WO2003043279A2

WO2003043279A2 - Method and system for transmitting a message via a telecommunication network

Info

Publication number: WO2003043279A2
Application number: PCT/FR2002/003868
Authority: WO
Inventors: Luc Vacquie; Jean-Michel Berge
Original assignee: France Telecom
Priority date: 2001-11-12
Filing date: 2002-11-12
Publication date: 2003-05-22
Also published as: FR2832277B1; AU2002356240A1; WO2003043279A3; FR2832277A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a method for transmitting a message via a telecommunication network, from a computer terminal (12) communicating with the network, which consists in inputting by means of the computer terminal at least an electronic message comprising an address corresponding to a terminal (14, 16, 18) whereto the message is addressed, setting up a link between the computer terminal and messaging servers (26, 28), and transmitting the message to the or each addressee terminal. When inputting the or each address, it consists in inputting a programming code corresponding to a procedure setting up communication between the terminals, the messaging server (26) receiving the data from the computer terminal (12) decoding the programming code and setting up communication between the terminals based on the communication set-up procedure.

Description

Method and system for transmitting a message via a telecommunications network.

The present invention relates to a method for transmitting a message via a telecommunications network, as well as to a system for transmitting a corresponding message.

In particular, the invention relates to a method and a system for transmitting a message via a telecommunications network, from a computer terminal in communication with the network, using electronic mail servers.

More particularly, the invention relates to the development and use of a computer language specific to the management of the transmission of messages via a telecommunications network.

Conventionally, for sending an electronic message to a terminal, an electronic message sending server and a message receiving server are used, respectively dedicated to receiving a message from the terminal at the level from which it was developed, and the redistribution of the message to the destination terminal (s), either directly, when the message is stored at the destination terminal, waiting to be read, or indirectly, when the message is stored at the reception server and is sent back to the destination terminal at the request of the remote user.

This type of email generally uses a communication protocol known as SMTP ("Simple Mail Transport Protocol", in English) and is one of the applications of the Internet.

The syntax used in this messaging is relatively simple. The message, developed within the sending terminal, includes a header conveying, in particular, information relating to the subject of the message, the sender, the receiver and the date of the message, and a body in which the text of the message is conveyed.

Other e-mail protocols are also available, such as the Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) protocol. This type of protocol presents an increased power insofar as it allows the transfer of messages in different formats or languages, such as hyper text HTML (“Hyper Text Mark-up Language”, images in JPEG format ("Joint Photography Experts Group", in English), sound, etc.

This type of protocol, although of increased power compared to the SMTP protocol, in terms of content of messages to be transmitted, is nevertheless very poor in terms of communication strategy. Indeed, in general, according to electronic messaging protocols, it is only possible to send one or more messages to one or more destination terminals and to receive an acknowledgment or a report of receipt allowing to know if the message has actually been transmitted. It is generally not possible to transmit messages using different modes of communication.

Other modes of telecommunication, and in particular facsimile, make it possible to provide for very simple programming of attempts to send a message. Indeed, it is possible, when sending a fax, to program a reiteration of the transmission several times in succession. It is however not possible to program the execution of more complex functions and to provide for the transmission of a message by using several telecommunication modes.

Certain services propose to use electronic messaging to transmit different types of messages, to remote terminals, on media chosen by the user.

Depending on this type of service, it is possible, for example, to use electronic mail servers to transmit a facsimile, a short message of SMS type (“Short Message Service”, in English), a telex, etc.

To use this service, simply enter instead of the address of the destination terminal a code corresponding to the chosen message transmission means, followed by a code corresponding to the number of the remote subscriber.

This type of service nevertheless has a relatively low flexibility for the user, insofar as it does not allow the development of a telecommunications strategy allowing the execution of successive elementary functions.

It is in fact not possible, for example, to periodically renew the transmission of an electronic message, in the event of failure, and to schedule a transmission of the message according to another mode of telecommunications, for example by fax or by SMS. , if a predetermined number of failed attempts have been made.

