FR3042372A1 - ASSISTANCE IN ESTABLISHING TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION BY PROVIDING USER INFORMATION CALLING - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for establishing a telephone communication between a calling terminal (T1) and a called terminal (T2) connected to a mobile communication network, comprising - a step of reception by the called terminal of a message of information containing information about a calling user associated with the calling terminal, this message being processed by the called terminal so that it is not accessible to a called user associated with the called terminal, and this information being stored in a memory (MEMα) of the called terminal; + a step of reception by the called terminal of a signaling message relating to a call from the calling terminal, triggering the search in the memory (MEMα) of the information corresponding to the call, and the presentation of second information determined by the information about the called terminal.

Description

ASSISTANCE IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION BY PROVIDING INFORMATION ON THE TTTTT JSATEUR CALLING

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to mobile communication networks. It relates more particularly to the establishment of a communication between two terminals connected to such a network, and a mechanism providing information on the caller to a user of the called terminal.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Today, no built-in, stand-alone mechanism is provided to allow a user to have information about incoming calls outside of the caller's phone number that can be displayed on the screen of their own terminal. , and outside the calls of users already known and listed.

Indeed, the communication terminals generally maintain a telephone directory for associating telephone numbers with information sheets that may contain a name, a first name, addresses, and various other data. This directory is personal and allows, during an incoming call, to display the information previously entered in the information sheet associated with this number. Thus, the terminal user will have information on the incoming call.

Such a solution, however, relies on a priori knowledge of incoming calls. It requires a seizure or, at least, a prior registration of an information sheet associated with a telephone number which must, necessarily, be known.

It does not display information for a call from an unknown number. In this case, the communication terminal interface will only display the phone number of the incoming call. It is then impossible for the called user to have any information on the incoming call.

It may be interesting for this user to have information on "unknown" incoming calls.

It may also be interesting for calling users to tell users called in advance of the call some preliminary information. This can be particularly the case in the context of commercial canvassing.

It may further be of interest to operators or service providers to provide such service to their customers.

Some solutions exist but they are not integrated: the called user must install a particular application, which may not interoperate optimally with the operating system.

Some solutions are not autonomous, because they must be connected to the Internet, in particular to a web server, to be able to function.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a method and a communication terminal at least partially overcoming the aforementioned drawbacks.

The term "communication terminal" is understood to mean devices as diverse as "smartphone" type telephones, fixed telephones, tablets, computers, fixed or mobile computers, and, in general, any electronic device having telecommunication means. It may for example also be embedded devices, especially in the human body, having such telecommunication capabilities. To this end, the present invention proposes a method for establishing a telephone communication between a calling terminal and a called terminal connected to a mobile communication network, comprising: a step of reception by said called terminal of a message of information containing information about a calling user associated with said calling terminal, said message being processed by said called terminal so that it is not accessible to a called user associated with said called terminal, and said information is stored in a memory of said called terminal; a step of reception by said called terminal of a signaling message relating to a call from said calling terminal, triggering the search in said memory of information corresponding to said call, and the presentation of second information determined by said information on said called terminal; .

According to preferred embodiments, the invention comprises one or more of the following characteristics which can be used separately or in partial combination with one another or in total combination with one another: said message is an SMS or MMS type message. said message is sent by a server and the method comprises a preliminary step of transmitting said calling terminal to said information server relating to a calling user - said information comprises a unique identifier of said calling terminal and / or the user of said calling terminal, this identifier is for example a telephone number, the name and the first name of the said calling user, the name of a company or a legal person associated with the calling user, a function of the said calling user within this company, an identifier of an activity sector, a visual element, or a combination of these elements. when said called terminal has received said information, it transmits an acknowledgment message intended for said calling terminal. said information message is transmitted by a server to which said calling terminal has previously provided said information. when following reception of said signaling message, the call is missed on said called terminal, said call is notified in a call log of said called terminal in association with said information corresponding to said call.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a computer program comprising software means adapted to the implementation of the method described above, when triggered by an information processing platform.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a communication terminal adapted for receiving a telephone call from a calling terminal through a mobile communication network, comprising: first means for receiving messages and for determining whether a message received is an information message and if so, to process it so that it is not accessible to a user associated with said terminal, and that information contained in said information message is stored in a memory of said terminal; second means for receiving a signaling message relating to a call from said calling terminal, triggering the search in said memory of the information corresponding to said call, and the display of second information determined by said information on said called terminal.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a system comprising a calling terminal, a terminal as previously described and a server, wherein said server has means for storing information provided by the user of said calling terminal and means for transmitting said information message, containing said information, to said called terminal.

