EP1334606A1

EP1334606A1 - Method for accessing personal telephone registers from different locations

Info

Publication number: EP1334606A1
Application number: EP01975125A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Fred Lundin; Tomas Svensson
Original assignee: Telia AB
Current assignee: Telia Co AB
Priority date: 2000-10-18
Filing date: 2001-10-10
Publication date: 2003-08-13
Also published as: SE0003807L; NO20031713L; NO331617B1; WO2002033945A1; EE200300186A; SE520204C2; SE0003807D0; EE05574B1; NO20031713D0

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device at communication networks where users (A; C) in a system utilize connection/switching functions and register (B) which include personal telephone registers. The person register consists of names and alternative telephone numbers to different persons/companies. The user (A) establishes connection with register (B), which identifies the user (A). The user a transmit/transfers an identification which identifies a person/service, at which the register on basis of the identification determines the call number to the wanted person/service. The register (B) after that establishes contact with the user's (A) switching centre (T1) and transmits/transfers the call number to said switching centre. The switching centre after that switches over the user's (A) original connections with the register (B) to a connection with the wanted person/service.

Description

Method for accessing personal telephone registers from different locations.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to both fixed and mobile telecommunication systems. Particularly does the invention relate to the possibility to introduce personal telephone registers/lists/books/directories which can be utilized by the subscribers.

TECHNICAL PROBLEM

Persons who utilize telecommunication systems, both within the mobile and the fixed telephony, utilize to a greater and greater extent different types of own registers over subscribers, telephone directories/books, in order to remember current telephone numbers. The telephone terminal in these cases can be provided with specific registers which are utilized at the making of calls. A disadvantage of these registers is that they are connected to the existing terminal and that each terminal which is used by one or more users must be equipped with current/up to date telephone registers. Changes in one of the registers further should be followed up by corresponding changes in other terminals. It is in connection with this easy to forget to introduce changes in one or more of the terminals. When a number of people utilize the same terminal, there further are difficulties to distinguish between the personal telephone registers of the persons, resulting in a register which is confusing and difficult to handle.

Further problems exist for telephone registers arranged in the telecommunication systems, namely that double telephone lines are utilized, which is detrimental to the capacity and functionality of the telecommunication system. To utilize a minimal number of connections is from both economical and functional point of view of greatest importance. Further it is desirable that telephone exchange equipment and other in the connection included functionalities are minimized, with the aim to efficiently and cost optimally utilize the telecommunication system. There further are wishes that the telephone registers can be utilized from just any terminal, and that the registers are personal and easy to change, well-arranged and easy to make/create. Further it is desirable that the registers are easy to handle. Possibilities should at this be created to utilize voice commands of different kinds, and that registers are easy to access.

Aims :

1. Ability to access the service from all telephones (PSTN, NMT, GSM, ISDN etc) and not only from one telephone/terminal .

2. To, in a production economical way, establish a connection via the speech recognition equipment without creating double connection paths (i.e. double calls) .

3. To, for the user, make it possible to in an easy way access/reach the service.

PRIOR ART The utilization of personal telephone directories is, within the telecommunication field, realized by different technologies. At the beginning, lists or notebooks were utilized to take down telephone numbers to other persons one frequently was calling. Later, other solutions have emerged where electronic notebooks, for instance telephone dialers, separate or built in into telephones, were utilized. The possibility to store telephone lists in equipment arranged at switching centra in, or in connection with, the telecommunication system, has also been created. Such systems are based on that the subscriber via the telephone system calls a specific unit (B) , see Figure 1, which stores the subscriber's personal telephone register. Browsing in the system can be done by means of keying on the keypad of the telephone, at which possibility to browse forward and backward in the register is executed by keying different figures of the keyset. When the register has received information about which telephone number that shall be called, a call is made to the telephone number in question. Forwarding is in this case made in ordinary way (Figure 3) via the switching centre to which the register is connected. Other solutions are that the register is equipped with outputs and inputs (Figure 2) where the register, after received information about whom shall be called on one of his/her outputs, makes the keying, whereupon the inputs and outputs in the register are interconnected. A disadvantage of this latter system is that the resources of the telephone system are utilized for interconnection between persons who want to communicate. Systems of this kind further has the disadvantage that the transmission qualities of the connection are impaired. On the one hand the register causes losses, and on the other a number of extra connections are required, which as such will impair the total transmission quality in excess of what is necessary. The public telecommunication networks of today include, when speaking of ordinary telephony between subscribers, the possibility to access other subscribers by activating, by the fingers, different keys belonging to the telephone. This results in that DTMF-tones are generated and signaling is done via the network at which a call is set up to the person one intends to have a conversation with.

