WO1999011050A1

WO1999011050A1 - Network access device and system using the device

Info

Publication number: WO1999011050A1
Application number: PCT/GB1998/002576
Authority: WO
Inventors: Malcolm John Matson; Philip Liam O'donovan; Timothy Harry Whittaker
Original assignee: Telephone Holdings Limited
Priority date: 1997-08-27
Filing date: 1998-08-27
Publication date: 1999-03-04
Also published as: AU8873598A

Abstract

A network access device (11) for a system network has an access code generator (62) for generating a predetermined code for routing signals to a particular network and a receiver is provided for revising the generator code by receiving a transmitted radio wave (53) or a signal over the Internet. The network access device is, preferably, incorporated in a telephone network system which has at least two competing telephone networks (4, 12). A revised network access code is transmitted (51) from a competing network (12) to a radio transmitter (52) which, in turn, transmits (53) the revised code to the network access device (11). Although of particular benefit to revising codes for competing telephone networks, it is envisaged that the application will have utility for computer network code revisions including use of the Internet instead of radio transmission.

Description

NETWORK ACCESS DEVICE AND SYSTEM USING THE DEVICE

This invention relates to a network access device for a telephone system network and to a telephone or computer network system utilising the device.

A known simple telephone system is shown in Figure 1 in which a calling user has a handset 1 coupled over a transmission path 2 which may be, for example, copper wire or fibre optic cable, to a local telephone exchange 3 of a public subscriber telephone network having, for example, British Telecom as the service provider . The exchange 3 routes and transmits a number dialled by the user handset 1 over a network 4 of the public subscriber telephone service provider via transmission paths 8, 9 to a local telephone exchange 5 of the network provider in the vicinity of a called user. The local telephone exchange 5 is connected over a transmission path 6 which may be copper wire or fibre optic cable to the called users handset 7. Transmission of signals between the local exchanges 3, 5 over the paths 8, 9, and the network 4 may be via copper wire, fibre optic cable or a satellite communication link, or a radio wave path, or a combination of all four.

Such a traditional network where the public subscriber telephone network provider owned the network 4, the local exchanges 3, 5 and, very often the transmission paths 2, 6, 8, 9 was the result of a monopolistic situation.

With the advent of competition between public subscriber telephone operators, a system has been developed whereby there are competing telephone networks, operated by different service providers, which compete on price of telephone calls over different distances and on quality of service. Thus, in Great Britain for example, British Telecom (B.T.) is faced with competition for non-local area telephone calls from other operators, such as Mercury pic, and from cable operators. In the U.S.A. there is competition between, for example, A.T & T and M.C.I.

With the use of competing networks, it is necessary to be able to route a particular telephone call to the desired choice of service provider of the user instigating the call, i.e. the calling user. The method conventionally used is to introduce a prefix access code which may comprise three digits at the beginning of a desired called user's telephone number.

A known coded access system for competing networks is shown in the accompanying Figure 2, wherein parts similar to those of Figure 1 have been given like reference numerals .

Referring to Figure 2, a network access device 11 is interposed in the transmission path 2 between the caller's handset 1 and the caller ' s local exchange 3. Usually the network access device is located in close proximity to the handset 1 and connected thereto by a transmission link 21, but there is no such constraint upon the location of the device 11 nor is there believed to be any restraint on the mode of communication between the handset and device 11. The network access device inserts the prefix code which is an access code to the desired provider's telephone network. Such a desired provider's telephone network 12 which is in competition with the network 4 is located between the local telephone exchange 3 and the network 4 of the original public subscriber telephone network service provider.

The competitor's network 12 is connected to the caller's local telephone exchange 3 by a transmission path 13 which is typically formed of copper wire or fibre optic cable and to the original public subscriber network service provider 4 in a region normally in close proximity to the called user ' s local telephone exchange over a transmission path 14 which may be formed by copper wire, fibre optic cable or a satellite link, or radio wave path, or a combination of all four. Thus, the competitor's network 12 may be used to carry the telephone message signal over a greater distance so that, for example, long distance and/or international calls are transmitted and routed over a short distance denoted by transmission paths 2, 13, 19 and 6 belonging to the original public subscriber network service provider, e.g. B.T., and the telephone signals are transmitted for the greater part of their transmission path length over the network 12 of the competitor, e.g. Mercury pic, service provider. The local exchange 3 is also connected to the network 4 over transmission path 15 and the transmission path 15 may be used for short distance, e.g. local telephone calls. Thus, if the network access device determines that a telephone number is not to be routed via the competing network 12, because the telephone call is determined to be a local call, then no access code number is added to the dialled telephone number and the call is routed by the caller's local telephone exchange 3 over the transmission path 15 to the network 4. In use, when a calling user lifts a receiver 10 of the handset 1 a line active signal is transmitted to the local exchange 3. The user then dials the required called telephone number and the number is detected, i.e. recognised, and categorised by the network access device 11. The dialled number may be in analogue or digital form and represented by pulses or tones. Categorisation may be determined from the international code, area code or the absence of such codes, as being a telephone call to be made over a particular distance. The network access device 11 accordingly generates and inserts an appropriate service provider's network access code, if desired. If, for example, the call being made is a local call and the particular competitor service provider's network is used for only long distance or international calls, then the network access device would not insert the competitor's network code so that the telephone signal would be routed, i.e. transmitted, over paths 2 and 15 to the network 4.

