FR2882484A1 - Invitation messages transmitting method for telecommunication system, involves transmitting invitation message from server to recipient terminal, and connecting another terminal to server, if recipient desires to listen voice message - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves generating and storing a unique reference number in correspondence to a recipient identifier and a voice message. An invitation message with a voice server address and the generated number is formed. The invitation message is transmitted from the server to a recipient terminal (TD1). Another terminal is connected to the server through the address, if a recipient desires to listen the voice message. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) a server for transmitting invitation messages to listen and respond to a voice message of a sender towards a recipient terminal (2) a computer program for transmitting invitation messages to listen and respond to a voice message of a sender towards a recipient terminal.

Description

Invitation to listen to and answer a voice message

  The present invention relates to a method for transmitting invitation messages for listening to and answering a voice message from a sender from a voice server to destination terminals. In addition, the invention allows the sender of the voice message to know if the voice message has been listened to by a recipient of the voice message.

  In the state of the art, there are direct message broadcasting systems and indirect message broadcasting systems.

  In direct broadcast systems, the sender records a voice message on a voice platform or voice server. Then, the voice server generates a telephone call to a recipient terminal and broadcasts the voice message, or places an electronic message (e-mail) in a recipient's electronic mail, including an Internet link (URL) giving access to the broadcast message. . Direct systems implement acknowledgments of listening to the voice message.

  But a disadvantage of the operation of the listening receivers is that it is impossible to ensure that the called party directly listened to the voice message. Indeed, an answering machine or another person can take the phone call. In addition, the mode of establishment of the accused depends directly on the means of communication chosen; indeed, the accused of listening by e-mail is different from the accused of listening by telephone.

  In indirect delivery systems, the sender posts a single voice message in several recipient mailboxes, and the recipients are notified by a notification of the short message type. Indirect systems are often restrictive at the recipient level because responders, both senders and recipients, use a single voice platform. Generally, indirect systems do not have an acknowledgment mechanism for listening to the voice message.

  The invention aims to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks by transmitting invitation messages to listen to and reply to a voice message to recipients of a voice message, which increases the reliability of the listening receipts of the voice message.

  To achieve this objective, a method for transmitting invitation messages for listening to and then replying to a sender's voice message from a server to first recipient terminals, including storing recipient identifiers corresponding to identifiers of first destination terminals and an identifier of the sender in a database linked to the server identified by an address, and a record of the voice message transmitted from a first terminal of the sender corresponding to the identifier of the sender in the database, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: for each of the recipient identifiers, generating and storing a unique reference number corresponding to the recipient identifier and the voice message and constituting a message of an invitation to reply to the voice message, including the server address and the reference number generated in the server, and transmit the invitation messages constituted from the server respectively to the first destination terminals.

  If one of the recipients wishes to listen to the voice message, a second recipient's terminal, which may be mistaken for the recipient's first terminal, connects to the server via the server address included in the invitation message. transmitted to the first terminal of the recipient, and the reference number extracted from the invitation message is transmitted by the second terminal of the recipient to the voice server. With these latter features, the invention distributes the cost of the voice message sending service between the sender and the recipients since the invitation message is not voice and is transmitted as a notification without giving direct access. voice message to each recipient which requires the recipient to call the voice server and thus pay the cost of communication with the voice server if he wants to listen to the voice message.

  According to other features of the method of the invention, the recipient identifier is associated with a response indicator and a voice message list indicator in the database. The invention distinguishes by these two indicators a response of the recipient which comprises entering the reference number received in the first destination terminal and the transmission of a message including the reference number entered to the server, with respect to the transmission of the message voice corresponding to the reference number entered and transmitted to the voice server, the actual listening by the recipient of the voice message transmitted by the voice server and a response from the recipient to the voice message. The recipient's reaction is not necessarily followed by the listening of the voice message since the recipient can react in another way by breaking the communication with the server before listening to the voice message, or after having listened to the voice message but without answering.

  The invention also relates to a server for transmitting invitation messages to listen to and then reply to a voice message from a sender to recipient terminals, the server being identified by an address and linked to a database having storing recipient identifiers corresponding to recipient terminal identifiers and an identifier of the sender, and a voice message transmitted from a sender's terminal corresponding to the sender's identifier. The server is characterized in that it comprises: means for generating and storing a unique reference number corresponding to the recipient identifier and the voice message for each of the recipient identifiers, a means for constituting an invitation message responding to the voice message including in particular the server address and the respective generated reference number for each of the recipient identifiers, and means for transmitting the invitation messages respectively to the recipient terminals.

