AU8340898A - Method for a message service in telephone systems containing analog circuits - Google Patents

Description

WO99/03252 PCT/F1I98/00573 1 Method for a message service in telephone systems containing analog circuits. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method for a message service in telephone systems containing analog circuits. The invention relates further to an arrangement for accomplishing message service operations in telephone systems containing analog circuits. The invention relates further to terminal means for the message service operations in telephone systems containing analog circuits. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The latest telephone systems are usually provided with an Intelligent Network (IN) arrangement. In view of these IN arrangements a reference is made eg. to applicant's WO 96/15633, as it describes the physical architecture of the IN and the monitoring of calls by means of the IN, and is thus incorporated herein as reference. The general physical structure of the IN will also be described in more detail later in this specification. The telephone arrangement which are provided with the IN are also often provided with a possibility of announcing an A-number of the calling party (the A-subscriber or caller) to the called party (B-subscriber), eg. by means of a telephone number display device. This kind of display device may be an integrated part of the telephone terminal itself or an additional device operationally connected to the telephone terminal. These known A-number displaying means are also often referred to as ID devices (Identity Display).

WO99/03252 PCT/FI98/00573 2 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Even though these A-number displays have gained more and more popularity among the users, the present arrangements provide only a limited usage in that sense that in such systems which are containing analog circuits they are not capable of displaying anything else than the A-number or the preprogram med and to the A-number attached name of the caller/A-subscri ber. They do not allow the A-subscriber to leave any messages other than said A-number (or a preprogrammed name), ie. only a general indication that the A-subscriber has tried to call. Thus, if the A-subscribers wishes to leave a message to the B-subscriber he/she unsuccessfully tried to reach, he/she must use a voice mail or similar. The voice mail messages, however, usually require some additional measures by the A-subscriber (such as redialling a telephone number and/or quickly formula ting an appropriate spoken message), which he/she may feel as uncomfortable and thus may not wish to accomplish. The voice messages need also a lot of memory capacity in the voice mail box. In addition, the connections into the voice mail boxes from the A-subscriber as he/she leaves the message and from the B-subscriber as he/she listens the message requires a certain traffic capacity and calling time. The B-subscriber has to establish a call to listen the messages. In case of eg. some telephone number or address etc. information is given in the spoken message, the B-subscriber has to in most cases write them down simultaneously as he/she listens the voice message. It is thus an object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art solutions and to provide a new type of solution for leaving a message to the called party in telephone systems containing analog circuits. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and arrangement by means of which the analog subscriber lines can be used for sending short messages or announcements which WO99/03252 PCT/F198/00573 3 give the called party the desired information without a need to establish any further calls. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and arrangement by means of which the messages are handled by an intelligent network, and displayed to the called party by means of a A-number display device. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and arrangement in which the caller is provided with a selection of short messages among which he/she can easily select an appropriate message or messages to be sent to the called party. A still another object of the present invention to provide a method and an arrangement by means of which it is possible to reduce the need for calling/using voice mail services in telephone systems containing analog circuits. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be brought out in the following part of the specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The objects are obtained by a method of transmitting messages in telecommunication systems inclusing at least one analog circuit from an A-number to a B-number. Said method comprises the steps of establishing communications between the A-number and an IN message service, and subsequently giving a signal from the A-number to the IN message service indicating the desired message to be sent to the B-number, transmitting the desired message in a form of a code signal within an A-number field to the B-number from the IN message service and announ cing the message by means of a terminal addressed by the B-number to the user thereof. According to a preferred embodiment the arrangement for transmitting messages from an A-number to a B-number comprises WO99/03252 PCT/FI98/00573 4 a telecommunications network including at least one analog circuit and an IN message service implemented such that a communications can be established between it and the A-number terminal and also between it and the B-number, wherein said IN message service is including a selection of messages among which the A-number subscription can select a desired message or messages to be sent to user of the B-number. The arrange ment comprises further means for transmitting the desired message in a form of a code signal within the A-number field to the B-number and means for announcing the desired message transmitted within said number field at a terminal addressed by the B-number. The inventive telephone terminal means for establishing and receiving calls within a communications network including at least one analog circuit and an IN message service for analog circuits are comprising means for receiving a code signal within a number field transmitted from said IN message service, means for converting the received code signal within the number field into a message having an understandable form, and means for announcing the message to the user of the terminal means. Several advantages are obtained by means of the present invention, since the solution provides a simple, reliable and easy manner for leaving messages to the called party also in telephone systems containing analog circuits. The called party does not need to make any calls to voice mail boxes etc. to receive the information he/she is now enabled to directly read from the A-number display or similar means or which is otherwise provided to the user in a form of a short message. It is not necessary for the called party to write down any telephone numbers, addresses or other short notes, as would be the case with the voice mail services, as the messages are, according to a preferred embodiment, displayed to him/her in a written or text format and they can even be recorded into the memory means of the displaying device for later use.

