FR2784837A1 - ECONOMIC METHOD OF COMMUNICATING TWO TERMINALS THROUGH THE INTERNET AND COMMUNICATION TERMINAL - Google Patents

Abstract

Method for placing at least two communication terminals (1, 3) in communication through a computer network of the Internet type (6), in which, the two terminals (1, 3) being connected to a telephone communication network ( 7), prior to establishing communication, - one of the two terminals (1) calls the other terminal (3) through the telephone network (7), - the called terminal (3) identifies the calling terminal (1 ), without picking up the telephone line, using an identification element provided by an identification service (8), searches for said identification element in a table containing identification elements of a plurality of correspondents on the computer network for, in the case where said table contains the element of identification of the calling terminal (1), to deduce that the latter calls it to communicate in real time through the computer network (6).

Description

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  ECONOMIC PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION OF

  TWO TERMINALS THROUGH THE INTERNET AND TERMINAL

COMMUNICATION

  A computer network such as the Intemrnet allows interlocutors, equipped with a communication terminal, to communicate with each other by

real time.

  To connect to the Internet, a terminal must have access to the Internet, provided by an ISP server. It can be a telephone access, for example by the PSTN network (Switched Telephone Network), or even an access by a local network, such as a corporate network, directly connected to the Internmet. In any case, the cost of long distance communication is much more advantageous over the Internet than over an ordinary telephone network. In the case of telephone access, the interlocutor only pays the cost of telephone communication with the access provider, which is generally carried out locally, and, in the case of access via a local network, communication over the Internet itself is free. In short, the cost advantages of

  the internet are extremely important.

  However, the Internet has certain drawbacks.

  One of these drawbacks results from the fact that the communication terminals do not generally connect permanently to the Intemrnet, but only when necessary, for example to consult an electronic mailbox or to visit a website. Offline, terminals cannot therefore be notified of an "incoming call" on the Internet. The users of the terminals can of course agree beforehand to communicate via the Internet at a determined time, for example by telephoning in a conventional manner. However, the users are not immune to the cost of communication in this case.

telephone prior.

  The present invention first proposes a more economical solution to allow a calling terminal to invite a called terminal to communicate with it in real time over the Internet, and more

  generally through any other computer network of this type.

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  To this end, the invention relates to a method of connecting at least two communication terminals through a computer network of the Internet type, in which, the two terminals being connected to a telephone communication network, prior to setting up in communication, one of the two terminals calls the other terminal through the telephone network, - the called terminal identifies the calling terminal, without picking up the telephone line, using an identification element provided by a service identification, searches for said identification element in a table 1o containing identification elements of a plurality of correspondents on the computer network for, in the event that said table contains the identification element of the calling terminal, in infer that this one

  calls him to communicate in real time over the computer network.

  Thanks to the invention, the two terminals agree to communicate with each other through the computer network, without picking up the line, and by

  therefore without paying the cost of a telephone call.

  In a preferred embodiment, in the case where the table of correspondents contains the element of identification of the calling terminal, said called terminal calls said calling terminal, through the telephone network, to inform it that it agrees to communicate with him and in

  real time across the computer network.

  In this case, the calling terminal only connects to the computer network

  if it receives the call from the called terminal.

  More preferably, in the event of a call from the calling terminal by the called terminal, said calling terminal identifies said called terminal without lifting the telephone line, using an identification element provided by a

identification service.

  Thus, a paid telephone communication is still avoided.

  Another drawback of a network such as the Internet is linked to the communication protocols used on this type of network. The Internet is a packet-switched network, using communication protocols by

  packets, in this case the TCP (Transfer Control Protocol -

  Transfer Control Protocol) and IP (Internet Protocol). In other words, the data to be transmitted is broken down

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  by the sender in data packets, transmitted over the Internet to the recipient, and recomposed by the latter. Each packet contains a destination address, called the recipient's "Internet Protocol" (IP) address, allowing the Internet to route the packet to the recipient. Generally, a communication terminal on the Internet has a dynamic IP address, in other words not fixed. Typically, the IP address of a terminal, assigned by its access provider, changes with each new connection of the terminal to the Internet. As a result, for two terminals to communicate with each other, in real time, through the Intermnet, each terminal must know the IP address of the other terminal, which is difficult in since these IP addresses are not regular.

  The present invention further aims to resolve this difficulty.

  Advantageously, - each terminal connects to the computer network then sends a communication request to a communication server containing two elements of identification of the two terminals respectively and its own address on the computer network, - the server associates the requests and sends to each

  terminal the address of the other terminal on the computer network.

