FR2675329A1 - Method for carrying out telephone call transfers in a telephone network, and system for implementing the method - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method, in a telephone network which is adapted for providing a telephone call transfer service, for carrying out the transfer of a call intended for a first telephone subscriber instrument, from this first instrument to a second subscriber instrument. According to this method, the person requesting the transfer sends, from the first telephone instrument, a transfer message containing the number of the second instrument. The method is characterised in that a telephone call transfer terminal (TR) is provided, to which a certain number of telephone numbers are allocated, and that it is equipped with automatic dialling means which are suitable for sending the abovementioned telephone transfer messages, one of these numbers is allocated to the said person requesting, a control unit (O) of the dialling means is associated with the transfer terminal (TR), and this control unit (O) is linked via a communications network (RC) to telephone transfer request devices (DR1 to DRm), which can be actuated by the persons requesting the transfer. The invention can be used in the field of telephone communications systems.

Description

 The invention relates to a method for carrying out, in a telephone network suitable for providing a service for forwarding telephone calls, the forwarding of a call intended for a telephone subscriber station, from this station to another subscriber station, that the forwarding requester causes a forwarding message containing the number of the forwarding recipient to be sent from the forwarded subscriber station. The invention also relates to a system for implementing this method.

 A method and a system of the type which has just been described are already known.

 In the known system, the telephone set whose number has been returned is generally a set equipping a place where the subscriber normally wishes to receive telephone calls. In addition, such a station generally serves as a means of communication for several people.

 However, since it is impossible to reach the returned number by telephone, the fact that one of its people wishes to benefit from a forwarding, prevents the other people from receiving telephone calls there. This obviously constitutes a considerable drawback. In addition, to cancel or modify call forwarding, it is necessary to send from the returned telephone set a call cancellation cancellation command, which also significantly limits the usefulness of the telephone forwarding service offered by the network.

 The object of the present invention is to propose a method and a system for telephone forwarding which do not have the drawbacks of the prior art, which have just been described.

 To achieve this aim, the method according to the invention is characterized in that a telephone call forwarding terminal is provided to which a certain number of telephone numbers are assigned and that automatic numbering means adapted for transmitting the aforementioned telephone forwarding messages, assigns one of these numbers to a requester of a telephone forwarding, associates with the forwarding terminal a control unit for the dialing means and connects this control unit via a communication network to communication devices request for telephone referrals operable by referral seekers.

 The system for implementing the method according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises an abovementioned telephone forwarding terminal equipped with automatic numbering means and to which a certain number of telephone numbers is assigned, each of which is attributable to a requester of a telephone forwarding, a computer to control the automatic numbering means, call forwarding request devices intended for one of the telephone numbers assigned to the specific telephone forwarding terminal to another telephone set, and a communication network of telephone forwarding messages connecting said computer to said telephone forwarding request devices.

The invention will be better understood and other objects, details and advantages thereof will appear more clearly in the light of the explanatory description which follows of two embodiments given solely by way of nonlimiting examples, with references to the drawings. nonlimiting annexed in which
- Figure 1 shows in the form of a block diagram a system of telephone call forwarding according to the present invention
- Figure 2 illustrates in the form of a block diagram a first embodiment of a telephone call forwarding terminal according to the present invention; and
- Figure 3 shows in the form of a block diagram a second embodiment of a telephone call forwarding terminal, according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1, which generally shows a system for diverting telephone calls according to the present invention, RT designates a telephone network equipped with means ensuring a service for diverting telephone calls from a telephone subscriber station to a another telephone subscriber station connected to the RT network. The telephone sets bear the PT references. Indices 1, 2, 3 ... n indicate the presence of 1 to n positions
PT.

The telephone call forwarding system proposed by the invention essentially comprises a telephone call forwarding terminal TR which is equipped with automatic numbering means, a control unit for the numbering means such as a computer device O which is connected by a computer link Li1 to the forwarding terminal TR and by a computer link Li2 to an interface IF of a communication network RC such as the telephone network or any other appropriate message transmission network, as well as a certain number of call forwarding request devices
DR1 to DRm allowing call forwarding requesters to send their phone forwarding messages.

 The telephone network, generally a public telephone network, could be of the type comprising individualized analog telephone lines, for example traditional ones used for the vast majority by individuals, Direct Selection on Arrival (SDA) lines, used by companies. of a certain size or of the Digital Integrated Service Network (ISDN) type, which offer transport capacities and a range of telephone services much more developed than individual or DID lines. Of course the telephone forwarding system according to the invention is compatible in principle with networks having other types of telephone lines.

