RU2405277C2 - Method for identification of calling subscriber number - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: information technologies.

SUBSTANCE: method is proposed for identification of calling subscriber number. On completion of call from subscriber terminal device, a request is sent to dial exchange to provide information on calling subscriber with specification of time interval of completed call. At dial exchange authorities of this subscriber are confirmed for reception of information of this type. In case such authorities are not available, provision of requested service is rejected to the subscriber. In case the subscriber has the necessary authorities, request acceptance is confirmed, and task is generated for making a search in database of system of time accounting of calls on completed calls with number of this subscriber of public switched telephone network in the time range that the subscriber specified. Information that identifies calling subscriber is sought for in database of system of time accounting calls, report is generated on search results and sent to the subscriber who ordered the service.

EFFECT: provision of information on source of call no matter whether caller ID or caller ID barring devices are available.

3 cl, 2 dwg

Description

The invention relates to the field of telecommunications, and more particularly to telephone communications, and may find application in establishing the number of the subscriber who made the call.

As you know, existing automatic number identification (ANI) systems have caused the emergence of anti-ANI systems that allow the caller to remain anonymous. In some cases, due to hardware errors, the caller’s number is not determined even in the absence of an anti-caller ID system. For certain categories of calls, for example, a call by the Ministry of Emergencies, police, ambulance, a call paid by the receiving party, and also when receiving telephone threats or calls of obscene content, it becomes necessary to accurately establish data about the calling party (calling subscriber). In addition, a significant drawback of the known determination system is the mandatory presence of a subscriber terminal device connected to the telephone line with the AON or Caller ID function and the corresponding subscription to the additional service from the local PSTN operator.

For a clear understanding of the essence of the claimed invention, it is advisable to use the following list of terms and definitions.

- PSTN - public switched telephone networks (for example, GTS).

- Caller - The caller who dials the number.

- The called subscriber - the subscriber who picks up the phone after the call.

- Subscriber terminal device - a device connected to a telephone socket. For example: telephone, set-top box, fax, modem, etc.

- Caller ID function - the function of determining the number of the calling subscriber 5 by the called subscriber using a special terminal subscriber device with this function.

- DB SPUS database system for time-based accounting of the cost of PSTN operator connections. The SPUS database stores detailed information (subscriber numbers, connection date and time) for each PSTN telephone connection for subsequent billing to subscribers.

A known method of identifying the caller described in US patent No. 4582956 [1], which proposed a method and device for displaying service information in the intervals between call signals, while service information is transmitted in a certain frequency range, filtered from the call signal and after the processing is displayed on the apparatus of the receiving side in the form of at least the telephone number of the caller. This patent can be considered basic in caller ID technology.

U.S. Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007/0064911 [2] proposes that a real-time call signal be processed at a telephone exchange and that service information containing caller data be transmitted wirelessly to a computer, pager, or other device receiving the call a subscriber to make a decision on accepting or rejecting a PSTN call.

Another technical solution described in US Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005/0073999 [3] proposes to use the Internet to transmit data identifying the caller during a call.

Closest to the claimed invention is a technical solution described in US patent No. 6996211 [4], in which upon receipt of an incoming call PSTN requests the identification of the caller before establishing a connection. If the standard identification procedure is not applicable, for example, the call comes from a phone equipped with an anti-caller ID system, the caller is asked to provide oral information about himself, which is sent to the called subscriber via a separate line, and only after receiving consent from the connection is established.

The main disadvantage of the above analogues and prototype is the need to install additional equipment either at the receiving subscriber, as provided in [1] - [3], or in the PSTN system, as provided in [4], which is not always possible or justified. As a rule, the receiving subscriber does not need to identify all, without exception, the callers in real time. The need to obtain information about the calling party arises, for example, in cases of threatening calls, calls to the Ministry of Emergencies, police or ambulance without indicating the address or incomplete.

Therefore, the technical problem to which the claimed invention is directed, can be formulated as the development of a one-time method of obtaining information about the source of the call, in particular about the phone number and address where this number is registered, regardless of the presence of AON or anti- AND HE. Moreover, it should be noted that traditional caller ID displays only the number from which the call was received, but does not provide information about the location of the device from which the call is being received. At the same time, it is known that at telephone exchanges each successful telephone connection (conversation) is recorded in the SPUS database in real time in the form of a report arriving in the SPUS database without fail from the PBX of the calling subscriber to charge such a charge for the connection, and This report is a mandatory component of the technological process of providing communication services. This data resource is usually used only to generate bills paid by registered subscribers.

The technical result is achieved due to the fact that they apply the method of identification of the caller, which consists in performing a number of operations according to the following algorithm:

- upon completion of the call, a request is sent from the subscriber terminal device (it is assumed that this request is initiated by the subscriber who received the call) to the PBX to search the SPS database indicating the time interval of the connection and instructing to provide information about the caller;

- on the telephone exchange, the telephone number of the subscriber who initiated the request is checked and the powers of this subscriber to receive this kind of information (as a rule, the subscriber must be subscribed to the corresponding service);

- in the absence of such authority, the subscriber is informed about the refusal to provide the requested service and the algorithm is completed on this;

- if the subscriber has the necessary authority, confirm the acceptance of the request to the subscriber;

- on the PBX form a task to conduct a search in the DBMS for the established connections with the number of this PSTN subscriber in the time interval specified by him;

- perform a search in the SPUS database for information identifying the caller, and generate a report on the search results;

- send the report to the subscriber who ordered the service through the PSTN connection, SMS center, email or other means of communication.

When implementing the proposed method, it is important that, in addition to the phone number, data on the address at which this phone number is registered is included in the report on the search results.

When implementing the proposed method, it seems appropriate after the stage of confirmation of acceptance of the request to temporarily break the connection between the subscriber and the PBX.

