INTELLIGENT VOICE AND DATA DIALING SERVICE USING ELECTRONIC APPLICATION, PORTABLE MEDIA AND M-COMMERCE SYSTEM
The present invention relates to communication devices and, in pju-ticular, to a process of delivery for cost effective voice and data services via communication systems which can include communication connections, whether fixed line or wireless, electronic media, transaction systems aaά voice and data gateways.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
Long distance telephony can be complex in that often the communication, whether voice or data, must be routed through different carriers using different connections and media which can effect the cost of the connection. Furthermore, international dialing codes and rules can be complex depending on the location of the user, and whether they are roaming from their home c- raer.
It is therefore seen that there is a need for a method of .accessing communic^on carriers for the ease of use and to .analyse the current environment to determine a cost effective route .and method to connect and terminate a call.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
It is an objtsct of the present invention to provide a communication device interface which enables enhanced applications .and connection to communication networks. At the very least the object of the present invention is to provide an .alternative to known systems.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is disclosed a method for the delivery of cost-effective voice and data services via communication connection, either fixed line or by wireless connection, said method including the steps of determining the location of the user and their connection device, cross-referencing the data and input details against international codes and rules from a table or list.
A software program drives the system on the calling device using an approach that is designed to analyze the current environment and use the most cost-effective route and method to connect and terminate a call. This system also outlines a new application of existing media to create a multi-faceted system designed to deliver the equivalent of a plastics Calling mά/oτ instruction Card, a mobile SIM card (or Smart Card), the driving application programs on a small portable form factor medium such as MMC, SD card, smart-media, memory stick and/or other r iniature storage device such as business card size CD ROM.
The system further describes a new call-in billing and coding system application designeα to access toll numbers with specific values per calls to enable prepaid and real-time billing for products and services. This method also supports messaging communication for the delivery of receipts and requested content information.
Finally the system describes a method to enable long-distance voice and data calls at local call rates at the sender and call receiver locations through the use of programs to enable the most cost-effective routing in each location.
This is managed and billed using existing programs and available hardware. Some additional hardware with add-on software is described, that is designed to enable cost- effective local mobile calls from existing VoIP Gateways.
BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
The systems or devices of the preferred embodiments function via existing fixed line or wireless communications using a phone with a key dialer ancl/or an included phone dialing software program. This phone dialing program determines the user's current location and the most cost-effective routes to dial the requested number,
The system offers the user various cost-effective dialing options at reduced costs to those options currently available to the user.
The dialing program which is designed for portable devices and PC's and includes a dialing wizard assistant approach to help travelers to dial any known fixed or mobile phone number from any location to anywhere, without needing to understand the rules and dialing codes from that location and country.
This is achieved by determining the user's location and cross-referencing the data and input details agεύnst internation.al codes and rules from a table or list. This enables the supplier of the services to offer the user the option to simply enter a phone number, then select the location they normally dial this number from.
The dialing wizard system then determines the digits required from a fixed or mobile number, enabling the user to dial from any specific country via a fixed or mobile phone line. The dialing is done by the wizard autom.atically.
This dialing wizard system is also be used with voice or data service di.al-uρ and can be used to determine the dialing codes required to dial manually from a mobile or fixed line phone. The number dialing can be automated, or can be displayed on a portable or computing device and further enhanced in a software application. This software application can include scalable fonts to display all the numbers to be dialed in a comfortable, readable font size.
This preferred feature is designed to enable the electronic display in larger user-defined font-size, allowing the user to see a number more easily when dialing manually. Without this feature, a user may have difficulty in reading the smaller device display fonts for numbers being dialed.
In a preferred embodiment, the numbers to be dialed can be displayed on a mobile device or can be prompted to input via key input (DTMF Tones) or dialed via voice input prompt from a fixed or mobile device.
This embodiment allows the use of existing hardware and software application capabilities to simplify (haling. In the preferred embodiments, the dialing device can be built-in or be
an external DTMF dialing device, which can be included or be offered with Calling Cards to simplify dialing key numbers, ρ<asswords and home country details.
The dialing wizard program of the device of the preferred embodiment also includes a time detection application whereby as the dialing wizard application detects a user's location, the system also updates the mobile device system clock and distributes the user's accurate location information and time zone differences to other people and/or systems as per user preference and authorisation settings.
