EP1495455A2

EP1495455A2 - Method and equipment for the consensual setting up of a communication link

Info

Publication number: EP1495455A2
Application number: EP03738212A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Guillaume Douarre
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-04-16
Filing date: 2003-03-31
Publication date: 2005-01-12
Also published as: WO2003088170A3; AU2003244728A1; FR2838594A1; FR2838594B1; WO2003088170A2

Abstract

A consensual setting up of communication link between first and second entities (101, 102), both consisting of communication equipment (1,2) and a user (91,92), is performed by sending out a call from one piece of equipment to another, involving a first stored exchange of identity data, followed by the same type of call but in an opposite direction. The two opposite exchanges are detected by the pieces of equipement (91, 92) in order to indicate to the respective users that they mutually consent to the setting up of a link.

Description

TITLE: METHOD, AND EQUIPMENT, OF CONSENSUAL ESTABLISHMENT OF A COMMUNICATION LINK

Technical Field: The present invention relates to a method, and corresponding communication equipment, of consensual establishment of a communication link between two users of communication equipment. PRIOR ART: Communication networks, and in particular the Internet, make it possible to establish conferences of pluralities of people wishing to discuss on a subject or simply to meet by voice, written or image. When these people are in the same public place, some may wear a distinctive sign to be spotted by others, who will approach them. A newspaper or Internet advertisement has the same effect, with a response letter, a phone call or an email. The sender of the advertisement must then process these responses himself, that is to say examine the characteristics of the "candidates" to determine the action to be taken. It is sometimes difficult to answer in the negative, in particular orally, in the event of a telephone call. In addition, examining responses is often tedious. Summary of the invention:

The present invention aims to propose a solution avoiding the drawbacks mentioned above.

To this end, the invention relates, first of all, to a method of consensual establishment of a communication link between first and second entities, each comprising a user associated with communication equipment comprising means of connection with the other communication equipment and man-machine relations means, process in which: in a first phase, the first entity, requesting party, transmits to the second entity, receiving target scanned, a message, for scanning information of identification of the second entity, receiving, commanding a cross exchange, with the second entity, of a block of identification information of the first entity and of a block of identification information of the second entity, both blocks then being stored, in at least one piece of storage, among the two pieces of equipment, in the form of a first set of oriented connection data, further comprising for this purpose an indication of identification of the requesting entity, . in a second phase, the second entity, then requesting party, transmits to the first entity, then receiving target, a message, for scanning the identity information of the receiving entity, ordering a cross exchange, with the first entity, of the block of identification information of the first entity and of the block of identification information of the second entity, the two blocks then being stored, in at least one storage device, in the form of a second set oriented connection data, further comprising for this purpose an indication of identification of the requesting entity,

. moreover, in another phase, the storage equipment searches, by comparison in memory, for the existence of a pairing of two such first and second sets of data, differing only in the orientation of the link, and, in this case, the storage device calls, using the identification information corresponding entity, the other communication equipment to which it is thus paired, the two paired communication equipment then controlling the respective man-machine relations means to signal, to the two respective users, that a mutual communication link is at their disposal.

Thus, the establishment of the connection requires the will of each user to establish a connection of this type with the other, each having generally the same role, namely requester at one time and requested at another time. Each device thus constitutes, for its user, a front end for filtering received communications and this user effortlessly controls this filtering, by the simple fact that he omits to call the person who calls him. Conversely, an outgoing call to another device unlocks the front end so that it can pass an incoming call, already received or to come, coming from this other device.

The identification information used here is information making it possible to identify the entity which emits it, in order to be able to recognize it subsequently, during a subsequent exchange of such information. This information can be of very diverse natures, and include for example characteristics relating to the personal tastes of the user. This information can also include a visible characteristic of the equipment and / or of the user or else a call number of the entity through a communication network, wired or not, in order to transmit the desired information and orders to it. , depending on whether the entities are in direct view or not. In short, credentials are a sort of business card or resume for each entity. The invention also relates to communication equipment for implementing the method of the invention, comprising means of connection with other communication equipment of the same type and means of human-machine relations, characterized in that 'it comprises first processing means, arranged to manage a protocol for developing, exchanging and exploiting the various messages, and second processing means, provided for carrying out said cyclic search for matching and arranged for, if the search is successful, order the launch, by the connection means, of a call to the paired communication equipment, and arranged to activate the man-machine relations means in order to signal, to the associated user , the provision of a link with paired communication equipment. Brief description of the drawings:

The invention will be better understood using the following description of a preferred embodiment of the method of the invention, with reference to the appended drawing, in which: FIG. 1 schematically represents a plurality of equipment for communication and users implementing the method of the invention, - Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating the various phases of the method, and Figure 3 is a block diagram representing one of the communication equipment for the implementation work of the method of the invention. Description of a preferred embodiment:

FIG. 1 very schematically represents a plurality of five entities 101, 102, 103, 104, 105 each consisting of a communication device 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 associated with a respective user 91, 92, 93, 94, 95. The communication device 1 is in this example a terminal comprising link circuits 12 ( transmission), 13 (reception), (fig. 3), with any other communication equipment 2 to 5, and human-machine relations devices 15 to 19. The human-machine relations devices include a microphone 15, a buzzer or speaker 16, an indicator light 17, a display or screen 18 and a keyboard 19.