WO99/03252 PCT/FI98/00573 5 In the following the present invention and the other objects and advantages thereof will be described by way of an example with reference to the annexed drawings, in which similar reference characters throughout the various figures refer to similar features. It should be understood that the following description of an example of the invention is not meant to restrict the invention to the specific forms presented in this connection but rather the present invention is meant to cover all modifications, similarities and alternatives which are included in the spirit and scope of the present invention, as defined by the appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a schematic presentation of the general architectu re of one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a schematic presentation of the necessary B-subs criber apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 is a flow chart of one embodiment; and Figure 4 is a flow chart of one additional embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a schematical presentation of the general architec ture according to one embodiment of the present invention and figure 2 is a more precise presentation of the used apparatus. The telephone network system 2 comprises several exchanges 7, 8, 9 and 10. A- and B-subscribers 3 and 4, respectively, are connected to the local (ie. home) exchange of the system in a per se known manner. It is to be noted that even though figure 2 discloses only two subscribers (for reasons of clarity), the WO99/03252 PCT/FI98/00573 6 network arrangement may include a great number of subscribers, which in turn, may have various kinds of subscriptions and interfaces and terminal apparatus. The connection network may be eg. an ordinary PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) or an ISDN (Integrated Digital Services Network) which are known by a skilled person and thus not explained in more detail herein. However, the connection between the subscribers 3 and 4 is such that it includes at least one analog circuit, and thus it is not possible to transfer the short messages in a similar manner as it is possible in the digitized networks. The network comprises also an intelligent network (IN) services arrangement 5 which is operationally connected to the exchange of the network 2 connecting the A and B subscribers. The physical architecture of the IN is not illustrated in more detail, but the following explanation of the basis of an IN structure is given to ease the understanding of the present invention. A Service Switching Point SSP of the IN gives for the user an access to the IN network and makes all the necessary selec tions. It is capable to detecting the service requests for the intelligent network services. Operationally, SSP contains call management and service selection functions. A Service Control Point SCP comprises the programs of the service logic that are used for producing intelligent network services. A Service Data Point SDP contains the data that the programs of the SCP service logic use to produce individualized services. The SCP can use the services of the SDP either directly or via a signalling network that uses an INAP protocol. Supplementary services offered by an Intelligent Peripheral IP include e.g. voice messages, synthetic voice and speech detection means, and voice generation, which can also be utilized in the present invention. A possible Service Switching and Control Point SSCP consists of SCP and SSP in one node. A Service Management Point (SMP) controls the service management, supply and performance, and can be connected to all other physical WO99/03252 PCT/F1I98/00573 7 entities. Examples for the operation thereof include database management, network control and testing, network traffic management, and network data collection. A Service Creation Environment Point SCEP is used for defining, developing and testing intelligent network services, and for supplying the service to the SMP. An Adjunct AD corresponds operationally to the service control point SCP but is connected directly to the SSP. A Service Node SN can control the intelligent network services, and it communicates with the users. It communicates directly with one or more SSPs. A Service Management Access Point SMAP is a physical entity that provides certain users with a connection to the SMP. The calling telephone number information (i.e. the A-number) is transmitted via an analog telephone circuit as a telephone number sending function on the exchange side. The number information transmission is usually performed as TMF or DTMF signalling (Tone Multifrequency or Dual-Tone Multifrequency). The received signal is then conversed on the terminal