FI105869B - Method for creating a time-controlled availability service and determination of the properties for temporary call routing - Google Patents

Description

1 105869

The present invention relates to a method for implementing a time-controlled availability service and a method for determining the properties of a temporary call forwarding service.

Such methods are used to provide accessibility services over a telephone network. In most reachability services, the client, such as the reachee, defines at least one of the 10 reachability chains for the telecommunication operator providing the service, whereby calls made to the call number associated with the reachability service are connected to the telephone lines. The availability chain can contain, for example, 2-5 phone numbers. The call made to the called person's call number is first linked to the first number in the availability chain, and if the first number is not answered within a predetermined time, the call is connected to the second number in the 15 availability chains. If no other number is answered, the call will continue to be connected in the chain. This is done until the call is connected to the last number in the availability chain, which is usually set to the voicemail or voicemail number. Naturally, the call coupling in the availability chain is also terminated if the call is answered or the A-subscriber 20 closes the call. Alternatively, in a simpler reach service, the reach chains can each be replaced by a single response point.

In order for a customer to make the most of the accessibility service, there are usually several, e.g. two or three, accessibility chains defined for the accessibility service. The reach chains for the client to be reached in this way can be designed, for example, with one reach chain for work time at the workplace, another for business travel and a third for leisure time. Switching between availability chains, ie switching an active availability chain to another availability chain, for example, is done by calling a specific service number, where, after any password verification, the tone frequency keystrokes are defined. 30 with the current availability chain from that moment forward. The switching between the 105869 availability chains can also be done in a time-controlled manner, whereby the availability chain is switched to another at predetermined times.

According to the prior art, time control is implemented such that at least two time control tables are attached to the availability number, one of which is active at a given time in accordance with a predetermined program. The time control tables thus have validity periods defined according to the time, days of the week and / or other information, and in themselves contain information on the routing of calls to the availability number to the actual subscriptions during the validity of that table. The time control table may have contained either a single response point or a reach chain of multiple 10 response points. In a typical example, there are two time control tables for each availability number, one for work and one for leisure.

In the prior art, exceptional situations of call control need have been addressed by temporarily disabling the time control and, once the situation returns to normal, the time control is switched on again. In some time-controlled accessibility services, the holder of this availability number may have been able to make a self-service, for example, through a user interface based on the voice dialing of the telephone. In exceptional cases, the necessary call control is made, for example, by a standard call forwarding from the base access number of the access number, and changes to the time control itself, such as the contents or validity times of the time control tables, are made through the service provider.

A drawback of the prior art is that, if one wishes to deviate from the normal call control situation, the time control has to be completely switched off. Turning on the time control then requires that the person being reached 25 actively switches the time control back on. In this case, forgetting to turn on time control ·, will result in calls to the access number being routed according to an emergency until the situation is noticed and logged. Thus, calls can arrive, for example, at a disturbing home number or even to another person or to another company. Even if you notice a faulty call control situation after 30 minutes, it may not be easy to fix it. Namely, restoring the call control situation to normal may require the unblocking of a call forwarding from 3 105869 base answering locations, while also representing, for example, extra travel to the workplace.

The object of the invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks and to provide a completely new type of method for implementing a time-driven availability service.

^ '......

It is a further object of the invention to provide a method for defining the properties of a temporary call forwarding in connection with a time-controlled availability service.

The invention is based on defining at least one adaptive control board for the accessibility service, which can be flexibly modified by the customer himself through a suitable interface 10. Through the same interface, the customer can also activate the adaptive control panel. Deactivation of the adaptive control panel, in turn, is set to occur automatically without customer intervention when the deactivation condition is met. Calls to the access number, on the other hand, are routed while the adaptive control panel is active, in accordance with the specifications contained therein, and otherwise in accordance with the instructions contained in the current time control table.

When the adaptive control panel is active, time control is not turned off, but remains inactive in the background. An adaptive control panel may include, for example, a single response point or an entire reach chain. Depending on the embodiments, a customizable control board can be used, for example, with a telephone with a tone dialer or a web interface. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the web interface can also be used to "change the configuration of time control tables. ............

