FR2867005A1 - METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TELEPHONE CONNECTION OF AT LEAST TWO PEOPLE - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves sending a message that contains an invitation for communication by a telephone to invited persons by an inviting person. A number dedicated to a telephone call in which the persons have agreed to participate is created automatically. The number is broadcast to the inviting person and invited persons who have agreed to participate. The calls are connected through the dedicated number. An independent claim is also included for a system for connecting persons by telephone.

Description

Method and system for putting in telephone relation of at least two

people.

  The field of the invention is that of telecommunications between people.

  As means of telecommunications, we know the telephony that allows to connect essentially voice at least two people, one of which calls the other by a phone number. This type of communication carried out thanks to a fixed telephone or a mobile phone, makes it possible to quickly call from any place with a compact device and to approach virtually the called person whose voice is recognized. The fact of having to divulge his phone number to be called, does not allow to keep a real anonymity.

  Other means of telecommunications are currently enjoying considerable growth, among which are those of electronic messengers that use local or extended packet transmission networks such as the Internet. Examples include asynchronous e-mail in which the recipient receives his delayed message when he connects to a server and synchronous e-mail in which at least two interlocutors are simultaneously connected to a server so as to allow a party to receive instantaneously messages sent by another interlocutor. Some users prefer to use a pseudonym to communicate on a large scale while maintaining the anonymity necessary to maintain their privacy.

  For many possible reasons of its own, an e-mail user may wish to communicate by telephone with other e-mail users.

  Some instant messaging services, such as Internet dating, allow you to exchange phone numbers by asynchronous messaging. This has the disadvantage of breaking the continuity of service and also to disclose his phone number to people a priori still little known.

  Some instant messaging services still provide a valid phone number for the duration of the session. However, this number must be sent by the user who does not benefit from any automation on this subject. The disadvantage is also in the possible reuse of this number.

  It is possible to use a telephone meeting bridge with a generally permanent telephone number for the transmission of which no automation is known. The number can be reused and disrupt the service.

  There is a need to take advantage of the many means of telecommunication available today without suffering from the aforementioned drawbacks.

  A first object of the invention is a method of contacting at least two people by telephone without any of these persons having to give their telephone details. The method is remarkable characterized in that it comprises: a step of transmission to one or more invited persons, of a message sent by an inviting person and containing an invitation to communicate by telephone; a step of automatically creating a number dedicated to a telephone call for which at least one guest has given an agreement; - a step of automatic distribution of the number dedicated to the inviting person and to the invited person (s) having given an agreement; a step of automatically connecting at least two calls to the dedicated number.

  Advantageously, the connection of at least two calls to the dedicated number is controlled by a validity of the dedicated number in a predetermined time range.

  In particular, the dedicated number is grilled after use.

  A second object of the invention is a system for contacting at least two people by telephone without any of these persons having to give their telephone details. The system is remarkable in that it comprises: a messaging server arranged to transmit to one or more invited persons, a message sent by an inviting person and containing an invitation to communicate by telephone, to automatically create a number dedicated to a telephone communication for which at least one guest has given consent and to broadcast the number dedicated to the invitee and to the agreed guest (s); a switch arranged to connect at least two calls to the dedicated number.

  Advantageously, the switch is arranged to control the connection of at least two calls to the dedicated number, according to a validity of the dedicated number in a predetermined time range.

  In particular, the switch is arranged to grill the dedicated number after use.

  Numerous details and advantages of the invention emerge from the example of implementation now described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: - Figure 1 is a system diagram according to the invention; Figure 2 shows process steps for sharing a dedicated telephone number between at least two users; FIGS. 3 and 4 show process steps for generating and managing the dedicated telephone number; FIG. 5 shows process steps for establishing a telephone communication between at least two users by means of the dedicated telephone number.

  The system shown in FIG. 1 comprises a messaging server 4 and a telephone switch 6 interconnected by at least one communication link from the server 4 to the point-to-point or preferably secure network switch 6.

  The server 4 is of the known type of instant messaging servers, forum (chatt) or electronic messages (email). Devices 7, 8, such as personal computers or any other type of similar devices with keyboard, screen, mouse and network interface, are arranged to connect to the server 4 by a network 3 of the Internet or Intranet type.

  It is known that an application of instant messaging or forum type is synchronous type in that users 1, 2 connect their respective devices 7, 8, in a time range common to the server 4 to dialogue essentially in text form, two in email or several in a forum.

  It is known that an application of the e-mail type is of asynchronous type in that the user 1 elaborates on his device 7, a message that he sends to the user 2 via a connection to the server 4 on the network 3. message remains on the server 4 until the user 2 connects via the network 3.

  The switch 6 is of the type known in the audiotel or teleconference servers being able to switch in a direct communication between two users 1, 2 or more, two or more half-initiated initiations respectively of the user 1 and the user 2 to switch 6.

