Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
  • H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
  • H04M3/44—Additional connecting arrangements for providing access to frequently-wanted subscribers, e.g. abbreviated dialling
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M2203/00—Aspects of automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
  • H04M2203/20—Aspects of automatic or semi-automatic exchanges related to features of supplementary services
  • H04M2203/2016—Call initiation by network rather than by subscriber
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M2203/00—Aspects of automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
  • H04M2203/65—Aspects of automatic or semi-automatic exchanges related to applications where calls are combined with other types of communication
  • H04M2203/652—Call initiation triggered by text message
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
  • H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
  • H04M3/487—Arrangements for providing information services, e.g. recorded voice services or time announcements
  • H04M3/493—Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
  • H04M3/4931—Directory assistance systems

Definitions

• the present invention generally relates to telephone communication, and more specifically to short-cut accessing ca lies by callers.
• PSTN - public switched telephone network namely a network of both analog and digital telephone systems, including land-line and mobile telephones.
• VoIP - Voice-over-Internet protocol namely a protocol optimized for the transmission of voice through the Internet or other packet- switched networks.
• Telephone switch - a system of electronic components that connects telephone calls.
• Database - a structured collection of records or data.
• VSP - VoIP Service Provider VSP - VoIP Service Provider
• the stored data is adapted to be transferred from one device to the other, being in the form of a pre-installed SIM card, through the use of a software designed for this purpose, or through the use of the "Blue Tooth” technology, provided that both sides are equipped with the required facilities.
• a method of processing telephone calls between a caller and a callee via a Voice over Internet Protocol Service Provider (“VSP") / the caller having an account stored in a database of the VSP identifying at-least the contact number of the caller the method being characterized by the steps of: calling the VSP by the caller through a local number of the VSP; contacting the caller by the VSP; receiving by the VSP from the caller the contact number of callee; storing in a database of the VSP the contact number of the callee; annexing to the callee contact number and storing in the database a Personal Identification Number (PIN) allocated by the VSP; advising by the VSP the callee's PIN; and completing by the VSP the connection between the caller and the callee,
• PIN Personal Identification Number
• a further enhancement would be attained by requesting the caller to provide a PIN of the callee, e.g. via dial-tone, or voice signal, whereby the PIN of callee number will be stored on VSP database, associated with the caller PIN, to be retrieved upon request by caller.
• FIG. 1 is a schematic over-view of processing a long distance call via VSP
• FIG. 2a is a flow-chart illustrating a method of creating a new phone-book entry via a specified VSP, in accordance with a disclosed embodiment of the invention
• FIG. 2b is a flow-chart illustrating another method for creating a new phone-book entry on VSP database, in accordance with an alternate embodiment of the invention
• FIG. 2c illustrates the option of synchronizing a hand-held phonebook with the virtual phone-book using VSP internet website integrated with dedicated software stored at the VSPs site;
• FIG. 3a is a flow-chart illustrating a method for connecting a designated callee via virtual phone-book by dialing VSP contact number followed by. callee PIN, in accordance with a modified embodiment of the invention
• FIG. 3b is a flow-chart illustrating a method for connecting a designated callee via virtual phone-book specifying a unique identification method (i.e. voice, PIN) after requested by the VSP;
• FIG. 3c is a flow-chart illustrating a method for establishing connection with designated callee via SMS message sent to VSP;
• FIG. 4 is a flow-chart illustrating a method for establishing a call by a previously called callee routed through the VSP of the calling party without creating an account by callee.
• FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a system for Internet-based telephony, combined with PSTN telephony as generally used today, e.g. by JAJAH ® .
• Calls are initiated by a caller (in, e.g. Israel) dialing a local phone number of the VSP, usually by using PSTN telephony such as cellular- phone or any other PSTN telephone.
• the local VSP will transfer the call via VoIP to its associated VSP in the country Of the callee (e.g. the USA), which, in turn, contacts the US callee again via PSTN communication network, and complete the call.
• a caller initiates a long-distance call by dialing a local VSP phone number (at step 1).
• the VSP system identifies the caller contact number and logs into his account (step 2).
