EP1277362A1

EP1277362A1 - Installation and method for data exchange between telephones and service providers

Info

Publication number: EP1277362A1
Application number: EP01929694A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Loic Eonnet
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-04-26
Filing date: 2001-04-24
Publication date: 2003-01-22
Also published as: FR2808403A1; FR2808403B1; AU2001256399A1; WO2001082639A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a telecommunication installation comprising addressing terminals (3-j) associated with an identifier and capable of supplying a signal representing their respective identifiers, service providers (2-i) associated with their telephone identifiers and with a terminal identifier, and capable of transmitting service data corresponding to the service associated with a terminal, a server (4) provided with a table matching identifiers of the terminals with telephone identifiers of the associated providers, and capable of setting up telephone links with telephones (1) and the providers. Each terminal (3-j) can interact with a neighbouring telephone (1) so that it may transmit to the server (4) the signal representing its identifier. The server is designed i) to determine in the table of the provider identifier (2-i) associated with the received terminal identifier (3-j), ii) set up a telephone link with the provider associated with the terminal so that it transmits his service data, and iii) route the service data to the telephone (1) which has interacted with the terminal (3-j).

Description

INSTALLATION AND METHOD FOR THE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION BETWEEN TELEPHONES AND SERVICE PROVIDERS

The invention relates to the exchange of information between telephones, preferably portable telephones, and service providers.

It relates more particularly to the telecommunications installations and methods managing such exchanges.

When a person wishes to obtain information on a service or object, he must call with his telephone a service provider who manages the distribution of information relating to this service or to this object.

When this person knows the call number (or identifier) corresponding to the service sought, or when the call number is displayed in the environment close to an object or service, this is not a problem.

Otherwise, the person must either call an intelligence service, without guarantee that there is a service provider listed in his file or that said provider really exists, or give up obtaining information. For example, on the Internet there are many providers (“provider” in English) which allow you to connect to the sites of service providers. As these access providers are connected to only a limited number of sites, connection to a site may prove impossible. The caller may then believe that there is no satisfactory service and decide not to insist for lack of information. This is harmful for the service provider and the requester. In addition, in the event of a possible call, the service provider cannot have any information about the caller, and in particular the place of the call and the type of request. The invention aims to provide a solution to this problem. To this end, it offers a new type of telecommunications installation for the exchange of information between telephones, preferably portable telephones, and service providers. This installation includes: * addressing terminals (or more generally service terminals (s)) each associated with an identifier and capable of providing a signal representative of their identifier,

^* service providers, associated with different telephone identifiers and at least one terminal identifier, and capable, in the event of interrogation, of transmitting by telephone service information corresponding to the service associated with the terminal,

^* a server provided with a table of correspondence between the terminal identifiers and the telephone identifiers of the associated suppliers, and capable of establishing telephone connections with mobile telephones and with the suppliers.

In this installation, each terminal can interact with a portable telephone placed in its vicinity, so that this telephone can transmit to the server the signal representative of its identifier. In addition, the server is able to i) determine in the table the supplier identifier associated with the terminal identifier represented by the received signal, ii) establish a telephone link with the supplier associated with the terminal so that it transmits the service information associated with the terminal transmitting the signal, and iii) routing the service information to the mobile telephone that has interacted with the terminal. In this way, the presence of the terminal assures the person interested in a service or an object that a service provider can provide him with information on it, and above all, the person no longer has to worry about finding the number of the access provider, since this is communicated to the server by the terminal, via the link established by the person's mobile phone. A personalized service is thus offered, linked to the determination of the precise origin of the request.

The server call will preferably be made in two ways.

In a first embodiment, the person calls the server of the installation with his telephone, preferably portable, to establish a telephone link, then interacts with the terminal to cause the emission of the signal representative of the identifier of this terminal .

In a second embodiment, the interaction between the portable telephone and the terminal causes the server to be called by the portable telephone, then the emission of the signal representative of the identifier of the terminal. Of course, this embodiment requires adapted portable telephones comprising, for example, a specific standby module which can be controlled remotely by the terminal, by any means (sound, vibration, infrared and the like).

The emission of the signal can be triggered by the person, for example by actuation of an organ (or actuator) with two states of the push button or switch type, or else directly because of the presence of the mobile telephone near the terminal. or placed in a chosen location thereof, for example using a capacitive coupling detector, or an electromagnetic detector, or an electrical contact detector, or an optical detector, or a cell phone connection frequency detector.