More specifically, the method of implementing the time-based availability service according to the invention is characterized in what is disclosed in the characterizing part of claim 25.

The invention provides considerable advantages.

In the method according to the invention, the exceptional situations of time control can be implemented in such a way that the time control does not have to be completely switched off and the time control remains in the background. The time control and its corresponding time control tables return to 4,105,869 again in a predefined manner without the intervention of the person to be reached. Thus, the invention can also improve the accessibility of accessibility service customers and avoid the inconvenient redirection of calls to the wrong numbers.

The invention also has a number of inexpensive embodiments providing additional advantages.

If the adaptive control panel is configured to use the frequency dialing keypad update to provide a A-subscriber number obtained from a control call via a telecommunication network when dialing a service control number, the additional advantage is that the customer does not necessarily need to dial 10 keys. This will make updating the control panel smoother and more secure.

An advantageous embodiment of the invention that utilizes the web interface of the invention, in turn, has the added advantage that the web interface is able to clearly manage all the response points 15 of the adaptive control panel and the time control tables from wherever the network is accessed.

The invention will now be illustrated by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a flowchart illustrating the steps for activating or deactivating time control in one method of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a system used to implement a method of using the web interface according to the invention.

The basic idea behind adaptive time control through a smart phone network is to provide the accessibility service user with a flexible and simple way to manage their own ·. routing calls to their availability number to the correct 25 locations by time of day. The accessibility number itself in connection with the invention may be e.g. a national availability number or a conventional local telephone number connected to an accessibility service. When implementing the service, personalized control panels are created for each user in connection with the accessibility service. For example, the WWW-30 user interface can be provided to update these time control tables. Typically, there are two time control tables for each user, of which 5,105,869.

one for weekdays and one for weekends + calendar holidays. Of course, there may be more time control panels as needed, e.g. 3-6. The time control service is placed. the availability service, whereby the user is provided at each time with an access chain designed for the control of calls to his or her access number for this time, or, in a simpler embodiment, with a single answering position. Thus, the service operates similarly in the case where only one number is assigned to the time control tables and the adaptive time control table for connection of the calls.

Activation or deactivation of adaptive time control can be done either by the tone dialing of the telephone 10 or via the web interface. Telephone control is done by dialing a control number, through which the user can access the service menu after identity verification. From the service menu, you can select a function to activate or deactivate time control. The WWW interface, in turn, accesses the service's home page, 15 which accesses the user-specific page after querying the IDs. You can then activate or deactivate the time control and change the configuration of all control panels. Once the user has made the necessary changes, they can confirm the changes they want and wait for the changes to be accepted and the action to be acknowledged. The availability control server sends the change control request to the SCP (Service Control Point), and if the changes can be accepted, the server also sends an acceptance message to the client.

The basic idea behind adaptive time control is that you can change the current time control without having to disable the entire time control. Take, for example, the use and operation of adaptive time control by accessing 25 users with weekly time control tables programmed as: - ·, - call control from 08.00 to 16.30, first to the office phone and then to the accessibility chain e.g. mobile, secretary and voicemail, call control from 16.30 to 08.00.

When the user of the accessibility service, i.e. the person to be reached, leaves for example at 3:00 pm to the city to handle their affairs, he programs his accessibility service so that calls are routed directly to his mobile phone. So he activates the adaptive 6 105869 control break and places his mobile number in the answering position. In this example, the current validity of the adaptive control chain is defined so that the adaptive control chain goes out of service the next time control is triggered. In this case, the currently active time control table will be converted to the active control panel at that time. As a result, the person in the example will be caught on the cell phone after 3pm, but after 16:30 at the end of his working hours, calls to his access number will be directed only to the business phone and the person in the example will no longer be disturbed by business calls.

In order for adaptive time control to work, the intelligent network SCP must always be aware of the current time and day of the week. This information is needed by the SCP device in order to be able to route incoming calls correctly according to a time schedule defined by each user. The time information can be taken, for example, from the SCP device's own clock each time an incoming call to the availability service causes the SCP device to wake up. After checking the time, the SCP device goes through the time control tables and then provides the PBX with control information on how the call should be routed.

