WO2009050420A1 - Appareil et procédé pour services de télécommunication - Google Patents

Appareil et procédé pour services de télécommunication Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2009050420A1
WO2009050420A1 PCT/GB2008/003006 GB2008003006W WO2009050420A1 WO 2009050420 A1 WO2009050420 A1 WO 2009050420A1 GB 2008003006 W GB2008003006 W GB 2008003006W WO 2009050420 A1 WO2009050420 A1 WO 2009050420A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
video
video server
audio
user
content
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB2008/003006
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Jeffrey Wilson
Original Assignee
Intellprop Limited
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Intellprop Limited filed Critical Intellprop Limited
Publication of WO2009050420A1 publication Critical patent/WO2009050420A1/fr

Links

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
    • H04M3/50—Centralised arrangements for answering calls; Centralised arrangements for recording messages for absent or busy subscribers ; Centralised arrangements for recording messages
    • H04M3/53—Centralised arrangements for recording incoming messages, i.e. mailbox systems
    • H04M3/5307—Centralised arrangements for recording incoming messages, i.e. mailbox systems for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components
    • H04M3/5315—Centralised arrangements for recording incoming messages, i.e. mailbox systems for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components where the non-audio components are still images or video
    • 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
    • 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
    • H04M3/50—Centralised arrangements for answering calls; Centralised arrangements for recording messages for absent or busy subscribers ; Centralised arrangements for recording messages
    • H04M3/53—Centralised arrangements for recording incoming messages, i.e. mailbox systems
    • H04M3/5307—Centralised arrangements for recording incoming messages, i.e. mailbox systems for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components
    • 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
    • H04M3/50—Centralised arrangements for answering calls; Centralised arrangements for recording messages for absent or busy subscribers ; Centralised arrangements for recording messages
    • H04M3/53—Centralised arrangements for recording incoming messages, i.e. mailbox systems
    • H04M3/533—Voice mail systems
    • 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
    • H04M3/50—Centralised arrangements for answering calls; Centralised arrangements for recording messages for absent or busy subscribers ; Centralised arrangements for recording messages
    • H04M3/53—Centralised arrangements for recording incoming messages, i.e. mailbox systems
    • H04M3/533—Voice mail systems
    • H04M3/53325—Interconnection arrangements between voice mail systems
    • 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
    • H04M3/50—Centralised arrangements for answering calls; Centralised arrangements for recording messages for absent or busy subscribers ; Centralised arrangements for recording messages
    • H04M3/53—Centralised arrangements for recording incoming messages, i.e. mailbox systems
    • H04M3/533—Voice mail systems
    • H04M3/53333—Message receiving aspects
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N7/00—Television systems
    • H04N7/14—Systems for two-way working