The other equipment 2 to 5 include the same functional elements as the equipment 1. Therefore, the references to the constituent elements of the equipment 1 also serve, where appropriate, to designate the homologous elements of the other equipment 2 to 5, this in order to simplify the present presentation.

In this example, the users 91 to 95 above are in the same place, for example a dance hall, that is to say that they can see each other. Some of them may therefore wish to get in touch with another to exchange any type of information, written, graphic or vocal, and to possibly meet.

To this end, the method of the invention comprises the following phases of protocol with a view to establishing consensual communication:

. in a first phase, illustrated by the arrow A in FIG. 2 oriented in the direction of an initial scanning message, a first, 101, of the entities, the applicant, transmits to a second, 102, of the entities, receiving receiving target, a message, for scanning the identification information of the second entity 102, receiving, commanding a cross exchange, with the second entity 102, of a block of identification information ID1 (fig. 2 and 3) of the first entity 101 and of a block of identification information ID2 (fig. 2 and 3) of the second entity 102, the two blocks IDl and ID2 then being stored, in at least one item of equipment 1, 2, having a storage function for this purpose, among the two items of equipment 1, 2, in the form of a first set 72 (FIG. 2) of oriented link data ( data specifying the direction of the arrow A going from the equipment 1 to the equipment 2), further comprising for this purpose an indication (data represented by the internal arrow in block 72) of identification of the applicant entity 101,

. in a second phase, generally symmetrical to the first and illustrated by arrow B in FIG. 2, in the opposite direction to that of arrow A, the second entity 102, then requesting party, transmits to the first entity 101, then receiving target, a message, for scanning the identity information of the receiving entity 101, commanding a cross exchange, with the first entity 101, of the identification information block ID1 of the first entity 101 and of the information block d identification ID2 of the second entity 102, the two blocks ID1 and ID2 then being stored, in

1 'at least one storage device 1, 2, in the form of a second set 82 (fig. 2) of oriented connection data (according to arrow B going from the device

2 to the equipment 1), further comprising for this purpose an indication (internal arrow in block 82) of identification of the applicant entity 102,. moreover, in another phase, the storage equipment 1, 2 searches, by comparison in memory, for the existence of a pairing of two such first and second sets of data, differing only in the orientation of the link, and, in such a case, the storage equipment 1, 2 calls (arrow C), by means of the corresponding entity identification information ID1, ID2, the other communication equipment 2, 1 to which it is thus paired, the two paired communication devices 1, 2 then controlling the respective man-machine relations means (15 to 19) to signal (arrows Dl and D2), to the two respective users 91, 92, that a communication link mutual fund (arrow E) is available to them. The arrow C, shown in two directions, could be in one direction. It should be noted that the identification information ID1 and ID2 can constitute a core of information taken into account for the comparison, the identifying information other than this core then being masked. In other words, each piece of equipment 1, 2 transmits and receives a full spectrum of identification information, but it can interpret only certain types of such information.

It is understood that, as regards the orientation of the link in sets 72 and 82, the identification indication of the requesting entity 101 or 102 can be provided by a positive, explicit indication associated with the identity thereof or, in a dual manner, be provided implicitly by the absence of an associated indication, that is to say by an indication signaling the receiving target entity 102 or 101.

Furthermore, the above storage of the data sets 72 and 82 is, in this example, carried out in each of the two devices 1 and 2, since there is no provision, in this example, for coordination between them so that only one performs this task. This is why the arrow C is here two-way. In another example, a certain asymmetry could be provided between the various devices, with a group of devices 1, 3, 5 carrying out this memorization and a group of devices 2, 4 not performing it, each device of one group can only call the equipment of the other group. In this order of idea, as explained below, a common server may be provided responsible for this task of storing and processing data, to signal to the two users 91, 92 the availability of the link. The server can therefore be considered as a complement to one of the devices 1 and 2 or even as a third party capable of observing and memorizing the exchanges.

The availability of the link implies that the users 91, 92 will be able to establish a call, but this availability may only be virtual. Indeed, the call from the storage equipment, for example the equipment 1, to the other equipment 2, can consist of a message of service signals in a signaling channel, without establishment of a communication channel for users 91, 92. One of the users 91, 92 will therefore have to call the other, knowing then that the latter will answer him.

In the presence, as here, of a plurality of more than two entities such as entity 101, it may be necessary to make a selection between several entities which would receive the same scanning message intended for only one of them . This problem arises in the case of links established by diffusion on a common communication medium, and in particular, as here, in the case of transmission of a carrier in space, for example hertzian or infrared. Indeed, the communication equipment 1, transmitter of the message of polling, does not have an address to associate or include in its polling message, which would allow it to be sent to the only recipient, via a switched network, or else to distribute it to all, only the intended recipient retaining it .