In some cases, it is advantageous to bring the prevailing time into the SCP from outside. This can be accomplished e.g. by using an external beacon. Clocking by means of an external dialing bot can be accomplished by setting the dialing bot to dial in the telephone exchange to one of the 20 specific numbers reserved for this purpose and setting the center to receive time information for the incoming call. The robot takes a new call as often as necessary, for example every 5-10 seconds. The external beacon 'may also be used if the SCP device is to be regularly excited, e.g. to continuously check current time control tables. Alternatively, the time control tables may also be managed on a server external to the SCP device, whereby the SCP device does not necessarily need to know the current time for the availability service, but receives directly the right control · · 'control instant from the server.

Thus, the method that produces the time-controlled reach service assigns each reachable person its own reach number and generates at least two time control tables for directing calls to the reach number, which includes instructions for controlling the calls to the reach number. An existing landline telephone number can also be set as a target number.

7 105869

Valid times are also defined for the time control tables so that the time control table valid at each moment is uniquely defined. In addition to the time control tables, the target person is provided with at least one adaptive control panel that can store one variable response location or an entire adaptive * 5 reach chain. The customer is also provided with a user interface, such as an audio frequency or web interface, which allows them to at least customize their adaptive control board and also to activate or deactivate it if necessary. The customer may also be empowered to customize their time control tables through a suitable interface.

Following these preparatory steps, the user, through the use of the method, can thus define, through his 10 interfaces, a temporarily valid reach chain to be stored in the adaptive control panel. When configuring an adaptive control panel, the client also activates this, whereby the adaptive control panel configuration overrides the actual time control panel configuration in telephone control. If one adaptive control panel 15 is already stored in the system memory per client, the client may of course be allowed to activate this table as is without any modifications. In any case, a deactivation condition must be set when the adaptive control panel is activated. A deactivation condition is a condition under which a call control system deactivates an adaptive control panel. When the adaptive control panel is deactivated, the current time control table becomes 20 active control panels. The setting of the deactivation condition can be implemented, for example, by the customer setting it, for example, by setting the time at which the adaptive control panel is shifted aside. If the customer does not specify a deactivation condition, the system should set it automatically. The automatic deactivation condition can be set, for example, such that the adaptive control panel is deactivated at a particular time of day, e.g. One preferred way is to perform deactivation so that adaptive control panels are always deactivated by time control *; ·. the next time it triggers, the next time control table comes into effect. Additionally, deactivation may be allowed to be performed by a separate * deactivation procedure performed by the customer.

30 The call control system must direct calls to the access number such that calls to the access number are routed when the adaptive control panel 8 105869 is active, in accordance with the specifications contained therein, or otherwise according to the instructions in the valid time control table.

When updating time control over the telephone, the system controlling the availability service must identify the customer calling the control number and retrieve the control panels of 5 customers from its memory. The customer's identity must also be verified, for example, with a password. In the preferred embodiment, customer identification is implemented by assigning each time control service customer a unique time control control number. In this case, the RIS controlling the availability service already knows, based on the B-subscriber number, who the contact should be, and 10 steps are sufficient to retrieve this customer's information from the memory and verify the identity. Such an arrangement significantly reduces the load on the control system as compared to the normal way of conducting similar customer searches, i.e., using only one control number and identifying customers calling to that number, e.g. In the case of a single control number, 15 systems would have to be loaded with a search database and a large number of database searches. By using each time access control number for each availability number, the customer also has the advantage that the identification is already based on the B-subscriber number and the customer does not have to enter separate identifiers for identification.

20 In the method of Figure 1, when activating or deactivating the time control by dialing the telephone's tone frequency, the following steps are performed: 1. The user lifts the handset and dials the control number.

2. In the control number, the information device asks for the password and the user ID.

3. Perform a check by comparing the passwords with the B number.

• ·: 25 4. If the codes do not match, the information device will disconnect.

5. If authentication is successful and the time control server is established, the time control server will retrieve valid control tables.

6. The information device indicates the current status of the service (active or inactive) and asks if the client wants to change the status.