In certain (local) telephone systems, there are ways to, by means of the voice, route calls to the subscriber with whom one wants to talk. These systems then are based on that a (computer) equipment identifies a certain name as belonging to a certain telephone number, at which the call (in known way) is set up via this equipment. There also are local terminals which operate/function in this way, but with a very limited number of words. There consequently is a need to efficiently utilize available transmission resources in the telecommunication networks from economical, network technical and transmission technical aspects.

THE SOLUTION

The present invention relates to a device at communication network/networks where users (A,C) in a system utilize connection functions and register (B) which include personal telephone registers. The personal register/list consists of names and alternative telephone numbers to different persons/companies. The user (A) establishes connection with the register (B), which identifies the user (A) . The user (A) transmits/transfers an identification which identifies a person/service, at which the register from the identification determines a call number to the wanted person/service. The register (B) after that establishes connection with the user' s (A) switching centre (Tl) and transmits/transfers the call number to said switching centre. The switching centre after that switches the user's (A) original connections with the register (B) to a connection with the wanted person/service.

Updating of the personal register is done by communication via Internet. The information at that can be transmitted/transferred by means of the keyboard of the computer. The register (B) predicts a number of possible options/alternatives for how the verbal information shall be received. The user (A) consequently is allowed to communicate verbally with the register (B) without previous voice training. The user (A) transmits information to the register (B) verbally. The information is processed in one in, or one in connection with, the register arranged speech analysis device. The from the user (A) received information is translated by the speech analysis device into for the system identifiable information. The information is transmitted/transferred to the switching centre (Tl) to which the user (A) is connected. Guided by the information from the register, is after that attended to that a connection between the user (A) and the user/service (C) is established. The original connection between the register (B) and the user (A) is disconnected. The user (A) is allocated a personal call number at call to the register (B) . The personal call number is activated by an abbreviated number indication, for instance 9#. The invention further relates to a method where the user (A) is given possibility to simplified interconnection to users/services (C) at utilization of, in a telecommunication operator' s telecommunication system centrally located, registers (B) . Said register/registers is/are at that normally connected to any other switching centre than the one to which the user is connected. Information regarding wanted user/service (C) is transmitted/transferred from the user (A) to the register (B) . The register (B) determines which, of at least one, call number that shall be selected. The information is transmitted/transferred to a switching centre (Tl) to which the user (A) is connected. The connection between the user (A) and the register (B) is disconnected and a new connection is established between the user (A) and the user/service (C) . The register (B) informs the user (A) regarding alternative connections to the user/service (C) verbally.

Information regarding user/users/services (C) is stored in text format and is processed in a speech synthesis equipment, which translates the text into speech/spoken information. The from the register derived information is transmitted/ transferred verbally to the user (A) , who in his/her turn is given possibility to verbally give instructions to the register.

Information from the user (A) is transmitted/ transferred to the register (B) , where the information is stored as text (text format) . The text is processed by the speech synthesis equipment which creates an expected speech profile on basis of a number of possible pronunciations for the stored information. The information is utilized by a speech analysis equipment which receives information from the user (A) .

The register (B) receives the information from the user (A) verbally without specific voice training being needed in the separate cases.

