FR2834167A1 - Mobile telecommunications network money exchange service having first/second exchange device established and conversion sum speech acquisition with calculation conversion sum/speech synthesis converted sum - Google Patents

Abstract

The currency conversion server service has a terminal connected to the communications network. Communication is established (6) between a user and a server. Speech is acquired (7) from the server identifying the first exchange and second exchange device. Speech acquisition (8) is carried out of the sum to convert, and a calculation (9) of the conversion to the second exchange made. Speech synthesis (10) of the converted sum is carried out.

Description

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 The invention relates to the field of telecommunications and more particularly to the services available on a telecommunications network and to the associated systems. In particular, the invention relates to a currency conversion service accessible from a communication terminal, such as a mobile terminal.

 Currently, several mobile terminals such as the OT701 and OT 511 mobile telephones from the company Alcatel-France or such as the Ozeo 808 mobile telephone from the company Philips-France have a calculator function which makes it possible to perform calculations such as divisions. Such a function is restrictive in that it requires entering for each operation the different arguments of the operation. In anticipation of the introduction of the new European currency, some mobile phones like the Ozeo 808 from Philips-France and the OT 511 from Alcatel-France also offer a conversion function into euros, or even a function currency conversion for OT 511 from Alcatel-France and Cosmo from Trium-France. Such telephones allow a user to obtain the conversion of a determined amount from a first currency to a second currency which may be the euro. The euro conversion function allows conversions without having to enter the conversion rate French franc / euro for each operation. The disadvantage of this function is that it is limited to conversions between the franc and the euro.

Advantageously, the currency conversion function makes it possible to convert any currency. However, such a function requires entering for each operation the rate of the currency and therefore requires knowing this rate.

 One of the objectives of the invention is to provide a currency conversion service, from a first currency to a second currency, accessible by a user from a communication terminal, which does not have the aforementioned drawbacks and in particular which does not require the user to know the rate of the second currency in relation to the first currency.

 To this end, the present invention relates to a currency conversion service, from a first currency to a second currency, accessible by a user from a communication terminal connected to a communication network. Each time the user requests access to the service, the service includes the following steps: - establishing communication between the user and an interactive voice server on the network,

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 - to acquire in voice form by the server an identifier of the first currency and an identifier of the second currency, each identifier being selected by the user from among the identifiers of a list of currencies, - to acquire in voice form by the server an amount to be converted from the first currency to the second currency, - to be calculated by the server, using a currency conversion table, the amount converted to the second currency, - to be synthesized in voice form by the server the amount converted.

 The invention further relates to a manufactured product, intended for use in a computer system comprising an interactive voice server to allow the conversion of currencies, from a first currency to a second currency, at the request of a user connected to the computer system from a communication terminal and via a communication network. The manufactured product includes a support usable in a computer and coded means readable by the computer to cause: the establishment of communication between the user and the interactive voice server, the acquisition in voice form by the interactive voice server an identifier of the first currency and an identifier of the second currency, each identifier being selected by the user from among the identifiers of a list of currencies, the acquisition by voice by the server of an amount to convert from the first currency to the second currency, - the calculation by the server, using a currency conversion table, of an amount converted into the second currency, - the synthesis in voice form by the server of the amount converted.

The manufactured product may as well be a floppy disk, CD-ROM, cassette, magnetic tape, or any equivalent product.

 The invention further relates to an interactive voice server for converting currencies from a first currency to a second currency, the server being accessible by a user from a communication terminal and via a communication network. The interactive voice server comprises: - means for establishing communication with the user, - means for acquiring in voice form an identifier of the first currency and an identifier of the second currency, each identifier being selected by the user from among identifiers of a currency list,

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 means for acquiring in voice form an amount to be converted from the first currency to the second currency, - means comprising a currency conversion table for calculating the amount converted into the second currency, - means for synthesizing the amount in voice form converted.

 Thus, by connecting a user to an interactive voice server comprising a currency conversion table, a service according to the invention allows the user to obtain the conversion of a first currency into a second currency d 'a specified amount. The invention solves the problem posed because the user does not need to memorize the conversion rates of the currencies between them; these rates being memorized by the server.

 Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of particular and nonlimiting examples of embodiment of the invention; these examples being described with reference to the following appended figures given by way of illustration.

 FIG. 1 is a diagram of a first example of an architecture on an intelligent network for implementing a currency conversion service according to the invention.

 FIG. 2 is a diagram of a second example of an architecture on an intelligent network for implementing a currency conversion service according to the invention.

 FIG. 3 is a diagram of the different stages of a service according to the invention.

 FIG. 4a is a flow diagram of a program which allows the progress of the different stages of a service according to the invention.

