WO2008155773A1

WO2008155773A1 - Speed dialling using database stored in ip network

Info

Publication number: WO2008155773A1
Application number: PCT/IL2008/000843
Authority: WO
Inventors: Daniel Mattes; Roman Scharf; Shuky Barbash; Amichay Oren
Original assignee: Jajah, Inc.
Priority date: 2007-06-20
Filing date: 2008-06-22
Publication date: 2008-12-24
Also published as: JP2010530697A; EP2171998A1; MX2009014032A; BRPI0811802A2

Abstract

Method of processing telephone calls between a caller and a callee via a Voice over Internet Protocol Service Provider (VSP) is disclosed, the caller having an account stored in a database of the VSP identifying the contact number of the caller. The caller calls the VSP through a local number contacting the caller by the VSP and advises the contact number of callee. The VSP stores the contact number of the callee along with a Personal Identification Number (PIN) allocated by the VSP. The caller is informed by the VSP of the callee' s PIN and up-dates his personal address-book accordingly so that when re-contacting the same callee only the caller contact number along with the callee PIN are used. Preferably, that the PIN of the first called callee is 01, the PIN or the second called callee is 02, and so forth with respect to the following callees. Also shows embodiment setting up a call (fig. 3c) by sending an SMS to. the VSP with the PIN of the callee in the content of the SMS. The VSP then bridges the call.

Description

CALLING/CALLED PARTIES AUTOMATIC MATCHING METHOD

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to telephone communication, and more specifically to short-cut accessing ca lies by callers. ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

PSTN - public switched telephone network, namely a network of both analog and digital telephone systems, including land-line and mobile telephones.

VoIP - Voice-over-Internet protocol, namely a protocol optimized for the transmission of voice through the Internet or other packet- switched networks.

Telephone switch - a system of electronic components that connects telephone calls.

Database - a structured collection of records or data.

VSP - VoIP Service Provider.

CALLEE PIN - Personal Identification Number (or voice signal) uniquely associated with called party.

CONTACT NUMBER - the access telephone number of a called or calling party. BACKGROUNG OF THE INVENTION

In our modern life-style, the use of telephone services, whether land-line or cellular, is indispensable for keeping contact with ones family, friends and business colleagues. Cellular phones nowadays are readily adapted to contain vast storing and retrieving facilities such as a phone book, calendar, e-mail, internet surfing, etc., all designed to assist us in efficiently run our day-by-day activities.

In the context of placing a telephone call to an already known party, it is most common that one should first store the particulars (telephone no./address) of the desired person, and then create an entry in the built-in address-book stored in the user terminal unit. Once required, the call may be placed by browsing through the address book, marking the desired person's name and activating the "call" button.

In certain cases, and while using more sophisticated technologies, the stored data is adapted to be transferred from one device to the other, being in the form of a pre-installed SIM card, through the use of a software designed for this purpose, or through the use of the "Blue Tooth" technology, provided that both sides are equipped with the required facilities.

From another aspect, it might happen that the phone device is lost, damaged, or ceases to function for any other reason. Unless the user has backed-up the list of contacts, the data will be lost and the user will have to re-construct and install it in his new, replacement device. When the data stored is of a considerable volume, e.g. 100 or more private and business entries, the re-typing of the contacts' details (assuming that they were backed-up in writing or on another device such as a hand-held computer), will take a lot of time and pain, if at all possible.

It is therefore the prime object of the present invention to enable any user, in particular those using a web activated telephony provider, to have constant access to a "virtual" address-book besides, or in-lieu of the "normal" address-book stored in his/her cellular phone (or SIM card).

It is a further object of the patent invention that communication with a long-distance callee can be attained at a price only slightly higher than of a local call.

It is a still further object of the invention to facilitate speed dialing by using the virtual address-book.

It is a still further object of the invention to enable callees to return calls to the caller intermediate the VSP.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided a method of processing telephone calls between a caller and a callee via a Voice over Internet Protocol Service Provider ("VSP")_/ the caller having an account stored in a database of the VSP identifying at-least the contact number of the caller, the method being characterized by the steps of: calling the VSP by the caller through a local number of the VSP; contacting the caller by the VSP; receiving by the VSP from the caller the contact number of callee; storing in a database of the VSP the contact number of the callee; annexing to the callee contact number and storing in the database a Personal Identification Number (PIN) allocated by the VSP; advising by the VSP the callee's PIN; and completing by the VSP the connection between the caller and the callee,

In order to enhance the efficiency of the system it is preferable for the callee PIN to follow-up from 01 to 99.