Definitions

  • the invention relates to telecommunications services apparatus and methods for use in telecommunications systems, such as fixed or mobile telephone systems, and more specifically to combining video and voice services in such systems.
  • Voice communication i.e. conventional audio telephone calling
  • Such services range from relatively simple services, such as a "speaking clock” service which tells callers the current time, to a whole raft of more complex audio services, e.g. for providing sport commentary, weather information, train timetables, dating services, and so on.
  • Some of these services are sometimes called "premium rate" services to reflect the relatively high call charges often associated with accessing the service.
  • voice mail services have long been in use as a means of terminating a call which may otherwise have been unsuccessful.
  • the intended recipient of such a call is alerted by text or follow-on call to the presence of a recorded message in his voice mailbox.
  • the recorded message may then be delivered to the recipient as a voice call, or the recipient may dial in to the recording system to retrieve it.
  • Similar systems are in use for audio-visual (or 'video') calls, whereby audio-visual messages may be recorded and retrieved. These systems are typically referred to as video mail.
  • GB2388273 describes a system whereby an audio voice services equipment is connected in-line in front of a standard voice mail system for the purpose of enhancing the scope of audio services offered to callers making voice calls to the voice mail system, particularly during message retrieval calls.
  • the scheme described in GB2388273 is unable to support video calls.
  • Callers may choose when initiating a call whether to make a voice call or a video call. If a video call is unsuccessful, for example because the recipient does not have a compatible terminal or subscription, then the call may be terminated requiring a new call attempt to be made using voice only.
  • a video server for use in a telecommunications network, wherein the video server is operable to provide a user of the telecommunications network with video content, and wherein the video server is further operable to connect to an audio service apparatus and to obtain audio content from the audio service apparatus and to provide the audio content to the user.
  • the audio service may, for example, be an apparatus of the telecommunications network or may be an audio service external to the telecommunications network, e.g. an internet audio service or a service on another network.
  • the audio service may be a voice mail service such that embodiments of the invention may provide a video server for use in a telecommunications network having a voice mail service apparatus, wherein the video server is operable to provide a user of the telecommunications network with video content, and wherein the video server is coupled to the voice mail service apparatus and is operable to obtain audio content from the voice mail service apparatus, and to provide the audio content to the user of the telecommunications network in conjunction with the video content.
  • the video content may comprise menu information to assist the user in navigating the audio service, or photographs or movie clips, e.g. adverts or personalised video content.
  • video content and related terms are used here to refer to content that includes one or more images, e.g. images that may be displayed on a display screen of a telephone, and which may or may not be accompanied by sound (audio).
  • video content may comprise a single static image, or a series of images presented as a moving image, and in either case, may or may not include an accompanying soundtrack.
  • the images may, for example, be photographic images, live video images, blank images, or images representing a graphical user interface or instructions to a user.
  • the video server may be operable to obtain the audio content from the audio service apparatus by establishing a conventional voice call connection with the audio service apparatus. Thus it may be transparent to the audio service apparatus that the video server is being used, and so embodiments of the invention may be used with existing audio service apparatus without modification.
  • the video server may be operable to provide the audio content and the video content to the user through a conventional video call established between a telephone handset of the user the video server, e.g. by the user dialling into the video server, or the video server dialling out to the user.
  • the video server may be operable to determine that a user has pressed a key of the telephone handset. This may be determined in accordance with existing signalling protocols.
  • the video server may be operable to interpret a determination that a user has pressed a key of the telephone handset as a control instruction. This provides the user with a ready mechanism for controlling the video server.
  • the video server On determining that a user has pressed a key of the handset, the video server may also be operable to communicate an indication of the key pressed by the user to the audio service apparatus.
  • conventional key-control instructions intended for the video mail service apparatus may be appropriately routed from the user to the video mail service apparatus.
  • the video server may be operable to obtain information from the voice mail service apparatus regarding voice mail messages stored in the audio service apparatus, and to present the information to a user as a part of the video content.
  • the user may be provided with a displayable list of messages in the mailbox with an indication of which ones have not been retrieved.
  • the video server may be operable to obtain this information from the voice mail service apparatus by intercepting notification messages conventionally sent by the voice mail service apparatus to the user.
  • the video server may be coupled to the voice mail service apparatus by a data-link (data channel) and be operable to obtain the information from the audio service apparatus through the data-link.
  • the video server may be operable to generate the video content itself (e.g. menu lists), or may be operable to obtain the video content from an external source (e.g. a storage medium coupled to the video server or a video stream provided to the video server).
  • an external source e.g. a storage medium coupled to the video server or a video stream provided to the video server.
  • the video content may include a sound component
  • the video server may be operable to replace the sound component of the video content with the audio content obtained from the audio service apparatus.