 Figure 4b is a flow diagram of a complementary part of the program of Figure 4a.

 The fixed telephone network has evolved considerably, from an analog network with analog switches to a network in which digital technology plays a major part. Thus, the current fixed telephone network is composed of meshes linked by nodes in which data pass. At the periphery of a mesh there is a resource of the telephone network such as a server or a database, or a communication terminal, such as a fixed telephone. The nodes themselves are made up of network resources which include at least one switch. Because of its digital nature, the network has become intelligent in the sense that it includes software capable of processing a wide variety of data from various applications and which pass through the nodes of the network. This intelligence is distributed within the network, that is to say in the various resources linked by

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 sts. At the end of the 1980s, intelligence was mainly located in switches and in particular in transit switches. In the following years, an evolution was born which consisted in separating the switches from the evolution of the services supported by the network in order to accelerate and simplify the implementation of new service offers. As a result of this development, the development of a service has become relatively independent of the equipment of the fixed telephone network. This is made possible by the presence of programming interfaces between the specific application of the service and an equipment of the fixed telephone network which is made up of a hardware part and a software part. The hardware part can group servers, databases, computers, or even gateways to other communication networks such as the mobile telephone network or such a communication network such as the Internet network. The software part groups together several layers with at least one layer comprising the operating system and possibly database management systems, a layer comprising generic software components and a layer comprising business software components.

 Thus smart grids mainly use four kinds of equipment. Service access switches, or CASs, are subscriber or transit switches that have been provided with intelligent network functions. Smart devices provide resources specific to certain services, such as a bridge that allows three-way conversation. Service control points, or PCSs, control service access switches and smart devices. Some of these control points called Adjunct in Anglo-Saxon language are connected to a service access switch by a direct high-speed data link which speeds up response times. Real-time databases provide the information necessary to order services.

 According to the example chosen and illustrated by FIG. 1, the service implementation architecture comprises a mobile communication terminal M, a base station SB of a mobile telecommunications network, a switch MSC of the mobile network, a transit CT switch, local CAA switch and interactive voice SV server. The transit CT switch, the local CAA or home voice switch, and the interactive voice SV server are part of a fixed telephone network.

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 The mobile communication terminal M is typically a mobile telephone, but it can just as easily be a mobile videophone or a personal assistant known by the acronyms PDA for Personal Digital Assistant equipped with a GSM or equivalent function.

 The interactive voice SV server is a voice server which comprises line hang-up means for establishing communication with a user, voice synthesis means, voice recognition means, number format understanding means, means comprising a currency list and currency conversion table.

 The mobile telephone M communicates with the base station SB by a radio link. The base station SB is connected by a first telephone line to the switch MSC of the mobile network. The mobile network switch MSC is connected to the transit switch CT by a second telephone line. The transit CT switch is connected to the local CAA switch by a third telephone line.

The local CAA switch is connected to the interactive voice SV server by a fourth telephone line.

 Each time the user requests access to the service, the latter dials the telephone number of the interactive voice SV server on the fixed telephone network from his mobile telephone M. The call 1 is received by the base station SB which transmits it 2 to the switch MSC of the mobile network, which itself transmits it 3 to the transit switch CT. The transit CT switch forwards the call 4 to the local CAA switch. The latter routes the call to the requested interactive voice SV server. When the interactive voice SV server picks up, communication between the user and the interactive voice SV server is established.

 FIG. 2 is a diagram of a second example of an architecture on an intelligent network for implementing a currency conversion service according to the invention.

The architecture is identical to that of the previous example except that the user accesses the service from a fixed communication terminal, which is typically a fixed telephone, that is to say a communication terminal directly connected to a first local CAA switch by a first telephone line. This first local CAA switch is connected to the transit CT switch by a telephone line. The communication terminal can equally well be a computer equipped with a modulator / demodulator.

 A currency conversion service according to the invention takes place according to several stages illustrated in FIG. 3.

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 Each time a user requests access to the service from a telecommunications terminal, the method comprises the following steps.

 In a first step, the method consists in establishing communication between the user and an interactive voice server of the network. The user dials the number of the interactive voice server. When the call is routed to the server by the local subscriber switch, the server goes off-hook; after off-hook, communication is established between the user and the interactive voice server. After hanging up, the interactive voice server can propose a menu with keywords that allow access to different sections. A first keyword can be "conversion" which gives access to the function of converting from a first currency to a second currency. A second keyword can be "menu" which allows you to return to the beginning of the menu tree.