ADVANTAGES

The invention allows that a user of personal registers has possibility to store these centrally. To the users this implies the advantage that registers need not be introduced in the separate terminals. This will reduce the risk that the users forget to update their local registers. Further, the capacity of the different terminals are not affected by the register need of the user. Further advantages to the users are that the personal register is accessible from different terminals which need not necessarily be any of the terminals the user normally uses.

To the operators the invention means that the number of lines in telecommunication systems can be reduced as a consequence of that the registers do not use inputs and outputs in the register to connect/set up respective call. Alternatively, also capacity is saved in telecommunication systems by the calls not being connected over central offices/exchanges which have no part of the actual call. Further advantages are that, in the cases the telephone register utilizes the possibilities of the central offices/exchanges to forwarding of call, set up of telephone traffic via connections which are not needed is avoided in this case.

The invention further utilizes intelligent networks (IN) by means of which computer technology can be utilized for updating of the registers and control/check of them.

Further, the intelligent networks allow that communication can be established between switching centra, and order is given about how a connection shall be established. To the customer the service means that the subscriber is given possibility to test the service before it is ordered, and that the making of calls is made efficient by a simple entering of persons to whom one wants to make voice calls. The subscriber will have a telephone book of his/her own in the network which he/she can use and utilize for different needs and for making voice calls. To the private user the there will be the following advantages:

Time efficient and easier communication. The user saves time and money by evading looking for telephone numbers and the user need not remember so many telephone numbers .

The user (customer) need not use the keyset to handle the telephone.

Easy entering of telephone numbers and updating of the telephone book via Internet (at home, at the office etc)

Telephone book easily accessible and readable via

In ternet .

Increased traffic security at car-driving and use of mobile telephony.

Easier to use for disabled persons and visually handicapped .

To the customer/operator the great advantage is achieved that the speech recognition is connected with the personal telephone book existing in the network, in one and the same place accessible from a plurality of different fixed and mobile (service) terminals.

DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES Figure 1 shows a solution of the invention in principle. Figure 2 shows a solution according to prior art, where the user first connects to the register, and after that forwards the call via outputs in the register. Figure 3 shows a solution where the register utilizes forwarding technology accessible via the service offer of the telecommunication system.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In the following, the invention is described on basis of the figures and the terms in them.

A user A in a telecommunication system T intends to utilize his/her personal telephone register, B, which is established in the telecommunication system T. The user, A, can utilize both the fixed and the mobile telecommunication network. The communication relates to analog or digital communication, for instance spoken information or data communication. The user, A, calls, for instance, the register function, B, by a specific call prefix, in the following indicated by 9#; other prefix or numbers of course can be utilized, as well as other address formats. The prefix activates for instance the switching centre, alternatively the terminal, to activate one for the subscriber, A, personal call number to a register function, which includes one for the subscriber personally arranged telephone book. The switching centre receives the information and identifies where the call shall be routed/set up in customary way. The telephone register is administered centrally within a region, for instance a country or part of a country. The switching centra to which the user, A, respective the register, B, are connected consequently are separated. The telephone register answers the call and informs about that it is ready to receive information from a user, A. The telephone register now can utilize different technologies for identification of user A. In a first case, the telephone register utilizes an identification which is provided by the user. This information either can be verbal, or a code provided via the telecommunication terminal, or the from the switching centre utilized personal telephone number. The identification is further allowed to be made by personal call code, which code unambiguously identifies user. The code in this case can be the telephone number, or part of the telephone number, which the user utilizes. The user A's telephone list is derived from the memory bank of the register. The telephone list at that can be compiled from one or more parts in said register, alternatively be derived from other lists.