  • the video server may be operable to add the audio content obtained from the audio service apparatus to the sound component of the video content so that both may be heard by a user.
  • the video content may be provided to the user simultaneously with, or at a different time to, the audio content.
  • the video content may include a sound component and the video server may be operable to replace the sound component of the video content with the audio content obtained from the audio service apparatus or to add the audio content obtained from the audio service apparatus to the sound component of the video content.
  • the video server may be operable to identify the user and may be further operable to select video content to provide to the user in dependence on the determined identity. This allow for targeted advertising for example.
  • the video server may be operable to identify the user based on a calling line identifier (CLI) associated with a telephone apparatus used by the user to connect to the video server, or based on the user entering a user ID or similar to access the system, for example.
  • CLI calling line identifier
  • the video server may further be operable to receive a signal instigated by the user, e.g. a key press, as an expression of interest associated with the video content presented to them, and on receipt of such a signal the video server may be operable to establish a connection between the user and a party associated with the video content, e.g. using a patched telephone connection between the user and the party associated with the video content.
  • a signal instigated by the user e.g. a key press
  • the video server may be operable to establish a connection between the user and a party associated with the video content, e.g. using a patched telephone connection between the user and the party associated with the video content.
  • This may be particularly useful if the video content comprises advertising material since it can provide a ready mechanism for connecting the user to the provider of the service / product being advertised in the video content.
  • the telecommunications network may further comprise a routing switch operable to determine if a telephone call from a user of the telecommunications network that is addressed to the audio service apparatus is a voice call or a video call, and to route the call to the audio service apparatus if the call is a voice call and to route the call to the video server if the call is a video call.
  • a routing switch operable to determine if a telephone call from a user of the telecommunications network that is addressed to the audio service apparatus is a voice call or a video call, and to route the call to the audio service apparatus if the call is a voice call and to route the call to the video server if the call is a video call.
  • a routing switch operable to determine if a telephone call from a user of the telecommunications network that is addressed to the audio service apparatus is a voice call or a video call, and to route the call to the audio service apparatus if the call is a voice call and to route the call to the video server if the call is
  • embodiments of the invention provide a method of providing audio content from an audio service of a telecommunications network to a user of the telecommunications network, comprising obtaining audio content from the audio service apparatus, obtaining video content from a source of video content, and providing the audio content obtained from the audio service apparatus to the user of the telecommunications network in conjunction with the video content.
  • embodiments of the present invention allow for audio-visual connections to an audio service such as a voice mailbox to be supported, thereby not only allowing audio-visual services to be offered to callers, but also allowing either voice or video calls to be made to the voice mail system that would otherwise be voice only. This also permits the audio service to be enhanced to that visual feedback can be provided to the caller to improve the audio service experience.
  • an audio service such as a voice mailbox
  • a method of allowing access to and control of a voice mail system for a caller making an audio- visual call wherein audio from the voice mail system is transmitted to the caller as part of an audio-visual call.
  • a method of allowing control of an audio-visual application and control of a voice mail application by using keystrokes on the caller's terminal wherein keystroke information may be pre-processed and/or filtered by the audio-visual application before being passed to the voice mail application.
  • a method of allowing control of a video server and control of a voice mail system by using keystrokes on the caller's terminal wherein keystroke information passed to the voice mail system may be pre-processed and/or filtered by the audio-visual application.
  • a method of selecting audio-visual announcements to be played to the caller according to the status of the voice mailbox of the caller, for example the number of new and saved messages waiting for example the number of new and saved messages waiting.
  • a method of intercepting alert messages about the status of the voice mail box of a caller for example the number of new and saved messages waiting, for the purpose of selecting audio-visual announcements to be played to the caller.
  • an apparatus for receiving an audio-visual call wherein access to and control of a voice mail system is provided to a caller making the audio-visual call and wherein audio from the voice mail system is selectively transmitted to the caller as part of the audio-visual call.
  • a video server apparatus for receiving an audio-visual call wherein access to and control of a voice mail system is provided to a caller making the audio-visual call and wherein the video server can make a connection to the voice mail system, and wherein audio from the video server and audio from the voice mail system may be selected and/or combined and transmitted to the caller as part of the audio-visual call.
  • a video server apparatus capable of receiving keystrokes from a caller's terminal, and a voice mail system which may be either separate from or integrated with the video server apparatus, wherein the video server has means to pre-process and/or filter keystroke information before passing it to the voice mail system.
  • a video server apparatus comprising means for selecting audio-visual announcements to be played to the caller according to the status of a voice mailbox of the caller, for example the number of new and saved messages waiting.
