transmitted by the terminal T2 during the predetermined time delay, or when the calling user has performed a hang-up operation in the

  o T2 terminal to release the L2 line.

  Alternatively, the calling number N2 is submitted

  at least one of the pre-

  defined above CI4 and CI5 after a pickup in the TUS terminal in response to the SAP call signal in step E8 and the establishment of the connection between the terminals T2 and TUS, as shown in dotted lines in steps E81 and E82 . In this case, during the call, the number N2 can satisfy step E81 at least the criterion CI4 or CI5 which leads to the introduction of the number N2 in the list LUS in the table TAD by

the GM manager in step E82.

  According to a second embodiment for which the references are indicated in parentheses in FIG. 1, the fixed caller terminal T2 is replaced by a mobile radio telephone RT2 which is connected to a base station of a cellular radio telephone network through a channel radio traffic CRT, replacing the telephone line L2. The equivalent of the switch C1 in the PSTN network is then a switch of the mobile service MSC of s referring to the aforementioned base station and to which the radiotelephone RT2 is temporarily attached. In the fixed network of the radiotelephony network, the functionality o of access to services provided by the switch CAS2 is found in the pair of the switch of the mobile service MSC and of a visitor location recorder VLR associated with the latter and containing the subscription profile of the users of mobile radiotelephones in its location area, as well as at least one SS service server connected to several switches of the MSC mobile service through the signaling network of the radio network. Consequently, with the exception of the inversion of the functions in step E1 during which the number called NUS is first dialed in the radiotelephone RT2, then the outgoing call by pressing a key off-hook / traffic channel pickup is then requested by the radiotelephone RT2, the method E1 to E9 as described above for a fixed calling terminal T2 in the PSTN switched telephone network is also applicable to a mobile radiotelephone RT2 in a

  cellular radio network.

  More generally, the scope of the invention is independent of the fixed or mobile nature of the terminals of the calling and called users, the calling terminal and the called terminal can both be fixed terminals or mobile radiotelephones, or the 'one of them can be one

  fine terminal and the other a mobile radiotelephone.

Claims (9)

REVENDI CAT IONS   1 - Method in a switching means (C1, CAS1, SS) attached to a first terminal (TUS) for notifying an unwanted call from the first terminal (TUS) to a second terminal (T2) after a call request from the first terminal (TUS) by the second terminal (T2) and the establishment of a link (E1) between the second terminal (T2) and the 0 switching means (C1, CAS1, SS), a list (LUS, TAD) of telephone numbers (NT) associated with the first terminal (TUS) having been previously stored in the switching means, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: - call (E8) from the first terminal (TUS) by the switching means in response to the call request from the second terminal when the telephone number (N2) of the second terminal is included (E3) in the list, - notification (E6) of a call confirmation request message (RQC) to the second terminal (T2) by the switching means (C1, CAS, SS) when the telephone number (N2) of the second terminal does not belong to the list, - call (E8) of the first terminal (TUS) by the switching means in response to a confirmation message (CONF) transmitted (E7) by the second terminal (T2 ) having requested the call confirmation request message, and - rupLure (E9) of the link between the second terminal (T2) and the switching means (C1, CAS1,   SS) in the absence of a confirmation message (CONF).   2 - Method according to claim 1, comprising a prior introduction (E0) of the telephone number (NT) of a terminal determined in the list (LUS, TAD) when the telephone number (NT) is entered in a personal directory (RPUS ) in the switching means (C1, CAS1, SS) corresponding to the telephone number (NUS) associated with the first terminal (TUS).   3 - Method according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a prior introduction (EO) of the telephone number (NT) of a terminal determined in the list (LUS, TAD) as soon as the first terminal (TUS)   calls the specified terminal for the first time.   4 - Process according to any one of   is claims 1 to 3, including an introduction   (E41, E82) of the telephone number (NT) of a terminal determined in the list (LUS, TAD) as soon as one of the terminals of the user of the specified terminal was called for the first time by one of the terminals   of the user of the first terminal (TUS).   - Process according to any one of   Claims 1 to 4, including an introduction   (E41, E82) of the telephone number (NT) of a terminal determined in the list (LUS, TAD) as soon as the number of calls to the terminal determined from the first terminal (TUS) is greater than a first predetermined number, or well is greater than the first predetermined number during a first period predetermined.   6 - Process according to any one of   Claims 1 to 5, comprising an introduction   (E41, E82) the telephone number (NT) of a terminal determined in the list (LUS, TAD) as soon as the number of calls to the first terminal (TUS) from the determined terminal is greater than a second predetermined number, or well is greater than twoThird predetermined number for a second predetermined period. 7 - Process according to any one of   Claims 1 to 6, comprising an introduction   (E41, E82) of the telephone number (NT) of a terminal o determined in the list (LUS, TAD) after a period of communication between the first terminal and the   determined terminal exceeding a predetermined hardness.   8 - Process according to any one of   i5 claims 1 to 7, according to which the message of   call confirmation request (RQC) includes the   telephone number (NUS) of the first terminal.   9 - Process according to any one of   claims 1 to 8, according to which the message of   call confirmation request (RQC) contains a telephone number which confuses the   telephone number (NUS) of the first terminal.   10 - Process according to any one of   claims 1 to 9, according to which the message of   call confirmation request (RQC) is notified (E6) to the second terminal (T2) when a prefix of the telephone number (N2) of the second terminal (T2) and / or the contact details of the user of the second terminal satisfy ( E5) at least one rule of   predetermined notification (RUS).   11 - Process according to any one of   Claims 1 to 10, comprising a transmission   (E11) a notification inhibition message (E6) with the call request from the second terminal (T2) to the switching means (C1, CAS1, SS) so that the latter calls (E8) the first terminal (TUS) in response to the muting message. 12 - False number service server (SS) linked to a switching means (C1, CAS1) attached to a first terminal (TUS) to notify an unwanted 0 call from the first terminal (TUS) to a second terminal (T2) having called the first terminal, the server having previously stored a list (LUS) of telephone numbers (NT) associated with the first terminal (TUS), characterized in that it comprises: - means (GM, TAD) for comparing the telephone number (N2) of the second terminal and the telephone numbers (NT) in the list in order to control the transmission of a call signal (SAP) from the switching means (C1, CAS1) to the first terminal (TUS) when the number telephone number of the second terminal is included in the list, - means (GM) for notifying a call confirmation request message (RQC) to the second terminal (T.2) through the switching means when the telephone number (N2 ) from the second terminal is not included in the list, - means (GM) for controlling the transmission of a call signal (SAP) from the switching means to the first terminal (TUS) in response to a confirmation message (CONF) transmitted by the second terminal ( T2) having requested the call confirmation request message, and - a means (GM) for breaking the link between the second terminal (T2) and the switching means (C1, CAS1). In the switching means when the second terminal (T2) did not transmit any confirmation message. 13 - Server according to claim 12, comprising means (TRN) for storing at least one notification rule (RUS) in correspondence with the telephone number (NUS) of the first terminal (TUS) so that the means for notifying (GM) applies the notification rule to a prefix of the telephone number (N2) of the second terminal and / or to the coordinates of the user of the second terminal and does not notify the call confirmation request message (RQC) to the second terminal (T2 ) only when the rule notification is satisfied.