Furthermore, the signal can be emitted using a sound signal transmitter, or a vibrating signal transmitter, or a jamming or coupling or encryption signal transmitter. the carrier wave of a portable telephone, or of an infrared signal transmitter cooperating with an infrared module placed in the portable telephone. This transmission is preferably encrypted to prevent malicious people from diverting the use of the terminal.

Of course, the same supplier could be associated with several terminals associated with different services. In this case, the server transmits to the service provider, preferably, an auxiliary signal representative of the terminal. Similarly, a terminal may possibly be associated with several services. In this case, the terminal has several identifiers each associated with a particular service. On the other hand, the server may be able to address to the mobile telephone, to which it is connected, a specific message, in particular of the SMS type, in particular in the event of interruption of the telephone-supplier link, this message enabling the telephone to call the supplier later and directly, without going through the server. Finally, the server is preferably capable of gradually constructing the correspondence table by registering the terminals (or initialization). In this case, the correspondence table initially includes supplier locations accessible by telephone registration identifiers, and the registration of a terminal is effected by a call to the registration identifier followed by a transmission of the terminal identifier.

This installation is particularly, although not exclusively, intended for GSM-type mobile phones.

The invention also relates to portable telephones equipped with a standby module capable of putting them into operation in the event of reception of a connection establishment request sent by a module for activating a terminal of the installation.

It also relates to portable telephones which include dedicated calling means making it possible, in the event of activation by a user, to directly form the telephone identifier of the server. It could be a dedicated key or a software module accessible by selection keys.

The invention further relates to a telecommunication method for the exchange of information between telephones, preferably portable telephones, and service providers, which allows the implementation of the installation presented above. This process is characterized by the combination of the following steps: a) assigning identifiers to service terminals (s), then associating these terminals with service providers accessible by telephone identifiers, b) assigning a telephone identifier to a server provided a correspondence table between the terminal identifiers and the telephone identifiers of the associated suppliers, and suitable for establishing telephone connections with portable telephones, preferably of the GSM type, and with said suppliers, c) establishing a connection between a telephone portable placed near one of the terminals and the server, d) transmit to the server a signal representative of the identifier of the terminal, via the link, so that the server can determine in the table the identifier of the associated supplier with the terminal identifier represented by the received signal, e) establish a telephone link between the server and the furn issuer associated with the terminal, so that this supplier transmits the associated service information, and f) routing the information to the mobile telephone which has established the link with the server.

As indicated for the installation, the transmission of the terminal identifier in step d) takes place either after an interaction, preferably occurring in step c) between the terminal and the user of the mobile telephone, by example by actuation of a two-state member, either after an interaction that occurred in step d) between the terminal and the neighboring portable telephone, preferably by detection of the portable telephone according to a capacitive coupling technique, or a detection technique electromagnetic, or an electrical contact technique, or an optical detection technique, or a frequency detection technique of mobile phone connection. The signal is preferably emitted in the form of an audible signal, or a vibratory signal, or an infrared signal, but it may also be a jamming or coupling signal or cell phone carrier inlay. Furthermore, in step d) the signals are preferably transmitted in an encrypted form.

We can also provide that in case of interruption of one of steps e) and f) it is addressed to the mobile telephone, to which the server is connected, a specific message, in particular of the SMS type, which allows it to contact the supplier at a later date and directly.

On the other hand, one can provide before step a) a step of registering the terminals in the table (or initialization step), this step consisting in allocating in the table, to each service provider, an accessible location. by a telephone registration identifier, then calling the supplier registration identifier associated with the terminal to be registered to transmit the terminal identifier to it, and then registering this terminal identifier in correspondence with the supplier identifier associated.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on examining the detailed description below, and the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 very schematically illustrates an installation according to the invention,

- Figure 2 schematically illustrates a terminal according to the invention, and - Figure 3 schematically illustrates the telephone connections established between the calling mobile phone, the server and a service provider.

The attached drawings are, for the most part, certain. Consequently, they can not only serve to complete the invention, but also contribute to its definition, if necessary. In Figure 1 is illustrated, very schematically, an exemplary embodiment of installation according to the invention. Such an installation is intended to allow the exchange of information, by telephone, between users H provided with portable telephones 1 and service providers 2-i (here, i = 1, 2).

By service provider is meant telephone or computer servers, or video servers (capable of transmitting images and sound on the screen of the mobile telephone, for example), or even Internet sites. As explained in the introduction, a user who is in a public or private place may want to obtain information relating to objects or services. In many situations, the user, potential customer, cannot obtain such information. This may be due to a lack of staff, or to the fact that staff are already busy answering other people, or that staff do not know enough information about the objects or services offered.

In this situation, the user H can decide to obtain information by telephone using his mobile telephone 1. However, to do this, a service provider 2-i must be able to respond to the user H, and that the user knows the telephone identifier of the service provider 2-i.

To remedy this major drawback, the installation according to the invention comprises a multiplicity of terminals 3-j (here, j = 1 to 3) accessible to users or potential consumers. For example, they could be 3-j terminals installed at motor vehicle dealers, or in objects so as to come into direct contact with a service company, especially in the event of a breakdown or malfunction, or in tourist offices. However, many other applications can be envisaged. Each terminal 3-j is preferably associated with an object or a service. However, it could be associated with a mark, rather than a single object of this mark, and therefore be associated with several different objects, as will be seen below. Such a terminal may take many forms, for example in the form of a parallelepiped which can be made accessible to the user of a portable telephone, due to its location. Each terminal 3-j is designated by an identifier, such as for example an alphanumeric identification number. Each terminal 3-j is, moreover, associated with a service provider 2-i. The same 2-i service provider can be associated with several 3-j terminals. Thus, in the example illustrated in FIG. 1, the service provider 2-1 is able to offer two services S-1 and S-2 associated with two terminals 3-j, while the service provider 2-2 is able to offer three services S-1 to S-3 associated with three 3-j terminals.

Each service provider is accessible by at least one telephone identifier, such as a telephone number.

In order to allow telephone connections between the portable telephones 1 of the users H and the various service providers 2-i, the installation comprises a server 4, accessible by a telephone identifier, such as a telephone number. It could be a national generic number such as 712 or 888, or 3121 that users H of the installation (who can also be called subscribers) know or whose mobile phones 1 are equipped with means allowing to call the server, directly, as we will see later.

This server 4 includes a memory 5 in which is stored a correspondence table between the different identifiers of the terminals 3-j and the telephone identifiers of the different service providers 2-i. This server 4 also includes a management module 6 coupled to memory 5 and intended, on reception of a signal representative of a terminal identifier 3-j, to interrogate said memory 5 so as to determine the telephone identifier of the service provider associated with said terminal 3- j. This server 4 is also designed to establish a telephone link with the various access providers 2-i, as well as of course with the users H of mobile telephones 1.

The operation of the server is given below, with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

A mobile telephone 1 of a user H calls the telephone identifier of the server 4. To do this, several embodiments can be envisaged. In the simplest mode, user H dials the server telephone number himself. In a variant, the portable telephone 1 is equipped with a specific key 7 (see FIG. 2) which, when pressed, automatically dials the telephone number of the server. In another variant, the telephone number of the server 4 is stored in a directory of the telephone and can be accessed by actuating function keys, of the type which are fitted to mobile telephones.

The establishment of the telephone link between the calling mobile telephone 1 and the server 4 is carried out as illustrated in FIG. 3A, the upper line symbolizing the attempted connection between the mobile telephone 1 and the server 4, while the lower line symbolizes the connection, listening, of said server 4.

According to the invention, the transmission of the identifier of a terminal 3-j is carried out by interaction between said terminal and the mobile telephone of a user H.

Many techniques can be envisaged for this interaction. It is possible, for example, to use a detection module with capacitive coupling, or an electromagnetic detection module, or an electrical coupling module (of contactor type with metal tracks), or an infrared detection module, or a module for detecting the connection frequency of the mobile telephone. However, as illustrated in FIG. 2, it is also possible to use a mass detector 8 projecting from a surface of a housing 9 of the terminal 3-j. In this embodiment, when the user H deposits his mobile telephone 1 in the housing 9 of the terminal 3-j, provided for this purpose, that is to say on the detection module 8, the management module 10 of terminal 3-j receives a signal which indicates to it that the identifier of the terminal in which it is located must be transmitted. Preferably, each 3-j terminal is equipped with an autonomous battery

11 which supplies the detection module 8, permanently, the management module is a transmitter 12 intended to transmit a signal representative of the identifier of the terminal 3-j. The supply of this transmitter 12 is preferably managed by the management module 10, so that a signal is only emitted when a portable telephone 1 is detected by the detection module 8.