  Preferably, the identification element of each terminal consists of a

  telephone number of said terminal on the telephone network.

  The invention also relates to a communication terminal, for implementing the above method, arranged to communicate through a computer network of the Internet type and through a telephone communication network, characterized in that it comprises means for storing a table of correspondents containing identification elements of a plurality of corresponding terminals of the computer network and means for searching for an identification element

  of a calling terminal in said table.

  The invention will be better understood using the following description of a

  particular embodiment of the communication method of the invention and of a particular embodiment of the terminal

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  communication for implementing the method, with reference to the single appended figure which represents a diagram of two terminals and of the Internet. The communication method of the invention aims to connect two communication terminals 1 and 3 through a computer network, in this case the Internet 6, via a server.

  Internet 5. 6.

  0o The two terminals 1, 3 are connected to a telephone network 7, in this case the switched telephone network (PSTN), through which they can communicate like conventional telephones, and each have access to the Internet 6 , here provided by an access provider server 2, 4. In addition, each terminal has a telephone call number on the telephone network 7 and has a service 8 for identifying the caller. This service 8, provided by the operator of the telephone network 7, allows the terminals 1, 3 to be informed, in the event of an incoming call, of the telephone call number on the telephone network 7 of the caller and of thus identify it. Terminals 1 and 3 being identical, only terminal 1 will now be described. The terminal 1 comprises a central control unit, a line interface comprising a modem for connection to the telephone network 7, a man-machine interface and, in memory, an operating system, software for connecting / disconnecting to the Internet 6 , communication software, in this case telephony, on the Internet 6, client software for communication via the Internet 6 and a table

Internet correspondents 6.

  The human-machine interface includes a microphone connected to an analog / digital converter, a loudspeaker connected to a digital / analog converter, an input keyboard, a display screen and a specific key for establishing communication through

the Internet 6.

  Internet connection / disconnection software 6 is intended to connect terminal 1 to Internet 6, by telephone connection to its supplier

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  access 2 through the telephone network 7, and to disconnect it from the Internet 6. The telephony software allows a user of the terminal 1 to dialogue with an interlocutor, in other words to communicate in real time by the

  voice, through the Internet 6, using the microphone and the speaker.

  Functionally, the telephony software comprises: - a compression / decompression module intended, in transmission, to compress the voice data to be transmitted and, in reception, to decompress io the received voice data, and - a TCP / IP module intended, in transmission, to decompose the data to be transmitted into data packets and, on reception, to recompose the data from received data packets, according to the TCP / IP protocols of

Internet communication 6.

  The table of correspondents on the Internet 6 contains the identification elements, in this case the telephone call numbers on the telephone network 7, of a plurality of corresponding terminals which can

  communicate with terminal 1 via the Internet 6.

  The client communication software is designed to have terminal 1 carry out a succession of communication steps, under the control of a user, by simply pressing the latter on the communication key through the 'Internet 6. These steps will be explained

  in the description of the communication method.

  Functionally, the client communication software includes in particular a module for finding the telephone call number of a calling terminal in the table of correspondents and a module for preparing a communication request and sending it to the server 5

of communication.

  The communication server 5 is an Internet server 6 comprising communication server software intended to put

  in terminal communication, via the Internet 6, at their request

  ci, as will be explained in the description of the implementation process

  communication. The method of establishing communication via the Internet 6 of the two terminals 1 and 3, for real-time communication between the terminal 1

  and terminal 3 through Intemrnet 6 will now be described.

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  The user of one of the terminals, here the terminal 1, enters the telephone call number on the telephone network 7 of the terminal 3, using the keyboard, and presses the communication key through the 'Internet 6 to command terminal 1 to communicate via the Internet 6 with terminal 3. Pressing the communication key via the Internet 6 triggers the execution of the client software

of communication.

  The steps to connect the two terminals 1 and 3, which

  will now be described, are executed automatically (i.e.

  say without user intervention) by terminals 1 and 3, by

  execution of their client communication software.

  Prior to setting up the connection, the terminal 1 calls the terminal 3 through the telephone network 7 and lets it ring here twice. The called terminal 3 identifies the calling terminal 1, without lifting the telephone line, using the telephone call number on the telephone network 7 provided by the caller identification service 8. It should be noted here that the telephone call number of a terminal constitutes

  an element of identification of this terminal.