The object of the invention is therefore to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks and to provide a method and a system for transmitting a message using an electronic messaging protocol and allowing the development and development of a telecommunications strategy.

Thus, according to the invention, there is proposed a method of transmitting a message via a telecommunications network, from a computer terminal in communication with the network, comprising input, by means of the terminal data processing, of at least one electronic message comprising, at least, an address corresponding to a terminal receiving the electronic message, the establishment of a link between the computer terminal and electronic mail servers of the network adapted respectively for the reception of data from the computer terminal and the transmission of said data to the or each terminal receiving the message.

According to one aspect of this process, during the entry of the or each address, a programming code corresponding to a procedure for connecting the terminals, the messaging server intended for receiving data from the computer terminal decoding the programming code and causing the terminals to communicate according to the communication procedure.

According to an example of implementation of this method, the programming code comprises at least one command word for the execution of elementary functions each comprising a header code consisting of an acronym designating said function and a code configurable by the user conveying information relating to the execution of said function.

Thus, for example, the programming code comprises a series of successive words for controlling the execution of successive elementary functions. Preferably, the programming code comprises at least one control structure or a data structure.

According to another characteristic, the mail servers communicate according to the SMTP protocol or according to the MIME protocol.

According to one embodiment of this method, the designation acronym of each control word comprises an element chosen from an identification acronym of a data transmission means to be used, an acronym for waiting time before execution of a function, an acronym for retrieval command, by the messaging server with which the computer terminal communicates, of instruction codes which are stored in the body of the message and which correspond to the communication strategy.

Advantageously, during the decoding of the programming code, the programming code is extracted from the message, a syntactic analysis of the extracted programming code is carried out for the separation of the control words, and the analyzed programming code is compiled.

According to the invention, there is also proposed a system for transmitting a message via a telecommunications network equipped with a message dispatch server. electronic and a server for receiving electronic messages, comprising a computer terminal capable of communicating with the servers and comprising means for entering a message comprising, at least, an address of one or more destination terminals of the e-mail.

According to one aspect of this system, the computer terminal comprises means for entering a programming code integrated into the message and corresponding to a procedure for connecting the terminals, the dispatch server comprising means for decoding the code of programming and means for bringing the terminals into communication according to the communication procedure.

According to a characteristic of this system, the dispatch server comprises means for extracting, from the message, the programming code, means for syntactic analysis of the extracted programming code, for the separation of successive control words from the address. each corresponding to a control word for the execution of elementary functions, means for compiling the analyzed control code and means for causing the execution of said elementary functions.

Other objects, characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the following description, given solely by way of nonlimiting example, and made with reference to the appended drawings in which: - Figure 1 is a schematic view of a portion telecommunications network provided with a message transmission system according to the invention;

- Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating the general structure of a server for sending electronic messages; and

- Figure 3 is a flowchart showing the main phases of the message transmission method according to the invention. In Figure 1, there is shown schematically a portion of telecommunications network provided with a message transmission system according to the invention.

It is intended to allow the transmission of data of different natures, such as audio, video, text files, ... from a computer terminal to destination terminals connected to the network.

More particularly, and as can be seen in this FIG. 1, in the envisaged application, the network 10 allows the transmission of data from a computer terminal, designated by the general numerical reference 12, to one or more destination terminals 14 , 16, 18 using an electronic messaging protocol and this, according to a communication communication strategy programmable by the user of the computer terminal 12 from which the message is produced and sent.

