EP1282976A1

EP1282976A1 - Device for automatically opening a customer loop in a telecommunication network

Info

Publication number: EP1282976A1
Application number: EP01936537A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Didier Neveux
Original assignee: France Telecom SA
Current assignee: Orange SA
Priority date: 2000-05-16
Filing date: 2001-05-16
Publication date: 2003-02-12
Also published as: FR2809261A1; FR2809261B1; WO2001089181A1; US20050018835A1; AU2001262422A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a system associated with the terminal (30) of a telecommunication line (10), characterised in that it comprises: at least a detector of local and behavioural parameters inherent to the use of said terminal, a device (60) for analysing relevant parameters for determining the impropriety of an opened state of the line (10), based on signals derived from the sensor (50), and a device (70) for controlling a tap unit capable of deactivating, in on-hook condition, the telecommunication line (10), when said analysing device (60) determines that the opened state of the line (10) is improper.

Description

DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY OPENING A SUBSCRIBER LOOP IN A TELECOMMUNICATION NETWORK

The present invention relates to the technical field of telecommunications network terminals.

It applies to all types of networks, whether they carry voice, video or data.

The general object of the present invention is to propose a device making it possible to automatically place a terminal in a call waiting situation, when the user of the terminal has failed to end his communication or if his maneuver is incorrect or incomplete.

Such a situation can be encountered in many circumstances, and in particular in the case of a bad hanging up of a telephone handset, of a forgetting to hang up at the end of the communication (non actuation of a button on mobile phones and cordless landline phones, etc.), or an untimely stall (false movement, children's games, etc.).

The problem thus posed is well known to those skilled in the art.

Solutions to provoke or simulate an “automatic hanging up” have already been proposed for Minitel services, in certain Minitel emulations for PC and in Internet connection kits.

Numerous documents, in particular patents, have also been published concerning automatic hanging up for fax. However, to the knowledge of the inventor, for the moment, in the field of telephone services, no satisfactory system has yet been proposed.

Document US-A-5 923 748 has attempted to propose a solution to the problem set out above. However, the technique which it proposes, based on the detection, in the terminal, of a signal emitted by its home switch, does not seem to have sufficient reliability, remains too dependent on the home switch and does not seem to be accepted by interested circles. Document DE-19644841 merely recommends the generation of an alarm signal.

The document PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN, vol. 1999, n ° 13 is content to recommend specific sensors on the sides of a portable handset.

Document US-5606593 proposes the use of a timer.

Thus, today, in the event that a terminal is not correctly hung up in the external call waiting position, it is impossible, for an external party, to reach the user of the terminal requesting service (off the hook) ). The operator thus loses communications and uses resources to send the line unavailability tone to the customer whose terminal is off the hook.

In view of this prior art, the object of the invention is to allow better accessibility for terminal users. This object is achieved in the context of the present invention thanks to a system which comprises:

- at least one detector of local and behavioral parameters intrinsic to the use of the terminal concerned, for example a motion detector, a heat detector, a light detector, a sound level detector, a pressure detector, etc.

- a system of analysis of relevant parameters to judge the inappropriateness of a “off-hook” state of the line from the signals from the sensor, and

- a line seizure control system, capable of causing the deactivation, in the on-hook position, of the telecommunication line when said analysis system determines that the off-hook state of the line is inappropriate.

The system according to the present invention thus makes it possible, after analysis of the relevant local signals, to interrupt an unnecessary connection, consequently freeing up the telephone line and making the terminal accessible for a remote correspondent.

According to another advantageous characteristic of the present invention, the device further comprises a member for deactivating the line seizure control system controlled by the parameter analysis system.

Other characteristics, aims and advantages of the present invention will appear on reading the detailed description which follows, and with reference to the appended drawing given by way of nonlimiting example which diagrammatically illustrates, in the form of functional blocks, a device according to the present invention.

In the appended figure, reference is made 10 to a line connecting a telecommunication network 20 to a terminal 30, such as a telephone handset. Note the presence of a line tap circuit 40 on the line

10 above, between network 20 and terminal 30.

As can be seen in the appended figure, the device according to the present invention comprises at least one detector 50 of local and behavioral parameters intrinsic to the use of the terminal 30, (preferably several such sensors 50), a device 60 of analysis of the signals coming from the sensor (s) 50, and a device 70 controlled by the analysis device 60 and adapted to control the line pick-up circuit 40.

Preferably, as will be specified later, the device according to the present invention further comprises a member 80 for deactivating the automatic hanging function thus produced.

In the appended figure, all the functions of the terminal 30 have not been shown. For example and without limitation, the ringing, keyboard, etc. functions have not been shown in the appended figure to simplify the illustration.

As indicated above, the principle of the invention is based on the analysis of relevant local parameters linked to the use of the terminal 30, for example a telephone terminal.

This analysis can be performed continuously. As a variant, it can be initiated by the line pick-up circuit 40, during the operation corresponding to the off-hook of the handset or terminal 30.

To this end, for example, as shown diagrammatically in the appended figure, the line pick-up circuit 40, when it detects a stall of the terminal 30 can activate the means corresponding to the sensors 50, analysis device 60 and device 70 via the line referenced 42 in the figure.

In the context of the present invention the “off-hook” function of line 10 can be operated in various ways such as actual off-hook of the handset or terminal 30, pressing of a key, voice command.

Likewise, the production of the line-taking circuit 40 can in itself be the subject of numerous variants.

The relevant parameters monitored by the detectors 50 can be varied.

In the context of the present invention, particular but not limited to:

- movement ; the absence of movement of the terminal 30 may indicate that the handset is no longer held in the hand; - the heat ; the corresponding sensor 50 detects the human heat of the user. It may be the warmth of the hand holding the handset, the warmth of the ear, the warmth of exhaled air ...

- the light ; the hand holding the handset, the ear glued to the handset 30 can obstruct a light detector; - the sound level; when the microphone level is too low it indicates an absence of speech;

- pressure ; the hand holding the handset 30 can exert pressure, just like the ear pressed to the handset 30.

When the analysis device 60 detects, by analysis of signals from the sensor 50 or the sensors 50, a relevant parameter representative of the inappropriateness of an off-hook condition of the line 10, it activates the control device 70 to cause deactivation of the line 10, that is to say the passage in the on-hook position thereof, by the line pick-up circuit 40. Preferably the analysis device 60 uses a time delay.

That is to say that preferably the analysis device 60 validates the line deactivation order sent to the control device 70 only if the presence of the relevant significant parameter of the inappropriateness of a dropped state persists for a predetermined period.

To this end, for example, a time counter is triggered in the analysis device 60 at the start of the detection of a relevant parameter. The counter is reset and stopped if a change in state of said parameter is detected before the time limit. On the contrary, a line deactivation order is issued by the analysis device 60 if said predetermined time is reached without resetting the counter.

The line deactivation order can be given by taking into account a single parameter.

However, in the context of the invention, the analysis device 60 can also take into account several parameters coming from respective sensors 50 with “AND” logic functions (in which case the order to deactivate line 10 is not given that if several distinct parameters are detected) or "OR" (in which case the order to deactivate line 10 is given as soon as the detected parameter (s) respect (s) the alternative function thus given ). The analysis device 60 can also combine these logical "AND" and "OR" functions.

The analysis device 60 can also assign weighting factors to the parameter monitored by the sensors 50 according to the importance that is given to such or such parameter, before authorizing the command of the line-taking circuit 40 to be deactivated. line 10.

Obviously, as a variant, the timing as well as the aforementioned logic and weighting functions can be carried out either in the analysis device 60 or in the control device 70 of the line pick-up circuit 40.

According to yet another variant, simultaneously with the control of the line socket circuit 40 to deactivate the line, that is to say functionally hang up, the device according to the invention can control the deactivation of. one and / or the other of the essential functions of the device or the exchange of information between the functional blocks, at the choice of the user integrating this device. For this purpose, for example, we can consider cutting off the power supply to the components of the invention.

As mentioned above, moreover, preferably, the device comprises a module 80 capable of allowing the user to deactivate the automatic hang-up function thus formed by inhibiting one or the other of the essential functions of the device. or the exchange of information between the functional blocks thus formed.

Such a deactivation module 80 can be formed by a keyboard, a voice command, or any functionally equivalent system. The appended figure illustrates the case where the inhibition of the automatic hang-up function is effected by command of the analysis device 60. Preferably, this inhibition can be activated during communication and outside communication.

In addition, preferably an indicator, luminous for example, is provided to display the state of the deactivation control member 80 and thus warn the user of the deactivation of the automatic hang-up function.

Of course the present invention is not limited to the particular embodiment which has just been described but extends to any variant in accordance with its spirit.

It will be noted that the device according to the present invention can be applied both to the fixed telephone service and to the mobile telephone service.

Furthermore, the basic functions of the invention can be physically centralized or split up, for example by being located in a handset and / or in a telephone terminal base.

Claims

1. System associated with the terminal (30) of a telecommunications line (10) characterized in that it comprises: - at least one detector of local and behavioral parameters intrinsic to the use of the terminal concerned, - a device ( 60) of analysis of relevant parameters to judge the inappropriateness of an off-hook condition of the line (10), on the basis of signals from the sensor (50), and - a device (70) for controlling line seizure capable of causing the deactivation, in the on-hook position, of the telecommunication line (10), when said analysis device (60) determines that the off-hook state of the line (10) is inappropriate.

2. System according to claim 1 characterized in that it comprises at least one detector (50) chosen from the group comprising: a motion detector, a heat detector, a light detector, a sound level detector and a pressure detector.

3. System according to one of claims 1 or 2 characterized in that it further comprises a module (80) for deactivation of the automatic hanging up function.

4. System according to claim 3 characterized in that it comprises an indicator of the state of the deactivation module (80).

5. System according to one of claims 1 to 4 characterized in that the analysis device (60) implements a time delay when detecting the relevant local and behavioral parameters.

6. System according to one of claims 1 to 5 characterized in that the analysis device (60) implements a logic function cumulative type "AND" on at least two relevant local and behavioral parameters.

7. System according to one of claims 1 to 6 characterized in that the analysis device (60) implements an alternative logic function of “OR” type on several relevant local and behavioral parameters.

8. System according to one of claims 1 to 7 characterized in that it implements weighting factors of the local and behavioral parameters involved.

9. System according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it comprises means for deactivating at least one of the essential functions of the device or the exchange of information between the functional blocks.