The selection involves the following operations:. in the first phase,

the first entity 101, constituted by a first communication device 1 associated with a first user 91, transmits the polling message to a set 102, 103, 104 of at least one other of the entities,

- the message being received and stored by the set of scanned receiving entities 102, 103, 104, a group 102, 103, of at least one of the entities of the set 102, 103, 104, transmits in return, towards the first entity 101, the same group of messages each comprising the information, such as ID2, previously stored locally, identifying the respective scrutinized entity 102, 103,

the first entity 101 receives the group of identification messages and reads therein the group of identification information of the scanned entities 102, 103 for, by comparison with local information of choice of target entity, validating a selection of the second entity, target, 102 among the entities of the group 102, 103 and send to them a message, for selective validation of the scanning message, returning the ID2 identification information of the second entity 102, selected target,

the group entities 102, 103 receive the validation message, extract the identification information therefrom in order to compare them with their respective stored identification information, such as ID2, and, the second entity 102 detecting a match, it validates the polling message previously received, - and the selected receiving target entity 102 acts as storage equipment for storing, with the two information blocks ID1, ID2, in the first data set 72, an indication of validation, in association with the information d identification IDl of the first entity 101, requesting party, transmitted in at least one of the polling message and the validation message, and

. the second phase comprises, symmetrically, steps for exchanging identification information, steps which are homologous to those of the first phase, but establishing the second set of data 82.

The requesting entity 101 can send, in the polling message, information comprising criteria for selecting the target entity 102, which the at least one scrutinized entity 102, 103, 104 compares with its respective identification information in order to decide , in the event of a match, issue an execution response to the cross-exchange command. The selection criteria for the entity 101 can therefore be considered as representing a particular type of identification information, since they represent the tastes or subjects of personal interest of the user 91. The selection criteria can arise in the form of user-readable messages 91 to 95.

Any entity 101 to 105 thus omits to respond to another entity not of interest to it.

The user 91 of the requesting entity 101 can enter, by the means of human-machine relations 15 to 19 of the communication equipment considered 1, the selection criteria to be issued. This allows these criteria to be changed in real time, to adapt them according to users 92 to 95, visible in the present case. In particular in this case, at least one scrutinized communication device 102, 103, 104 presents, in this example, the selection criteria to its respective user 92, 93, 94 and the user, if he decides to respond , then enters, by means of human-machine relations 15 to 19 of the communication equipment considered 102, 103, the identification information of the entity considered 102, 103. The user of the entity being scanned can therefore also adapt its ID2 identification information in real time and according to the visible environment.

When the identification information of the requesting entity 101 is transmitted in the polling message, the at least one polled communication device 2, 3, 4 presents it here to its associated user 92, 93, 94, by the display 18 of the polled communication equipment 2, 3, 4, and the user 92, 93, 94 makes a decision, based on the identification information presented, as to the transmission of an execution response of the cross exchange order. As a variant, the presentation of the information is carried out by voice synthesis through the loudspeaker 16.

Therefore, in this case, the user 92 does not delegate to his equipment 2 the decision to respond, according to identification information or pre-stored criteria, but on the contrary this user 92 is inserted in series in the chain of the exchange process.

The at least one polled communication device 2, 3, 4 signals, in this example, the reception of the polling message by commanding the lighting of the indicator light 17 or by commanding the loudspeaker 16 or a vibrator. The signaling thus provided may vary according to the content of the messages received, that is to say the information or selection criteria. LED 17 can be used to the receiving user 92, 93, 94 and also the sending user 91, by way of acknowledgment of good reception, if the two entities in connection are mutually in sight.

The communication equipment 1 of the requesting entity 101 here presents to the associated user 91, by the display 18, the group of identification information received in return and the user 91 determines, and enters, by the keyboard 19, said local target entity choice information, according to the identification information presented. As a variant, the entry is carried out by voice recognition through the microphone 15.

In the above case using the display 18, the identification information here includes visual identification information of the entities of the group 102, 103, which are presented by the display 18 to the associated user 91 belonging to the the requesting entity 101 so that it validates a choice of target entity 102, 103. In this case where the first entity 101 immediately transmits its identification information ID1, in the polling message, the second entity 102 returns said identification information ID1 of the first entity 101 in association with identification information ID2 of the second entity 102, in a final step of the cross exchange. The first entity 101 can thus verify that it is a response to its own polling message and not a spurious response, intended for another active requester at the same time. The pairing can be carried out using identification information relating at least to the communication equipment 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and belonging to said identification information ID1, ID2. More or instead, the pairing can be carried out using identification information relating at least to users 91, 92, 93, 94, 95 and belonging to said identification information ID1, ID2. Communication on the available link can only be established after acceptance, through human-machine relations devices such as for example the keyboard 19, of at least one of the two paired users 91, 92. In in such a case, the paired communication devices 1, 2 can each determine a chronological order of transmission of the two scan messages and the communication device 1 having received the last scan message is waiting to receive the call from the other (2) to then report it to its own user 91. Thus, the last user 92, who has just examined the entity 101, remains in control of the rest of the process, which is preferable because the user 91 is likely to having forgotten that he had made a polling call some time before.