A further enhancement would be attained by requesting the caller to provide a PIN of the callee, e.g. via dial-tone, or voice signal, whereby the PIN of callee number will be stored on VSP database, associated with the caller PIN, to be retrieved upon request by caller.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and additional features and advantages of the invention will become more clearly understood in the light of the following description of several preferred embodiments thereof given by way of example on|y, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein -

FIG. 1 is a schematic over-view of processing a long distance call via VSP;

FIG. 2a is a flow-chart illustrating a method of creating a new phone-book entry via a specified VSP, in accordance with a disclosed embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2b is a flow-chart illustrating another method for creating a new phone-book entry on VSP database, in accordance with an alternate embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2c illustrates the option of synchronizing a hand-held phonebook with the virtual phone-book using VSP internet website integrated with dedicated software stored at the VSPs site;

FIG. 3a is a flow-chart illustrating a method for connecting a designated callee via virtual phone-book by dialing VSP contact number followed by. callee PIN, in accordance with a modified embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3b is a flow-chart illustrating a method for connecting a designated callee via virtual phone-book specifying a unique identification method (i.e. voice, PIN) after requested by the VSP; FIG. 3c is a flow-chart illustrating a method for establishing connection with designated callee via SMS message sent to VSP; and,

FIG. 4 is a flow-chart illustrating a method for establishing a call by a previously called callee routed through the VSP of the calling party without creating an account by callee.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a system for Internet-based telephony, combined with PSTN telephony as generally used today, e.g. by JAJAH^®.

Calls are initiated by a caller (in, e.g. Israel) dialing a local phone number of the VSP, usually by using PSTN telephony such as cellular- phone or any other PSTN telephone. The local VSP will transfer the call via VoIP to its associated VSP in the country Of the callee (e.g. the USA), which, in turn, contacts the US callee again via PSTN communication network, and complete the call.

Referring to FIG. 2a, a caller initiates a long-distance call by dialing a local VSP phone number (at step 1). The VSP system identifies the caller contact number and logs into his account (step 2).

In case the user has no account, the system automatically allocates a virtual space, creating a new account identified by (at-least) the caller contact number. After accessing the caller account, a recorded vocal announcement asks the caller to provide callee contact number (usually with # at its end - step 4).

Once received, the VSP will store the callee contact number in its database (stage 6) along with a automatically created number uniquely associated with the respective callee.

This number, from now on will become an integral part of the callee contact number and therefore be defined and used as his/her PIN. Preferably, and for a reason that will become clear later on, the PINs will be formed in a series 01, 02, 03, etc. (step 7).

The allocated callee PIN will be announced to the caller for future use as part of the building-up of his "virtual phone-book".

The caller should annex the PIN to the contact number of this callee next to his/her name in caller's address-book, as stored in his/her cell-phone (or SIM card), for future use (see below).

Finally (step 9), the caller can choose several options such as to complete the call; to confirm the entry; to confirm the entry and discontinue communication; to cancel the entry of the callee identification in the database; etc..

FIG. 2b is a modified embodiment of that of FIG. 2a.

First, all steps from (1) to (6) as described with reference to FIG. 2a are repeated. However, after receiving the callee contact number (step 5) and storing the contact number in the database (stage 6), the VSP will ask the caller (e.g. by voice announcement) for a unique personal identification of the respective callee of his/her choice (step 7).

The caller may chose to identify the callee, either by selecting a PIN or by a voice signal. Selection of the preferred option can be effected by clicking on one of the options offered by the announcment (step 8).

After selecting the mode of identification and providing the VSP with the unique identification, the identification will be stored in the "virtual phone-book" in association with the respective callee contact number (step 9) to be retrieved upon request by caller. The operation cycle is completed by step 10 which remains unchanged.

According to another aspect of the invention, it is made possible for a caller to synchronize his hand-held phone-book (containing all caller contacts) with the virtual phone-book, using dedicated software provided by the VSP for allowing access to its database.

Hence, as depicted in FIG. 2c, the subscriber logs into. his account at the VSP internet website, usually by using his telephone number as Username and an identifying Password provided by VSP. A GUI (graphic user interface) will display all phone-book entries, and enable the subscriber to modify, rearrange and costumize all previous entries; create and costumize new entries; and synchronize all his entries of his terminal unit with entries of the "virtual phone book".