  • means for notifying a video server apparatus about the status of a caller's voice mailbox in a voice mail system wherein the voice mail system may be either separate from or integrated with the video server apparatus, the notification for example comprising the number of new and saved messages waiting, and means for accordingly selecting audio-visual announcements to be played to the caller.
  • means for intercepting alert messages about the status of the voice mail box of a caller for example the number of new and saved messages waiting, and means for accordingly selecting audio-visual announcements to be played to the caller.
  • a video server apparatus and means for providing video services in addition to voice or video mail retrieval to a caller accessing his voice or video mailbox.
  • a video server apparatus which has means for receiving information representative of keystrokes on a caller's terminal, means for pre-processing and/or filtering this information and means for passing the pre-processed and/or filtered information to a voice mail system.
  • a video server apparatus which has means for receiving information representative of keystrokes on a caller's terminal, means for pre-processing and/or filtering this information, means for converting the pre-processed and/or filtered information to DTMF audio tones and means for passing the DTMF audio tones to a voice mail system.
  • Figure 1 schematically shows a telecommunications network according to an embodiment of the invention.
  • Figure 1 shows a voice call being made by an originator (caller) using an originator mobile terminal IA.
  • the caller wishes to contact a recipient using a recipient mobile terminal IB.
  • the call is terminated on a voice mail system (voice mail service apparatus) 5, for example because the intended recipient IB was unavailable, or had diverted all his calls to voice mail, or because the originator had dialled a number that allowed direct access to voice mail recording.
  • This aspect of the telecommunications network may be conventional. E.g.
  • the call is conventionally routed from mobile handset IA through basestation 2 and mobile switching centre (MSC) 3.
  • MSC mobile switching centre
  • the originator may then leave a voice message for the intended recipient.
  • This voice mail message is stored in a voice mail storage 6, again in accordance with conventional techniques.
  • the intended recipient is alerted to the presence of a voice mail message, e.g. by a text or voice call notification sent to his mobile terminal (handset) IB.
  • Embodiments of the present invention allow a user to access the voice message using either a voice call or an audio-visual (video) call.
  • the voice mail system 5 may typically be distributed across a number of physical platforms, each holding the mailboxes of a subset of subscribers. Access to the correct voice mail platform in a mobile network is typically achieved using a database lookup. This may be implemented in a component of the voice mail system itself 5, or in a home location register (HLR) or equivalent mailbox location register (MLR) 4, for example.
  • HLR home location register
  • MLR equivalent mailbox location register
  • the voice mail system 5 is normally configured to be controlled during a voice call by keystrokes on the terminal keypad, for the purposes of message selection, rewind, deletion etc.
  • key press information is sent over the air using an out-of-band control channel.
  • these are converted to in-band dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) audio tones in the MSC 3 and detected in the voice mail system 5.
  • DTMF dual-tone multi-frequency
  • Figure 1 also shows how the intended recipient (using mobile terminal IB) can retrieve a voice mailbox message with a video call (as opposed to a straight audio/voice call) in accordance with embodiments of the invention.
  • the video call is routed to a video server 7.
  • this may be achieved by the recipient simply dialling a specific number of the video server for video calls which is different from the number he would use for voice calls to the voice mail service.
  • the video call would then be routed to the video server 7 in accordance with conventional routing techniques.
  • the network is configured to use a single number (e.g. an existing well-know voice call number for the voice mail service, e.g. 901) for both voice and video calls as this is simpler for the subscribers.
  • the network may be configured to selectively route calls made to this single number in dependence on whether they are voice calls or video calls.
  • Voice calls are routed to the voice mail service 5 as normal, video calls are routed to the video server 7. This could be achieved, for example, by including a simple routing switch in-front of the voice mail service 5 to intercept incoming calls and route them accordingly.
  • the video server 7 On receipt of a video call from the mobile terminal IB, the video server 7 connects to the voice mail system 5 that holds the mailbox of the voice mail message recipient. The connection may be established immediately or after some delay during which video content may be presented to the user, e.g. as explained further below.
  • the video server 7 may then provide an audio-visual service as a front-end to the voice mail system 5 to the message retriever.
  • Key press information may be received by the video server as control channel data from the mobile terminal IB in accordance with conventional video call protocols.
  • the key press information may be pre-processed by the video server and used to control video server functions such as menu selection, and file playback.
  • the video server may then generate corresponding DTMF control information to pass to the voice mail system 5 for controlling voice mail in the normal way.
  • the audio received by the video server from the voice mail system 5 may be combined with or substituted for video or audio-visual information stored in a video server storage 8 associated with the video server 7 and transmitted to the message retriever as a combined audio-visual signal.
  • the video component may comprise static or moving images stored on the video server in audio-visual storage 8, and may comprise for example:
  • Figure 2 shows how video and audio-visual material may be loaded onto the video server 7, and how live feeds may be provided from external audio-visual sources.
  • Figure 2 also shows an optional data connection 9 between the video server 7 and the voice mail system 5, which can provide a further stage of integration between the two systems, This would allow for example information about the mailbox status to be conveyed to the video server so that the number of messages waiting could be seamlessly notified to the caller as part of the audio-visual greeting message.
  • Figure 3 shows another way to provide the information to the video server to allow the number of messages waiting to be notified to the caller as part of the audio-visual greeting message.
  • This could operate by intercepting notification messages 11 such as may be conventionally sent by the voice mail service 5 by SMS via the SMS infrastructure (SMS INF.) 10 of the network.
  • Information 12 representative of the number of messages waiting could then be conveyed to the video server and stored for each subscriber in the video server storage 8.
  • a preferred embodiment of the invention may be implemented initially as a front-end add-on to existing voice mail systems.
  • Voice calls to voice mail would work in the normal way, but if the user made a video call to voice mail, preferably to the same number as for voice retrieval, then the video call instead of being rejected as it is currently, would be terminated on the video services platform 7. This can then provide an attractive and operator-branded welcome message in audio-visual format.
  • the video server would then automatically connect to the voice mailbox of the caller, using existing techniques for identifying the correct platform and dial-up number for the required mailbox.
  • the user could be greeted personally by a selected image or moving video and then be connected to the voice mail system where he could use the keystroke controls normally.
  • pressing the buttons on the terminal is signalled using the H.245 protocol rather than by using in-band audio tones and therefore the video server would convert, after any appropriate pre-processing, these signals to DTMF in order to control a legacy voice mail platform.
  • audio being played to the user as part of the audio-visual call could be sourced from the video server, the voice mail system or a combination of the two.
  • the video server audio when playing a prompt or greeting message, the video server audio would be used, while during voice mail message playback, audio from the voice mail system would be used.
  • the video greeting could be something the user has loaded himself, like a family picture or potentially a moving image, to give the user a feelgood factor.
  • a static or moving video display could also be transmitted alongside audio from the voice mail system, and this could be used for example to provide assistance with the menu of available options.
  • the video server is capable of sourcing video still or moving images combined with audio from either the video server or the voice mail system.
  • the video or audio visual material that can be played by the video server may be from stored files, or may be from a live feed or other external source connected to the video server.
  • keystrokes other than those accepted by the voice mail system may be accepted by the video server platform, and used for additional operations.
  • keystrokes may be interpreted and/or mapped by the video platform, so that alternative or more complex menu structures may be supported by the video server than are supported by the voice mail platform.
  • the video server may be operable to accept textual input from the terminal to control its operation. This could for example use the techniques described in GB 2317982. Additionally, menu options may be presented visually to assist the user with operating the system.
  • the number of new and saved messages may be made available to the video server, so that this information can be relayed promptly to the caller as part of the audio-visual greeting.
  • SMS messages such as SMS messages
  • the video server may be able to interrogate the voice mail system via a dedicated data connection / data-link (as schematically shown in Figure 2).
  • Embodiments of the present invention will help give the user the flexibility to choose to make a video call, and hence retain the option to receive video messages as well as voice messages, or to make follow-on video calls without having to redial.
  • an audio service such as a conventional speaking clock service may be accessed through a similar video server front end to that described above in a scheme having an architecture similar to any of those shown in Figures 1 to 3 (with a speaking clock service platform being used in place of (or in addition to) the voice mail service 5 in these figures).
  • networks supporting multiple audio services e.g.
  • any or all of these audio-only services may be provided with an audio-visual front-end interface using a video server in accordance with the above described techniques.
  • Separate video server platforms may be provided to interface with each audio service or a single video server platform may provide a common front-end interface for multiple audio services.
  • a user may contact the video server, perhaps using a specifically assigned short code number, and then select from a presented audio-visual menu which service he requires, e.g. speaking clock or voice mail.
  • the same number may be used for both audio- visual access via a front-end video server to a particular audio application and for conventional audio access to the service.
  • the network may be configured to route audio calls to the numbers associated with the various service directly to the respective audio service platforms, and to route video calls to any of these numbers to the video server platform, e.g. using conventional call routing switching techniques.
  • embodiments of the invention may also be used to provide a user with additional services, which may to some extent be separate from the audio service they wish to access.
  • a user accessing their voice mail (or other audio service) through a video server such as described above may be presented various options, e.g. using an audio and/or visual menu.
  • One option may be to proceed directly to the audio service they desire. They may then interact with the audio service in the normal way via the video server, perhaps using an enhanced audio-visual interface provided by the video server such as described above.
  • the video server may be configured to proceed automatically once a video call is connected to it.
  • the video server may be configured to automatically play an audio-visual clip, such as a welcome clip or advert clip, before proceeding automatically to the audio-service.
  • This approach does not require the video service to receive or act on any form of key-press signal from the user (if the audio service that is connected to also does not require any user input, i.e. it does not require any user keypresses to function, there may be no need to provide for any key-press detection functionality in the video server at all).