  The telephone switch 6 is a telephone network node 5 which receives calls addressed to it from telephone devices 9, 10 connected to the network 5. The telephones 9, 10 are of the mobile phone type, home phones with or wireless, telephone booth phones or any other type of communicating object equipped with a microphone and a speaker. By means of the devices 9, 10, at least two users 1, 2 can communicate orally with the flexibility that is known in terms of location or displacement of users.

  The messaging server 4 comprises means arranged to receive an invitation to telephone communication between at least two users, and to transmit to the users, a telephone number dedicated to said telephone communication. In addition to the usual network communication components 3 for a server such as network cards with appropriate drivers, said means essentially comprise a program arranged to execute the method steps described below with reference to FIG.

  The telephone switch 6 comprises means arranged to manage a dedicated number validity and connect telephone devices that call the dedicated number under condition of validity of the dedicated number. In addition to the usual switching components on a telephone network, said means essentially comprise a program arranged to execute the method steps described below with reference to FIG.

  According to a first variant, the messaging server 4 comprises means arranged to generate the dedicated number and to send the number dedicated to the telephone switch 6. The switch 6 then comprises means for receiving the dedicated number and its conditions of validity. In addition to the usual communication components of the server 4 to the switch 6, the said means essentially comprise a program arranged to execute the method steps described below with reference to FIG.

  According to a second variant, the messaging server 4 comprises means arranged for generating, to the switch 6, a dedicated number request with validity conditions and for receiving the dedicated number of the telephone switch 6. The switch 6 then comprises means receiving the request with the validity conditions and means arranged to generate the dedicated number and to send the dedicated number to the server 4. In addition to the usual communication components between the server 4 and the switch 6, said means essentially comprise a program arranged to execute the process steps described below with reference to FIG. 4.

  With reference to FIG. 2, a machine A performs process steps 11 to 12 activated by transitions 21 to 22, a machine SM performs process steps 13 to 16 activated by transitions 23 to 25, a machine B performs process steps 17 to 20 activated by transitions 27 to 29. The machine A is carried out in one of the devices 7, 8 by one or more processors executing a program element loaded into the RAM of the device under consideration for controlling and controlling the process steps 11 to 12 provided for activation therein. The SM machine is performed in the mail server by one or more processors executing a program element loaded in the RAM of the server 4 to control and control the process steps 13 to 16 provided to be activated. The machine B is carried out in the other of the devices 7, 8 by one or more processors executing a program element loaded into the RAM of the device under consideration to control and control the process steps 17 to 20 provided to be activated therein.

  The machine SM is integrated in a first open messaging application part on the server 4 where it is by default in a standby standby step, shown in Figure 2 by a double border rectangle. which surrounds the letters SM. The machines A, B are integrated in a second open messaging application part on the devices 7, 8 where they are by default in a standby standby step, represented in FIG. 2 by double-border rectangles which surround each of them. respectively the letter A and the letter B. The waiting steps are seen here in the sense that users 1, 2, use or do not use other messaging services, text exchanges or others and do not interact not with the method which is the subject of the invention.

  The transition 21 is validated when the machine A detects a designation of the machine B for an invitation to a telephone appointment. Typically in an instant messaging or forum application where the exchanges are essentially textual, the user 1 wishes to communicate by telephone with his interlocutor, the user 2 or with those of the users in the presence who accept it. The possible motivations of the user 1 are numerous, he can want to bring the dialogue by the voice without going to reveal itself further by communicating his telephone number or without having system of voice over IP, he may also want to continue to communicate while traveling by means of his cordless telephone or his mobile telephone, he may still want to converse with the user 2 vocally by simultaneously communicating textually in another instant messenger window with a third interlocutor. The users interacting with the method according to the invention can be trusted to give rise to many other motivations.

  To enter into telephone relation with the user 2, the user 1 designates on his device 7, the machine B that the user 2 has assigned himself in his device 8 within the current application. This designation can be done by clicking with his mouse on a particular pictogram of his screen, entering a specific code on his keyboard or in any other suitable way.

  The validation of the transition 21 triggers the step 11 in which the machine A sends to the machine SM, a message of the form "A prompt B". In a simplest implementation where the telephone communication is expected to begin as long as the session of the current application is open, this simple message is sufficient. In a more elaborate implementation where the telephone communication is scheduled to begin at a later date after logoff of the current application, the user 1 entered more than one hour, or even a date of appointment to start telephone communication. The machine A then concatenates time and date entered in the message sent to the machine SM.

  The transition 23 is validated when the machine SM receives the message of the form "A prompt B" with as the case the proposed date and time for the appointment.