Numerous embodiments can be envisaged for the transmitter 12. It may be a transmitter of a sound signal, or a transmitter of a vibratory signal, or even of jamming or coupling or incrustation specific of the cell phone connection carrier wave, or an infrared transmitter (of course, in this case, the cell phone must be equipped with a specific infrared module capable of converting the received infrared signal into a representative signal the terminal identifier 3-j). Regardless of the type of transmitter envisaged (apart from the infrared transmitter), the signal (sound or vibration or jamming or coupling or overlay) is picked up by the microphone or antenna of mobile phone 1 which has established a link, for a few moments, with the server 4, as illustrated in FIG. 3A. The signal representing the identifier of the terminal 3-j is therefore received by the server 4, which transmits it to its management module 6, in view of an interrogation of the correspondence table stored in the memory 5. If the terminal 3-ja has been recorded in this correspondence table, then the management module deduces therefrom the telephone identifier of the service provider 2-i which associated with it. The server 4 then only has to dial said telephone identifier of the supplier 2-i extracted from the table to establish a telephone link with it.

Once this connection has been established, a double telephone link exists, on the one hand, between the mobile telephone of user H and the server 4, and, on the other hand, between the service provider 2-i and said server. It then only remains for the management module 6 of the server 4 to establish a bridge between the two links, so that the service provider 2-i can communicate, directly, its service information to the calling mobile phone 1 (such as illustrated in Figure 3B). The server 4 then becomes "transparent" between the service provider and the mobile phone.

It is clear that once the interaction between the mobile phone and a 3-j terminal, that is to say once the signal transmitted to the server, which takes at most a few seconds, the user H can pick up their mobile phone to place it in the listening position, making the terminal usable for any other user.

Preferably, when the telephone link between a user and a service provider is interrupted, the management module 6 of the server 4 can transmit to the mobile phone 1 of this user a specific message comprising a signal representative of the telephone identifier of said service provider. 2-i services. In this way, the user H can call back, subsequently and directly, the service provider 2-i without it being necessary for him to go back through the server 4. It can also be provided that the mobile telephone 1 is arranged to store in a directory, said telephone identifier of the supplier, for subsequent calls, including remotely from the terminal 3-j. This type of message specific can be of the "Short Message" (SMS) type.

This installation is particularly suitable for mobile phones of the GSM type.

The installation can be arranged so as to allow the determination of the telephone identifier (number) of the applicant who attempted to contact the supplier, so that said supplier can call him back later, for example.

Preferably, the signal representative of the identifier of a terminal 3-j is encrypted, so that said terminal is not diverted from its use by a malicious person.

A number of variants can be considered.

First of all, it is clear that when a service provider 2-i is associated with several terminals 3-j, the server 4 must provide said service provider with information designating the terminal 3-j which has sent its signal d 'identification. To do this, two solutions can be envisaged. The first solution consists in providing at the server level as many telephone identifiers as there are services associated with terminals 3-j. The second solution consists in having only one telephone identifier to contact the service provider, but in transmitting to this service provider a signal representative of the identifier of the terminal 3-j.

Furthermore, as indicated above, it is conceivable that a terminal 3-j is associated with several objects, and therefore with several different services. In this case, the terminal 3-j includes selection keys allowing the user H to choose the service which interests him. It is only after this choice has been made that the management module 10 of the terminal 3-j authorizes (or orders) the transmitter 12 to transmit the signal representative of the terminal in which it is installed, but above all of the service selected. It is obvious that in this embodiment the transmitter module is arranged to transmit as many different signals as there are possible choices of services. On the other hand, the interaction between the mobile telephone 1 and the terminal 3-j can be carried out by human intervention. It could be, for example, an actuation by the user of a specific key provided on the terminal 3-j, ensuring the function of the detection module 8. Whatever the detection module or the actuator used, it is preferably of the so-called "two-state" type. In a first state, called the standby state, no signal is emitted by the transmitter 12, while in the second state called the operating state, the management module 10 authorizes the emission of a signal by the transmitter 12. In addition, it can be envisaged that the portable telephones 1 are equipped with a standby module 1 capable of cooperating with an activation module (not shown in the figures), for example controlled by the management module 10, so that the interaction between the mobile telephone 1 and the terminal 3-j automatically triggers the call from the server 4, before the emission of the representative signal. In other words, once the detection module 8 of the terminal 3-ja has detected a mobile telephone 1, it goes from its first standby state to its second operating state, thus warning the management module 10, which instructs the activation module to wake up the standby module of the mobile telephone 1 so that it dials the telephone identifier of the server 4. Then, after a few seconds, the signal representative of the identifier of the terminal 3-j ( or one of its services) is issued. In this particular embodiment, the terminal 3-j can be provided with a detector for the carrying wave of the mobile telephone, so that the signal is not emitted by the transmitter 12 until the connection has been established. between the calling cellphone and the server 4.