Alternatively, if the code dialled by the user is recognised as being a long distance or international code to be routed over the competitor ' s network 12 , then the network access device inserts a prefix code number, for example a three-digit number 436, which is transmitted from the network access device 11 over transmission path 2 as a prefix to the telephone number dialled by the user. It is to be appreciated that it is possible for users who do not have a network access device to insert the competitor ' s network access code number manually as a prefix in front of the dialled telephone number so that the call is routed over the competitor service provider ' s network 12. However, to avoid error and to ensure that a call is routed over the most economic route, it is common practice for most users to employ a network access device 11 which automatically detects a telephone call to be routed over a particular competitor's network 12 and to insert the appropriate competitor's network access number.

It has been found with the introduction of additional competing networks of different service providers that the access code number for a particular competing network requires to be changed. In one known instance, the network access code generator within the network access device may be remotely programmed by transmission of suitable signals over the network 12, the exchange 3 and the transmission paths 2, 13. In a known instance, the competing network service provider dialled in to each user's network access device to change the access code from, for example, 436 to 132. Such an exercise, although being operated under computer control, takes an inordinate amount of time.

Known network access devices are described in, for example, WO-A-97/10655, EP-A-0757318 and EP-A-097351. The present invention seeks to overcome the foregoing difficulty.

According to a first aspect of this invention there is provided a network access device for a system network including means for generating a predetermined code for routing signals to a particular network, and means for revising said generated code by receiving a transmitted radio wave or signal over the Internet.

Preferably, said network is a telephone network. Advantageously, said revising means include means for receiving said radio wave and means for re-programming an integrated circuit (IC) code chip with said revised code number.

According to a second aspect of this invention there is provided a telephone network system including at least two competing telephone networks, radio wave transmitter means for transmitting a revised network access code, a network access device for generating a network access code which is capable of routing signals to a particular network, and said network device having means for revising said generated code upon receipt of said transmitted radio wave.

Preferably, said access code is representative of a number having a predetermined number of digits, and said means for revising is performed by re-programming a number code generating means in said network access device.

Normally the network access device generating means is responsive to activation by a telephone number input by a calling user's handset, and outputs said generated code number to said calling user's local telephone exchange, wherein said code number acts as an instruction to said telephone exchange to route a telephone signal from said calling user to the network determined by said code number.

Usually a competing service provider ' s network is disposed between said calling user's local exchange and a called user's local exchange. According to a third aspect of this invention, there is provided a method of revising a telephone network system access code which has a network access device for generating a predetermined code for routing signal messages to a particular network, comprising the step of revising the code generated by said network device by transmitting a radio wave carrying said revised generated code to a receiving means operative with said network access device.

According to a fourth aspect of this invention there is provided a method of revising a computer network system access code which has a network access device for generating a predetermined code for routing signal messages to a particular network, comprising the step of revising the code generated by said network device by transmitting a signal carrying said revised generated code over the Internet to a receiving means operative with said network access device.

Preferably, said receiving device is located in said network access device and said code may be representative of a number. The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a known simple telephone system using a single public subscriber service operator's network, Figure 2 is a diagrammatic representation of a known coded access system for competing network service providers, Figure 3 is a diagrammatic representation of a telephone network system in accordance with this invention, and Figure 4 is a schematic block diagram of a network access device in accordance with this invention.

In the Figures like reference numerals denote like parts .

The telephone network system of this invention will now be described with reference to Figure 3. The competing service provider's network 12 is connected over a transmission path 51 which may be, for example, copper wire, fibre optic cable, satellite link or a radio transmission path to a radio transmitter antenna 52. The radio transmitter antenna transmits a radio wave embodying the new access code number that is to be the revised access code number to the network access device 11 over a radio transmission path 53.

