Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
  • H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
  • H04M3/48—Arrangements for recalling a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
  • H04M3/38—Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
  • H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
  • H04M3/432—Arrangements for calling a subscriber at a specific time, e.g. morning call service
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
  • H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
  • H04M3/487—Arrangements for providing information services, e.g. recorded voice services or time announcements
  • H04M3/493—Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
  • H04M3/4931—Directory assistance systems
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M7/00—Arrangements for interconnection between switching centres
  • H04M7/12—Arrangements for interconnection between switching centres for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal

Definitions

• the present patent of invention refers to a process that allows the user to make phone calls of the " callback " type with the aid of the Internet, what reduces substantially the time for connection, eliminates the need for additional high cost equipment (“hardware”), the need for making of uncompleted calls and the need for Internet browsers to process calls.
• a "phone book” type application idealized for computer nets or for single user computers having access to the Internet, the user must just dial the number he wants to call or click with the mouse on a pre-stored number and the ready call (calling in the destination phone chosen by the user), is given in the ordinary telephone of the user in a few seconds.
• connection processes like "callback" phone call now existent can be made in the following ways:
• the user dials the wanted telephone number in the computer keyboard, automatically the application interacts with the modem to accomplish an uncompleted call to the phone company supplier of the "callback", awaits to ring once, hang up the phone, receives a call from the "callback” supplier, dial the telephone number supplied by the user and gives him a ready connection (calling in the destiny). Again, it happens a simpler connection, but even this type of application doesn't decrease significantly the time to complete a call and doesn't eliminate the need for an uncompleted call to make a connection.
• dialers that have the option of signaling the "callback” from the Internet or from another types of nets, like for example: X-25.
• the dialer sends a data package containing the information of the customer and of the destiny he wants to call to the phone company supplier of the "callback" service, via Internet (or via X-25), then the company calls the customer's telephone and gives him a ready connection (calling in the destiny), avoiding the previous need for an uncompleted call and providing larger speed and safety to the calls.
• the user needs to access an Internet "site” and identify himself by a password to process his calls.
• the Internet is very slow (in relation to the Internet access time in the USA), making the task of entering an application built in html delayed and non stimulating; besides that, the telephone database is not stored in the users' computer, and so cannot be maintained without the user needing to be connected to the Internet;
• the Internet is used in this process just for the sending of a small data pack (containing the customer's identification and the telephone number he wants to call) to the "callback" supplier phone company, without the use of Internet Browsers nor "e-mail” "software” and avoiding unwanted or undesirable access to the Web; f) An user that uses a single line to access the Internet and to speak benefits himself of a process that automatically turns on and off his "dial-up" connection, for him to complete a "callback" call.
• the application has a window that allows institutional advertising presented through "banners", where can be the linking with “Web” pages, but in a way controlled by the "software” configuration, that can be personalized according to the interests of the company that contracted the "callback” service or supplied the application;
• the application can register the processed calls (day, hour, called telephone%), in a text file, allowing a call control by the user;
• LCR Least Cost Routing
• the application can be called by a command line or in "Component Object Mode", what means that it is prepared to interact or to be integrated with the main tools of a computer, like for example: "MS OFFICE” package from Microsoft, Business Administration Software (like SAP), Telemarketing or Telecommunications Software or others.
• the application allows the user to make Conference Call, which means that simultaneous calls can be made through it to different places (meeting).
• FIGURE 1. that describes the process for signaling "callback" calls via Internet
• FIGUE 2. that shows a block diagram of the application that accomplishes the process for signaling "callback" calls via Internet
• FIGURE 3. that shows a block diagram of the routine of use restricted to the operator of the "callback" service, that allows the internal configuration of the application described in the figure 2.
• a phone call by this process happens in the following way:
• the user should have the phonebook type application type installed in his computer (1) or (10) with the following characteristics: capacity to run Windows 95, 98 or NT; connection with the Internet, either dialed in "dial- up" form, proxy, or dedicated;
• callback calls from an ordinary Switch or from pack nets, like for example: Frame Relay, ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) or TCP- IP;
• the user locates the number he wants to call in the application (if the wished number is already stored in the "software” database), or types the wished number and clicks on Dial or Enter;
• the application sets up a data pack containing the call solicitation and sends it to the Internet Server of the customer's net (2) through HTTP or TCP door;
• the Internet Server of the customer's net (2) sends the data pack via public Internet (3) to the receptor(s) server(s) (4) able to receive a data pack and interact with ordinary telephony "switches” (5) and/or with routers (6) (equipment that manage information destined to pack nets (7)), in the common telephony net (8), to give a "callback" call in the user's telephone (9);
• the application sets up a data pack containing the call solicitation in the user's computer (10) and sends it via Internet (3) to the receptor(s) server(s) (4) able to receive a data pack and interact with ordinary telephony "switches” (5) and/or with routers (6) (equipment that manage information destined to pack nets (7)), in the common telephony net (8), to give a "callback" call in the user's telephone (11); and
• the application trials five times to deliver the data pack to the receptor(s) server(s) (4), and stop trying when receives an OK form receptor(s) server(s), however, in 99% of the cases the pack is delivered in the first trial.