  • one application of embodiments of the invention will be as a means of providing a mechanism for audio-visual advertising.
  • a service provider who provides an audio service for example a speaking clock service, may provide audio-visual adverts to a user of the audio service who chooses to access it via an audio visual call.
  • This provides a potential additional revenue source from third party advertisers, or a ready means for advertising one's own products / service.
  • adverts may be provided to users in exchange for a reduced fee for using the service (or where the service is included in a user's subscription, for a reduced tariff).
  • a user may be charged a fee for accessing the speaking clock service directly by an audio call in the normal way, but may be provided with free or cheaper access if they access the service using a video call via a video server that presents an advert to the user before they are connected through to the speaking clock service.
  • the user may be forced to receive the advert before continuing, or may be provided with the option of "skipping" the advert.
  • video-only and/or audio-video advert(s) may be presented to the user while they are provided with access to the audio service.
  • a video advert could be displayed in combination with the audio content retrieved from the audio service provider. Potentially an audio track associated with the video advert could also be mixed in with the audio service content, e.g. at a relatively low volume level.
  • the audio service provider and the video server provider need not be related entities or have entered into any agreement regarding the use of the video server as a front end for users of the audio service. This is because in many cases the video server could simply establish a connection with the audio service platform in a manner which so far as the audio service platform is concerned is indistinguishable from a conventional audio call direct from a user. The operator of the video server would thus incur the charges (if any) for the connection to the audio service platform. The charges could be absorbed by the video server operator (e.g. such that they are partially or fully offset against advertising revenue) so that the user gets reduced cost or free access to the service. Equally, the charges could be passed on to the end user, at cost or with a premium for providing the audio-visual interface enhancement.
  • Adverts presented to a user in this way may be targeted, both in terms of the user identity, and in terms of the audio service requested.
  • the adverts may be related to time, e.g. adverts for a watch manufacturer.
  • Targeted advertising could also be based on user identity.
  • the video server may be operable to identify the user based on the Calling Line Identifier (CLI) associated with their video call and determine an appropriate advert.
  • Appropriate adverts may be based on a previously determined caller profile.
  • user's of the service may be provided with the opportunity of pre-registering their interests so that specific adverts can be provided to them.
  • a user may have previously registered an interest in a band X, and so be presented with adverts for concert dates / album releases by band X, and so on. Similar techniques for non-advert 8 003006
  • a user of a video server front end to a voice mail service such as shown in Figure 1 may have previously registered an interest in sports team Y so that when they access their voice mail through the video server they are simultaneously presented with recent news about the sports team as messages in their voice mail inbox are played back to them.
  • Adverts may be targeted based on a record of previous user interactions or service choices or demographics for example. For example, if the video server has access to the network customer records (e.g. because the user has agreed to their details being used in this way, perhaps in exchange for a cheaper tariff), the advert could be selected appropriately. E.g. a teenage caller may be presented with an audiovisual clip of a new popular music track, whereas an older caller may be presented with an advert for a new car.
  • the video server may also build up a record of a particular user's previous use of the service.
  • the network may store a record of which adverts have previously been played to a caller with a given CLI, and play a different, or the same, advert when they next call depending on a desired marketing strategy.
  • a video server presenting adverts in this way may be operable to receive an indication from the user that they are particularly interested in a given advert, and in response to this the video server (or coupled equipment) may be configured to patch the user through to another service associated with the advert.
  • the other service may, for example, be more audio-visual material, e.g. further advertising material or product/service information, or a simple audio call.
  • a user placing a video call to a speaking clock service may be presented with an advert for a watch made by company A.
  • the advert may invite the user to press a key of their handset for more information. If the user wishes more information, they can press the key.
  • the video server may then be responsive to the key press (as determined using conventional techniques) to connect the user to a customer telephone number of company A. This may be done before or after or instead of connecting the user to the audio service they initially intended to access, for example.
  • networks, and embodiments of the invention may equally be applied to other types of audio service.
  • a video server for use in a telecommunications network having a voice mail service.
  • the video server is operable to provide a user of the telecommunications network with video content in conjunction with audio content retrieved by the video server from the voice mail service.
  • a user wishing to access his voice mailbox to retrieve voice mail messages may establish a video call with the video server, and the video server may then establish a voice call to the voice mail service to retrieve audio content, e.g. stored messages or announcements by the voice mail service.
  • the video server may then route / relay the audio content from the voice mail service to the user along with video content generated by the video server, or received by the video server from another source, such as a video stream or a storage medium.
  • the video content provided in conjunction with the audio content may be provided simultaneously with the audio content or at a different time.