The user may have various applications associated with his device such as reminders etc. The time detection application enables existing appointments, diaries and to dos to be activated to the present local time zone. The wizard program also enables third party time related applications to be activated.
Furthermore, the user can activate the time detection application of the preferred embodiments, whereby the system can be activated via a mobile device by simply reading the current mobile country code .and location and cross-referencing this to a Country/City table stored locally or retrieved via some form of communication. The time detection application can also be activated when a user makes a phone call with the defined VoIP (voice over internet protocol) calling card system similar to the mobile device.
The time detection application in another embodiment can detect the location of the user via the dialing wizard at the locally dialed server and send an update via dial-up or wireless cωrrmiu cation back to the user's device.
Alternatively, in other embodiments, key entry locations such as airports, train or bus stations and seaports can also offer wired or wireless location information to mobile device users to enable them to correctly update local time.
The time data can also be used via a Calling Card system based on VoIP to determine other user's location information. This can be called up or retrieved electronically on portable .and mobile devices.
The device or system of the preferred embodiments also provides a local dial VoIP method of communication. This is achieved whereby the long distance calls can have a local originate and terminate combination on both ends of the call. The caller originates and terminates locally, using VoIP to bypass expensive circuit-switches and mobile carrier switches. The receiving caller also gets called locally directly via a VoIP Gateway for local calls or via a Mobile Gateway directly connected to VoIP Gateway for calls to mobiles. This helps reduce the real cost of the call overall.
To achieve this, the method of the preferred embodiment enables the bypassing of existing circuit-switch communication technology by using a local callback system to trunk calls through a VoIP Gateway and to effect a local call originate and terminate by using callback to the originating caller. This method is implemented seamlessly to the user .and is driven by options to prompt or preset to activate according to preferences set: automatic activate or prompt for manual response.
The system of the preferred embodiments also provides a method of delivery of the programs using a combination of mediums. These mediums include the combination of an existing so-called business c* rd or resduced size CD ROM media combined with a smart card, SC card, smart media or other storage medium.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, these storage mediums are combined into a business card, pocket-sized medium that is also designed to be used like existing plastic card based calling cards. The cards can store a dial-in number, a secret password, country specific toll-free numbers to call and customer service contact numbers.
This storage medium system has all the qualities of a calling card, but also incorporates a mobile SIM Card and/or a smart card. A mobile SIM card may be bundled for travels in a roar ng region with the special media. It can be sold as prepaid and can include a local call mobile S3M card (used to call the VoIP Gateway and make local and long-distance calls). It can be offered with a fixed line calling card designed to be used via the traditional plastic card system (all numbers, passwords and lists for overseas use included in package) and/or by inserting the media in a computer and loading the program onto a mobile device (palmtop / phone, mobile phone or other portable i puti g device).
The medium can also be offered and used with additional computing programs such as mobile phone dialer, automated international dialing assistant and messaging client.
All these applications can be automated to connect the user via the VoIP Gateway or may be offered for use with foreign or third party programs for a small fee per use or period.
The device or system of the preferred embodiments also provides a method of calling authentication and speed dialing using caller-ID tagged code. This is dependent on a process that exploits the capabilities .and options of the VoIP server1 s dialing capabilities.
The method is based on a system that recognizes the dial-in number (Caller-ID) whereby the number is defined in the ETSΪ specifications as being up to 20 characters. Since most systems define 10-15 numbers, there is an opportunity to identify 5 and up to 12 (locally) additional characters as codes. These codes can be used for authentication, authorization or as command, report or template confirmations.
The tagging caller-ID system of the preferred embodiment can also be used to instruct a program to react in a certain way when received.
The system is designed primarily for digital networks which include Telecom Carrier grade hardware (El lines) and ISDN Trunks.
The device or system of the preferred embodiments also provides a method of an interactive voice response (IVR) for callback and speed dialing. This method uses VoIP Gateway's interactive voice or tone Response (rVR) system to automate dial options once the in-bound calling number is identified.
According to this method, the system identifies an in-bound caller by their caller-ID (enabled by sending party program), optionally authenticates via the additional dialing charters, then uses additional prompts separated by pauses (commas = pauses as specified in AT Command set). These prompts can be used for a number of applications including
the use of the defined callback system for more cost-effective long-distance call m<anagement.