  Finally, the invention relates to a computer program for transmitting invitation messages to listen to and then reply to a voice message from a sender to recipient terminals that can be implemented in a server identified by a user. address and linked to a database comprising recipient identifiers corresponding to recipient terminal identifiers and an identifier of the sender, and a voice message transmitted from a sender's terminal corresponding to the identifier of the sender sender, said program comprising instructions which, when the program is loaded and executed in said server, perform the steps according to the method of the invention.

  Other features and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly on reading the following description of several preferred embodiments of the invention, given by way of non-limiting examples, with reference to the corresponding appended drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a telecommunications system comprising a server for transmitting invitation messages to listen to and respond to a voice message according to the invention; and FIG. 2 is an algorithm of a method for transmitting an invitation message to listen to and then reply to a voice message according to the invention.

  With reference to FIG. 1, the telecommunications system comprises a voice server SV according to the invention, a database BD in connection with the voice server, a mail server of emails (EMS) SME, a web server SW, an SMC short message server, at least a first terminal TE1 of a sender and at least a first destination terminal TD1. The system optionally comprises a second sender terminal TE2 and a second destination terminal TD2.

  Servers SV, SME, SW and SMC communicate with each other through a telecommunications network RT of the internet type. In a variant, the servers communicate with each other by a local network or by dedicated lines. In another variant, the servers are combined into or integrated into a single voice server.

  The voice server SV is a conventional interactive voice server comprising a central unit UC, a reference number generator GR, a message generator GM, an update module MM and a DTMF interpreter (Dual Tone MultiFrequency) DT.

  The voice server SV manages including voice messages from senders and destined recipients, messages to invite a voice message, messages of confirmation of reaction to a voice message and voice message listening messages , and response messages to a voice message. In one variant, the messages are managed by a message processing server connected to the telecommunications network RT and using one of the servers SV, SME, SW and SMC or other servers only for transmitting messages to terminals in a mode adequate transportation.

  The SME e-mail messaging server is of the standard Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) mail server type.

  The web server SW is a standard HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) server that can be connected to the database BD when it is in the form of a database management server connected to the network RT.

  The SMC Short Message Server is a server implementing the Short Message Service (SMS) or the Multimedia Message Service (MMS).

  The database BI) is linked to the voice server SV, that is to say it is either integrated in the voice server SV, or incorporated into a database management server and connected to the voice server by a local link or remote. The database BD contains in particular: data relating to senders, such as IEX sender identifiers each corresponding to at least one sender terminal identifier, data relating to recipients, such as ID recipient identifiers each corresponding to at least one sender terminal identifier, and voice message related data, such as voice messages each corresponding to an IEX sender identifier, ID recipient identifiers, IR response indicators, and indicators. IEC listening.

  A reply indicator corresponding to a recipient identifier and a sender identifier indicates whether the recipient identified by the recipient identifier has responded to a sender's voice message identified by the sender identifier.

  A listener flag corresponding to a recipient identifier and a sender identifier indicates whether a sender's voicemail message identified by the sender identifier has been listened to by the recipient identified by the recipient identifier.

  Terminals TE1, TE2, TD1, TD2 communicate with the servers SV, SME, SW and SMC through respective access networks RA and the telecommunications network RT. According to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the terminals are connected to respective access networks RA by respective links LTE1, LTE2, LTD1, LTD2.

  A first sender terminal TE1 or recipient TD1 is for example a mobile cellular radio terminal, the link LTE1, LTD1 is a radio channel, and the respective access network RA comprises the fixed network of a radio network , for example GSM type (Global System for Mobile Communications) with a service GPRS (General Packet Radio Service), or type UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System).

  According to another example, a second sender terminal TE2 is a personal computer directly connected by modem to the LTE2 link type xDSL (Digital Subscriber Line) or ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) connected to the corresponding RA access network .

  According to yet another example, the one TE2, TD1 terminals is a fixed telecommunications terminal, the link LTE2, LTD1 is a telephone line and the respective access network RA includes a switched telephone network.

