OA16221A - Communication system for voice-over internet protocol using license-free frequencies and a mobile telephone. - Google Patents

Abstract

In a communication system comprising - at least one mobile telephone (1) having Bluetooth capability and software-implementing possibilities, - at least one Bluetooth access point (6) providing an internet connection, - at least one internetconnected VOIP server (8) providing call connections in the form of PSTN, GSM, VOIP, etc., there is provided a software-implemented client (11,12,13,18) functioning as a call centre and controlling outgoing and incoming communications to be directed via the Bluetooth connection (5) between the mobile telephone (1) and the Bluetooth access point (6) and via the internet (7) to and from the VOIP server (8) controlling the call connections. This provides the possibility of making calls at a reduced price or even free.

Description

COMMUNICATION SYSTEM FOR VOICE-OVER INTERNET PROTOCOL USING LiCENSE-FREE FREQUENCES AND A MOBILE TELEPHONE

Technical Field

The présent invention relates to a communication System, which provides tow-cosi communication via the internet wheneveran internet connection is available.

Background Art

In communication Systems of this kind it is known to provide voice-over internet 10 protocol connections using WiFi hotspots, intemet-connected computers, etc, One example of such a System is the well-known Skype® concept, which, however, requires that both ends of the call to be set up comprises intemet-connected PC's. In an alternative, the one end connection is provided using the so-called SkypeOut®, i.e. providing local connection to an ordinary PSTN téléphoné or GSM mobile téléphoné.

Disclosure of the Invention

Based on this prior art, it is the object of the présent invention to provide a communication System which can be implemented in a mobile téléphoné, a PDA or similar, said mobile téléphoné having Bluetooth capability, without necessarily having 20 a PC connected to the internet associated with the mobile téléphoné, and yet establishes a user-friendly System only requiring the présence of a Bluetooth internet access point, be it a private or public hotspot, and automatically providing low cost or free communication from the mobile téléphoné to the desired destination. This object is achieved with a communication System of said kind, which accord ing to the présent 25 invention comprises the features set forth in claim 1. With this arrangement the communication to and from the mobile téléphoné is controlled by the softwareimplemented client in such a way that the user does not hâve to interfère with the function in order to obtain a connection to the desired destination, and the communication is set up using license-free frequencies, such as Bluetooth, without 30 any costs related to the GSM function of the mobile phone.

If the mobile phone has Symbian or other non-proprietary, e.g. Windows mobile, platforms, the software-implemented client may be installed in the mobile téléphoné. If, however, the mobile téléphoné is an older type of mobile phone running proprîetary software, the major part of the software-implemented client may hâve to be installed il

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)

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P CT/DK2009/000067 a dedicated Bluetooth access point, and onJy a minor part of the software-implemented client is installed in the mobile téléphoné using JAVA or simllar.

Brief Description of the Drawings

In the following detailed part of the présent description, the invention will be explaîned in more detail with référencé to the exemplary embodiments of a communication System in accordance with the invention shown in the drawings, in which

Fig. 1 schemalically shows a communication system in accordance with the présent invention,

Fig. 2 schematicaily shows the provision of a communication connection in accordance with a first aspect of the invention using a JAVA client in the mobile téléphoné and a Bluetooth access point with built-in voice-over internet protocol client, a Bluetooth headset is used for audio.

Fig. 3 schematicaily shows the provision of a communication connection in accordance with a second aspect of the invention using a Symbian VOIP client in the mobile téléphoné and a simple Bluetooth internet access point,

Fig. 4 schematicaily shows the provision of a communication connection in a situation where no Bluetooth access point is available and where a call-back functîon in the VOIP server provides a low cost GSM connection between the mobile téléphoné and the VOIP server and further on to the desired destination, and

Fig. 5 schematicaily shows an overall view of a communication system implementing a number of the possible connection possibilities provided by the présent invention.

Description of the preferred embodiments

The communication system schematicaily shown in Fig. 1 comprises a mobile téléphoné 1 including a microphone 2, a loudspeaker 3, a keyboard 4 and a Bluetooth connection system 5, said mobile téléphoné 1 being connectable to a Bluetooth access point 6 providing internet connection 7 for the mobile téléphoné 1. In order to provide a connection further on to the destination, a voice-over internet protocol server 8 is provided In the internet, said server fonction to connect the mobile téléphoné 1 to the desired destination, „

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WO 2009/115089 PCT/DK2009/ÜÛ0067

In Fig. 2 the communication setup for an older type of mobile phone 1 running proprietary software is shown schematîcaily. The mobile phone is provided with a JAVA software client 11, which is installed in the mobile phone 1 in the traditional way, either by downloading directly from a service provider or by transferring from a Personal computer, The installed software client 11 establishes a connection 5 to the Bluetooth access point 6, whereby data can be transferred between the mobile phone 1 and the access point 6, The software client 11 In the mobile phone 1 provides a remote control of the fonctions in the access point 6, saîd access point having a built-in