Referring now to Figure 4, the network access device 11 has a radio wave receiver 61 for detecting a revised access code number transmitted by the radio transmitter tower 52. The receiver is coupled to an access code number generator 62 that supplies the prefix access code for the desired network. The generator 62 includes a remotely programmable integrated circuit (I.e.) which produces the desired access code prefix number. The transmission path 21 is connected to a dialled telephone number detector 63, i.e. a called telephone number which, if the number is detected as being one which should be routed over the competitor's network 12, transmits the number to the access code generator 62 which prefixes the dialled telephone number with the desired access code. If the telephone number detected by the detector 63 is not one which is to be transmitted over the competitor's network 12 but is, for example, a local call, then no access code number is prefixed to the dialled number so that detector 63 directly outputs the called number to path 2 and the call is routed over transmission path 15 by exchange 3.

The access code generator 62 may include digital logic which programs a shift register in response to the received signal so that when derived a digital sequence, e.g. number, is output capable of selecting a required carrier or operator or service provider.

The access code generator may be a stand-alone unit as shown or an integral part of a subscriber's handset 1. In operation, to revise, i.e. re-program, a predetermined code number, e.g. 436, normally generated by the access code generator 62 to a new code number, e.g. 132, the network 12 sends re-programming instructions over transmission path 51 to the radio transmitter 52. The radio transmitter 52 relays the re-programming instructions over radio wave transmission 53 to the network access device 11 code generator 62 so that the code number is re-programmed from 436 to 132. Thus the transmitted instructions that are broadcast contain sufficient information encoded in an electromagnetic wave signal to identify network access devices which have been selected to be involved in a particular reprogramming action and to reprogram those network access devices which are identified by the identifying part of the signal.

By using a radio wave 53 to re-program the network access device, so many thousands of network access devices may be re-programmed simultaneously, i.e. those network access devices that are within the range of the transmitter 52.

Thus, it will be understood that by use of the present invention plural access devices simultaneously have their access codes re-programmed. The transmitted radio signal may be linked to plural radio transmitters 52 so that network devices throughout a whole country or, even the world, may be changed simultaneously, thereby substantially reducing the time, effort and cost in changing access codes.

Although the network access device described above has been specifically described with reference to a telephone system, such a network device could, it is envisaged, be used with other networks, such as computer networks. Moreover, although the use of radio wave transmitters is preferred it is envisaged that, particularly for computer networks, the Internet may be used as the transmission medium. Also, although reference has been made above to a code number, it is envisaged the code may not necessarily be representative of a number. It is envisaged that where different competing networks offer a better or less expensive service over different routes, for example long distance or international, so the network access device will recognise the code number dialled and insert the appropriate competing network access code so that the device 11 may be capable of inserting an access code for more than one service provider's network, whereby calls may be appropriately routed, as desired, over a predetermined one of two or more competing networks .

It is to be understood that the described embodiment is exemplary and that modifications could be made and all such modifications falling within the scope of the appended claims are intended to be included in the present invention.

Claims

CIAIMS :

1. A network access device (11) for a system network including means (62) for generating a predetermined code for routing signals to a particular network, and means (61, 63) for revising said generated code by receiving a transmitted radio wave or signal over the Internet.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said network is a telephone network.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said revising means include means (61) for receiving said radio wave and means for re-programming an integrated circuit (IC) code chip with said revised code number.

4. A telephone network system including at least two competing telephone networks (4, 12), radio wave transmitter means (52) for transmitting a revised network access code, a network access device (11) for generating a network access code which is capable of routing signals to a particular network, and said network device having means (61 - 63) for revising said generated code upon receipt of said transmitted radio wave.

5. A system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said access code is representative of a number having a predetermined number of digits, and said means for revising is performed by re-programming a number code generating means in said network access device.

6. A system as claimed in claim 4 or 5, wherein the network access device generating means is responsive to activation by a telephone number input by a calling user's handset, and outputs said generated code number to said calling user's local telephone exchange, wherein said code number acts as an instruction to said telephone exchange to route a telephone signal from said calling user to the network determined by said code number.

7. A system as claimed in claims 4 - 6, wherein a competing service provider ' s network is disposed between said calling user's local exchange and a called user's local exchange .

8. A method of revising a telephone network system access code which has a network access device (11) for generating a predetermined code for routing signal messages to a particular network, comprising the step of revising the code generated by said network device by transmitting a radio wave (53) carrying said revised generated code to a receiving means (61) operative with said network access device.

9. A method of revising a computer network system access code which has a network access device for generating a predetermined code for routing signal messages to a particular network, comprising the step of revising the code generated by said network device by transmitting a signal carrying said revised generated code over the Internet to a receiving means operative with said network access device.

10. A method as claimed in claim 8 or 9, wherein said receiving device (61) is located in said network access device (11) and said code may be representative of a number.