In the context of the present description, by computer terminal is meant any equipment provided with an electronic messaging function, such as a microcomputer, a personal assistant or "PDA", a mobile telephone device, etc. With regard to the stations 14, 16, 18 recipients of the message, these may consist of any type of terminal capable of receiving data from a telecommunications network.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 1, the destination terminals 14, 16, 18 are constituted respectively by facsimile machines 14, computer terminals 16 and pagers 18 intended for the reception of SMS type messages. Although not shown, additional equipment, such as telephone sets, is also provided for receiving messages. For the sake of simplicity, only one transmitting computer terminal and one receiving terminal of each type have been shown. However, as can be seen, the network according to the invention allows the establishment of a communication between a network of computer terminals and a network of remote destination terminals. The telecommunications network 10 essentially comprises an Internet network 20, as well as a telephone network 22, 24 to which the transmitting computer terminal 12 are connected and with which the terminals 14, 16, 18 recipients of the message communicate. Of course, and as will be understood, depending on the nature of the remote terminals 14, 16 and 18, the connection putting them in communication with the rest of the telecommunication network can be carried out by cable or by radio waves, possibly through a specific server. For sending an electronic message to the destination terminals 14, 16, 18, the Internet network 20 is provided with electronic messaging servers 26 and 28 constituted respectively by an electronic message dispatch server capable of retrieving the one or more messages sent by the sending terminal 12, and by a server for receiving electronic messages capable of collecting and distributing messages to the destination terminals 14, 16 and 18.

These mail servers 26 and 28 communicate using the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), which is a protocol used to transfer e-mail from one computer to another using the Internet.

10.

If necessary, they can also use the MIME protocol (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions, in English) which makes it possible to introduce types of format allowing multimedia in messages, such as ASCII, HTML hypertext, sound , images in JPEG format, text files, ...

In addition, the computer terminal 12, from which the messages are sent, is provided with means allowing the entry of electronic messages, consisting of one or more addresses of recipient terminals and a message body, and the entry of 'a programming code corresponding to a message transmission procedure chosen by a user, that is to say to program the execution of basic functions by the mail servers. In particular, the programming of the transmission of one or more messages by the computer terminal is carried out by means of a specific, but widely used computer language, such as "Basic", "Pascal", or so preferred, an object type language, such as "ADA", this language preferably comprising, as will be described below, control structures and / or data structures.

It is thus possible, in accordance with the invention, to send, for example, after programming, an electronic message to one or more computer terminals 16, as is conventional, but also to send, simultaneously or not, a fax by direction of the fax machine 14, or an SMS type radio message (Short Message Service, in English).

It is also possible, for example, in the event of failure to receive the message by one or more of the computer terminals

16 remote, to schedule one or more retransmissions of the message to them and, after several unsuccessful attempts, to schedule a sending of faxes or a sending of messages by radio messaging. For sending an electronic message to one or more computer terminals 16, it is first of all necessary to address the message by typing an electronic address on a tab of an address window presented on the terminal screen. IT 12 transmitter as well as, if necessary, addresses of additional recipients as carbon copy (Ce) or invisible carbon copy (Bcc) listing the recipients receiving a copy of the message addressed to the main recipient, and typing the subject of the message or attach files as attachments.

Furthermore, to program the procedure for establishing communication between the sending terminal 12 and the remote terminals 14, 16 and 18, a programming code is simply entered in the form of a set of command words corresponding to the communication procedure chosen by the sending user, in one of the tabs in the address window, preferably in the tab corresponding to the main recipient.

This programming code is detected by the dispatch server 26, then is decoded so as to bring the terminals into communication according to the communication procedure programmed by the user.

To this end, and with reference to FIG. 2, the dispatch server 26 comprises a set of modules arranged in series, preferably produced in the form of a set of software modules.

Thus, the dispatch server comprises a parser 30 receiving, as input, as designated by the arrow F, the programming code entered by the user. This first module essentially ensures an extraction of the programming code from the content entered by the user in the addressing tab and proceeds to a lexical analysis of this code to isolate control words.

This parser 30 is connected to a compiler 32 intended to verify the syntax of the programming code and to generate an executable code.

The compiler 32 is connected to a set 34 of motors, such as 34-a, 34-b, ..., 34-n carrying out the actual execution of the communication program and each carrying out the execution of an elementary function. A number of motors is provided corresponding to the number of data transmission modes that can be used. It is thus possible to provide motors for the transmission of messages by radio messaging (SMS), by sound signals, by electronic mail, by fax, by paper mail, by teletext, etc. This set of motors 34 is connected to a corresponding set translators 36, such as 36-a, 36-b, ..., 36-n allowing the format of the data from the transmitting computer terminal 12 to be modified to a format compatible with the chosen reception medium, using example the MIME protocol. Thus, for example, an electronic message programmed to be transmitted to a telephone set and comprising a video recording, as an attachment, will be transformed by the corresponding translator into a sound capable of being received on a telephone. We will now describe, in detail, an example of implementation of a message transmission method according to the invention.

As can be seen in FIG. 3, the procedure essentially consists in entering, as an address, a programming code corresponding to a communication strategy chosen by the user.

Thus, during a first step 38 of this method, the user enters in the tab of the address window a programming code in the form of an address comprising a first part consisting of a set of words for controlling the execution of elementary functions each comprising a header code consisting of an acronym designating the function to be executed and a code configurable by the user conveying information relating to or useful for the execution of said function function, and a second part designating the domain name of the receiving server.

Thus, for example, for a communication strategy consisting in carrying out the following successive operations: sending an electronic mail to a group of contacts entitled "GROUP";

- sending a fax to a fax number entitled

"FAX 1";

- wait two hours;

- send a report by fax to the fax number entitled "FAX 2", you will enter a programming code with the following structure:

M (GROUP) F (FAX 1) W2H BF (FAX 2). Thus, the programming code is constituted by a series of successive command words each comprising a header code in the form of an acronym designating the function to be executed, followed by a field integrating a code configurable by user conveying information relating to the execution of said function.

The parameters or functions that can be programmed by the user can be of different types.

Thus, as the header acronym, one can use, for example, and as will be indicated hereinafter, an acronym identifying a data transmission means to be used, an acronym of duration of waiting before execution of a function, an abbreviation for recovery command, by the messaging server with which the computer terminal communicates, of instruction codes which are stored in the body of the message and which correspond to the implementation strategy communication. Of course, other acronyms can be used, depending on the availability of the executable functions within the mail servers.

In the example which has just been given, the communication procedure consists in the successive execution of a set of elementary functions each intended to be performed by a specific motor 34-a, ..., 34-n .

It should be noted, however, that it is also possible to integrate data structures and preferably control structures of the "if, then, if not" type into this programming code allowing conditional execution of these functions.

For example, for the programming of a communication strategy consisting in joining a person by electronic mail at the electronic address "ADDRESS", wait three hours and send an SMS message to the number "NUMBER" if the electronic mail has not been read, enter the following programming code:

MADRESSEifnonLu (3H) then (SN £ / ERO) endif It is also possible, for example, to program a contact for a group of people, such as called members "OFFICE" of a company or a service of a company using a mode of. communication corresponding to their, "WISHES" wishes and to return to the sender a report. . telecommunications, after three hours and by SMS, to the number "NUMBER".

The programming code will then have the following structure:

J (5-7REA-7, SO-7HA / rS) -W (3H) -BUILDOWN (SNC / ERO)

Such programming can also allow the sending of a message to a whole population, in exceptional cases, for example in the event of disasters, by all possible means.

Thus, for example, such a telecommunication strategy can be used by public authorities to reach members of a population at all costs.

For example, as part of a “ΟRSΕC” plan launched by the public authorities to reach an entire population using all modes. telecommunications options, the following programming code will be used:

J (POP £ / A27ON, ORSEC)

Of course, numerous telecommunication strategies can be envisaged, using command words, in particular acronyms for identifying the functions to be executed, specifically provided.

It will also be noted that it is also possible to integrate into the programming code a specific sign, for example the sign "$", intended to be recognized by the mail servers to indicate to them that the programming code must be retrieved from the body of the message, or even in an attached file.

We are then less limited by the length of the programming code and we consequently increase the programming power available to the user.

During the following step 40, the programming code, received by the dispatch server 26, is decoded by the syntactic analyzer 30 so as, on the one hand, to extract from the sentence entered by the sender in the addressing tab, the programming code, and, on the other hand, separate the control words from each other.

During the following step 42, the compiler 32 verifies that the syntax of the programming code is correct. If this is not the case, it causes the transmission, to the user of the sending computer terminal 12, of a message indicating to him that the code must be re-entered (step 44).

If this is the case, during the following step 46, the compiler 32 develops an executable program, which is then transmitted to one or more engines 34-a, ..., 34-n and to one or more translators

36-a, ..., 36-n correspondents in order to be executed (step 48) and, if necessary, to cause an appropriate translation of the message.

It will also be noted that it is possible to insert, in the address tab, a code referring to the body of the e-mail, also intended to be recognized by the servers, to indicate to them that the rest of the programming code must be retrieved in the body of the message, ^" ie in the" text "field, or in the" subject "field, and must be concatenated with the portion of programming code appearing in the address tab. II It is thus possible, during the entry of the programming code, to continue the entry using the space available in the "subject" field or in the "text" field when the space available in the address is no longer sufficient. In this case, during the processing of the program, these acronyms are removed from the code. With regard to the report prepared by the mail servers to provide a report relating to the operations carried out, it will be noted that such a report is also configurable by programming in entering specific instructions. It is thus possible to consult, at any time, the list of people contacted by entering a specific request.

Of course, a specific programming instruction can be used so that this reception report can be obtained on various media (telephone, fax, electronic mail, etc.). Likewise, it is also possible to obtain real-time indications concerning persons not reached.

In general, it is thus possible to control, in real time, the execution of the communication program.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Method for transmitting a message via a telecommunications network (20, 21, 24) from a computer terminal (12) in communication with the network, comprising input by means of the computer terminal (12) of at least one electronic message comprising, at least, an address corresponding to a terminal receiving the electronic message, establishing a connection between the computer terminal (12) and servers (26, 28) network electronic messaging systems adapted respectively for receiving data from the computer terminal (12) and transmitting said data to the or each terminal receiving the message, characterized in that during the entry of the or each message, a programming code is entered corresponding to a procedure for connecting the terminals and comprising at least one control word for the execution of elementary functions comprising c each a header code consisting of an acronym designating said function and. a user-configurable code conveying information relating to the execution of said function, the messaging server (26) intended for receiving data from the computer terminal (12) decoding the programming code. and causing the terminals to connect according to the connection procedure.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the programming code comprises a series of successive words for controlling the execution of successive elementary functions.

3. Method according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the programming code comprises at least one control structure.

4. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the programming code comprises at least one data structure.

5. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the mail servers (26, 28) communicate according to the SMTP protocol.

6. Method according to any one of ^" claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the mail servers (26, 28) communicate according to the MIME protocol.

7. Method according to one of claims 5 and 6, characterized in that the designation acronym of each control word comprises an element chosen from an identification acronym of a data transmission means to be used, an acronym of waiting time before execution of a function, an acronym for recovery command, by the messaging server with which the computer terminal communicates, of instruction codes which are stored in the body of the message and which correspond to the strategy of communication.

8. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that during the decoding of the programming code, the programming code is extracted from the message, a syntactic analysis is carried out of the programming code extracted for the separation of the control words, and the analyzed programming code is compiled.

9. System for transmitting a message via a telecommunications network equipped with a server (26) for sending electronic messages and a server (28) for receiving electronic messages, comprising a terminal (12) computer capable of communicating with the servers and comprising means for entering a message comprising, at least, an address of one or more terminals receiving the electronic message, characterized in that the computer terminal comprises means for entering a programming code which is integrated into the message, which corresponds to a communication procedure for the terminals and which comprises at least one command word for the execution of elementary functions each comprising an en code -head consisting of an acronym designating said function and a user-configurable code conveying information relating to the execution of said function, the dispatch server (26) comprising means for decoding the programming code and means for bringing the terminals into communication according to the communication procedure.

10. System according to claim 9, characterized in that the dispatch server (26) comprises means (30) for extracting, from the message, the programming code, means (30) for parsing the programming code extract, for the separation of successive control words from the address each corresponding to a control word for the execution of elementary functions, means (32) of compilation of the analyzed control code and means (34, 36) for cause the execution of said elementary functions.