VOIP client 12, which is able to provide a connection to a VOIP server 8 via the internet 7. When making a call from the mobile phone 1, the software 11 in the mobile phone 1 sends data to the access point 6 via the Bluetooth connection 5 in order to make the built-in VOIP client 12 call the desired destination via the internet 7 and the VOIP server 8. The VOIP server 8 is connected to the public-switched téléphoné network (PSTN) 9, whereby the mobile phone 1 is able to call any ordinary téléphoné and any such ordinary téléphoné is able to call the mobile phone 1. As soon as a connection is established between the mobile phone 1 and the desired destination, a Bluetooth audio connection 5 is provided between the access point 6 and a Bluetooth headset 10, and the data connection 5 between the mobile phone 1 and the access point 6 remains open in order to be able to send SMS or other data-based information between the mobile phone 1 and the access point 6 and the internet 7,

Because of the limited fonctionality of the mobile java, and capacity of older mobile téléphonés 1, the entire VOIP fonctionality will be located In the access point 6. The fonctionality of the Java client 11 will be of remote controiling the access point 6. It is at présent not possible to control the audio devices of the mobile téléphoné 1 through java, and therefore the end-user will hâve to use a Bluetooth headset 10 for the audio communication,

In Fig, 3 a corresponding situation as shown in Fig. 2 is shown, however, the mobile phone 1 runs a non-proprîetary OS system and thus the software client 13 providing VOIP is compietely installed in the mobile phone 1 and the Bluetooth access point 6 does not need to hâve any part of the software client installed and will only fonction as an access point without any fonctionality relating to the provision of the VOIP connection, The software client 13 installed in the mobile phone 1 provides a connection to the Bluetooth access point 6 and the mobile phone receives a IP z·^

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PCT/DK2009/000067 address via the Bluetooth connection. Via this IP address the software provides a connection to a VOIP server 3 via the internet 7 and this server 8 is connected to the public-switched téléphoné network 9 (PSTN), whereby the mobile phone 1 is able to call any ordinary téléphoné and any ordinary téléphoné is able to cail the mobile phone 1.

As soon as a connection is established between the mobile phone 1 and the VOIP server 8, call-connectivity is provided between the mobile phone 1 and the PSTN 9.

In a situation, in which no Bluetooth connection 5 is available for the mobile téléphoné, the mobile téléphoné may, when provided with a SIM card to a standard GSM network 16, send an SMS or GPRS request 14 to an internet-based server 17, said server 17, based on the SMS/GPRS data 14 received, providing a cali to the desired destination 15 and a call-back to the mobile téléphoné 1, thus providing a connection between the destination 15 and the mobile téléphoné 1 at a reduced price.

As shown in Fig. 4, this situation is handled by the mobile phone 1 sending, using the GSM network 16, an SMS or GPRS request 14 to the internet-based server 17, and based on the information in this request the internet server 17 provides a connection to the destination 15 using VOIP, PSTN, GSM, etc., and a call-back to the mobile phone 1, whereby a connection is established between the destination and the mobile phone, possibly at a reduced price due to a spécial low-price for the GSM connection between the server 17 and the mobile phone 1.

Furthermore, the price may be reduced by shootably selecting the connection between the internet server 17 and the destination 15.

When negotiating terms and prices with a GSM carrier, it is usually possible to negotiate a spécial low cost structure so it will be possible to communicate at a lower price between own subscriptions, i.e. fixed to cell, or cell to fixed. By using this low cost model, it will be possible to open a low cost call-back line, and use this to dial through the VOIP server.

In Fig. 5 a more complété System has been indicated schematlcally in order to give an overvîew of the total System providing the communication System in accordance with the présent invention. This system comprises the mobile téléphoné 1, which may be

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PCT/DK2009/Ü00067 connected to the Bluetooth access point 6 providing an internet connection to the VOIP server 24 providing the connections further on to the public-switched téléphoné network 22 via a PSTN gateway 20. If the connection to the Bluetooth access point 6 is not available for the mobile téléphoné 1, the client 11,13,18 installed in the mobile téléphoné 1 sends an SMS or GPRS request 14 to a call-back server 17, which requests the PSTN gateway 20 to call the destination 15 and call back to the mobile phone 1 ata reduced price.

The invention provides the possibility of using a mobile téléphoné having Bluetooth capability and having Symbran or another non-proprietary operational System for installing a software-implemented client, whereby the mobile phone automatically seeks to provide any outgoing calls via possible présent Bluetooth access points accessible by the Bluetooth capability of the mobile téléphoné. In this respect, the software-implemented client provides the possibility of emulating the Bluetooth access point connection to provide an IP address for the mobile téléphoné and bringing the Bluetooth connection to function as any other data communication connection having an IP address, such as WiFi, DU N (dial-up network), etc.