  The validation of the transition 23 triggers the step 13 in which the machine SM sends to the machine B, the message of the form "A prompt B" possibly giving it a turn of natural language. In the simplest implementation, this simple message is transmitted as is. In the more elaborate implementation, the date and / or time of proposed appointments are integrated into a sentence in natural language, in a table or in any other configurable presentation.

  The transition 27 is validated when the machine B receives the message of the form "A prompt B" with as appropriate the date and time proposed for the appointment.

  The transition validation 27 triggers the step 17 in which the machine B signals to the user 2, the invitation of the user 1. Many signaling means can be used, the machine B can display the message received on the computer. screen 8, proclaim a sound sentence synthesized on the speakers of the device 8. Whatever it is, the signaling asks the user 2 to agree to the appointment, writing a certain pre-formatted sentence if he wishes, by checking a box displayed on the screen, with his mouse or simply by pressing a predetermined key.

  The transition 28 is validated positively when the machine B detects the agreement of the user 2 and negatively validated when the machine B detects the disagreement expressed by the user 2 or a lack of agreement within a predetermined time.

  The negative transition validation 28 triggers the step 18 in which the machine B sends a refusal message to the machine SM via the network 3.

  The positive transition validation 28 triggers the step 19 in which the machine B sends a message of agreement to the machine SM via the network 3.

  The transition 24 is positively validated when the machine SM receives the agreement message sent by the machine B and negatively validated when the machine SM receives the refusal message sent by the machine B. The negative validation of the transition 24 triggers the step 14 in which the machine SM sends an excuse message to the machine A via the network 3.

  The positive validation of the transition 24 triggers the step 15 in which the machine SM initiates a procedure for creating a telephone number specifically dedicated to the telephone appointment proposed by the user 1 and accepted by the user 2. Different creation procedures are possible, two of which are described later with reference to Figures 3 and 4. The dedicated number being linked to the dialogue of the machines A and B via the network 3, it is listed number (A, B) in a list of other possible numbers initiated from other machines or for other appointments with then an index of order.

  Transition 25 is enabled when the dedicated number creation procedure is completed, i.e. a specific telephone number is assigned to the telephone appointment.

  The validation of the transition 25 triggers the step 15 in which the machine SM sends a message containing the telephone number to the machines A, B of the users 1, 2 having agreed on the appointment, via the network 3.

  The transition 22 is validated when the machine A receives the message containing the number sent in step 15 or the excuse message sent in step 14.

  The validation of the transition 22 triggers the step 12 in which the machine A displays the received message so that the user 1 can take knowledge of the case, the refusal of the user 2 or the dedicated number that confirms the agreement of the user 2.

  The transition 29 is validated when the machine B receives the message containing the number sent in step 15.

  The validation of the transition 29 triggers the step 20 in which the machine B displays the received message so that the user 2 can see the dedicated number.

  The method described for two users, is generalizable to several users without particular difficulty, to participate simultaneously in the same appointment offered by one of them. Machine B is duplicated in as many C machines as guest users. The step 14 in the SM machine is triggered as many times as a device user 8 refuses, the excuse message then indicates a name or pseudonym of the user causing the refusal. Step 15 is triggered as soon as a device user 8 accepts. Step 15 also counts each machine C which sends a chord so as to send in step 16, the number dedicated to each machine that sends a chord message and in order to memorize the number of users that are supposed to call the number dedicated to participate in what should be called a conference call. The possible variants are numerous such as that for a guest user to propose to add another person, the messages transmitted on the network 3, then enriched accordingly. The transmission message of the dedicated telephone number may for example be provided to contain names or pseudonyms of persons who have agreed in the process and persons designated by them and to which they will transmit the dedicated number in other ways . The message sent in step 19 would be of the "agree with X" style.

  With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the transition 26 is validated in the machine SM at the beginning of the procedure for creating a dedicated number, that is to say by triggering step 15.

  With reference to FIG. 3, the validation of the transition 26 triggers a step 30 in which the machine SM generates the dedicated number and sends a message containing the generated number to a COM machine which is active in the telephone switch 6. The number telephone is generated in a format compatible with the telephone switch, it is for example a six-digit extension to the telephone number which makes it possible to call the telephone switch on the network 5. The end of step 30 validates the transition 25 .

  The transition 31 is validated when the COM machine receives the message containing the dedicated number and, advantageously, the number of users expected to connect to this number.

  The validation of the transition 31 triggers a step 32 in which the COM machine manages the validity of the dedicated number. If in the simplest embodiment, it is expected that users call the dedicated number during the session of their messaging application, the validity of the number is ensured for a predetermined duration or until revocation by the machine SM which detects an end of session.

  With reference to FIG. 4, the validation of the transition 26 triggers a step 33 in which the machine SM generates a request destined for the COM machine that is active in the telephone switch 6 so as to obtain a telephone number for a number predicted users intended to connect to this number.