  According to other examples, the terminal TD2 comprises an electronic device or object of telecommunications which is personal to the sender or recipient user and which may be a PDA communicating personal digital assistant. More generally, the terminal TE1, TE2, TD1, TD2 can be any other mobile or non-portable communicating home terminal such as a video game console, or a smart television receiver cooperating with a remote control display, or an alphanumeric keyboard also serving of mouse through an infrared link.

  Terminals TE1, TE2, TD1 and TD2 and RA access networks are not limited to the above examples and may be constituted by other known terminals and access networks.

  With reference to FIG. 2, the method for transmitting an invitation message to listen to and then reply to a voice message according to the invention comprises six first steps E1 to E6 automatically executed in the voice server SV, then steps E7 to E10. also performed automatically in the SV voice server but depending on a sender reaction.

  In step El, a person wishing to transmit voice messages to recipients subscribes to a voice message management service provided by the method of the invention. The person thus subscribed is called the sender in the following description. By

  example, the subscription is made online by

  via a first terminal TE1 or second terminal TE2 of the sender who connects to the web server SW which delivers a web form to the browser of the terminal TE1, TE2 of the sender. At the time of subscription, the sender identifies himself, for example by a name, and in return he is assigned a unique sender identifier. Several data may be mapped to the sender identifier, such as a first name, an address, a login, a password, a sender's first terminal identifier, a second terminal identifier, and a sender's identifier. sender, etc. In step E2, the sender defines recipients, for example by specifying in one or more web forms for each of the recipients, a name, a mode of transport (e-mail, short message, multimedia message, fax), a e-mail, a mobile phone number, a fax number, etc. In one variant, the sender defines recipient lists.

  The first terminal of the sender transmits this data to the web server SW which stores them in the database BD. In particular, recipient identifiers are stored in correspondence with identifiers of first destination terminals and with the identifier of the sender.

  In step E3, the first terminal TE1 of the sender TE1 connects to a voice server SV through a voice server address transmitted to the sender, for example during the subscription. The sender states in the first terminal TE1 the voice message MV he wishes to transmit and specifies the identifiers recipients ID of the voice message. The central unit UC of the voice server SV records the voice message MV of the sender and the recipient identifiers transmitted by the first terminal TE1 in correspondence with the identifier IEX of the sender in the database BD. Each of the recipient IDs is stored in correspondence with an IR response indicator to the voice message initialized at "0" and an IEC listener of the voice message initialized to "0" in the database BD.

  In step E4, for each of the stored recipient identifiers ID, the reference number generator GR generates and stores in the database BD a unique reference number NR in direct or indirect correspondence with the recipient identifier ID and to the voice message MV and writes it to the database BD. The reference number is a unique number that can be determined according to an algorithm implemented in the SV server to which a voice message identifier and / or the recipient identifier is applied, or simply to contain the voice message identifier and / or or the recipient identifier. Preferably, the reference number is encrypted and then supplemented by an error correction code determined according to a known algorithm in order to constitute a final reference number which is encoded. The reference number has a "pseudo-random" character, so that the user knowing several valid reference numbers can not guess the following reference numbers. The error correction code will allow the SV server to check the integrity of the final reference number that will be entered by the recipient possibly with errors. In the following, the reference number is considered as final.

  In step E5, for each of the generated reference numbers, the message generator GM constitutes an invitation message to respond to the voice message INV which is not voice and which may be textual and / or imaged. The INV invitation message includes, in particular, the ASV address of the voice server SV and the respective generated reference number NR.

  Optionally, the invitation message comprises a tone signal or a predetermined sign, or a tone activation command pre-stored in the destination terminals and / or sign display pre-stored in the destination terminals . In one variant, the invitation message generated depends on the transport mode associated with the recipient. The invitation message clearly presents the recipient with at least the ASV voice address of the server to be called to consult the voice message and the reference number NR required to view the voice message.

  In step E6, the invitation messages consisting of INV (ASV, NR) are respectively transmitted to the first destination terminals TD1. In step E6, the message generator of the server SV transmits the message constituted to the appropriate server according to the communication mode of the recipient terminal. For example, when the communication mode of a recipient terminal is the e-mail, the GM message generator transmits the INV message including the identifier ID of the recipient terminal corresponding to the EMS mail server which takes care of the transmitting as a short message to the first destination terminal TD1. According to the aforementioned option, the reception of the INV message in the recipient terminal triggers the reproduction of the tone signal or the predetermined sign, or controls the reading of the activation of the pre-stored tone and / or the display of the prememorated sign. Thus, the invention is independent of the communication modes of the recipients' terminals.