 In a second step, the method consists in acquiring 7 in voice form by the server an identifier of the first currency and an identifier of the second currency. Each identifier is selected by the user from among the identifiers of a currency list. The list of currencies can be queried by the user by saying the keyword "currency list". This list includes for example: euro, French franc, Swiss franc, American dollar, Canadian dollar, British pound, yen, ... The server recognizes each identifier spoken by the user and transforms it into digital using a voice recognition means. From the two currencies, the server extracts from a currency conversion table the conversion rate from the first currency to the second currency.

 In a third step, the method consists in acquiring 8 in voice form by the server an amount to be converted from the first currency to the second currency.

The user says the amount they want to convert, for example: eighty-three point nineteen. The server recognizes the amount spoken by the user and transforms it into digital using a voice recognition means and a number format understanding means.

 In a fourth step, the method consists in calculating 9 by the server the amount converted into the second currency. The calculation consists in multiplying the amount pronounced by the user with the previously determined rate. The result of the multiplication gives the converted amount.

 In a fifth step, the method consists in synthesizing 10 in voice form by the server the converted amount. The converted amount is communicated to the user by text-to-speech using a text-to-speech means.

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 In addition, the menu can include a section to perform an operation other than multiplication. When changing European currency, it can be particularly interesting to know by the user the amount that a cashier must return to him during a transaction. Thus, the type of operation is typically a conversion followed by a subtraction. After having pronounced the words: "give change" which are recognized by the server as a key expression, the user pronounces a first amount then a second amount.

The first amount corresponds to the value of the transaction in euros and the second amount corresponds to the sum in francs that the user gives to the cashier. The server converts the given sum then subtracts between this converted sum and the value of the transaction. The system then communicates the latter amount by voice to the user; this last amount is the amount in euros that the cashier must return to him.

 FIG. 4a is a flow diagram of a particular embodiment of a program which allows the various stages of a service according to the invention to take place.

The program is based on software modules which are as follows: - a voice recognition module 11 which can be the PSOLA 8 software marketed by the company TELISMA, or the NUANCE VOCALIZER software marketed by the company NUANCE, a module 12 for understanding number format, - a calculation module 13, - a voice synthesis module 14 which can be the PSOLA 8 software marketed by the company TELISMA, or the NUANCE software
RECOGNIZER sold by NUANCE, - a module 15 for sending SMS (short message signal) which can be software
VIAFAX marketed by the company FCR. and uses a conversion memory area 16 in which is stored a list of currencies and a table for converting currencies between them. The currency conversion table is updated by download methods known from a banking establishment for example.

 The program corresponds to a menu which is associated with a list of keywords which allow direct connections to menu items.

 Thus, according to the illustration, the program allows the user to call on different operations by saying a type of operation. The program consists of

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 recognize the type of operation pronounced by the user. The different types of operation can be defined by keywords which can be conversion, subtraction, return in francs, etc. To this end, the program uses the voice recognition module 11 which returns it expression 17 of the operation in digital form. In a simpler embodiment, the permitted operation consists only of a conversion from a first currency to a second currency.

 The program compares 18 the expression of the operation with the different types of possible operations which are stored in the memory area 16.

 In the case of a conversion, the program consists in recognizing the first currency spoken by the user. To this end, the program uses the voice recognition module 11 which returns to it the expression 19 of the first currency in digital form.

 The program compares this first currency with a list of the different currencies which is stored in the memory area.

 If this currency does not belong to the list of currencies, the program waits for the user to pronounce another currency.

 If this currency belongs to the list of currencies, the program consists in recognizing the second currency spoken by the user. To this end, the program uses the voice recognition module 11 which returns to it the expression 21 of the second currency in digital form.

 The program compares 22 this second currency with the list of different currencies. If this currency does not belong to the list of currencies, the program expects another currency.

 If this currency belongs to the list of currencies, the program consists in extracting 23 from the table in area 16 memory the conversion rate from the first currency to the second currency. This table contains all the conversion rates for the different currencies in the list between them.

 Then, the program consists in recognizing the amount to be converted pronounced by the user. To this end, the program uses the voice recognition module 11 which returns to it the expression 24 of the amount to be converted into digital form and the program uses the number format understanding module 12 to obtain the format of the digital form. .

 Then the program consists in calculating the converted amount. To this end, the program multiplies the conversion rate with the amount to be converted by using module 13 for calculation.

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 Then, the program consists in synthesizing 26 in voice form the converted amount. To this end, the program uses the speech synthesis module 14 by supplying it as input argument with the converted amount.

 In the case of implementing the program with a communication terminal equipped with a screen, the program consists in sending 27 a confirmation message in the form of an SMS. To this end, the program uses the SMS transmission module 15, supplying it as input arguments with the amount to be converted and the amount converted.

 Finally, the program can ask the user 28 if he wants to convert another amount. If so, the program loops and waits for the user to say an amount to convert. If not, the program remains on hold.