When the identification has been executed and verified, the telephone register receives information from the user, A, regarding to whom the call shall be routed/set up. This information is preferably provided verbally and is received by a speech analysis equipment in the telephone register, B. The user, A, activates the search by pronouncing the name of a person, a company etc, or other identification for instance abbreviation, pet name, or the like. The telephone register after that identifies which subscriber to whom the set up shall be routed by searching/looking in the subscriber A^'s personal register. After identification, the register establishes connection with the user A^'s switching centre via an intelligent network IN. When contact has been established with user A^'s switching centre via the intelligent network IN, information regarding the user A^'s identity is transferred/transmitted, and to which subscription connection shall be made. The switching centre now reroutes the connection between the user A and the register. Guided by the information from the register, telecommunication system now arranges that a connection to the wanted subscriber, C, is established and the connection towards the register, B, is disconnected. After that the communication proceeds in customary way.

When the user, A, calls the register, B, the calling user, C, is allowed to be reached via a number of different channels. It can, for instance, be different telephone numbers, to the home, weekend dwelling, one or more places of work, mobile telephone etc. To overcome the problem which alternative that shall be selected, the user can in a first alternative express his/her wish by commands such as "Pelle, home", Pelle, the office", "Pelle, the mobile", etc. A second alternative is that the user only says

"Pelle", at which the register identifies the different alternatives the command can relate to. Information to the user, A, is after that provided about alternatives of current interest. The user after that can inform the register which alternative that shall be selected. The selection can be made both by the voice and by keying on the terminal in question.

Further alternatives are that the register, after identification of user, C, in question, also checks which alternatives that are of current interest. For instance routing to an in advance selected terminal can be done related to time of the day/night, day of the week etc.

Further alternatives are that the register checks which alternatives that for the time being can be called, and after that selects one of the alternatives which are of current interest, in order to after that order the set up in question. In addition to checking which alternatives that can be called, the register also checks from where the call has been established, at which the register after said identification determines which alternatives that are of current interest. Guided by this identification is after that selected which alternatives that can be possible with regard to which type of communication the user, A, for the time being is utilizing.

When the register, B, transmits information to the user, A^'s, switching centre, one in the switching centre established communication function is utilized, which is arranged to receive information about whom shall be called and who has requested the set up. The communication function after that disconnects the connection with the register, at the same time as set up towards the selected alternative starts and the connection in customary way is established between the users.

The switch-over from the register to the wanted user can also be made as a normal inquiry call, where the first party with whom the communication has been established, finishes his/her part of the communication, and the communication from then on is accomplished with a second party. What happens in this case is that the register at its communication with the user A's switching centre provides instructions about that an inquiry call shall be established and that the original call shall be terminated .

The procedure according to the invention is a way for a subscriber to subscribe to an additional service to the own subscription.

The procedure is practiced in a telecommunication system which consists of the public telecommunication network consisting of the fixed network PSTN, and the mobile network NMT/GSM. The procedure makes possible for one or more subscribers, at a certain operator, to, via telephone equipment with own subscription, or via a telephone equipment with other type of subscription, route, via routing functions cooperating n the network, calls to that subscriber's telephone equipment with which one wants to communicate. The controlling is done by the subscriber pronouncing a name or service by the voice, and which corresponds to a subscriber with a certain telephone number, and the call is set up.

A customer who wants the service voice call, connects to the operator' s home page or other page belonging to the operator .

From this page the customer decides if he/she wants to subscribe to the service voice call by clicking on a certain mark on the home page, at which the service immediately takes effect. There is also possibility to test the service from the home page before the subscription starts.

The customer enters and stores the names and telephone numbers he/she wants to have possibility to make calls to by voice call. By the customer having entered name and number into a specific form, the service will be ready to use .

The function of the service is that one enters directly on the web, in the form, by means of the keyboard, the persons one wants to call by voice call. In that way a telephone book is created with names and numbers to which it will be possible to make voice calls. A program then interprets the text and provides an expected sound pattern of how the text shall be pronounced. This is done by means of recorded sound patterns from a large number of speakers . In order to give the user a confirmation of which name that has been interpreted and to whom the call will be connected, the recognized name is reproduced by means of speech synthesis. At that, the user will have opportunity to say "wrong", "break" or "stop", to prevent the set up in progress to appointed number.