  On the side of the called terminal 3, the reception of the call from the calling terminal 1 triggers the execution of the client software for establishing communication over the Internet 6. By executing this software, the terminal 3 searches for the telephone number received of terminal 1 in its table of correspondents on the Internet 6. This table effectively containing the telephone call number of terminal 1, terminal 3 deduces therefrom that terminal 1 calls it to then communicate with it and in real time, through

the Internet 6.

  The called terminal 3 then calls said calling terminal 1, through the telephone network 7, and let terminal 1 ring, here twice, to inform it that it agrees to communicate with it and in real time through the Internet 6. Said calling terminal 1 identifies said called terminal 3, without lifting the telephone line, using the telephone call number provided by the identification service 8, and deduces therefrom that terminal 1

  agrees to communicate with him through the Internet 6.

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  After the call from said called terminal 1 to said calling terminal 3, still by executing the client software for establishing communication, each terminal 1, 3 triggers the execution of the connection / disconnection software in order to connect to the Internet 6, automatically, by telephone connection through the telephone network 7 to its access provider 2, 4. Upon connection, each terminal 1, 3 obtains a new address on the Internet 6, called "IP address" (Internet Protocol - Internet Protocol), assigned

by its access provider 2, 4.

  io On the other hand, each terminal 1 (3) prepares a communication request intended to be sent to the server 5 and comprising - an issuer identification field, containing the telephone call number on the telephone network 7 from terminal 1 (3) sending the request, - a correspondent identification field, containing the telephone call number on the telephone network 7 of the corresponding terminal 3 (1), with which the sending terminal 1 (3) wishes communicate, and - an address field containing the current IP address of the terminal I (3)

  originator of the request, newly assigned by the server 2, 4.

  Each connection request thus contains two elements of identification (the telephone numbers) of the two terminals 1

and 3 respectively.

  Then the two terminals 1, 3 send to the implementation server

  communication 5 their communication request.

  The server 5 executes the following steps for establishing communication between the two terminals 1 and 3, by executing the server setting software.

communication.

  The server 5 establishes a list of the requests received. For each new request received, the server 5 does not immediately introduce it into the list of requests received, but first searches for a corresponding request in the

listing.

  It will be noted here that the server 5 determines that two requests correspond when one of the requests containing, in the issuer identification field, the telephone call number of a first terminal and, in the identification field number, the number

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  call call from a second terminal, the other request contains, conversely, in the issuer identification field, the telephone call number of the second terminal and, in the correspondent identification field , the telephone number of the first terminal. To determine whether two requests correspond, the server 5 compares the content of the issuer identification field and the content of the correspondent identification field of one of the requests respectively with the content of the correspondent identification field and the content of

  sender identification field of the other request.

  In the particular example of the description, the server 5 first receives the

  request sent by terminal 1, searches for a corresponding request in the list of requests received, as explained above, but finds none because the request from terminal 3 has not yet been received. The server 5

  then introduces the request from terminal 1 in the list of requests received.

  Then the server 5 receives the request sent by the terminal 3, searches for a corresponding request in the list of requests received and finds the request from terminal 1. It then associates the two corresponding requests from terminal 1 and from terminal 3, extracted from each request the IP address of terminal 1, 3 having sent it and finally sends each terminal 1, 3 the address

IP of the other terminal 3, 1.

  Then the server 5 deletes the request from terminal 3 as well as that from

  terminal 1 of the list of requests received.

  Ultimately, for each new request received, the server 5 searches for a corresponding request in the list of requests already received, by comparing the content of the issuer identification field and the content of the correspondent identification field of the new request. received respectively at the content of the correspondent identification field and at the content of the issuer identification field of each of the requests received from the list, to search for a corresponding request there. If necessary, the server 5 associates two corresponding requests, sends to each terminal the IP address of the other terminal and finally deletes the two requests (the request from the list and the new request received). Otherwise, it

  introduces the new request in the list.

  After receiving the IP address of the corresponding terminal 3, 1 by each terminal 1, 3, the client communication software triggers

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  the execution of the telephony software and activates a warning signal, here audible, to warn the user of the effective communication of the two terminals 1 and 3 through the Internet 6. The two users can then communicate in time real, as with a traditional telephone, through Intemrnet 6, using the microphone and the loudspeaker of their

  terminal 1, 3, by running the telephony software through Internet 6.