  The transition 34 is validated when the COM machine receives the request for a telephone number.

  The validation of the transition 34 triggers a step 35 in which the COM machine generates the dedicated number in a manner similar to what the machine SM would do in step 30, removing it from a list of numbers or producing it randomly and by checking its uniqueness. The COM machine manages the validity of the dedicated number as in step 32. The COM machine sends the dedicated number thus generated to the machine SM in a message on the network 3. The reception of this message by the machine SM, validates the transition 25.

  With reference to FIG. 5, a transition 36 is validated when the COM machine detects a call from the switch 6 by a first caller Z. The first calling party is indifferently originating from the telephone set 9 or from the telephone set 10 on which the user 1 or respectively user 2 dialed a coded number whose first digits address switch 6 on the network 5.

  The validation of the transition 36 triggers a step 37 in which the COM machine checks a correspondence of the coded number with a valid dedicated number. In order to avoid the use of undesired dedicated numbers, each dedicated number is valid only in a time range to which the date and / or expected date of telephone appointment belongs.

  A transition 38 is validated if there is no valid dedicated number which corresponds to the coded number at the moment when it is received.

  The validation of the transition 38, triggers a step 39 in which the COM machine sends an excuse message to the caller Z. A transition 40 is validated if there is a valid dedicated number that corresponds to the coded number when the one This is received.

  The validation of the transition 40, triggers a step 41 in which the COM machine sends a waiting message to the caller Z. A transition 42 is validated if the dedicated number is not called again in a time compatible with the time range.

  The validation of the transition 42, triggers the step 39 in which the COM machine sends another excuse message to the first caller Z. The dedicated number is then toasted, at least for a certain duration, so as to no longer be unfortunately used.

  A transition 43 is validated when the COM machine detects a call of the switch 6 by a second caller Y. The second caller originates from the other telephone set 9, 10 on which the user 1 or respectively the user 2 has dialed a coded number which corresponds to the dedicated number.

  The validation of the transition 43 triggers a step 44 in which the COM machine connects the two half calls from the callers Z, Y so as to establish the telephone communication between the callers. Note that the users 1, 2 and were able to enter voice communication without having to exchange their personal numbers but simply by calling a common number that has been assigned and communicated automatically. As soon as the COM machine detects that the planned number of interlocutors has entered into communication, the dedicated number is grilled so as not to be misused, for example to prevent a person from entering voluntarily or involuntarily into the conversation. telephone.

  A transition 45 is validated when the COM machine detects that there remains only one interlocutor Y or Z in line.

  The validation of the transition 45, triggers a step 46 in which the COM machine closes the telephone connection.

  It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the only previously described embodiment more particularly adapted to an instant messaging application. The invention can also advantageously be implemented for example within an electronic messaging application.

  Suppose a user 1 who wants to invite one or more other users 2 to an appointment or a conference call. In step 11, it sends an electronic message (e-mail or SMS) in parallel to each of the other users. This electronic message passing through the mail server, it detects an invitation to telephone meeting. In the reply e-mail or SMS, the e-mail server detects chords and refusals. If the mail server detects at least one chord, it sends an e-mail message to each user who agrees to participate in the phone meeting, an e-mail message (SMS or e-mail) in which is placed the dedicated phone number with date and time agreed appointment. Thus each user participating in the telephone conversation by appointment, can connect to it by means of any telephone without having to reveal the coordinates. This can be interesting for professional meetings that one is led to participate from home.

Claims (6)

claims:   1. A method of putting in a telephone relation of at least two persons without any of these persons having to give his telephone number, characterized in that it comprises: a step (13) of transmission to one or several people invited, a message sent by an inviting person and containing an invitation to communicate by telephone; a step (15) of automatic creation of a number dedicated to a telephone call for which at least one guest has given an agreement; a step (16) of broadcasting the number dedicated to the inviting person and to the invited person (s) having given an agreement; a step (44) of connecting at least two calls to the dedicated number.   2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the connection of at least two calls to the dedicated number is controlled by a validity of the dedicated number in a predetermined time range.   3. Method according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the dedicated number is grilled after use.   4. System for contacting at least two people by telephone 25 without any of these persons having to give their telephone number, characterized in that it comprises: a messaging server (4) arranged to transmit to one or more invited guests, a message sent by an inviting person and containing an invitation to communicate by telephone, to automatically create a number dedicated to a telephone call for which at least one guest has given consent and to broadcast the number dedicated to the invitee and the guest (s) who have agreed; a switch (6) arranged to connect at least two calls to the dedicated number.   5. System according to claim 4, characterized in that the switch (6) is arranged to control the connection of at least two calls to the dedicated number, according to a validity of the dedicated number in a predetermined time range.   6. System according to one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that the switch (6) is arranged to grill the dedicated number after use.