FIG. 3a exemplifies the mode of initiating a call intermediate the virtual phone-book. At step 1, the caller dials the local VSP number (e.g. *123), followed by the callee PIN (as described in FIG. 2a, e.g. 01, namely *123-01), or the callee PIN (as described in FIG. 2b, e.g. 658, namely *123-658), as the case may be.

The VSP identifies the caller, access caller virtual phone-book, identifies by the respective contact number annexed to the callee PIN, and hence completes the connection of the caller with the callee without any further processing.

To this end, it is an important option for a caller to store the local VSP number and callee PIN on client-side platform (e.g. cellular-phone or SIM card) as a speed dial, i.e. placing a call with merely pressing a single button.

FIG. 3b is a flow-chart illustrating a further modified embodiment of the invention, namely, connecting a designated callee using the virtual phone-book provoked, however, by alternative identification means.

Steps (1) to (3) of FIG 3a are repeated. The VSP system will then ask the caller to identify the callee, by either the PIN of his/her choice, or by a voice signal (e.g. the pronounced name of the callee), all as described in connection with FIG. 2b. The system will trace in the VSP database the callee number related with the unique identification on caller "phone-book" and establish connection between caller and callee (stages 6 - 8).

According to the embodiment of FIG. 3c, the caller sends an SMS message to the VSP local number, containing callee PIN (step 1). The system will identify the SMS sender as the caller and the SMS message contents as callee PIN (step 2); access the sender address-book (step 3); and dial simultaneously both to caller and to callee, stalling callee's dial slightly for enabling the caller to respond first (step 6) thus simulating a direct call initiated by the caller.

Upon answering the call by the caller (step 7), a ringing tone will be played at his/her end (step 8) while waiting the callee to responde. Only upon the callee response (lifting the phone) the VSP will complete the connection between caller and callee (step 9).

It is enabled for a caller, who has once been a "callee" in the sense of the preceding embodiments, to connect a callee (a formerly "caller") through the virtual phone-book of such callee, even though not being subscribed to the local VSP.

Since the caller has already been contacted by the callee, his device (if properly equipped with this function) will show under the item "call received" a record of the previous call. It will necessarily show both local number of the VSP (*4567 in the example of FIG. 4), to which there is annexed the PIN of the callee as it appears in the database of the VSP (9669 in our example).

The caller then needs only to press the "call" button.

The local branch of the VSP will receive the call, compare it to the recorded database, retrieve the PIN of the callee (9669 in our example) by which it can identify the callee contact number (9876 in our example) and process the call.

Since, however, the caller is not a subscriber of the VSP, there will be raised the question of charging his/her for this call. One solution would be that the VSP company shall charge the local telephone company for (1) the initial local call 4567; (2) the VoIP processing; and (3) for the local call to 9876.

From the foregoing description, it will be readily appreciated that the implementation of the invention will enable the VSP to serve a vast number of subscribers with a minimum number of acquired local access lines.

Those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains will readily appreciate that numerous changes, variations and modifications can be effectuated without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined in and by the appendent claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A method of processing telephone calls between a caller and a callee via a Voice over Internet Protocol Service Provider ("VSP"), the caller having an account stored in a database of the VSP identifying at- least the contact number of the caller, the method being characterized by the steps of -

- Calling the VSP by the caller through a local number of the VSP;

- contacting the caller by the VSP;

- receiving by the VSP from the caller the contact number of callee;

- storing in a database of the VSP the contact number of the callee;

- annexing to the callee contact number and storing in the database a Personal Identification Number (PIN) allocated by the VSP;

- advising by the VSP the callee's PIN; and

- completing by the VSP the connection between the caller and the callee, whereby the caller is enabled to re-contact the callee by supplying the VSP with the caller contact number along with the callee PIN.

2. The method according to Claim 1 further characterized in that of the PIN of the first called callee is 01, the PIN of the second called callee is 02, and so forth with respect to the following callees.

3. The method according to Claim 1 further characterized in that the PIN of the callee and any additional callee is determined by the caller.

4. The method according to Claim 3 further characterized in that the callee PINs are delivered to the VSP by clicking a number.

5. The method according to Claim 3 further characterized in that the callee PINs are delivered to the VSP by voice signal.

6. The method according to Claim 1 further characterized in enabling caller to access the list of previously contacted callees recorded in the VSP database for up-dating an address-book contained in caller's terminal unit.