The telephone book which is located in a database (any computer) in the network is in customary way built up with name and one or more telephone numbers to different persons with attribute (nothing, at home, in the office, at the mobile, or with synonymous terms) which the subscriber has selected to enter.

Further, the network based location of the telephone book provides possibility to connect different services which need information existing in this.

Another special point is that the telephone book automatically updates itself through the agency of the telephone operator.

For a person who changes telephone number rather frequently a check/control is made by simultaneous running of computers, by which the person will have the right number in the telephone book.

The customer enters/changes names and number of the persons whom he/she wants to call via voice call, in a personal telephone book on a web page. Accessibility to the web-page is protected by a personal code. This is realized by it being located behind the automatic customer service .

When the customer wants to make a call from the own subscription he/she lifts the handset (alternatively lifts the handset and keys an abbreviated number) and is met by an audio/voice response, for instance "Welcome to Telia, who do you want to call ?" The customer then says one of the names he/she has entered/stored in his/her personal telephone book, possibly with attribute. He will have a receipt by audio/voice response for instance: "Calling Fred Nelsson" , and the call then is connected to this person .

The initial audio/voice response is disconnected when the customer says the name, or starts keying a number on his/her telephone.

The service is accessed automatically, or by abbreviated number, from the own fixed subscription. It also can be accessed from just any other subscription (fixed or mobile) by the customer calling a specific number (and keying a personal code) . To have one or more names, or the whole stored telephone book, read, normally requires a security solution, for instance a personal code. The customer, however, (also) can select a number of subscriptions, in addition to the own one, from where the service can be accessed without personal code.

The personal telephone book can be part of, or be developed into, a more comprehensive address book with connection to other telecommunication services or a voice portal where the information is derived from different web pages and is read via speech synthesis over the telephone line.

The invention is not limited to the above described embodiment, or to the following patent claims, but may be subject to modifications within the frame of the idea of the invention.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. Device at communication network, including users (A;C) in a telecommunication system including connection/ switching functions and register (B) , including personal telephone registers, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in, that the user A is arranged to establish connection/contact with the register (B) , that the register (B) , after identification of the user (A) , is arranged to receive an identification of a wanted person/service and said identification identifies a call number to the wanted person/service, that the register (B) is arranged to establish contact with the user' s (A) switching centre (Tl) and transmit /transfer information regarding the call number to the switching centre, which is arranged to switch the user's (A) original connection with the register (B) over to a connection with the wanted person/service .

2. Device as claimed in patent claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in, that the register is arranged to communicate via Internet.

3. Device as claimed in patent claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in, that the user (A) is arranged to utilize Internet for updating of his/her personal telephone register.

4. Device as claimed in patent claim 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in, that the updating of the personal register is arranged to be done by means of communication between the register and one at the user (A) arranged computer.

5. Device as claimed in patent claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in, that the user (A) is arranged to transmit/transfer information to the register (B) by means of verbal information, which information is arranged to be processed by one in, or in connection with, the register arranged speech analysis device.

6. Device as claimed in patent claim 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in, that the register (B) is arranged to, at a given text information, predict a number of possible pronunciation alternatives for the verbal information.

7. Device as claimed in patent claim 6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in, that the user (A) is allowed to communicate verbally with the register (B) without the register (B) first being subject to voice training .

8. Device as claimed in patent claim 5-7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in, that the speech analysis device is arranged to receive verbal information from the user (A) and said information is translated into for/to the system identifiable information, which identifiable information is transmitted/transferred to a switching centre (Tl), to which the user (A) is connected, at which the switching centre (Tl) is arranged to, guided by the information from the register, arrange a set up of a connection between the user (A) and the user/service (C) .

9. Device as claimed in patent claim 8, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in, that the connection with the register (B) is arranged to be disconnected.

10. Device as claimed in any of the previous patent claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in, that the user (A) , at call to the register (B) , is allocated a personal call number, which unambiguously identifies the user (A) .

11. Device as claimed in patent claim 10, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in, that the personal call number is activated by an abbreviated number indication, for instance 9#.