Finally, in certain applications, and in particular in the case of after-sales service or more generally of remote device management, it may be particularly advantageous for the terminals to be able to send information, for example relating to the operating state of a device, in addition to its identifier, whether during the first connection, or during a second connection. So when device breaks down, the interaction between the owner's (or user) telephone and the terminal located in the device causes transmission representative of the breakdown to the after-sales service site, which will facilitate the intervention of a repairer. It is also conceivable that the persons responsible for the maintenance of certain devices, such as for example photocopiers, are equipped with a mobile telephone which can interact with the terminal located in said device, so that this causes transmission to the management site. information devices representative of its operating state, for example the number of photocopies made, the state of the print cartridge, etc.

Preferably, the installation according to the invention allows the recording, progressively, of the different terminals. This registration, which can also be called initialization, consists of performing the following steps.

First of all, each service provider draws up a list of the geographical positions of the terminals which it intends to use. One or more services correspond to each of these positions. This list is stored in the server memory. The installer of the terminals is provided with this list which will allow him to locate the various terminals in the precise locations indicated.

Once the installer has arrived at the location of a terminal, he installs his terminal and then calls the server 4, preferably with a specific number dedicated to registration (or initialization). The interaction between the mobile phone and the previously installed terminal allows the signal representative of the terminal identifier to be transmitted to the server. On receipt of a terminal identifier, the server stores this identifier in correspondence with the service provider designated by the specific call number used. Before or after the transmission of the signal representing the terminal identifier, the installer sends the position code geographic of the terminal that corresponds to the position indicated on its list of positions. The correspondence table can thus be formed and completed over time.

We will now describe a telecommunication method for the exchange of information between mobile phones and service providers, which allows the implementation of the installation described above.

The method according to the invention comprises a first step consisting in assigning identifiers to the service terminals (s) 3-j, then in associating these terminals with service providers 2-i which are accessible by telephone identifiers.

In a second step, a telephone identifier is assigned to a server 4 provided with a correspondence table between the identifiers of the terminals 3-j and the telephone identifiers of the associated suppliers 2-i, this server being capable of establishing telephone connections with mobile phones, preferably GSM type, as well as with suppliers.

In a third step, a connection is established between a portable telephone placed near one of the terminals and the server. This can be done either by an interaction between the user of the telephone and said telephone, or by interaction between the terminal and the neighboring telephone.

In a fourth step, a signal representative of the identifier of the terminal 3-j is transmitted to the server 4, via the telephone link which has just been established, so that the server can determine in the table the identifier of the supplier. 2-i associated with the terminal identifier represented by the received signal.

This transmission takes place either after the interaction that occurs during the third step between the terminal 3-j and the user of the mobile phone, for example by actuation of a two-state device, or after an interaction that occurs during the fourth step between terminal 3-j and the neighboring cell phone. In the latter case, the interaction takes place, preferably, by detecting the portable telephone according to a capacitive coupling technique, or an electromagnetic technique, or an optical detection technique, or a portable telephone connection frequency detection technique, or the like. The identification signal intended for the server 4 is preferably emitted in the form of an audible signal, or a vibratory signal, or an infrared signal, but it may also be a signal of jamming or coupling or encryption of the cell phone carrier wave. Furthermore, in this fourth step, the signals are preferably transmitted in an encrypted form.

In a fifth step, a telephone connection is established between the server 4 and the supplier 2-i associated with the terminal 3-j, so that this supplier transmits the service information which is associated with the terminal.

And, in a sixth step, the information sent by the supplier 2-i is routed to the mobile telephone which has established the link with the server 4.