Communication between users 91, 92 is here established in voice mode through the microphone 15 and the speaker 16.

The communication between users 91, 92 may also, or instead, include an exchange of information data by command of the keyboard 19 and the display 18. The information data may in particular include image data of users 91, 92, which are reproduced by the display 18. The image data are captured by command of a scanner, a sensitive tablet, a mini-camera or come from a memory, not shown . In an initial commissioning phase, users can store at least part of the identification information in the communication equipment 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, which facilitates subsequent operation. As explained, it can be planned to complete them in real time.

The communication equipment 1 comprises in this example, in the transmission circuits 12, just like the other equipment 2 to 5, means or circuits 121 for transmitting a carrier for transmitting scanning messages in space , these being diffused in a substantially omnidirectional manner within a determined radius of useful range, to define a corresponding approximate size of the set of entities 102, 103 and 104 likely to be in connection with the entity 101. Exchanges of identification information ID1, ID2 are also carried out by circuits 121.

As a variant or addition, the communication equipment 1 comprises, in the transmission circuits 12, means or circuits 122 for transmitting a carrier for transmitting messages in a determined solid angle 123 of space. The user 91 of the requesting entity 101 then transmits the scanning message by pointing his communication equipment 1 so that at least one scanned entity 102, 103, 104 is in the solid angle considered. This makes it possible to selectively reach the intended recipient 102, possibly however a few others of the equipment 103 to 105, which eliminates, or at least limits, the task of validating the recipient. Preferably as here, at least one scrutinized communication equipment 2, 3 uses, to respond to the requesting entity 101, the circuits 121 of transmission, of message carrier, carrying out a broadcasting substantially omnidirectional. Indeed, the receiving equipment does not know where the polling call comes from and it must therefore ensure the transmission of its response by an omnidirectional broadcast. Polling or other messages can be composed in the form of short messages, and transmitted between communication equipment 1 to 5 of a telephone network. The telephone network can be the switched telephone network, a cellular radio network, such as GSM, UMTS or other, or by satellite or even a data transmission network such as for example the Internet. In the latter case in particular, provision may be made for indirect addressing, that is to say that the message sent is free of the information or data to be transmitted but includes a network address, of mailbox, which the receiver will have to call to read the useful content of the message.

In an alternative embodiment, the communication equipment 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 are remote and connected by a communication network, wired or wireless, the connection being established using a telephone number in the network, being part identification information ID1, ID2. In such a case, the messages sent can include the call number so that the communications equipment 2, 3, 4, 5, receiving the messages, compare the call numbers received with their respective call number and eliminate the messages. which are not intended for them. One can in particular think of broadcast networks, in which a plurality of receivers receives each message but eliminates it if the recipient address that it contains is not the address of the receiver considered. Such networks can be of the wireless, radio or optical type, or else wired networks according, for example, to the protocol of the local Ethernet network.

Again in a variant, the messages are transmitted through a relay server called, mentioned at the start, belonging to a data transmission network, of the Internet type, and said search for a matching by comparison is carried out by comparator circuits. storage equipment 1, 2 housed in the server. The server can be considered as a meeting point, the logical equivalent of a public place such as a nightclub or a dance hall. The server can in particular be a router ensuring the routing of the scanning messages and even their distribution to several recipients that the requesting entity would have pre-selected but for which it does not have the Internet address, IP. The server then receives information corresponding to the pre-selection and deduces the IP addresses therefrom, to constitute one or more retransmission messages comprising the polling message and the desired recipient IP address. In general, and in particular as indicated in the case of the detailed example, a terminal of each item of equipment 1, 2 can provide the man-machine relationships.

Thus, one or more of the devices 1 to 5 can be housed in the server in whole or in part, the part for storing and processing various information or data can for example be centralized in the server, since the latter sees passing all the information exchanged, therefore without the need to duplicate this part in each of the devices 1 to 5. The server therefore has, in addition to or in place of the router function, a processing function.

The terminal part is then likely to be distant from the rest of the equipment 1 to 5 considered, by being presented for example in the form of a corded telephone set or a mobile radiotelephony handset, as drawn.

In particular, the equipment 1, or, where appropriate, a separate part forming a man-machine relationship terminal, can be provided integrated in a mobile telephone portable. Preferably then, portable circuits are pooled to provide the conventional telephone functions and the functions of the present invention. This pooling can, among other things, concern a central unit, the man-machine relations devices 15 to 19 and all or part of transmission / reception circuits. The common elements can then operate on a time-sharing basis, with the possibility of simultaneous operation on a mobile phone and on equipment 1.