A callback system of the preferred embodiment is used to enable a mobile originating caller to realise more cost-effective long-clistance calls. This is achieved by connecting the user to the VoIP Gateway, identifying the caller, authenticating the user and dialing via VoIP to the receiving VoIP Gateway and then onto the call receiver. In this method, the mobile originator is terminating at the local VoIP Gateway. In some countries this may be cost-effective. In other countries, it may be less expensive to originate and terminate in the same network.
To achieve this the preferred embodiment uses the method of locally dialing the calling mobile user back from the VoIP Gateway via a mobile device on the s.ame network. By doing this, the user enjoys further reduced charges since originating and terrriinatmg in the same network miriimizes the overall real call costs.
This practice can be implemented as a manusil or seamless action that is transparent to the user. In fact, the system can simulate .an international dial tone while the call is switched to the callback ensuring the caller is ready for the receiver to answer. This feature can be implemented as a software function that dials-out and sits with caller-ID ON awaiting a callback from a certain number from the VoIP Gateway.
This callback from the VoIP Gateway is identified by the in-bound number (Caller-ID) or is supported by the number tagging code system to identify itself to the program and hang-up the caller's dial-out line once connected with callback. This process can incorporate the calling user's interaction or can be done seamlessly.
In order to enable the successful use of the VoIP Gateway as a cost-effective means of long-distance communications, the system h.as a software program in the mobile or fixed calling device that has the background functions of:
• Determining the location of the calling party
• Detecting the number the user is calling
• Determining the most cost-eff«3ctive method to make the connection
• Dispatching the collated call information and dialing a local number
The dialed number consists of the following:
• Toll-free number to call - automatically or manually selected
• Pauses or add-on numbers - designed to send coded details or pause awaiting computing (IVR) response
• Password or codes of action - designed to enable security athorization, coded action requests
Calls from mobile devices can also include the enabling of caller-ID to limit use to authorized mobile users and/or limit access by un-authorteed users.
To the user, the system can work transparently automatically enabling the above background tasl s or m-anually requesting feedback to key options.
The user interface (UI) of the device of the preferred embodiment is desgned to enable the user to select preferences and save these settings. This is achieved through a series of preferences including :
• Option to use system or opt for traditional dial-up
• Option for viewing local offers by various categories
• Optional dialing display and use: dial from mobile device or via fixed device
■ If the dialing is to be made from a mobile device, a display option is provided to dial the number automatically
« If the dialing is to be made from a fixed Iines there can be a prompt to use DTMF to auto-dial and display the dial key
If the auto dial is selected the following associated links are provided:
• Dial now key option displayed (also displayed in mobile dialing format) •Zoom option designed to allow the larger font
■ display in mobile format for dialing manually via a mobile device can include number with pauses and password and/or number to "dial
• Optional .dial communication trunk
■ where additional wired or wireless links are available there are options to connect via these • available to DTMF when auto dial not selected
The invention as described above provides a method and apparatus for the delivery of cost- effective voice and data services via communication connection (fixed line or wireless), an electronic medium, transaction system and a voice and data Gateway.
A software program drives the system on the calling device using an approach that is designed to analyze the current environment and use the most cost-effective route and method to connect and terminate a call. This system also outlines a new application of existing media to create a multi-faceted system designed to deliver the equivatent of a plastics Calling anάVor instruction Card, a mobile SIM card (or Smart Card), the driving application ρrogr.ams on a small portable form factor medium such as M C, SD can! smart-media, memory stick and/or other miniature storage device such as business card size CD ROM.
The system further describes a new call-in billing and coding system application designed to access toll numbers with specific values per calls to enable prepaid and real-time billing for products and services. This method also supports messaging communication for the delivery of receipts and requested content/irrformation.
Finally the system describes a method to enable long-distance voice and .data calls at local call rates at the sender and call receiver locations through the use of programs to enable the most cost-effective routing in each location.
This is managed and billed using existing programs and available hardware. Some additional hardware with add-on software is described, that is designed to enable cost- effective local mobile calls from existing VoIP Gateways.
The foregoing describes only some embodfments of the present inventions, and modifications obvious to those skilled in the art can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention.