METHOD OF AND SYSTEM FOR FACILITATING TELECOMMUNICATIONS CONTACT FIELD OF INVENTION THIS INVENTION relates to a method of, and system for, facilitating telecommunications contact. 5 The invention has particular application to facilitating telephone contactfor voice communications between two parties, and in this specification, reference will be made to such application. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this field of use. BACKGROUND ART In this specification, the term SMS is normally used to refer to Small Messaging System and/or 0 Short Message Service (as it is referred to by Sprint) and is to be taken to have this meaning unless the context indicates otherwise, In this specification, reference may be made to a mobile telephone(s) and/or mobile telephone numberss, A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the term cell phone or the like can be used to refer to a mobile telephone, particularly if the mobile telephone connects to the public switched telephone network via a cellular telecommunications network. A person of ordinary skill in 5 the art will further appreciate that cell phone, cell phone numbers and similar terms are encompassed by the term mobile telephone or mobile telephone number as the case may be unless the context indicates otherwise. Internet based telecommunications contact has been provided where a supplier provides a link on a website or the like which enables some person associated with the website owner to make contact by ,0 telephone to the party accessing the website and is sometimes known as "Web Based Click Calling". Web Based Click Calling is usually provided as a service independently from the website editing, hosting and/or monitoring, Even though such a facility is very useful for website owners, it is limited in its application to persons accessing the Internet in general and the relevant website in particular. A call-connection system is disclosed in European Patent No. 1,195,975 in which a user having 25 access to an SMS-capable telephone is provided with a telephone connection upon transmission of an SMS to a message decoder, the SMS indicating a service requested by the user. In order to facilitate the call connection, a database having information correlating the service provider, who becomes a calling party with the service that the user has requested is accessed before the call connection can be made. United States Patent Application No. 10/058,424 (published as US 2003/0144895) discloses a similar system for 30 providing a personal advisory service, still limited to the use of a database, but with extra filters and services provided to facilitate charges to the user and service providers subscribing to the call-connection service, and a set of answers to a query sent to the call-connection service.
-2 Access to specific information stored on or in connection with a computer is typically limited to queries formulated according to a query language specific for the database type and a vocabulary with in that language specific to the database being queried. However, the Internet has expanded in its content and capability to emerge as a vast resource of information whereby new applications using already stored 5 information normally requires a mirror or the like of a database to be provided to access information for a new application, The present invention aims to provide a method of and system for, facilitating telecommunications contact which addresses the aforementioned limitations and/or issues. Other aims and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description. .0 DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION With the foregoing in view, the present invention in one aspect resides broadly in a system for facilitating telecommunications contact between parties including: a telecommunications network; an information system having: .5 an SMS receiving module for receiving, from a consumer mobile device that defines a query source, an SNIS which contains a consumer mobile telephone number provided by the telecommunications carriers and one or more keywords; a conversion module for converting the SMS directly into HTTP format to provide an http information file and a consumer mobile telephone number from within the http information !0 file; a query module operable to dynamically search and retrieve responding party contact information of a goods or service provider from the world wide web, without the reference to a database, based on the one or more keywords; a telephone call connection module associated with a telecommunications network and 25 operable for communicably interconnecting the consumer mobile device (the query source) and the goods or service provider The query module can include or be in the form of an SMS gateway operable to receive and filter one or more SMS's from one or more senders The SMS http information file is formulated in hypertext mark-up language such as may be displayed by a web browser program, even though the user would not 30 access this information itself on the Internet. In such form, the information file may be referred to as the master web page.
-3 In another aspect, the present invention resides broadly in a system for facilitating ) telecommunications contact including: an SMS gateway operable to receive and filter one or more SMS's from one or more senders, the filtering of the SMS's being according to a set of predetermined code words; 5 a telephone call connection module associated with said SMS gateway and interactable with a query module, said query module dynamically interactable with the world wide web and dependant on the keyword from an SMS http information string to search and retrieve corresponding telephonic responding party contact information for telecommunications connection of the identified goods or service provider with the sender of the SMS http information string (the query source). 0 Preferably, telecommunications network takes the form of a telephone network, such as a public switched telephone network (PSTN). The telephonic contact information is preferably the information retrieved from the http query module The query source is preferably a module operable to retrieve information dynamically from the world wide web. It will be appreciated that it is not essential that the PSTN be limited to a public switched telephone network, and as such, the telecommunications network is 5 to be understood to include private telephone and/or telecommunications networks. Preferably, the SMS gateway is accessible by way of the telecommunications network, such as, for example, the same telecommunications network to which the connection module is operably connectable. Preferably, the query module is operable to receive voice, short message system (SMS) and/or email queries. In such form, the query module preferably incorporates a code input module into which the code can be entered, and !0 connected thereto, a query interpretation module, an interactive voice response module, an SMS and e-mail gateway and a response output module. It is also preferred that the code input module and response output module be integrated whereby queries and the answers retrieved therefrom are accommodated on the same device. In another aspect, the present invention resides broadly in a method of facilitating 25 telecommunications contact including: providing a telecommunications network and an information system as hereinbefore described; inputting a spoken or typed code from a query source into the query module; converting the spoken or typed code to an SMS query; dynamically interacting with the world wide web and dependant on the keyword from said SMS 30 http information string to search and retrieve the corresponding telephonic contact information; and connecting the responding party to the query source.