In another variant, the terminal 1 is in the form of a set of functional elements distributed over the user, for example the keyboard 19 on a jacket sleeve and the microphone 15 on a jacket lapel.

In a particular operating mode, the devices 1 to 5 can, on command from their user 91 to 95, transmit the scan command messages cyclically. In particular, provision may be made for them to transmit, in these messages, their identification information and / or the criteria for selecting the intended recipient. A user 91 can thus transmit when moving around town, in particular on foot, so that entities 2 to 5 that he crosses or rubs shoulders with him after checking that there is a match with their own information of information. identification or criteria. The communication equipment 1 will now be described in more detail with reference to the functional blocks of FIG. 3.

In addition to the man-machine relations devices 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, the equipment 1 comprises the means or circuits 12 for transmission and for reception 13 for a link, here radio, with the other communication equipment of the same type 2 to 5. The transmission circuits 12 here comprise circuits with substantially omnidirectional antenna 121 and circuits 122 with directional antenna according to the solid angle 123 of FIG. 1. The reception circuits 13 comprise an omnidirectional antenna 131. L transmission of a polling message can therefore be carried out by the omnidirectional circuits 121 or by pointing the directional circuits 122 to the target. Reference 14 designates link circuits with peripherals and / or a communication network. Provision may be made for the range of the links to be adjustable, by adjusting the transmission power or the sensitivity of the receiving circuits. Likewise, the directivity of the antenna of the circuits 122 can be adjustable to adjust the value of the solid angle of emission 123.

The equipment 1 further comprises a central microprocessor unit 20 comprising first processing means 21, managing a protocol for developing, exchanging and using various messages, and second processing means 23, constituting in memory the data sets 72 and 82 from the first processing means 21, in order to carry out said cyclic search for pairing, for, in the event of success of the search, order a call to the communication equipment paired by the link circuits 12, 13 and to activate some of the human-relations devices machine 15 to 19 in order to signal, to the associated user 91, the provision of a link with the paired communication equipment.

The first processing means 21 comprise the following various means or circuits, for which, in FIG. 3, the cartridges representing them are associated with arrows diagramming most of the order or data transfers. The cartridges include, at the top right, the letter A and / or B, indicating that they are used when the equipment 1 is respectively scrutinizing or scrutinized, these letters A and B being also indicated below:

- circuits 211 (A) for composing and transmitting scanning messages, - circuits 212 (A, B) for transmitting identification information, ID1, of the communication equipment-user entity considered 101 , associated with own identification memory circuits 213 (A, B), provided to supply the identification information ID1 of said entity 101 which they contain,

circuits 214 (A, B) for receiving identification information ID2 from other communication equipment-user entities 102, associated with memory circuits 215 (A, B) for identifying other entities 102, provided to receive them, here through circuits 218 indicated below, and store the identification information ID2 of other entities 102, to supply them to the second processing means 23,

- circuits 216 (B) for receiving and storing polling messages, arranged to control:

circuits 217 (B), controlling circuits 212 for transmitting information ID1, circuits 217 for composition and transmission in return of identification messages comprising the identification information ID1, extracted from the own identification memory circuits 213,

circuits 218 (A, B), associated with circuits for receiving information 214, for receiving and storing identification messages, arranged to read the own identification information ID2 of other entities 102 and supply them, in addition here to the memory circuits 215, to:

circuits 219 (A) for comparing the information ID2 read with information for choosing a different entity 102, target, contained in memory circuits 220 for choosing a target (ID2), the circuits 219 being arranged to present a result of the comparison,

circuits 221 (A) for validating a selection of another entity 102, following the result presented by the comparison circuits 219, arranged to compose and send messages, for selective validation of polling messages sent, returning, after storage in the memory means 215 for identifying other entities 102, the identification information for other entity 102 received by the circuits 218 for receiving and storing identification information, and

circuits 222 (B) for receiving validation messages, arranged to extract the identification information ID1 from the entity considered 101, for example in a marked field, to compare them with the identification information IDl of the memory means own identification 213, and for, in the event of agreement, command, to the means 216 for receiving and storing scan messages, to validate a corresponding scan message previously received and stored, by storing with it an indication of validation, in association with the information other entity identification ID2 102 received by circuits 214 for receiving identification information from other entities, which constitutes block 72 or 82.

As this patent application is filed as a second application under internal priority of a first application, the applicant considers it useful to reproduce below relevant passages from the first application, the idea of which they set out has been transcribed in terms often different in the present second application. Obviously, it is the text specific to the second request which must be regarded as teaching more clearly the fullness of the present invention, that is to say that possible limitations of scope of this second request appearing in the first request. should not be taken into account if such limitations do not appear in the second request.

The first request states the technical field concerned and the problem to be solved and provides a detailed description of an exemplary embodiment with reference to a drawing of a device according to the invention, a drawing not included here because the functions of this device are integrated. in the drawing of Figure 3 of this application. The text taken from this first request is as follows. The device according to the invention comprises, according to a first characteristic, a microcontroller in which messages are stored.