Landscapes

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

Abstract

L'invention concerne un serveur vidéo utilisable dans un réseau de télécommunications équipé d'un service audio. Le serveur vidéo permet de fournir à un utilisateur du réseau de télécommunications un contenu vidéo et également un contenu audio récupéré par le serveur vidéo à partir d'un service audio. Le service audio peut être, par exemple, un service de messagerie vocale. Ainsi, un utilisateur souhaitant accéder à sa boîte vocale pour récupérer des messages vocaux peut établir un appel vidéo avec le serveur vidéo, et le serveur vidéo peut ensuite établir un appel vocal avec le service de messagerie vocale pour récupérer le contenu audio, par exemple des messages ou des annonces stockés par le service audio de messagerie vocale. Le serveur vidéo peut ensuite acheminer ou retransmettre à l'utilisateur le contenu audio du service audio, ainsi que le contenu vidéo généré par le serveur vidéo ou reçu par celui-ci d'une autre source, comme un flux vidéo ou un support de stockage. Le contenu vidéo associé au contenu audio peut être fourni en même temps que le contenu audio ou à un autre moment. Un utilisateur accédant au service audio bénéficie ainsi de services supplémentaires.
PCT/GB2008/003006 2007-10-16 2008-09-05 Appareil et procédé pour services de télécommunication WO2009050420A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GBGB0720217.9A GB0720217D0 (en) 2007-10-16 2007-10-16 Telecommunications services apparatus and method
GB0720217.9 2007-10-16
GB0721951.2 2007-11-08
GB0721951A GB2453801A (en) 2007-10-16 2007-11-08 Accessing audio telecommunications services via a video server

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2009050420A1 true WO2009050420A1 (fr) 2009-04-23

Family

ID=38813909

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/GB2008/003006 WO2009050420A1 (fr) 2007-10-16 2008-09-05 Appareil et procédé pour services de télécommunication

Country Status (2)

Country Link
GB (2) GB0720217D0 (fr)
WO (1) WO2009050420A1 (fr)

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20060210027A1 (en) * 2005-03-16 2006-09-21 Oded Kafri Method and system for storing and sending multimedia messaging service (MMS) messages
WO2007095510A2 (fr) * 2006-02-13 2007-08-23 Glenayre Electronics, Inc. Mise a disposition de services de messagerie a partir d'un systeme de messagerie video destine a un equipement compatible video et compatible non video