12. Method at telecommunication system, including user/users (A) and users/services (C) for simplified interconnection between the users (A,C), respective the services in the cases centrally located registers (B) are utilized, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in, that information regarded a wanted user/service (C) is transmitted/transferred from the user (A) to the register (B) , that the register (B) decides which, of at least one, call number that shall be selected, that the register transmits/transfers information regarding said call number to a switching centre (Tl) , to which the user (A) is connected together with his/her identity, that the switching centre (Tl) terminates the communication between the user (A) and the register, and establishes a connection between the user (A) and the user/service (C) .

13. Method as claimed in patent claim 12, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the register (B) informs the user (A) regarding alternative connections to the user/service (C) , that the information is provided in form of speech.

14. Method as claimed in patent claim 13, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in, that information regarding users/services (C) is stored in text form and is processed in a speech synthesis equipment, which translates the text into speech/spoken information.

15. Method as claimed in any of the patent claims 12-14, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in, that the user (A) transmits/transfers information to the register (B) , which stores said information in text format.

16. Method as claimed in patent claim 15, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in, that a text analysis equipment creates an expected speech profile based on a number of possible pronunciations of the stored information, which information is utilized by a speech analysis equipment which receives information from the user (A) .

17. Method as claimed in any of the patent claims 12-16, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in, that the register (B) , at reception of information from the user (A) , receives the information verbally, without the user (A) voice training the register (B) in advance.

18. Method as claimed in patent claim 12, consisting of the public telecommunication network, consisting of the fixed network PSTN, the mobile network NMT/GSM, Internet and subscriber equipment which makes possible for one or more subscribers, at a certain operator, to, via telephone equipment with own subscription, or via a telephone equipment with other type of subscription, voice control, via control functions cooperating in the network, calls to that subscriber' s telephone equipment with which/whom one wants to communicate, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in: that an additional subscription of a voice control service is brought into effect by the subscriber indicating on a web page belonging to a telecommunication operator that the service is wanted, that the subscriber enters the names and telephone numbers one wants to use at execution of call by subscriber's name/voice call via said web page, that for each name also can be added attribute, such as "at home", "at the office", "at the mobile" , that the additional subscription is accessible directly after ordering of the service having been done, and that the subscriber at that will have a telephone number allocated by which he/she can access the telephone book (the telephone book is filled to wanted extent), that the speech recognition is made in a speech recognition equipment by the system sensing the information of the speech signal (the voice) of the speaking person, that an abbreviated number function is immediately activated at the subscriber' s all subscriptions which connect to the speech recognition equipment, alternatively that, if one immediately lifts the handset /receiver , set up is made to the speech recognition equipment, that the service is realized in the intelligent telecommunication network, so that the connection to the speech recognition equipment is disconnected when the connection to the extension of the pronounced name is set up, in order to reduce the traffic paths in the telecommunication network, that the user can access his/her telephone book for calling without security code, that the user can have all, or parts of, the telephone book read by using his/her security code (keyed on the keyset, or pronounced in the telephone) , that the subscriber can exclude a number of numbers from which he/she is not obliged to use security code.

19. Method as claimed in patent claim 18, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in, that speech recognition equipment senses the voice at a first call to a certain telephone number in a speaker independent way by comparison with a synthetic voice, at which other/second calls to the same number are made in a speaker dependent way by comparison with own recorded voice .

20. Method as claimed in patent claim 18, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in, that the telephone book is located in the public telecommunication network.

21. Method as claimed in patent claim 20, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in, that the telephone book consists of names and telephone numbers of the persons to whom one wants to make voice calls, and is accessible to other communication services.

22. Method as claimed in patent claim 20, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in, that the speech synthesis is made n a device which converts text to speech, where the speech synthesis is based on, on the one hand a name database (lexicon) of pronunciation of names, and on the other for unknown names a program with rules for pronunciation.

3. Method as claimed in patent claim 18, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in, that the web page includes mark in order to, during a specific period of time, test the voice call service without costs for the customer.