-4 in another aspect, the present invention resides broadly in a method of facilitating ) telecommunications contact including: connecting a consumer mobile telephone number with an information system, the information system including an identifying a code word; 5 inputting the spoken or typed code word into the information system dynamically searching for a responding party from the world wide web according to the code spoken or typed; and connecting the responding party to the query source. Preferably, the inputting of the code by the query source is by way of a connection code to the 0 SMS gateway. Preferably, the information system includes a query module, a query interpretation module, a query input module and a connection module as hereinbefore described, the modules being substantially constituted in software operable on a general purpose digital computer. Preferably, a user intending to be a query source or querying party accesses the query input module by way of a telecommunications network, such as, for example, the public switched telephone network. 5 Preferably, the user inputs a voice query, SMS query, email query or such like, the query input module being operable to receive such queries, the query constituting or including a code word, The query is then preferably processed by the query interpretation module preferably using, for example, an interactive voice response module or an SMS and e-mail gateway to the information system, the selection of the module or gateway being determined by an initial assessment of the nature of the query. More preferably, the 20 connection between the query source and the information system by way of the internet, preferably using a gateway-to-gateway connection. The query source information (the query source mobile telephone number and relevant keyword / keywords) are converted into an http information file for the http query module. The query module information (responding party telephone contact information) may be generated from a database, such as, for example, a telephone number listing as a "Yellow Pages" service or such like. It is 25 not necessary to mirror a database for incorporation into the system of the present invention since the information is dynamically "data mined" from the world wide web for the relevant code word. The information can also be generated from a web page using the query structure and/or rules. In such form, the system includes a module for dynamically generating the master web page described above. The master web page is scanned for the relevant code words in operating the system in accordance with the present 30 invention, thereby bypassing any requirements for a database. Although databases have the advantage of being readily accessible with the right software, the system of the present invention is independent of -5 databases, thereby obviating the necessity to provide specific accessibility to such databases or to mirror ) and reconfigure databases to provide access to the data therein for the purposes of facilitating telecommunications contact. The information system is distinguished itself from a database inasmuch as it is not indexed, does not require any database structure as in fields and records, and the information therein 5 is obtained by conducting a real time dynamic searches, scans or data mining of the world wide web via htp. The code can be a number or word, more preferably a word associated with the goods or service provider, whereby the goods or service provider is put into telecommunications contact with the user, in a preferred form, the predetermined code identifies by readily recognisable indicia the goods or services of 0 the goods or service provider, or possibly the goods or service provider by name. For example, where the product is a motor vehicle, the code can illustratively be "cars". Where the product is a real estate property, the code can illustratively be "real estate". Where the connection code is the name of a supplier, the word can be, for example, "Belinda's Florist" for a business trading under the name "Belinda's Florist", Access to the system is preferably by telephone, the telephone number being provided in conjunction with .5 advertising, notification of other means of indicating to potential users the goods or services provided by the supplier. The telephone number provides operative connection to the call connection module. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate systems of the prior art and an exemplary (0 forn of a preferred embodiment of the invention, together with the usage of such systems and wherein: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic representation illustrative of a telecommunications connection system for facilitating telecommunications contact according to the prior art; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic representation illustrative of another embodiment of a system for facilitating telecommunications contact according to the prior art; 25 Fig, 3 is a diagrammatic representation illustrative of yet another embodiment of another system for facilitating telecommunications contact according to the prior art; and Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic representation illustrative of a preferred embodiment of another system for facilitating telecommun ications contact according to the invention -6 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The prior art system 1 0 for facilitating telecommunications shown in Fig I provides for a user 11 using a computer 12 to access a webpage of a website 1 4 on the internet 13. A hyperlink on the webpage facilitates contact with a connection provider 15, whereupon the connection provider 15 calls the goods or 5 services provider on their telephone at 16. Once the goods or service provider answers the telephone, a call is made to the user on their telephone at 18 via the PSTN 17 and land line 19 thereby facilitating the telecommunications contact according to the prior art. Referring now to Fig. 2, a system for facilitating telecommunications contact is 20shown. A user observes the identification code and communications code on an advertising bill 21 or the like, and uses 0 the communications code (the telephone number) and the identification code on their telephone 18 to contact the connection provider 15 via the land line 19 and the PSTN 17. The connection provider 1 5 has access to a data file 22 of information which links the set of predetermined