Using a user interface, the operator chooses the message he wishes to send. It directs the device in the direction of the person to whom it wishes to send the message and orders its sending by means of the user interface. The sending order is received by the microcontroller which transmits the command to a transmitting system. This transmitter system which can be of radio frequency or infrared type has the characteristic of transmitting the message in a precise direction. For this, a device of the parabola type can be added allowing the beam of emission to be concentrated so that the user is able to choose the person to whom he wishes to send his message.

Each device has a reception system appropriate to the transmission system defined above. As soon as the receiving system receives a message, it is transferred to the microcontroller and saved to its memory.

The system thus defined allows any user to send a message to another physically designated user. According to particular embodiments:

The messages available in the microcontroller can be personalized by the user. They can be created directly from the device or from any other type of interface (computer, palm, mobile phone, etc.), and then downloaded to the device using an appropriate connection.

- When sending a message, the user can add a personal text, thanks to the user interface. This function will allow for example to classify the sent messages or to describe the person having received it. This text will be saved in the memory of the microcontroller with the message sent and can be recalled at any time.

- The device initiating the message may send an address to the targeted device allowing the user of the receiving device to retrieve the message on another medium. For example an Internet address on which the message would be stored. To this end, a website may be set up to facilitate the deposit and withdrawal of these messages.

- Using the user interface, messages can be chosen from standard messages pre-registered by the manufacturer. Each message sending may be accompanied by an identifier which, specific to each device, will be provided by the microcontroller. The reception of the data by the receiving system may give rise to the storage of the message and its identifier in the memory of the microcontroller.

The identifier of each device can be permanently integrated into each microcontroller or be determined randomly for a defined period. - Each device receiving a message, can automatically send back, thanks to the microcontroller, a “response” message sent globally by means of a radiofrequency type transmitter system. This message may contain all or part of the original message (message and user code of the sending device) as well as the identifier of the receiving device. This “response” message will be received by all devices located in a close environment thanks to an appropriate receiving system. However, the microcontroller of each of these devices will only allow the storage of the response message if the identifier that it carries corresponds to it. In this way, each of the devices (sender of the message and receiver) will know the identifier of the other. In addition, this principle will confirm that the message has been received correctly by the device sending the original message.

- A text accompanying the “response” message may be pre-recorded in the memory of the microcontroller by the manufacturer or may be customizable by each user. - The device can be integrated / paired with any other type of device (portable, Palm, Walkman, ...), objects (watch, ring, glasses, ...) or clothing (cap , sweater, shoes, ...).

- An interface of the infrared or cable type can be integrated into the device in order to communicate with a PC, a PALM or any other device. - A system for signaling the arrival of a message may be integrated into the system. It will be controlled by the microcontroller and may be of the vibrating, audible or visual type. The signal may be different depending on the messages received.

- The battery can be rechargeable.

- The device may have a clock function. It will therefore be able to display the time and / or date and will allow it to be modified. Each message sent can be recorded accompanied by the time and date of sending.

- The various components of the device (transmitting systems, receivers, vibrator, etc.) may be deported. For example, the receiver system could be worn as a pendant, the transmitter system as a watch and the case on the belt.

- A system will ensure that the device is effectively oriented towards the desired person. It could for example be a sighting laser or a small diode that lights up when a device targets it. In this case, a "test" function can be activated from the user interface. It will consist of the emission of a small signal, which, if received by the targeted device, will generate the illumination of the diode.

The device may include a display screen.

- A listening and recording mode for audio messages can be added to the device.

- A system allowing to modify the range of the emission beam could be added to the device. It may consist of a system for regulating the transmission power.

- A system allowing to modify the size of the emission beam could be added. To this end, a mechanical or motorized system may allow the opening of the emission element to be adjusted.

The device includes a microcontroller. Among other things, it consists of electronic circuits (microprocessor) and memory in order to control the other components (transmitter, vibrator, ...), to memorize messages, to compare them, to establish a user code. The device comprises an infrared transmitter system and several receiver systems. The receiving systems are arranged on the device in such a way that they can receive the transmission beams whatever the orientation of the housing relative to the sending device. The transmitting system is provided with a structure concentrating the emission beam in order to restrict it to a well-defined direction. A second radiofrequency transmitter / receiver system is connected to the microcontroller. This system will allow the sending and receiving of “response” messages.

The microcontroller is also linked to the user interface allowing different choices of actions (On / Off, message A, message B, sending the message, ...). The microcontroller is connected to a vibrator whose role is to notify the user of the receipt of a message. The microcontroller is connected to an internal power supply and to a PC interface.