For a better understanding of the essence of the claimed invention, the following is a description of one of the options for its implementation using graphic materials.

Figure 1 shows the algorithm of the preferred implementation of the method of determining the number of the calling subscriber and, optionally, obtaining information about the location of the registered subscriber terminal device at the request of the called subscriber PSTN after the connection.

The peculiarity of the method is that after the caller is disconnected from the called subscriber, the called subscriber, who is interested in the data about who called him, connects to the PBX, and more specifically to the information system for determining the caller's number (step 101). At the same time, the subscriber-customer informs what time interval he is interested in (i.e., when there was a connection with the person he is interested in), and, to simplify the procedure, he can provide his phone number. Said information system includes at least a database of incoming calls, a database of subscribers entitled to order a service for determining the number of the calling subscriber, and a processor for processing data. In the framework of this information system, first of all, the authorization to use the service being ordered is checked by the number of the subscriber-customer who has applied (step 102). If the subscriber does not have the authority to use the service to determine the number, then he is informed about this and terminates the connection (step 103-104). If the subscriber-customer has the right to receive such a service (for example, he has a contract with the PBX), he will be sent a confirmation of acceptance of the order (step 105), after which the connection with the PBX may be interrupted pending search results (optional step 107 )

Based on the information received from the subscriber-customer, a search task is formed on the PBX (step 106), a search is performed (step 108), and the search results are sent, i.e. search report to the subscriber-customer (step 109). Depending on the circumstances, such a report can be sent either via PSTN or via any other communication system, for example, via SMS center, email, etc.

Depending on the query parameters, the search report indicates either only the number of the terminal device from which the call of interest to the customer was made, or the number with the exact address at which the terminal device was installed (step 109).

Since this service is paid (possibly, with the exception of emergency services), a note on the service provided is also formed in the PBX database and billed to the customer.

Figure 2 shows a variant of a system that implements the inventive method. Within the framework of PSTN 205, a PBX 203 operates, which includes a telephone call processing processor 207, a database of data on the established connections, and, optionally, a wireless communication device 206. The PBX 203 serves a plurality of subscribers 208, as well as the caller 201 and the called subscriber 202, which may also have a wireless device 206.

In more detail, the principle of implementing this method can be considered by the example of the work of the information system "interactive caller ID" already designed by Octopus Telecom.

After disconnection with the caller calling it, the subscriber connects to the interactive caller ID number identification system by dialing a specific PSTN telephone number. Information system "interactive caller ID" determines the phone number of the subscriber ordering the service and informs about the cost of the service. Further, he is invited to fulfill the order of the service or refuse. If the subscriber hangs up within 5 seconds from the moment of informing about the paid service, the order is considered not accepted (hang up by the subscriber). After 5 seconds from the moment of informing, the order is considered accepted, which is what the subscriber is informed about, then there is a hang-up from the “interactive AON” information system. Further, the information system "interactive caller ID" makes a request to the database of the system of time-based accounting of the cost of connections (DB SPUS) according to the request parameters of the subscriber. After receiving the relevant information, the information system connects to the subscriber and reports the results of the request. Information about the phone number and call time is played back repeatedly. If the connection is disconnected before the telephone number is reproduced, regardless of the reason for disconnection, the interactive AON information system makes another connection attempt. After this, attempts to inform stop. The result of the search for the SPUS database (whether or not there is information about the caller’s number) is recorded in the database of the “interactive caller ID” information system in the service cost accounting subsystem for generating statistics and subsequent billing of subscribers who have used the service.

If the customer is an emergency service (for example, the Ministry of Emergency Situations), data on the registration number of the subscriber terminal device and, if necessary, the name of this subscriber are added to the data on the number of the calling subscriber. These data are mandatory included in the database, but are used, as a rule, only when billing subscribers.

Despite the fact that this service, unlike most well-known analogues, is not in real time, it has a number of undoubted advantages, namely

- the caller’s number is determined without the use of special equipment by the subscriber - the subscriber terminal device with the caller ID function and previously issued special subscription to the additional caller ID service or Caller ID, and thus, any PSTN subscriber can use the caller ID service with any subscriber terminal device, at any time as the need arises, with subsequent payment of the provided service upon

- Caller ID is determined without installing additional devices and equipment on the PBX,

- the efficiency of using the SPUS database to provide new paid services is increased,

- Caller ID is determined regardless of the presence of anti-caller ID devices,

- simplifies the system of establishing the address of subscribers who contacted emergency services, but failed or failed to give information about their whereabouts.

The inventive method can be implemented on the basis of existing telephone exchanges by the rational use of available information resources, providing reliable advanced data for both individual subscribers and emergency services.

Claims (3)

1. The method of identification of the caller, which consists in performing operations according to the following algorithm:
upon completion of a call, a request is sent to the PBX from the subscriber terminal to conduct a search in the SPUS database, indicating the time interval of the connection and instructing to provide information about the caller;
the PBX checks the phone number of the subscriber who initiated the request and the authority of that subscriber to receive this kind of information;
in the absence of such authority, the subscriber is informed about the refusal to provide the requested service and the algorithm is completed;
if the subscriber has the necessary authority, confirm the acceptance of the request to the subscriber;
the exchange forms a task for the PBX to conduct a search in the SPUS database for the connections made with the number of this PSTN subscriber at the time interval indicated by him;
perform in the DBMS database search for information identifying the caller, and generate a report on the search results;
send the report to the subscriber who ordered the service through the PSTN connection, SMS center, email or other means of communication. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the report on the search results includes, in addition to the phone number, data on the address at which this phone number is registered. 3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that after the step of confirming the acceptance of the request, the connection between the subscriber and the PBX is temporarily disconnected.

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