FR2797730A1 - Telephone communications system uses computer to identify first caller via his code, find another caller who made a compatible call and is waiting and connect them together - Google Patents

Abstract

A call is transmitted to the call management center with a code defining the type of person (e.g. male/female) and the service subscribed. The computer will identify the first caller and find another caller, who made a compatible call and is waiting, and connect them together.

Description

The present invention relates to a method of putting in immediate telephone relation of two persons equipped with a special card, usually prepaid, from a common intention and simultaneous anonymous contact and random on a basis of common interest.

Developments in computer science and telecomunication techniques have favored individual independence, but this autonomy of the individual has often developed at a certain isolation, especially in terms of social relations. The subject of the present invention is a method making it possible to remedy this individual isolation by putting in contact telephone contact two callers, from a single simultaneous intention of such a contact, which is always anonymous, on the basis of a community. 'interests.

such occasiomial individual contacts are usually made at gatherings or social events around a common interest, for example, colloquia for professionals of the same branch, or balls, for people of the opposite sex or not. These traditional meeting organizations require a physical presence, at a specific time and in an organizational framework that is sometimes expensive. The object of the present invention makes it possible to establish in a much more flexible manner, and less costly in time and money, such relational contacts, initially random but based on a common interest., Applied to the random context of developing contacts. based on a simple and economical telecommunication management technique.

 There are known telecommunications techniques hitherto geared to the setting in communication of called and well-known call lines, for example in the call routing systems in teleconferencing networks, such as that described in the international patent application. PCT WO 97/24864 in the name of the Canadian company Northem Telecom Ltd which describes a method of setting subscribers to a teleconference system from coded calls.

The method according to the invention implements, on the one hand, a subscription card to one or more services, in particular of the type of prepaid rechargeable card, mentioning the telephone access numbers to this or these services as well as to the ID code of the card, and secondly system type Computer Telephone Coupling (CTI) for connecting the telephone system to a management computer generating routing scenarios and setting communication of two almost simultaneous calls.

More generally, the subject of the invention is a method for setting subscribers on the telephone at least one connection service based on a common interest, characterized in that the subscriber calls are addressed with a code of subscription identifying the type of the caller and the service subscribes to a centralized call management server service, said service, by means of a computer telephone coupling system (CTI) and a site management computer, will identify the the calling subscriber's code and the called conferencing service and will connect to another calling subscriber who has made a compatible and not yet connected call.

Rechargeable prepaid cards for the implementation of the method have a confidential identification code making each card unique and may include a telephone number access to different services. Upon purchase, the card will have a defined amount of telephone units. In use, the code will indicate to the server the type of the card and the number of remaining units. The card can be recharged by making a special call number where an operator will reload. The payment can classically be made by credit card. We can also simply buy another card.

To evolve in the routing scenarios, the user will use the keys on his telephone keypad, the system having been programmed to know the actions to be performed according to the keys used.

 Thus, in an application scenario, the software will have to manage several elements such as: - cards of different types, - proprietary codes, - the number of units remaining on each card, - reloading in units, - the Choice of the route decided by the user A more detailed example of application of the method according to the invention to the organization of telephone contacts between persons of opposite sex or not will be described below with reference to the appended functional diagram illustrating a software structure required for this application.

For such an application, callers will use subscription cards differentiated according to the gender of their owner. Beyond a difference in physical appearance shape their color, these cards will be differentiated by a proprietary code formed by im @ string of logical characters, which will be referenced in a database. When using the card in an application scenario, the system will recognize whether the card belongs to a man or a woman.

If the prepaid card is used to make a call to a specific correspondent, this distinction will not have to intervene and the communication will be taxed at the planned rate.

On the other hand, if the card is used as part of the "relational" application known as "public relations", that is to say, to put men and women in direct contact with each other, the recognition of the particular digital code to each card and put in database will select the setting in communication.

Thus, a user of this service "public relations", man or woman, will make a call number of the service, the same for all. A greeting will ask the caller to provide the code number that owns their card. Upon receipt of this code, a second message will indicate that he can access the linking site by making the "1" or calling a preferential rate by doing the "2". When reading the codes of the callers who have chosen the "1", the system will recognize whether they are "men" or "women" cards. The caller will dial "0" or "1" depending on whether he wants to get in touch with a woman or a man. The system, having followed all these operations, will automatically connect a man and a woman callers with a woman or a man also callers. To avoid redundant communication after a first call, in the case of a search for contacts by one or other of the callers placed in communication, the server can be programmed to dismiss a new call in communication. these callers for a given period.

The attached functional diagram illustrates this process. From a card "man" or "woman" are emitted the unique number of call, then the code card, then the number the access chosen. The choice of "line" access will result in the conversation tone of a conventional call. The choice of access "public relations service" will lead to the corresponding server, which will proceed to the recognition of the type of card, to the type of person sought and finally to the immediate telephone contact of two callers of the opposite sex or no, based on the greater proximity of the calls, ie a call will be automatically connected to the next compatible call, to <u> ï </ U> tw perfectly random, to chance.m_e_ttant thus the users in simultaneous ron.

Beyond this example of simple application of organizing telephone contacts between people of the opposite sex or not, from a simultaneity of intention to establish such contact, initially anonymous and random, the method according to the invention allows the organization of social contacts from various services of common interest, such as those of clubs, associations or learned societies, to which it can serve as a vector of individualized contacts between the members, for a rather low organizational cost in the current context of development of telephone telecommunications.

 It should be noted that the method of the invention ensures an initial anonymity of contacts in complete security, in that it only identifies cards purchased in an impersonal manner and does not include a database containing elements of identification of the callers.

Claims (1)

<U> Claims </ U> 1- A method of placing subscribers in the telephone communication at least one connection service based on a common interest, characterized in that subscriber calls are addressed with a subscription code identifying the type of caller and service subscribes to a centralized call management server service, said service, by means of a computer telephone coupling system (CTI) and a site management computer, will identify the code of the call calling subscriber and the call-up service requested and will provide this connection with another calling subscriber who has made a call compatible and not yet connected. 2- method of setting in telephone communication of subscribers according to claim 1, characterized in that the subscription is provided by rechargeable prepaid cards comprising a telephone number for access to the various services available and a confidential identification code making unique each of the cards, each card having the purchase of a defined amount of telephone units, the code indicating to the server when using the number of units remaining. 3- method of placing in telephone communication subscribers according to claims 1 or 2, characterized in that it is applied to the organization of telephone contacts between people of the opposite sex or not on the basis of common intention and simultaneous of anonymous and random contacts. 4- method of placing in a subscriber telephone communication according to claim 3, characterized in that the callers use subscription cards differentiated according to the gender of their owner by a proprietary code formed of a logical character string, which will be referenced in a database, when using the card, the system will recognize whether the card belongs to a man or a woman to establish the porting. 5- method for placing in subscriber telephone communication according to claims 3 or 4, characterized in that, in order to avoid redundant call-ups after a first call, in the case of a continuation of contact search by the On the other of the callers placed in communication, the server is programmed to discard a further call of these callers during a given period. 6- A method of setting subscriber telephone communication according to claims 4 or 5, characterized in that, from a card "man" or "woman" issued the unique call number of the server, then the card code , then the number of the chosen access leading to the corresponding service, which will proceed to the recognition of the type of card, then to the seizure of the type of person sought and finally to the putting in immediate telephone contact of two callers of opposite sex or not , based on the availability of compatible calls not yet connected.