  During the communication, in a known manner, each terminal 1, 3 transmits to the other terminal 3, 1 voice data, corresponding to the digitized words of the user of the terminal 1, 3. This voice data is compressed and broken down into packets of data by the transmitting terminal 1, 3, these data packets are then transmitted through the Internet 6 to the receiving terminal 3, 1 which recomposes the data, decompresses it and converts it into analog signals which are transmitted from above -speaker. Each data packet contains the terminal's IP address

  receiver, allowing Intemrnet 6 to forward the packet to its destination.

  In the foregoing description, it is provided in the requests for implementation

  communication a specific address field to contain the IP address of the terminal sending the request. In a variant, the communication request does not include a specific IP address field but, the Internet 6 being a packet switched network, the request is broken down by the sending terminal into data packets which each contain l IP address of the sending terminal. On receipt of these data packets, the communication server extracts them

  the IP address of the terminal that issued the request.

  The two terminals could also be arranged to communicate

  over the Internet by fax or other means of communication.

  In the communication method described above, there is provided a step during which the called terminal 3 calls the calling terminal 1 through the telephone network 7, to inform it that it agrees to communicate with it through the 'Internet 6. Note that this

step is optional.

  Finally, we have just described the method of connecting two terminals. Likewise, more than two terminals could be connected. In this case, in a first phase of communication, one of the terminals would call the other terminals at

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  through the telephone network to invite them to communicate with it and in real time through the Intermnet. In a second phase, each terminal would send a communication request to the communication server. Each communication request sent by a terminal would include as many correspondent identification fields as there are terminals with which the requesting terminal wishes to communicate. The server would associate a plurality of corresponding requests (three, four or more, depending on the number of terminals) in order to extract the IP addresses of the terminals and send to each terminal

  io the IP addresses of the other terminals.

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Claims (9)

  1- A method of bringing at least two communication terminals (1, 3) into communication via a computer network of the Internet type (6), in which, the two terminals (1, 3) being connected to a communication network telephone (7), prior to communication, - one of the two terminals (1) calls the other terminal (3) through the telephone network (7), - the called terminal (3) identifies the calling terminal (1), without picking up the telephone line, using an identification element provided by an identification service (8), searches for said identification element in a table containing identification elements of a plurality of correspondents on the computer network (6) for, in the case where said table contains the element of identification of the calling terminal (1), deduce therefrom i5 that the latter calls it to communicate in real time through the network IT (6).   2- The method of claim 1, wherein, in the case where the table of correspondents contains the identifying element of the calling terminal (1), said called terminal (3) calls said calling terminal (1), through the telephone network (7), to inform him that he agrees to communicate with   him and in real time through the computer network (6).   3- The method of claim 2, wherein, in the event of a call from the calling terminal (1) by the called terminal (3), said calling terminal (1) identifies said called terminal (3) without lifting the telephone line, using a   identification element provided by an identification service (8).   4- Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein   each terminal (1, 3) connects to the computer network (6) then sends to a communication server (5) a communication communication request containing two elements of identification of the two terminals (1, 3) respectively and its own address on the computer network (6), - the server (5) associates the corresponding requests and sends to each terminal (1, 3) the address of the other terminal (3, 1) on the computer network (6 ). - Method according to claim 4, wherein the server (5) establishes a list of the requests received and, for each new request received, searches 12 2784837   a corresponding request in the list to, if necessary, associate these two requests and delete said corresponding request from the list, and,   otherwise, enter the new request in the list.   6- A method according to claim 5, wherein each request for communication between two terminals (1, 3) comprising an issuer identification field and a correspondent identification field containing the identification element respectively of the terminal sending the request and the identification element of the other terminal, the server (5) io compares the content of the transmitter identification field and the content of the correspondent identification field of each new request received respectively the content of the correspondent identification field and the content of the sender identification field of each request in the list   requests received, in order to search for a corresponding request.   7- Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the element   identification of each terminal (1, 3) consists of a call number   of said terminal on the telephone network (7).   8- Method according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, after setting   communication of the two terminals (1, 3) through the computer network (6), each terminal (1, 3) activates a warning signal to warn a user of the communication between the two terminals (1, 3) through the computer network (6).   9- Communication terminal, for implementing the method according to claim 1, arranged to communicate through a computer network of the Internet type (6) and through a telephone communication network (7), characterized in that it comprises means for storing a table of correspondents containing identification elements of a plurality of corresponding terminals of the computer network and means for searching for an identification element   of a calling terminal in said table.   10- Terminal according to claim 9, comprising means for preparing a communication request and sending it to a server of communication (5).