 Regarding PT telephone sets, they can be of any known type, fixed or mobile.

The telephone call forwarding terminal TR is equipped with automatic numbering means which are controlled by the computer O and capable of receiving and executing simple orders issued by the computer, of the type: "pick up the line", "dial telephone number
XYZ "," listen to the telephone line1 ,, and "send a signal in the presence of continuous tones" and send a computer signal to the computer when requested.

 The forwarding terminal can be produced in various ways, in particular depending on the type of connection to the telephone network. Figures 2 and 3 show two embodiments of this station.

 FIG. 2 shows a telephone forwarding terminal TR for a network comprising individualized analog lines. This terminal essentially comprises an input interface 1 for connection to the computer link Li1 which can be formed by a computer line of type V 24. This interface connects the computer line to an internal bus to which a microprocessor 2 and a certain number of are connected. telephone line interfaces 3 identified by LT. Each interface 3 comprises a numbering device known per se and therefore not shown. Each dialing device is assigned a telephone number which could be assigned to a call forwarding requester. The forwarding terminal TR has a separate telephone line LT for each dialing device.

The microprocessor 2 is programmed to listen to the interface 1 so as to be able to receive, from the computer 0, telephone forwarding messages. I1 then gives the order to the numbering device connected to the telephone line LT, the telephone number of which has been assigned to the caller, to carry out the operations necessary for the forwarding of telephone calls intended for this telephone number to another telephone set among PT1 positions at
PTn whose telephone number is communicated to the numbering device. Then the microprocessor sends through the interface 1 to the computer O a message informing the latter of the execution of the order of return or of its non-execution. The numbering device of the interface 3 addressed by the microprocessor 2 is suitable for receiving the order from the microprocessor and for carrying out, for the execution of the order, taking the telephone line, waiting for the invitation from the network to dial the number of the telephone set to which calls must be forwarded and which is indicated by the microprocessor, waiting for the tone to verify that this operation has been completed and to finally send a message relating to the execution of the order to the microprocessor.

 FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of a telephone forwarding terminal TR which is equipped with a self-switching device known per se and adapted to be connected to a network using so-called Numéris lines in SDA (Direct Selection on Arrival). Such a reference station essentially comprises an interface 5 allowing its connection to the computer line Li1 coming from the computer 0, a microprocessor 6, a program memory indicated at 7 and reference tables 8. These elements constituting the unit central station are connected by a bus device shown schematically, on the one hand, to the interface 5 and, on the other hand to an interface device 10 for connection to the RT telephone network. This forwarding station using a PABX has the important advantage of needing only a single connection to the telephone network (connection of the Numéris SO or TO or T2 type) to manage several tens and potentially several hundred applicants, thus replacing several tens or hundreds of numbering devices of the type used in the forwarding station according to FIG. 2 and associated with as many individualized analog telephone lines.

 In this embodiment, the central unit is adapted to manage the usual functions of the automatic exchange, in particular the DID lines, to listen to the orders transmitted on the interface 5 for connection to the computer line Li1, to update the line forwarding tables 8 from the information transmitted by the interface 5 of the computer line Li1 and to use the forwarding tables thus modified so that call forwarding can be carried out correctly.

The devices for requesting a DR telephone forwarding can also be implemented in various ways. They could be produced in the form of computer devices, in particular computer terminals such as Minitels (connected by the telephone network and / or the Transpac network), alphanumeric terminals (locally connected by computer link, for example of the V 24 type, BSG , Ethernet or
Token Ring or remotely via the telephone network and / or the Transpac network). The DR devices could also be formed by telephone devices allowing the reception of voice messages (normal function of the telephone) and the emission of commands thanks to the voice frequencies). Of course the computer O must be adapted and programmed to be complementary to the requesting devices DR.