• the system automatically allocates a virtual space, creating a new account identified by (at-least) the caller contact number. After accessing the caller account, a recorded vocal announcement asks the caller to provide callee contact number (usually with # at its end - step 4).
• the VSP will store the callee contact number in its database (stage 6) along with a automatically created number uniquely associated with the respective callee.
• the PINs will be formed in a series 01, 02, 03, etc. (step 7).
• the allocated callee PIN will be announced to the caller for future use as part of the building-up of his "virtual phone-book”.
• the caller should annex the PIN to the contact number of this callee next to his/her name in caller's address-book, as stored in his/her cell-phone (or SIM card), for future use (see below).
• the caller can choose several options such as to complete the call; to confirm the entry; to confirm the entry and discontinue communication; to cancel the entry of the callee identification in the database; etc..
• FIG. 2b is a modified embodiment of that of FIG. 2a.
• step 5 the VSP will ask the caller (e.g. by voice announcement) for a unique personal identification of the respective callee of his/her choice (step 7).
• the caller may chose to identify the callee, either by selecting a PIN or by a voice signal. Selection of the preferred option can be effected by clicking on one of the options offered by the announcment (step 8).
• the identification After selecting the mode of identification and providing the VSP with the unique identification, the identification will be stored in the "virtual phone-book" in association with the respective callee contact number (step 9) to be retrieved upon request by caller.
• the operation cycle is completed by step 10 which remains unchanged.
• a caller to synchronize his hand-held phone-book (containing all caller contacts) with the virtual phone-book, using dedicated software provided by the VSP for allowing access to its database.
• the subscriber logs into. his account at the VSP internet website, usually by using his telephone number as Username and an identifying Password provided by VSP.
• a GUI graphics user interface
• FIG. 3a exemplifies the mode of initiating a call intermediate the virtual phone-book.
• the caller dials the local VSP number (e.g. *123), followed by the callee PIN (as described in FIG. 2a, e.g. 01, namely *123-01), or the callee PIN (as described in FIG. 2b, e.g. 658, namely *123-658), as the case may be.
• the caller dials the local VSP number (e.g. *123), followed by the callee PIN (as described in FIG. 2a, e.g. 01, namely *123-01), or the callee PIN (as described in FIG. 2b, e.g. 658, namely *123-658), as the case may be.
• the VSP identifies the caller, access caller virtual phone-book, identifies by the respective contact number annexed to the callee PIN, and hence completes the connection of the caller with the callee without any further processing.
• client-side platform e.g. cellular-phone or SIM card
• client-side platform e.g. cellular-phone or SIM card
• FIG. 3b is a flow-chart illustrating a further modified embodiment of the invention, namely, connecting a designated callee using the virtual phone-book provoked, however, by alternative identification means.
• Steps (1) to (3) of FIG 3a are repeated.
• the VSP system will then ask the caller to identify the callee, by either the PIN of his/her choice, or by a voice signal (e.g. the pronounced name of the callee), all as described in connection with FIG. 2b.
• the system will trace in the VSP database the callee number related with the unique identification on caller "phone-book" and establish connection between caller and callee (stages 6 - 8).
• the caller sends an SMS message to the VSP local number, containing callee PIN (step 1).
• the system will identify the SMS sender as the caller and the SMS message contents as callee PIN (step 2); access the sender address-book (step 3); and dial simultaneously both to caller and to callee, stalling callee's dial slightly for enabling the caller to respond first (step 6) thus simulating a direct call initiated by the caller.
• a ringing tone will be played at his/her end (step 8) while waiting the callee to responde. Only upon the callee response (lifting the phone) the VSP will complete the connection between caller and callee (step 9).
• the local branch of the VSP will receive the call, compare it to the recorded database, retrieve the PIN of the callee (9669 in our example) by which it can identify the callee contact number (9876 in our example) and process the call.
• the VSP company shall charge the local telephone company for (1) the initial local call 4567; (2) the VoIP processing; and (3) for the local call to 9876.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Telephonic Communication Services (AREA)

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Publications (1)

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• 2008
  • 2008-06-22 JP JP2010512838A patent/JP2010530697A/ja active Pending
  • 2008-06-22 EP EP08763601A patent/EP2171998A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2008-06-22 MX MX2009014032A patent/MX2009014032A/es not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2008-06-22 BR BRPI0811802-7A2A patent/BRPI0811802A2/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2008-06-22 WO PCT/IL2008/000843 patent/WO2008155773A1/en active Application Filing

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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