side to obtain the necessary information to be able to display the A-number. According to the present invention a number code corresponding or indicating the message is included within this number field indicating the A-number. The IN of figure 1 is used in the invention by the following manner, as is also illustrated by the flow chart of figure 3. The operation starts as the A-subscriber tries to call to the B-number (step 100), which does not answer or is busy, or as the A-subscriber otherwise wishes to send a message to the B-subscriber "without calling" (i.e. without even trying to establish a voice communication) in an ordinary manner to him/her. In case the B-subscriber answers, the call is processed as usual (step 103). In case the B-subscriber cannot be reached, the A-subscriber is provided with a connection to the IN services 5 (step 104) so as to generate a desired message to be sent to the B-subs- WO99/03252 PCT/F1I98/00573 8 criber by the IN service. The connection may be established automatically (and directly) when the B-number is busy. It is also possible to establish the connection to the IN if the B-subscriber does not answer within a predefined time limit, e.g. after a certain amount of "rings", or such that the A-subscriber selects directly a certain number code or telephone number to access said IN service without even trying to establish a call to the B-subscriber. The IN will then send the message after the line to B-subscriber is free. After having accessed the IN service, the caller (A-subscri ber) has a possibility to select a short message from an IN short message table 11, as is shown in figure 1, which is recorded in an A-number and/or transferred number field of the IN. The exemplifying messages of fig. 1 are the following: 1 ="not home", 2 ="at home", 3 ="at work" and 4 ="wake-up" (step 106). From these the message 4 ="wake-up" is an additional feature of the invention, which is used by the wake-up service. It may be used by any subscriber having this service for ordering a wake-up call and defining the time, and then for informing the subscriber of the time the wake-up call is activated so that it is easy to check. The selected message is then sent to the B-subscriber in the number field as a number code indicating the message, step 108 and displayed to him/her by means of an ordinary A-number display device, step 110. The means for possible conversions are described later more precisely with reference to figure 2. In case the B-subscriber does not have the A-number ID display device, there are also some other means for announcing the message to the B-subscriber. For example, the IN could generate and send a code indicating a voice message to the B-subscriber to those subscribers not having suitable dis playing means. The voice message could be such as "A called, WO99/03252 PCT/F1I98/00573 9 asked you to call back" or "A asked you to call after 3.00 pm" as the B-subscriber lifts of the handset for the next time. According to one alternative, the B-number telephone terminal is provided with suitable speech generator means or means for reproducing a selection of prerecorded messages as response to the code signal from the IN message service. The B-subscriber becomes thus easily and quickly notified by means of the code transmitted within the number field e.g. about the following: 1) that the A-number / A-subscriber has tried to call, 2). about the time he/she should call back and 3) even about the destination he/she should call instead of the A-number. There is no need for the B-subscriber to make any additional calls to any voice mail services or similar, but he/she becomes immediately aware of the time and date when and the address where he/she should call back. A great number of other kinds of short messages than those described above could also be provided by means of the message table 11. The arrangement may also be such that each user of the service is provided with individual messages (or message table) and even with a possibility of easily adding new messages and/or amending, modifying and updating already existing messages and so on. The short messages may also be more detailed messages, such as with various time limits, eg. "at home 10.00 - 12.00", and correspondingly "not home 11.00 - 17.00", or "at home 10.00 12.00, at work 12.30 - 17.00" etc. In addition, the message may include a telephone number to which the B-subscriber should call instead of the A-number, eg. "XXXXXX called, call to 123456". According to one additional form, in cases where the same A-number has several users, e.g. when the users of the A-number are a family or several peoples in an office, a part of the codes may include identification of the actual caller.