A seventh step can be provided consisting, in particular in the event of interruption of one of the fifth and sixth steps to be addressed to the mobile telephone, to which the server 4 is connected, a specific message, in particular of the SMS type, which allows its user to question the supplier again, directly.

It is also possible to provide that in this seventh step, the telephone identifier of the user of the mobile telephone is determined, so that the supplier can recall it later.

One can also provide, before the first step, a step of registering the terminals in the table (or initialization step). In this step, each service provider is allocated in the table a location accessible by a telephone registration identifier, then the supplier specific registration identifier associated with the terminal to be registered is called to transmit the terminal identifier to it. Then, this terminal identifier is recorded in correspondence with the identifier of the associated supplier. The invention is not limited to the embodiments of installations and methods described above, only by way of example, but it encompasses all the variants that a person skilled in the art may envisage within the framework of the claims below.

Claims

1. Telecommunication installation for the exchange of information between user telephones (1) and service providers (2-i), characterized in that it comprises:

* a multiplicity of addressing terminals (3-j) each associated with at least one identifier and arranged to provide a signal representative of their identifier,

^* a multiplicity of service providers (2-i), associated with telephone identifiers and at least one terminal identifier, and capable, in the event of interrogation, of transmitting by telephone service information corresponding to the service associated with said service terminal (3-j),

^* a server (4) comprising a table of correspondence between the identifiers of the terminals (3-j) and the telephone identifiers of the suppliers (2-i) associated, and suitable for establishing telephone connections with telephones (1) and with said ones suppliers (2-i),

• each terminal (3-j) being arranged to interact with a telephone (1) placed in its vicinity, so that it transmits to the server (4) the signal representative of its identifier, • said server (4) being furthermore arranged to i) determine in the table the identifier of the supplier (2-i) associated with the terminal identifier (3-j) represented by said received signal, ii) establish a telephone link with the supplier associated with the terminal so that it transmits its service information, iii) routing said service information to said telephone (1) having interacted with the terminal (3-j).

2. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the users' telephones are of portable type.

3. Installation according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that each terminal (3-j) comprises a detection module (8) suitable for be placed in a first “passive” state or a second “active” state by the user of the telephone (1) or by a neighboring telephone (1), and in that it comprises a transmission module (12) suitable for emitting said signal when said detection module (8) is in its second active state.

4. Installation according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said detection module (8) is an actuator with two states suitable for being actuated by a user.

5. Installation according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said detection module (8) is arranged to be placed in its second or its first state depending on whether or not it cooperates with a neighboring telephone (1) .

6. Installation according to claim 5, characterized in that said detection module (8) is chosen from a group comprising at least one capacitive coupling detector, an electromagnetic detector, an electric detector, an optical detector, and a frequency detector telephone connection (1).

7. Installation according to one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that said transmission module (12) is chosen from a group comprising at least one sound signal transmitter, a vibration signal transmitter, a jamming signal transmitter or coupling or encryption of the carrier wave of a telephone (1), and an infrared signal transmitter.

8. Installation according to one of claims 3 to 7, characterized in that each terminal comprises an activation module arranged, when said detection module is in its first state, to send a request to a neighboring telephone (1) to request establishment of a telephone link with said server (4), and to prohibit the transmission of the signal until said request has been addressed.

9. Installation according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that said signals emitted by the terminals (3-j) include their identifier in encrypted form.

10. Installation according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that at least some of the suppliers (2-i) are arranged to offer several services each associated with different terminal identifiers, and in that said server (4 ) is arranged to transmit to the supplier (2-i) associated with a terminal identifier represented by a received signal, an auxiliary signal representative of said terminal (3-j), so that said supplier provides the service information associated with said signal auxiliary.

11. Installation according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that at least some of the terminals (3-j) are associated with several different identifiers corresponding to different services, and in that at least some of the suppliers (2 -i) are arranged to offer several services each associated with different terminal identifiers.

12. Installation according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that said server (4) is arranged to address to the telephone (1), to which it is connected, a specific message, in particular of SMS type, in the event of interruption of the telephone-supplier link, said message being suitable for enabling said telephone (1) to come into direct contact with said supplier (2-i).

13. Installation according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that said server (4) is arranged to determine the telephone identifier of the calling telephone and address this telephone identifier to the service provider concerned.