Claims

claims

1. Method for consensual establishment of a communication link between first and second entities (101, 102), each comprising a user (91, 92) associated with communication equipment (1, 2) comprising linking means with the other communication equipment (2, 1) and means of human-machine relations, process in which:. in a first phase, the first entity (101), requesting party, transmits to the second entity (102), receiving target scanned, a message, for scanning identification information of the second entity (102), receiving, commanding a cross exchange, with the second entity (102), of an information block (ID1) of identification of the first entity (101) and of an information block (ID2) of identification of the second entity ( 102), the two blocks (ID1, ID2) then being stored, in at least one storage device, among the two devices (1, 2), in the form of a first set of oriented connection data, comprising in in addition to this, an identification indication of the requesting entity (101),. in a second phase, the second entity (102), then requesting party, transmits to the first entity (101), then receiving target, a message, for scanning the identity information of the receiving entity (101), commanding a cross exchange, with the first entity (101), of the identification information block (ID1) of the first entity (101) and the identification information block (ID2) of the second entity (102), the two blocks (ID1, ID2) then being stored, in at least one storage device (1, 2), in the form of a second set of oriented connection data, further comprising for this purpose an indication of identification of the requesting entity (102),. moreover, in another phase, the storage equipment (1, 2) searches, by comparison in memory, for the existence of a pairing of two such first and second sets of data, differing only in the orientation of the link, and, in such a case, the storage equipment (1, 2) calls, by means of the corresponding entity identification information, the other communication equipment (2, 1) to which it is thus paired, the two paired communication devices (1, 2) then controlling the respective man-machine relations means (15 to 19) to signal, to the two respective users (91, 92), that a mutual communication link is at their disposal .

2. Method according to claim 1, in which, in the presence of a plurality of such entities (101, 102, 103, 104, 105),. in the first phase,

- the first entity (101), constituted by a first communication equipment (1) associated with a first user (91), transmits the polling message to a set (102, 103, 104) of at least one of the other entities , - the message being received and stored by the set of scanned receiving entities (102, 103, 104), a group

(102, 103), of at least one of the entities of the set (102,

103, 104), sends back, to the first entity (101), the same group of messages (42, 43) each comprising the information, previously stored locally, identifying the respective polled entity (102, 103) , the first entity (101) receives the group of identification messages (42, 43) and reads the group there identification information of the entities scanned (102, 103) for, by comparison with local information of choice of target entity, validating a selection of the second entity, target (102) among the entities of the group (102, 103) and send to them a message, for selective validation of the polling message, returning the identification information of the second entity (102), selected target, the entities of the group (102, 103) receive the validation message , extract the identification information therefrom in order to compare them with their respective stored identification information and, the second entity (102) detecting a match therein, it validates the scan message previously received, - and the receiving target entity selected (102) acts as storage equipment for storing, with the two blocks of information, in the first set of data, an indication of validation, in association with c the identification information of the first requesting entity (101), transmitted in at least one of the polling message and the validation message, and

. the second phase comprises, symmetrically, steps for exchanging identification information, steps which are homologous to those of the first phase, but establishing the second set of data.

3. Method according to one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the requesting entity (101) transmits, in the polling message, information comprising criteria for selecting the target entity (102), that at least 1 ' a scrutinized entity (102, 103, 104) compares to its respective identifying information to decide, in the event of a match, to issue an execution response to the cross-exchange command.

4. Method according to claim 3, in which the user (91) of the requesting entity (101) enters, by the means of human-machine relations of the communication equipment considered (1), the selection criteria to issue.

5. Method according to one of claims 3 and 4, wherein 1 'at least one scrutinized communication equipment (2, 3, 4) presents the selection criteria to its respective user (92, 93, 94) and the user, if he decides to respond, then enters, by the means of human-machine relations (15 to 19) of the communication equipment considered (2, 3), the identification information of the entity considered (102 , 103).

6. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, the identification information of the requesting entity (101) being transmitted in the polling message, 1 'at least one polled communication equipment (2, 3 , 4) presents them to its associated user (92, 93, 94), by the man-machine relationship means (15 to 19) of said communication equipment (2, 3, 4), and the user (92, 93, 94) makes a decision, based on the identification information presented, as to the issuance of an execution response of the cross-exchange command.

7. Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein 1 'at least one polled communication equipment (2, 3, 4) signals the reception of the polling message by command to light an indicator (17) .

8. Method according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the communication equipment (1) of the requesting entity (101) present to the associated user (91), by means of human-machine relationships ( 18) that it includes, the group of identification information received in return and the user (91) determines, and captures by the means of human-machine relationships (19), the said local information of choice of target entity, according to the identification information presented.

9. Method according to claim 8, in which the identification information comprises visual identification information of the entities of the group (102, 103), which are presented by the communication equipment (1) to the user ( 91) partner belonging to the requesting entity (101) so that it validates a choice of target entity (102, 103).

10. Method according to one of claims 1 to 9, in which the first entity (101) transmits its identification information in the polling message, and the second entity (102) returns said identification information from the first entity (101) in association with the identification information of the second entity (102), in a final step of the cross exchange.