• the phonebook type application When the user, previously registered in the phone company enabled to process "callback" type phone calls, access the phonebook type application (start), the application firstly verifies if the user is in a single user computer or in a computer linked to a net that has an Internet Server (single/net). In case of single user environment, the application configures the user's computer to "auto dial” (configures auto dial) and access the application that provides Internet access to the computer (call dialer). In case the computer is linked to a net that has a an Internet Server, the application informs the Internet Server that it needs a connection with the Internet (verify connection).
• the application in an automatic way (transparent to the user), is able to access the Internet from the Internet Server of a computer net (Server of dialed or dedicated Internet), and also is able to access the Internet from applications that dial to Internet Providers to connect a single user computer, saving time for the user and eliminating the need for knowledge of Internet, Internet browsers and how to access the Internet;
• the main menu (Menu), is showed to the user with the following options in the screen: Exit, Dial, Register, Search, Edit, Delete, Enter, Configure and Help.
• the main Menu screen still has a window with the list of registered names and telephones, endowed with an ordinary "rollover" process common in "Windows” applications, a virtual keyboard that allows the user to type a telephone number to select a number, a window that shows the number of selected or typed telephone, and a window of institutional "banner” that can link the user to Internet pages or to "e-mail" addresses previously configured by the supplier of the application.
• This window can even contain an APLLET (program routine that can for example: to seek for the main titles of a newspaper's news directly in the newspaper's office, allowing the user to access the news text by clicking on the titles text)
• APLLET program routine that can for example: to seek for the main titles of a newspaper's news directly in the newspaper's office, allowing the user to access the news text by clicking on the titles text
• the processes of exit the application, register a name or telephone, search for a name or telephone on the list, edit an already filed name or telephone, delete a name or telephone and obtain help, are those common in Windows applications, and so they are not detailed in the figure 2;
• the application verifies if the user has access via TCP/Mapping, and sets a "flag" indicating this, to give preference to work in TCP/Mapping (TCP/Mapping?) in relation to working in HTTP/Proxy, turning the process faster;
• VIII.3 Configure user 's passwords In this option, the user informs the password sent by the service supplier and the telephone or extension line where he wants to receive the "callback" connections, a routine that even allows an user to accomplish calls from several telephones or extension lines through the inclusion of several passwords;
• This screen also allow to access the option Register Form for test/definitive use, in case the user has not sent his registration data to the service supplier.
• Another option found in this screen is if the application should minimize or not the software after the accomplishment of a call (Minimize?). When receiving the user's Ok (OK?), the application updates the configuration file (update file configurations), and comes back to the Configure menu; and
• IX.1 It will verify if there is a telephone number typed in the selected or typed number indication window (Is there a number in the window?). In case the number has not been typed by the user, the application will verify if there is a phone number selected in the phonebook window (Is there a number in the phonebook?). If there is a number, it will copy the telephone number in the selected or typed number indication window (Copy number from phonebook);
• IX.2 It will verify if the user wants to accomplish a call immediately or wants to program a call for a future schedule. If the user wants the second option, it allows him to indicate the wanted schedule and after that it generates a routine that stays in his computer's memory and awaits the schedule indicated by the user to process the scheduled call;
• IX.4 It will connect with the receptor server of the "callback" supplier company via HTTP or TCP standard (connect with company).
• the application can be instructed to try to connect with more than a receptor server (in case one of the servers is inactive), or to choose a specific receptor server, or a specific PIN (Personal Identification Number), according to the number dialed by the user, following the Option ofLCR (Least Cost Routing) process, described below;
• the application will send an IP data pack (transmit data), to the server of the "callback" supplier company.
• This data pack basically will contain the user's identification and the telephone to be called, could contain other data and also have a data cryptography in a pattern previously accorded with the "callback" supplier company.
• the application shows to the user a screen indicating that the call is being processed (call in progress).
• the minimize “flag” is set up as yes, the application window is minimized in the user computer's main screen soon after the screen that indicates the call is being processed ends its task;
• the application still has a program with access restricted to the operator of the "callback" service (Operator Menu), that allows to configure internally the application, with the following options: Authorized numbers, Dialing Format, blocking of telephones and area codes that are not permitted to the user and option of LCR (Least Cost Routing). These options allow the following processes:
• Dialing format It allows the "callback" supplier company to correct user's common mistakes, like the improper insert of operator's codes or insert of 00 before the number the user wants to call;
• Blocking It allows the "callback" supplier company to block calls to some telephone numbers or prefixes, like for example: it can block calls to local telephone numbers, to a determined country, to sex phone services, etc. Whenever this list has a content, the application won't process calls to the prefixes or to the telephone numbers inserted on the list; and
• LCR is an acronym for Least Cost Routing, and allows the application to be instructed to try to connect with more than a receiving server (in case one of the servers is inactive), or to choose a specific receiving server, or a specific PIN (Personal Identification Number) according to number dialed by the user.
• the application can work for example, with a certain receiving Server or PIN, when a call goes to Europe, other receiving Server or PIN when a call goes to South America and so on, deriving benefit from alternative roads to the users' calls, that can even be more cheap.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Telephonic Communication Services (AREA)
• Telephone Function (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=4073276

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Cited By (3)

Citations (4)

• 1999
  • 1999-09-01 BR BR9903704A patent/BR9903704A/pt not_active Application Discontinuation
• 2000
  • 2000-08-30 WO PCT/BR2000/000098 patent/WO2001017216A2/en active Application Filing
  • 2000-08-30 AU AU76347/00A patent/AU7634700A/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (4)

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