  After the first six steps of the method, the recipients react a priori different way to INV (INV) invitation messages (ASV, NR) and have the opportunity to view the invitation message sent to take note of the voice message to listen.

  In step E7, a second terminal TD2 of one of the recipients connects to the voice server SV via the address ASV of the voice server included in the invitation message transmitted by the first terminal of the sender , and transmits to the voice server SV the reference number NR extracted from the invitation message. If the second terminal of the destination TD2 is an analogue landline telephone, the digits of the reference number are keyed or by voice recognition and converted into pairs of voice frequencies in the second terminal of the destination TD2 and are interpreted by the DTMF interpreter. DT in the SV voice server. The recipient concerned can consult the voice message from any terminal as well as from one of its terminals TE1 and TE2, since the reference number depending on the recipient is only necessary.

  In step E8, after the voice server SV has verified the integrity of the reference number transmitted by the destination terminal TD2, the central unit UC controls a reading and a transmission of the voice message MV corresponding to the reference number NR so that the recipient listens and hears it. The voice server may prompt the recipient to re-enter the reference number, for example one or two times, as long as the reference number entered is incorrect.

  In step E9, the update module MM updates, in this case at "1", the IR response indicator corresponding to the recipient identifier ID and the voice message MV on which the number of the receiver depends. reference transmitted by the second terminal TD2 of the recipient. In step E8 the recipient having reacted voluntarily to consult the message by entering the reference number and validating the transmission thereof, the identity of the recipient is almost certain even if it is not sure that the recipient has listened to the voice message in its entirety In step E10, the message generator GR generates and controls the transmission of a response confirmation message CONF to the voice message MV, including an identification of said recipient and a reference to the voice message from the voice server SV to the first terminal TE1 of the sender if the response indicator IR corresponding to the recipient and the voice message on which the reference number depends has been set to "1", that is to say after the server SV has received the reference number transmitted by the second terminal TD2 of the recipient and checked. As previously described, the confirmation message may be transmitted to an intermediary, such as the SME messaging server, which retransmits the confirmation message to the recipient's terminal according to the sender's communication mode.

  In one variant, the sender consults the response indicators IIR corresponding to the voice message MV from a second terminal TE2 of the sender connected to the web server SW linked to the database BD, for example through the on-line interface of the voice message management service of step El. Thus, the sender follows real-time recipients who have at least reacted and for the most part listened to the voice message.

  In one variant, when the voice message comprises a question, the recipient of the voice message MV has the possibility of answering a question put in the voice message, for example by means of the keys of the keyboard or by voice recognition in the second terminal of the recipient. . For example, the voicemail question is "Are you coming to the restaurant tomorrow night?" and the recipient has the choice between selecting the key O to answer "yes" or the key N to answer "no". In the step E9, the second terminal of the recipient TD2 transmits a response message including the reference number NR and the answer O / N to the voice message listened to the voice server SV which sets to "1" the listening flag IEC corresponding to the recipient and the voice message on which depends the previously transmitted reference number, when the server SV receives said response message. Indeed, listening to the voice message is not questionable when the recipient has answered the question.

  In a variant, the second terminal TE2 of the sender is the first terminal TE1 of the sender. In another variant, the second terminal TD2 of the recipient is the first terminal TD1 of the recipient.

  According to a preferred implementation, the steps of the method of the invention are determined by the instructions of a computer program incorporated in a server such as the voice server SV. The program comprises program instructions which, when said program is loaded and executed in said server whose operation is then controlled by the execution of the program, carry out the steps of the method according to the invention.

  Accordingly, the invention also applies to a computer program, including a computer program on or in an information carrier, adapted to implement the invention. This program can use any programming language, and be in the form of source code, object code, or intermediate code between source code and object code such as in a partially compiled form, or in any other form desirable to implement the method according to the invention.

  The information carrier may be any entity or device capable of storing the program. For example, the medium may comprise storage means or recording medium, such as a ROM, for example a CD ROM or a microelectronic circuit ROM, or a magnetic recording medium, for example a floppy disk (floppy). disc) or a hard disk.