WO99/03252 PCT/FI98/00573 10 Thus, when calling from an A-number with several users, the short message displayed to the B-subscriber could be eg. "Peter, 123456 called". Figure 2 shows an ordinary A-number ID display device 6 connected to a normal telephone terminal 4 (the B-subscriber in this example). Some of the latest telephones do have this display apparatus as an integrated part, and thus no separate displays are required. The ID device 6 can be further connec ted to a separate device (not shown in connection with terminal 4) which converts the codes coming from the IN to an understandable form, e.g. to the text form described in the above. It is, of course, possible, that the ID display device 6 itself is provided with the necessary means for these conversions. The separate device can be e.g. a computer, such as the one shown to be adapted to terminal 4 in figure 2 or any other data processing device arranged to interpret and even to display the messages at the called party end. According to one embodiment the above short messages are transmitted in a form the per se prior art ID display device 6 is capable of displaying without any conversions. In this case, the message may in the simplest form be only a number code similar to that the A-number originally sent to the IN, which, however, means that the called party has to be aware of the meanings of various codes. He/she may e.g. have a list or table of the meanings of various codes for the interpretation purposes. As can be seen from the figure 2, the general network system 2 may include a number of exchanges 7 to 10, from which the exchange 9 is the local area exchange of the B-subscriber terminal 3 and the exchange 10 is the local exchange for the A-subscriber terminal 4. The various exchanges may be connec ted either directly to each other or the connection may be routed through an additional exchanges therebetween. The various exchanges may even be run and owned by different WO 99/03252 PCT/F1I98/00573 11 operators. In the example of figure 2 the IN 5 is arranged in connection with exchange 8, and is thus not a part of either of said local exchanges 9 or 10. It is to be noted that in practice the number of subscribers is essentially greater than two, and that the network system 2 may comprise several separate networks operationally connected to each other. The number of apparatus, such as networks, exchanges and terminals shown in figure 2 is thus only illustrative, and the disclosu re thereof is not intented to set any limitations to the used apparatus. It is estimated that in the future telephones are more often connected to various kinds of data processing devices (e.g. computer 4 in figure 2), such as to microcomputers or PC's (personal computers). As it is possible to receive and interpret various (and a greater amount of) message codes by a data processing device, the messages can thus readily be displayed by it, e.g. either by means of the display or as voice messages generated by a computer comprising suitable voice (speech) generator means. In this case the messages can be essentially longer than those sent to the present A-number display devices, and also the variety thereof can be essential ly wider, as the general memory and display capacity of the data processing devices is essentially higher. Figure 4 shows a flow chart for one alternative operation as the A-subscriber uses the IN message services of this inven tion. As the A-subscriber initiates a call, e.g. lifts of the hook, he/she becomes firstly asked whether he/she wishes to use any of the IN services or not, step 112. In case the answer is yes, the user is connected to the IN and asked to define the service at step 114. He/she may now select the message service, step 116. Otherwise, i.e. in case the user selects not to use the IN services, a dial tone is given, and the user may dial in a desired telephone number. At step 118 the user is asked to select an appropriate message from the message table, and subsequently at step 120 he/she selects the WO99/03252 PCT/FI98/00573 12 desired message by dialling in the number indicating that message (this corresponds essentially to step 106 of figure 3). Then the user may be asked at step 122 for further alternatives, such as the time when the message should be transmitted. In the example the user may select at step 124 among the following alternatives: Immediately (which means as soon as possible), today (later on today) or tomorrow. After the user confirms that the message is to be sent, a code signal corresponding the desired message is transferred at step 126 in the number field to the called party terminal to be displayed or otherwise announced to the subscriber thereof. According to one additional embodiment the exchange sends a different type of ring tone for the ordinary calls and for the transmissions of the messages (i.e. codes indicating the messages) from the IN, so that the B-subscriber is immediately notified about the type of call, i.e. whether it is an ordinary call or a message transmission. Thus this will increase the convenience of the B-subscriber as he/she does not have to "rush" for the telephone, but may continue his/hers current activities and then read the message(s) later. The message can also be sent to a number of other subscribers simultaneously, e.g. to all or certain attendants of a meeting, who can then read it without establishing any speech communications. According to one alternative the network itself, e.g. the network operator, sends messages to the users through the IN message service of this invention. These may include various announcements to the users of the network, such as general announcements concerning the state of the network, current pricing or special offers during the nighttime etc. These may also include announcements to particular subscribers, such as reminders to those who have unpaid telephone bills.