 The following different types of conversion are possible: "return the currency" ,, .... The type "return the currency" consists in determining the amount in euros that a cashier must return to a user for a transaction expressed in euros and a payment made in francs. Such a situation will be common during the transitional period of the introduction of the European currency in 2002.

 The type of operation "give change" is illustrated in Figure 4b. Reference A at the start of the flowchart refers to the flowchart in Figure 4a. During the test of the type of operation, the program recognized the type "give change" pronounced by the user.

 During the next step, the program consists in recognizing the amount of the transaction in euros pronounced by the user. To this end, the program uses the voice recognition module which returns to it the expression 29 of the amount of the transaction in digital form and the program uses the module 12 for understanding the format of the numbers to obtain the format of the digital form. .

 During the next step, the program consists in recognizing the sum given in francs by the user to the cashier and pronounced by the user. To this end, the program uses the voice recognition module 11 which returns to it the expression 30 of the sum given in francs in digital form and the program uses the number format understanding module 12 to obtain the format of the digital form.

 During the next step, the program consists in calculating 31 the amount to be returned in euros by the cashier to the user. To this end the program multiplies the amount of the sum in francs given by the user to the cashier by the rate of

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 conversion euro / franc and subtracts this result from the amount in euros of the transaction using module 13 of calculation.

 During the next step, the program consists of synthesizing 32 in voice form the amount to be returned in euros. To this end, the program uses the speech synthesis module 14 by supplying it as the input argument with the amount to be returned.

 In the case of implementing the program with a communication terminal equipped with a screen, the program consists in sending 33 a confirmation message in the form of an SMS. To this end, the program calls on the module 15 for sending an SMS by supplying it as input arguments with the amount of the transaction, the sum given and the amount to be returned.

 Finally, the program can ask 34 the user if he wants to carry out another transaction. If yes, the program loops and waits for the user to pronounce a transaction amount. If not, the program remains on hold.

 It should be noted that each time the user must pronounce an amount or a keyword, the program prompts him to do so. This invitation is made by the vocal synthesis of words, groups of words or sentences.

Claims (5)

 CLAIMS 1. Currency conversion service, from a first currency to a second currency, accessible by a user from a communication terminal (M) connected to a communication network, characterized in that it includes, each request for access to the service by the user, the steps which consist in: - establishing (6) communication between the user and an interactive voice server (SV) of the network, - acquiring (7) in voice form by the server (SV) an identifier (19) of the first currency and an identifier (21) of the second currency, each identifier (19,21) being selected by the user from among the identifiers of a list of currencies, acquire (8) in vocal form by the server (SV) an amount to be converted from the first currency to the second currency, - to be calculated (9.25) by the server, using a currency conversion table , the amount converted into the second currency, - to summarize (10) in v form by the server (SV) the amount converted. 2. Currency conversion service according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises the steps which consist in: - acquiring (17) in voice form by the server (SV) a type of operation to be carried out, - to acquire (19,21, 24) in vocal form by the server (SV), the various input arguments to perform the operation, - to calculate (31) by the server the result of the operation, - to synthesize (26) in voice form by the server (SV) the result. 3. Currency conversion service according to claim 2, wherein the type of operation is a subtraction. 4. Manufactured product, intended for use in a computer system comprising an interactive voice server (SV) to allow the conversion of currencies, from a first currency to a second currency, at the request of a user connected to the system computer from a communication terminal (M) and via a network <Desc / Clms Page number 12>  communication, comprising a medium usable in a computer and having coded means readable by the computer to cause: - the establishment (6) of a communication between the user and the interactive voice server (SV), - the acquisition (7) in voice form by the interactive voice server (SV) of an identifier (19) of the first currency and an identifier (21) of the second currency, each identifier being selected by the user from among the identifiers a list of currencies, - the acquisition (8) in vocal form by the interactive voice server (SV) of an amount (24) to be converted from the first currency to the second currency, - the calculation (25) by the interactive vocal server (SV), using a currency conversion table, of an amount converted into the second currency, - the summary (26) in vocal form by the interactive vocal server (SV) of the amount converted. 5. Interactive voice server (SV) for converting currency, from a first currency to a second currency, the interactive voice server (SV) being accessible by a user from a communication terminal (M) and via a network of communication, characterized in that it comprises: - means for establishing communication with the user, - means (11) for acquiring in voice form an identifier of the first currency and an identifier of the second currency, each identifier being selected by the user from among the identifiers of a list of currencies, - means (11,12) for acquiring in voice form an amount to be converted from the first currency to the second currency, - means (16,13) comprising a currency conversion table for calculating the amount converted into the second currency, means (14) for synthesizing the converted amount in voice form.