  On the other hand, the information medium may be a transmissible medium such as an electrical or optical signal, which may be conveyed via an electrical or optical cable, by radio or by other means. The program according to the invention can in particular be downloaded to an Internet type network.

  Alternatively, the information carrier may be an integrated circuit in which the program is incorporated, the circuit being adapted to execute or to be used in the execution of the method according to the invention.

Claims (1)

18 Claims   1 - Method for transmitting invitation messages for listening to and answering a voice message from a sender from a server (SV) to first destination terminals (TD1), including a storage (E2) of call identifiers recipient corresponding to identifiers of first destination terminals and an identifier (IEX) of the sender in a database (BD) linked to the server identified by an address (ASV), and a record (E3) of the transmitted voice message from a first terminal (TE1) of the sender corresponding to the identifier of the sender in the database, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: for each of the recipient identifiers, generate and store (E4 ) a unique reference number (NR) corresponding to the recipient identifier and the voice message and constituting (E5) an invitation message to answer the voice message (INV) including including the address of the server (ASV) and the reference number generated in the server, and transmit (E6) the invitation messages constituted (INV) from the server respectively to the first destination terminals (TD1).   2 - Process according to claim 1, comprising a connection (E7) of a second terminal (TD2) of one of the recipients to the server (SV) via the server address (ASV) included in the invitation message (INV) transmitted to the first terminal (TD1) of said recipient, and a transmission (E7) of the reference number (NR) extracted from the invitation message from said second terminal of said recipient to the server (SV).   3 - Process according to claim 2, comprising a transmission (E8) of the voice message (MV) corresponding to the reference number (NR) transmitted by said second terminal (TD2) of said recipient after the server (SV) has received the reference number transmitted so that said recipient listens to the voice message.   4 - Method according to claim 2 or 3, comprising in the server an update (E9) of a reaction indicator (IR) corresponding to the identifier (IR) of the recipient and the voice message (MV) on which depends the reference number (NR) transmitted after the server (SV) has received the reference number transmitted by said second terminal (TD2) of said recipient.   Method according to any one of claims 2 to 4, comprising a transmission (El0) of a response confirmation message (CONF) to the voice message comprising an identification of said recipient and a reference to the voice message from the server ( SV) to the first terminal (TE?) Of the sender after the server (SV) has received the reference number transmitted by said second terminal (TD2) of said recipient.   6 - Process according to claim 4, comprising a consultation of the reaction indicators (IR) corresponding to the voice message from a second terminal (TE2) of the sender connected to a server (SW) linked to the database (BD) .   7 -. A method according to claim 5, comprising transmitting (E9) a response message (O / N) to the listened voice message (MV) from said second destination terminal (TD2) to the server (SV) when the voice message comprises a question, and an update of a listening indicator (IEC) corresponding to the addressee and the voice message depends on the reference number transmitted, when the server (SV) receives said response message.   8 - Server to transmit messages. invitation to listen to and then reply to a voice message from a sender to destination terminals (TD1), the server being identified by an address (ASV) and linked to a database (BD) having memorized identifiers of recipient corresponding to recipient terminal identifiers and an identifier (IEX) of the sender, and a voice message transmitted from a sender terminal (TE1) corresponding to the sender identifier, characterized in that it comprises: means (GR) for generating and storing a unique reference number (NR) corresponding to the recipient identifier and the voice message for each of the recipient identifiers, means (GM) for constituting a message invitation to respond to the voice message (INV) including including the server address (ASV) and the respective generated reference number for each of the recipient identifiers, and a means (GM) for transmit the invitation messages respectively to the destination terminals (TD1).   9 - Computer program for transmitting invitation messages for listening to and answering a voice message from a sender to destination terminals that can be implemented in a server (SV) identified by an address and linked to a database (BD) comprising recipient identifiers corresponding to recipient terminal identifiers and an identifier (IEX) of the sender, and a voice message transmitted from a terminal (TE1) of the corresponding sender to the identifier of the sender, said program comprising instructions which, when the program is loaded and executed in said server (SV), perform the steps of: for each of the recipient identifiers, generating and storing (E4) a number of single reference (NR) corresponding to the recipient identifier and the voice message and constituting (E5) an invitation message to answer the voice message (INV) including in particular, the server address (ASV) and the reference number generated in the server, and transmit (E6) the invitations messages constituted (INV) from the server respectively to the destination terminals (TD1).