WO99/03252 PCT/F1I98/00573 13 Thus, the invention provides an apparatus and a method by which a significant improvement can be achieved in the area of sending and receiving messages in telephone systems containing analog circuits. The arrangement according to the present invention is easy and economical to realize by per se known components and reliable in use. It should be noted that the foregoing examples of the embodiments of the invention are not intended to restrict the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims. All additional embodiments, modifications and applications obvious to those skilled in the art are thus included within the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth by the claims appended hereto.

Claims (16)

1. A method of transmitting messages in the telecommunication systems including at least one analog circuit from an A-number to a B-number, comprising the steps of establishing communications between the A-number and an Intelligent Network message service, giving a signal from the A-number to the Intelligent Net work message service indicating the desired message to be sent to the B-number, transmitting the desired message in a form of a code sig nal within an A-number field to the B-number from the Intelli gent Network message service, and announcing the message by means of a terminal addressed by the B-number to the user thereof.

2. A method according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the method further comprise a step of converting the transmitted and received code signal to an understandable form by means of the terminal addressed by the B-number.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the desired message is selected among short messages stored in a table implemented in the Intelligent Network message service.

4. A method according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that it further comprises a step of modifying, amending or updating the message prior to the trans mission thereof to the B-number.

5. A method according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the announcing of the message at the B-number is accomplished by means of an A-number display device. WO 99/03252 PCT/FI98/00573 15

6. A method according to any of claims 1 to 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the announcing of the message at the B-number is accomplished by means of a data processing device.

7. A method according to any of claims 1 to 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the announcing of the message at the B-number comprises a step of generating a voice message on basis of the received code signal.

8. A method according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the connection from the A-number to the Intelligent Network message service is established automatically when the B-number is busy or does not answer in a predefined time.

9. A method according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by a possibility for the user of the Intel ligent Network message service to use some additional servi ces, such as a possibility for ordering a wake-up call and thereafter receiving the wake-up time as a message announced at terminal means of the user.

10. An arrangement for transmitting messages from an A-number to a B-number, comprising: a telecommunications network including at least one analog circuit, an Intelligent Network message service implemented such that a communications can be established between the Intelli gent Network message service and the A-number and also between the Intelligent Network message service and the B-number, said Intelligent Network message service including a selection of messages among which a user of the A-number can select a desi red message or messages to be sent to the B-number, means for transmitting the desired message in a form of a code signal within the A-number field to the B-number, and means for announcing the desired message transmitted wit hin said number field at a terminal addressed by the B-number. WO99/03252 PCT/FI98/00573 16

11. An arrangement according to claim 10, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that it further comprises means for converting the code signal transmitted from the Intelligent Network message service to an understandable form which can be displayed at the B-number terminal.

12. An arrangement according to claim 10, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said means for announcing the message comprise an A-number display device and therein operationally connected converter means for converting the code signal transmitted from the Intelligent Network message service to an understan dable form which can be displayed by the display device.

13. An arrangement according to claim 10, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said means for announcing the message comprise a data processing device adapted to convert the code signal to an understandable form and thereafter display said converted message.

14. An arrangement according to any of claims 10 to 13, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the Intelligent Network message service includes a table of available messages from which the user of the A-number may select a desired message by a suitab le signalling.

15. A telephone terminal means for establishing and receiving calls within a communications network including at least one analog circuit and an Intelligent Network message service for analog circuits, comprising means for receiving a code signal within a number field transmitted from said Intelligent Network message service, means for converting the received code signal within the number field into a message having an understandable form, and means for announcing the message to the user of the termi nal means. WO 99/03252 PCTIFI98/00573 17

16. A telephone terminal means according to claim 15, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said means for announcing the message comprise an A-number display device or an data proces sing device or a speech generator.