The operation of the telephone forwarding system according to the invention, which has just been described, and the various stages of the method which it makes it possible to carry out already emerge from the preceding description. It is therefore understood that a person wishing that telephone calls can reach him at different places equipped with a telephone subscriber station requests the granting of one of the telephone numbers assigned to the call forwarding station DR, by example NO XYX. It is only this telephone number that he will indicate to potential callers. Then the requester connects his request device to the appropriate interface and establishes communication with computer 0. If he has a Minitel device, he uses the telephone network to connect to the interface (a modem in a simple case) and establish a dialogue using the Minitel screen and keyboard with the computer. I1 indicates to the latter that he wants these calls to end up at the telephone number XYZ and disconnects when the Computer indicates that his request has been taken into account. The dialogue between the request for a referral and the computer could, for example, involve the display of a list of numbers known in advance on the Minitel screen (including the number
XYZ) and asks the caller if they want to forward these calls to one of their numbers. I1 would then suffice if the caller simply indicates that he chooses for example the third of the numbers displayed, which would then be the number
XYZ. The computer then transmits to the dialing device assigned to the caller, if it is a telephone network with individualized analog lines, the order to send the sequence of numbers which will be interpreted by the telephone network as "return calls intended for the numbering device to number XYZ. For the French public network the message sent would be * 21 * XYZ *. The numbering device sends this message and ensures that the request for return is taken into account. When a caller calls the phone number
XYX of the dialing device, this call will be forwarded to the XYZ number indicated by the caller. If the latter now wants the calls to no longer reach the XYZ number but the ABC number, he connects his request device again to the interface, establishes a communication with the computer and gives the latter the order to reference to ABC number. The latter will then indicate to the dialing device to carry out two commands in sequence, namely the cancellation of the previous forwarding and the new forwarding to the ABC number. All calls will then be diverted to the new ABC number.

 Of course, the indications concerning the structure of the means used in the context of the telephone forwarding method according to the invention have been given only by way of example and can be produced in any other appropriate manner as long as they allow implementing the essential characteristics of the invention which are described.

Claims (6)

 1. Method for carrying out in a telephone network adapted to provide a service for forwarding telephone calls, the forwarding of a call intended for a first telephone subscriber station, from this first station to a second subscriber station, according to which the forwarding requester causes the sending from the first telephone set, a forwarding message containing the number of the second station, characterized in that there is provided a terminal (TR) for forwarding telephone calls, to which a certain number of telephone numbers is assigned and that is equipped with automatic numbering means suitable for transmitting the aforementioned telephone forwarding messages, assigns one of these numbers to said caller, associates with the forwarding terminal (TR) a control unit ( O) numbering means, and connects this control unit (O) by a communication network (RC) to devices for requesting telephone calls (DR1 to DRm), operable by r referral seekers.  2. System for implementing the method according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a aforementioned telephone call forwarding terminal (TR), equipped with automatic numbering means and to which a certain number of numbers is assigned telephones each of which is attributable to a requester for a telephone forwarding, a computer (O) for controlling the automatic numbering means, devices for requesting forwarding (DR1 to DRm) of calls intended for one of the telephone numbers assigned to the terminal call forwarding (TR), to another telephone set (PT), and a communication network (RC) connecting said computer to said telephone forwarding request devices (DR1 to DRm).  3. System according to claim 2, characterized in that the telephone call forwarding terminal (TR) comprises a microprocessor (2, 6) connected, on the one hand, by an interface (1, 5) to a computer link (lui1 ) of connection to the computer (O) and, on the other hand, to an interface device (3, 10) for connection to the telephone network (RT), which comprises the aforementioned numbering means, the microprocessor being programmed for order dialing by dialing means, the number of the telephone set (PT1 to PTn) to which calls are to be diverted, and diversion commands.  4. System according to claim 3, characterized in that, for a telephone network (RT) comprising individualized analog telephone lines, the telephone call forwarding terminal (TR) comprises a telephone line for each number that can be forwarded and in that each line is associated with a telephone line interface (3) provided with a numbering device, the microprocessor (2) being programmed to selectively control the numbering means associated with the line of the returned number.  5. System according to claim 3, characterized in that, to be usable for a telephone network (RT) using in particular telephone lines such as lines in Direct Selection on Arrival, the terminal for forwarding telephone calls (TR ) comprises a PABX and an interface device (10) for a connection to the telephone network for managing a large number of numbers to be returned, such as several thousand, and telephone forwarding tables (8), and what the microprocessor (6) is adapted to update the reference tables (8) from information received by the interface (5) for connection to the computer (o) and to use the reference tables set to day, for call forwarding, in addition to performing the management of the usual functions of the automatic exchange.  6. System according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the request devices (DRi to DRm) of a telephone forwarding are formed by computer devices including computer terminals such as Minitels devices, alphanumeric terminals or by telephone devices allowing the reception of voice messages and the emission of command thanks to the voice frequencies.