In use, the communication system provides call connections for a mobile téléphoné 1 having Bluetooth capability and having a software-implemented client installed. The software-implemented client provides the possibility of detecting the presence of Bluetooth access points 6 and provides connections to such access points in order to register the mobile téléphoné 1 in the internet with a IP address. Using this IP address, connections to and from the mobile téléphoné can be provided through a VOIP server 8 in the internet, said VOIP server 8 establishîng call connections in the form of any of PSTN, GSM, VOIP, and possible other types of call connections. When moving around, the client installed in the mobile téléphoné 1 continuously performs a détection of possible access to a Bluetooth access point having connection to the internet, and thus continuously tries to be registered with an IP address in the internet, such that connections to and from the mobile téléphoné may be established using the Bluetooth connection and the IP address, under control by said VOIP server 8 and the softwareimplemented client.

In the case that no Bluetooth access point is detected and the mobile téléphoné is instructed to make a call, the software-implemented client may automaticaily sand a

SMS message to a call-back module in the VOIP server 8, said SMS message

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PCT/DK2009/000067 containing information relating to the desired call, and based on thls message a callback module in the VOIP server 8 establishes a connection to the desired destination and performs a cali-back to the mobile téléphoné 1 in order to make said connection between the mobile téléphoné 1 and the desired destination, in this respect, the VOIP 5 server 8 call-back module is preferably programmed to search for the lowest cost connections for the call.«rj

SCP GIOBM'AFRICA IP

Claims (10)

1. A communication System comprising

- at least one mobile téléphoné (1) having Bluetooth capability and software-

5 implementing possibilities,

- at least one Bluetooth access point (6) providing an internet connection,

- at least one internet-connected VOIP server (8) providing call connections in the form of PSTN, GSM, VOIP, etc.,

- a software-implemented client (11,12,13,18) functioning as a call centre and

10 controlling outgoing and incoming communications to be directed via the Bluetooth connection (5) between the mobile téléphoné (1) and the Bluetooth access point (6) and via the internet (7) to and from the VOIP server (8) controlling the call connections.

15

2. Communication system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the mobile téléphoné (1) has Symbian or other non-proprietary OS, which is able to handle the complété software-implemented client, and wherein the complété softwareimplemented client (13,18) is instailed in the mobile téléphoné (1), whereby the Bluetooth access point (6) can be a simple, ηοπ-dedicated Bluetooth access point 20 connecting to the internet.

3. Communication system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the mobile téléphoné (1) has a proprietary software, and wherein the major part of the softwareimplemented client (12) is instailed in a dedicated Bluetooth access point (6), and a

25 minor part (11 ) is instailed in the mobile téléphoné (1 ), using JAVA or simiiar,

4. Communication system in accordance with claim 2, characterised by the software-implemented client (13, 18) comprising a module for detecting the presence of a Bluetooth internet connection (5, 6), and upon détection thereof to direct cails via

30 this Bluetooth connection (5, 6).

5. Communication system in accordance with claim 4, characterised by the software-implemented client (13, 18) comprising a module for registering the internet address of the mobile téléphoné (1) in order to open the possibility of receiving calls

35 via Voice-over internet protocol.

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PCT/DK2009/000067

6. Communication system in accordance with any of the preceding ciaims, characterised by the VOIP server (17) comprising a call-back module for providing a call-back cell GSM connection when no Bluetooth access (6) Is présent the call-back cell connection beïng provided by a request (14) sent by the client in the form of a SMS message or GPRS command to the VOIP server (17), said call-back cell connection being at a lower cost than the normal cell connection for the cell phone (1).

7. Communication system in accordance with daim 6, characterised by further comprising the provision of a connection from the VOIP server (17) towards the destination using VOIP, PSTN or GSM, where the decision for using these different passibilities is based on the provision of the cheapest possible connection.

8. Method of providing call connections from a mobile téléphoné (1) having Bluetooth capability and software-implementing possibilities, characterised by comprising the following steps:

a) providing at least one Bluetooth access point (6) connecting to the internet (7),

b) providing at least one înternet-connected VOIP server (8) for estabiishing call connections in the form of PSTN, GSM, VOIP, etc.,

c) providing a software-implemented client (11,12,13,18) in said mobile téléphoné (1), said client (11,12,13,18) continuously detecting the presence of Bluetooth access points accessible for connecting to the internet and estabiishing an IP address via such detected access points, whereby connections to and from the mobile téléphoné (1) can be established using Bluetooth, said IP address and said VOIP server.

9. Method in accordance with daim 8, characterized by comprising the step of providing a call-back module in the VOIP server and, when no Bluetooth access point can be detected, the client (11,12,13,18) sending an SMS message to the call-back module, using the mobile telephone's GSM capability, said SMS message containing information regarding the desired connection, and said call-back module providing a connection to the destination and a call-back to the mobile téléphoné (1).

10. Method in accordance with daim 9, characterized by the call-back module being programmed to search for the lowest cost connections for the call.