Family Cites Families (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5333266A (en) * 1992-03-27 1994-07-26 International Business Machines Corporation Method and apparatus for message handling in computer systems
US5515424A (en) * 1993-12-13 1996-05-07 At&T Corp. System and method for providing selected video images to local telephone stations
US5912952A (en) * 1996-06-27 1999-06-15 At&T Corp Voice response unit with a visual menu interface
US20010040621A1 (en) * 1997-12-31 2001-11-15 Irwin Gerszberg Videophone advertisement when calling video non-enabled videophone users
US6226362B1 (en) * 1997-12-31 2001-05-01 At&T Corp Video phone interactive corporate menu answering machine announcement
DE19924663B4 (de) * 1999-05-28 2004-08-26 Robert Bosch Gmbh Verfahren und Anordnung zum Einblenden von Werbung in Bildtelefonate
KR100331882B1 (ko) * 1999-10-06 2002-04-09 서평원 Ｉｐ 시스템 및 그를 이용한 영상 서비스 방법
US20060030297A1 (en) * 2004-07-02 2006-02-09 Coble John W Delivery of contents of voice message from voice mailbox to multimedia capable device

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20060210027A1 (en) * 2005-03-16 2006-09-21 Oded Kafri Method and system for storing and sending multimedia messaging service (MMS) messages
WO2007095510A2 (fr) * 2006-02-13 2007-08-23 Glenayre Electronics, Inc. Mise a disposition de services de messagerie a partir d'un systeme de messagerie video destine a un equipement compatible video et compatible non video

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2453801A (en) 2009-04-22
GB0721951D0 (en) 2007-12-19
GB0720217D0 (en) 2007-11-28

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US20070121821A1 (en) System and Method for Displaying Ring Back Tone and Caller Display in Picture/Video Format
KR100718655B1 (ko) 이동 호들에 대한 멀티미디어 메시징 서비스(ｍｍｓ)호출영상들을 제공하기 위한 시스템 및 방법
US8204486B2 (en) Dynamic messaging routing and audio-to-text linking for visual voicemail
US7864947B2 (en) Call notification system, method, computer program and advertising method
US7953211B2 (en) Automated ringback update system
EP1542440B1 (fr) Reproduction d'une ou plusieurs vidéos pour un ou plusieurs téléphones mobiles pendant une mise en attente
US20070189474A1 (en) Initiating ecommerce sessions using multimedia ringback tones
US20060199575A1 (en) Customized ringtones and method for their production
WO2007110688A1 (fr) Équipement électronique et service fournissant des fonctions d'appel personnalisées
CA2787455A1 (fr) Procede, systeme de traitement d'appel, dispositif de communication et support lisible par ordinateur pour transport d'un element audio vers un dispositif de source lors d'un appe l sortant
US20100309282A1 (en) Systems and methods for playing video messages
US20070165800A1 (en) Connection control apparatus, method, and program
MX2007009556A (es) Notificacion de llamada controlada por el sistema originador de la llamada.
US7822014B2 (en) Voice communication system and a server apparatus
US20080162650A1 (en) User-chosen media content
KR20060094230A (ko) 문자 방송 서비스를 이용한 모바일 광고 제공 시스템 및 방법
JP5802116B2 (ja) データ共有機能を有した通話システム
JP2006129379A (ja) 携帯電話端末の録画メッセージ提供システム
EP1398943A1 (fr) Système de télécommunication
CN101568008A (zh) 视频消息播放的模块、系统、用户设备与方法
KR100693166B1 (ko) 멀티미디어컨텐츠의 편집과 업로드를 위한 방법 및 시스템
WO2009050420A1 (fr) Appareil et procédé pour services de télécommunication
US20030059014A1 (en) Multi-media communication management system with caller managed hold system
KR100724581B1 (ko) Sms 문자 메시지 읽을 시의 배경 컨텐츠 실현 방법 및 시스템
KR20040110214A (ko) 통화 서비스를 제공하는 방법 및 장치

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application

Ref document number: 08788539

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1

NENP Non-entry into the national phase

Ref country code: DE

32PN Ep: public notification in the ep bulletin as address of the adressee cannot be established

Free format text: NOTING OF LOSS OF RIGHTS PURSUANT TO RULE 112(1) EPC OF 210710

122 Ep: pct application non-entry in european phase

Ref document number: 08788539

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1