9 105869 7. The client selects the option for the server to switch service active / inactive. If the client wants to turn the time control inactive, that is, in the background, when the call control switches to the adaptive control panel, he / she will also be asked which or which answer points he / she wants to define in the adaptive control panel. Alternatively, he or she may be provided with an "adaptive control panel" in the form in which it was last used. This allows the customer to make changes to the most recently used adaptive control panel.

8. The information device informs you that the control is successful. The connection can be ended.

10

The updating of the adaptive control panel via the telephone, for example, may be effected, for example, by first providing the authorized A-subscriber number obtained from the control call via the telecommunications network to the respective switching place of the adaptive control panel. The customer can then either accept the provided A-subscriber number or enter another number. When using this feature, it is necessary to check whether that A-subscriber number is allowed before providing the A-number. Prohibited A-subscriber numbers that cannot be used in this service are, for example, alarm numbers and fault report numbers. This restriction must be made to prevent the vandalism of these important numbers. Other prohibited A-subscriber numbers 20 may be, for example, toll-free numbers to which an access number holder, e.g., *, the employer, does not necessarily want the user of the number, i.e. the person being reached, to transfer their calls. Permitted A-subscriber numbers, in turn, are A-subscriber numbers that are not prohibited.

Among the fixed numbers, secret 25 telephone numbers are an exception. To prevent unauthorized persons from accessing the secret phone • ..

: By accessing their own access service control number a from a subscription that has their own access, to find out or divert a secret phone number, the accessibility service control system should be set to operate so that A-subscriber number identification is not utilized for secret telephone numbers.

10 105869

2, updating the time-control control panels via a web-based or equivalent user interface may be accomplished in a system comprising a client access terminal 43, a public information network such as the Internet 42 to which the terminal 41 can connect, and a SCP device 44 in the telephone network communicating with the server 43 and an inspection database 45 in communication with the SCP device 44.

In the method of Figure 2, the following steps are performed when updating the time control service control tables via the web interface: 10 31. The client accesses the accessibility service control service web page on the terminal 41.

32. The guidance service recognizes the customer.

33. Server 43 provides the customer's personal control panels.

34. The customer changes their control panel to their preference.

15 35. Client sends modified control panels to server 43.

36. The server 43 forwards the modified control tables to the SCP device 44.

37. The SCP device 44 checks from the audit database 45 that changes are allowed and sends an approval to the server 43.

38. Server 43 notifies the client that the change has been activated.

20

Solutions other than those described above may also be contemplated within the scope of the invention. For example, the control functions described above may be implemented on an IP device or on an external server instead of SCP. In addition, the multi-link can also be controlled by means of, for example, short messages of a digital mobile phone, such as GSM-25 SMS. In this case, the system is provided with a short message server which m processes short messages sent to the server and forwards the control information contained therein to the system controlling the availability service. In principle, the availability chain can also be implemented by placing two parallel subscriptions in one access point 105869 π of the availability chain, whereby the call to be connected will ring simultaneously in both of these subscriptions.

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Claims (5)

12 105869 A method for implementing a time-controlled availability service, the method comprising: 5. assigning an access number to a customer, establishing at least two time control tables for directing calls to the access number, including instructions for directing access calls to the access number, defining a time control table a call control system for controlling calls to the access number such that calls can be routed as needed in accordance with the instructions in the current time control table, characterized by: 15. providing at least one adaptive control panel including memory space for storing at least one response position; , will be assigned to each of them below the control panel deactivation condition and set 20 call control system to deactivate the active adaptive control panel when the deactivation condition is met, set the call control system to control the incoming number • w while the adaptive control panel is active according to the specifications contained therein and otherwise valid time. n 105869 A method according to claim 1, characterized in that, in order to modify the control panel, a accessibility service control number corresponding to the availability number corresponding to the access number is formed and assigned to the client. « Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the deactivation condition is set to be fulfilled the next time the valid time control table changes. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the deactivation condition 10 is set to be fulfilled at a time specified by the availability service provider. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by requesting the client to notify the service control system of the time when the IS wants the adaptive control panel to be deactivated, and the deactivation condition is ordered to be fulfilled at the time specified by the client. * «14 105869