codes to the identities of goods and service providers. Once the query is processed by the data file, a call is made to the user on their telephone at 18 via the PSTN 17 and land line 19 thereby facilitating the telecommunications contact 5 according to the prior art. The connection between the querying party and the database may be by way of a product information system 23. Referring now to Fig. 3, another prior art system for facilitating telecommunications contact 30 shown in which the elements shown therein having the same reference numerals as those of Fig. 2 have the substantially same function. However, telephone call or SMS from the telephone 18 proceeds to the data !0 file 22 by way of a product information system 23 and the internet 13, the latter connection being by way of a gateway-to-gateway connection. Once the query is processed by the data file, a call is made to the user on their telephone at 18 via the PSTN 17 and land line 19 thereby facilitating the telecommunications contact according to the prior art. In the case of the preferred system for facilitating telecommunications contact 40 as illustratively 25 shown in Fig. 4, those elements shown therein having the same reference numerals as those of Figs. 2 and 3 have the substantially same function. The user 11 observes an identification code 25 and communications code 24. In order to make use of the service according to the invention, the user would then text the identification code, the word "Loan" to the communications code, being the telephone number "19921992", the communication being represented diagrammatically at 19, a landline or wireless 30 connection through the PSTN 17 to an SMS gateway 26. Each and every SMS received (from the query source) by the SMS gateway always contains the consumer mobile telephone number that sent the SMS as this is provided by the telecommunications carriers as an industry standard. The SMS gateway 26 can -7 include a translation module for translating common misspellings of the code word, including, for example, capitalisation or non-capitalisation and the like. The SMS gateway 26 converts each SMS to an http information file, which is a web compatible communications protocol and thereby links to a call connection module 45 by way of a web link 44 through the world-wide web 13 of the internet; The call connection 5 module 45 makes use of a web page query module 41 which dynamically interacts with the world wide web and, dependant on the identification keyword code from the SMS http information string, dynamically searches to retrieve the corresponding telephone contact information for the relevant goods or services provider (i.e., the responding party). The predetermined SMS identification code keywords correspond with a set of predetermined codes relevant to the goods or services providers 27. The relevant goods or 10 service provider selected by the query module 41 is called via the call connection module 45 and is connected by their computer 28 or telephone 16 to the consumer (being the sender of the SMS or query source), thereby facilitating telecommunications contact in accordance with the present invention through a landline or wireless connection 29. In the example described, the query module 41 result for the responding party is generated by a [5 web browser having a search engine to produce search results in the form of a web page in hypertext mark up language or the like. The query module 41 dynamically crawls, scans or otherwise searches in real time through the world wide web for the information required to make the call connection. Accordingly, the query module 41 includes program code to effect the search or "scrape" of data relevant to the making of the call connection, but it will be appreciated that persons of ordinary skill in the art could produce such T0 program code using well known programming techniques and/or software tools. The query module 41 result is always dynamic and the results are not derived from a database structure such as the database 22 shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the prior art. Once the call connection module 45 connects the querying source and responding parties, all connections other than the connection through the PSTN are terminated. In use, the querying party 25 wanting, for example, a taxicab service can send an SMS message consisting of the word "taxi" to a particular telephone number. Within a short time thereafter, the querying party receives a call from the call connection module 45 by which the caller indicates that they will shortly be put through to the service requested, whereupon the querying party then is placed in telephone contact with the taxicab service. It will be seen that the responding party would be required to provide a level of telephone service that enables the 30 querying party to talk to a responding party substantially without delay. Additionally, it can be seen that if a particular telephone number is used for a wide range of goods and services for which telecommunications contact can be facilitated according to the present invention, that number may become well known, and the generic terms for sourcing goods and services may become valuable in their own right.
In a particular example, goods or service providers register the code for their services for a registration fee and a renewal fee, the proper checks and balances being provided according to a policy developed by the operators of the system, It can be seen that the method and system of the present invention facilitates telecommunications contact irrespective of whether the user is on the internet or not. It 5 will be appreciated also that this system may be used in conjunction with that described in our co-pending International Patent Application No. PCT/AU2005/000540. However, while there are some similarities, in the International Patent Application, the system described is for specific items on the market, and provides for the downloading of information relevant to such items, whereas the system is more general, and permits a supplier of goods or services generally (albeit in a particular market segment) to make telephone contact 0 with prospective customers who have made use of the system to be put into contact with a sales person, consultant or advisor. Although the invention has been described with reference to one or more specific examples, it vill be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as herein set forth.