11. Method according to one of claims 1 to 10, in which the pairing is carried out from identification information relating at least to the communication equipment (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) and belonging to say credentials.

12. Method according to one of claims 1 to 11, in which the pairing is carried out from identification information relating at least to the users (91, 92, 93, 94, 95) and belonging to said information Identification.

13. Method according to one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the communication on the available link is only established after acceptance, through the man-machine relations means, of at least one of the two matched users (91, 92).

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the paired communication equipment (101, 102) each determine a chronological order of transmission of the two scan messages and the communication equipment (1) having received the last scan message waits for 'having received the call from the other (2) and then reporting it to their own user (91).

15. Method according to one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the communication between users (91, 92) is established in speech mode.

16. Method according to one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the communication between users (91, 92) comprises an exchange of information data.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the information data comprises user image data (91, 92), which are restored by the man-machine relations means.

18. Method according to one of claims 1 to 17, in which, in an initial commissioning phase, the users store at least part of the identification information in the communication equipment (1, 2, 3, 4 , 5).

19. Method according to one of claims 1 to 18, implemented by command, in the man-machine relations means (15 to 19), of a screen-keyboard assembly.

20. Method according to one of claims 1 to 19, wherein, the communication equipment (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) being connected by a communication network, the connection is established using a call number in the network that is part of the credentials.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein, the messages transmitted comprising the call number, the communication equipment (1, 2, 3, 4) receiving the messages compare the call numbers received with their respective call numbers and eliminate messages that are not intended for them.

22. Method according to one of claims 2 to 21, in which the communication equipment (1, 2, 3, 4,

5) comprising means for transmitting a carrier for transmitting messages in space, these are diffused substantially omnidirectionally within a determined radius, to define a corresponding approximate size of the set of entities (101 , 102, 103).

23. Method according to one of claims 1 to 21, wherein, the communication equipment comprising means for transmitting a carrier for transmitting messages in a determined solid angle of space, the user (91) of the requesting entity (101) transmits the polling message by pointing its communication equipment (1) so that at least one scanned entity (102, 103, 104) is in the solid angle considered.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein at least one polled communication equipment (2, 3) uses, to respond to the requesting entity (101), transmission means, message carrier, performing a substantially omnidirectional diffusion.

25. Method according to one of claims 1 to 24, wherein the messages are composed in the form of short messages, and transmitted between communication equipment of a telephone network.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the short messages are transmitted through a cellular radio network.

27. Method according to one of claims 1 to 26, wherein the messages are transmitted through a server called relay, belonging to a data transmission network, and said search for a matching by comparison is carried out by means of comparators of the storage equipment (1, 2) housed in the server.

28. Method according to one of claims 1 to 27, wherein a terminal of each item of equipment (1, 2) provides the man-machine relationships.

29. Communication equipment for implementing the method of one of claims 1 to 28, comprising means (12, 13) for connection with other communication equipment of the same type and man-machine relations means ( 15, 16, 17, 18, 19), characterized in that it comprises first processing means (21), arranged to manage a protocol for the development, exchange and exploitation of the various messages, and second processing means (23), provided for carrying out said cyclic search for pairing and arranged for, in the event of a successful search, ordering the launching, by the connection means (12, 13), of a call to the paired communication equipment, and arranged to activate the man-machine relationship means (15, 16, 17, 18, 19) in order to signal, to the associated user (91), the availability of a link with paired communication equipment.

30. Communication equipment according to claim 29, in which the first processing means (21) comprise:

- means (211) for composing and transmitting scan messages, - means (212) for transmitting identification information of the communication equipment-user entity under consideration (101), associated with means own identification memories (213), provided for contain the identification information of said entity (101), means (214) of reception of identification information of communication equipment-other user entities (102), associated with memory means (215) of identification of other entities (102), intended to contain the identification information of other entities (102),

- Means (216) for receiving and storing polling messages, arranged to control: means (217), comprising said means for transmitting information (212), for composing and sending messages back identification comprising the identification information (IDl), extracted from the own identification memory means (213), means (218), associated with said means for receiving information (214), for receiving and storing identification messages, arranged to read identification information specific to other entities (102) and provide it to:

means (219) for comparing the information read with information for choosing another entity (102), target, contained in memory means (220) for choosing a target, arranged to present a result of the comparison,

- Means (221) for validating a selection of another entity (102), arranged to compose and transmit messages, for selective validation of polling messages sent, returning, after storage in the memory means (215) d other entity identification (102), other entity identification information (102) received by the means (218) for receiving and storing identification information, means (222) for receiving validation messages, arranged to extract the identification information from the entity in question (101), for the compare to the identification information of the own identification memory means (213), and to, in the event of a match, order the means (216) for receiving and storing scan messages to validate a corresponding scan message previously received and stored, by storing with it an indication of validation, in association with the other entity identification information (102) received by said means (214) for receiving identification information from other entities .

31. Communication equipment according to one of claims 29 and 30, integrated in a cellular radiotelephone terminal.