14. Installation according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that said server (4) is arranged to build the correspondence table by registering the terminals (3-j), said table initially comprising supplier locations accessible by telephone registration identifiers, and the registration of a terminal by calling the registration identifier followed by a transmission of the terminal identifier.

15. Installation according to one of claims 2 to 14, characterized in that said telephones (1) are of GSM type.

16. Installation according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that at least some of said terminals (3-j) are located in

5 devices and are arranged to transmit in addition to their identifier information representative of the operating state of said device.

17. Mobile phone, characterized in that it comprises a standby module capable of putting it into operation in the event of reception of a 0 request for connection establishment sent by a module for activating a terminal of a installation according to claim 8.

18. Mobile phone, characterized in that it is arranged to operate in an installation according to one of claims 1 to 16, and in that it comprises its own call means, in the event of activation by a 5 user, to form the telephone identifier of the server (4).

19. Portable telephone according to claim 18, characterized in that said calling means comprise a selection key projecting from one of the faces of said telephone.

20. Telecommunication method for the exchange of information 0 between user telephones (1) and service providers (2-i), characterized in that it comprises the following steps: a) assigning identifiers to addressing terminals (3-j), then associate these terminals with service providers (2-i) accessible by telephone identifiers, 5 b) assign a telephone identifier to a server (4) provided with a table correspondence between the terminal identifiers and the telephone identifiers of associated suppliers, and suitable for establishing telephone connections with telephones and with said suppliers, c) establishing a connection between a telephone (1) placed near one of the o terminals (3-j) and said server (2-i), d) transmit to the server (4) a signal representative of the identifier of the terminal (3-j) via the link, so that it determines in said table the identifier of the supplier (2-i) associated with the terminal identifier represented by the received signal, e) establishing a telephone link between the server (4) and the supplier (2- i) associated with the terminal (3-j), so that it transmits the associated service information , and f) routing said information to said telephone (1) having established the connection with the server (4).

21. The method of claim 20, characterized in that said users' telephones are of the portable telephone type.

22. Method according to one of claims 20 and 21, characterized in that the transmission of the terminal identifier of step d) takes place after an interaction between the terminal (3-j) and the user of the telephone (1).

23. Method according to one of claims 20 and 21, characterized in that the transmission of the terminal identifier of step d) takes place after an interaction between the terminal (3-j) and the telephone (1 ) neighbour.

24. The method of claim 23, characterized in that the interaction is effected by detection of the telephone (1) according to a technique chosen from a group comprising at least one capacitive coupling technique, an electromagnetic technique, an electrical technique, a optical detection technique, and a telephone connection frequency detection technique.

25. Method according to one of claims 20 to 24, characterized in that in step d) the signal is transmitted by a transmission chosen from a group comprising at least one sound signal transmission, one transmission of vibrating signal, a signal emission of jamming or coupling or incrustation of the carrier wave of the telephone, and an emission of infrared signal.

26. Method according to one of claims 20 to 25, characterized in that said interaction takes place in step c) and causes the establishment of the connection between the telephone (1) and the server (4).

27. Method according to one of claims 20 to 25, characterized in that said interaction takes place in step d).

28. Method according to one of claims 20 to 27, characterized in that in step d) the signals are transmitted in an encrypted form.

29. Method according to one of claims 20 to 28, characterized in that in the event of interruption of one of the steps e) and f) a message is sent to the telephone (1), to which the server is connected specific, in particular of the SMS type, suitable for enabling said telephone to directly contact said supplier (2-i), subsequently.

30. Method according to one of claims 20 to 29, characterized in that it comprises a step in which the telephone identifier of the calling telephone is determined and then it is sent to the service provider concerned.

31. Method according to one of claims 20 to 30, characterized in that before step a) there is provided a step of recording the terminals (3-j) in the table, this step consisting in assigning to each supplier (2-i), in the table, a location accessible by a telephone registration identifier, to call the supplier's registration identifier associated with the terminal to be registered in order to transmit the terminal identifier to it, and to record this terminal identifier corresponding to the identifier of the associated supplier.

32. Method according to one of claims 20 to 31, characterized in that it comprises a step in which the terminal, located in an apparatus, communicates, in addition to its identifier, information representative of the operating state of the device.

33. Method according to one of claims 21 to 32, characterized in that in the different stages, GSM type telephones are used.