Thus, the invention provides a mechanism for provisioning information relating to a calling user on a called terminal, to assist the user of the latter in the decision to take or refuse an incoming call.

The proposed solution is integrated, and the called user has no need at any time to install or even configure an application to implement the solution of the invention.

Information messages, which may be of the SMS / MMS type, are not visible to the user, who therefore does not feel polluted by these types of messages.

The proposed solution also works with a very light infrastructure. It can operate in a territory that does not have a digital infrastructure and that only has a mobile telephony infrastructure such as GSM.

Similarly, if the connection to the Internet is not available, the solution of the invention still allows to proceed to a recognition of the caller.

According to one embodiment of the invention, another advantage is to increase the safety of persons, by allowing official persons to identify themselves clearly, with a technical guarantee, and to limit the possibilities for usurpers to be pass for people from the state or companies on the street to contact individuals or even to break into their home. Thus, a person to intervene in an individual can announce in advance through the mechanism of the invention by communicating a photograph that will be displayed on the communication terminal of the individual and allow him to recognize the person in question when it will go his home.

Another possible application of the invention is to secure telephone calls as part of the treatment of alerts (fires, earthquakes, etc.). People may be responsible for a geographic area or neighborhood to coordinate actions to be undertaken. The invention can make it possible to enrich and secure calls in order to avoid malicious calls resulting in a loss of efficiency that can have very significant consequences in these emergencies. Other features and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, given by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 schematically represents an example of a functional architecture of a communication terminal according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 diagrammatically represents a communication network making it possible to implement the invention, according to one of these embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention is based on a mobile telephony infrastructure, enabling the transmission of messages of the SMS ("Short Message Service") or MMS ("Multimedia Message Service") type. Other types of short messages are also conceivable within the scope of the invention. In the following, the term "message" will be used indistinctly the type of messages (SMS, MMS, etc.) used. The invention can be based on a prior step of downloading to a communication terminal a software application for implementing the invention by the particular processing of incoming messages. Preferably, however, this application is installed by default on the called party's communication terminal. It can be an extension of the terminal operating system.

Preferably, it is activated systematically on switching on its communication terminal.

This application contains the software means enabling the communication terminals to benefit from the services provided by the mechanisms of the invention for receiving calls and establishing a telephone communication with a calling communication terminal.

These software means may correspond to the means M1, M2, M3 shown in Figure 1 where they constitute the software application Aa, previously downloaded to the communication terminal called T2.

These means represent functional aspects. Depending on the embodiments, it may therefore be independent software modules, or simply functions or parts of code of the same software module. These means M1, M2, M3 are presented hereinafter as functionally distinct for the sake of clarity.

The first means Ml are triggered upon receipt of a message m. Some operating systems define the mechanisms to be implemented by a communication terminal for receiving an SMS message and allow an application to intercept the incoming messages in priority in order to process them. This mechanism can for example allow an application to replace the display application and SMS message processing provided by default by the operating system of the mobile terminal.

This mechanism is especially possible on Android ™ platforms. For example, it is described at the URL: https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/manifest/intent-filter- element.html

According to the invention, an information message m called "alpha message", ma, can be received by the communication terminal called T2. This alpha message is a normal message, that is to say complies with the standards of messages of type SMS, MMS, etc.

Its contents distinguish it from other messages of the type SMS, MMS, etc. which should not be processed by the application.

In particular, it can be identified by a particular data to distinguish it from other messages. The role of the means M1 is to determine whether an incoming message m is an information message (m = ma) or not.

This particular data may be: -the issue telephone number. In which case, the means Ml have one or more numbers to compare the phone number associated with the message m incoming. For example, they may have a list of phone numbers by country. This list can be hard-coded or configured via an Aa application management server. - a combination of special characters, "printable" or "non-printable". This combination is then recognized by the means

Ml and allows them to determine by its presence that an incoming message is an "alpha" information message; -a class of SMS; a private extension of a standard SMS class; a combination of the possibilities explained above.

This information message comes from a calling communication terminal T1, not shown in FIG. 1, but represented in FIG. 2. This information message is, as will be seen below, potentially a harbinger of a call from the calling user (or sender) of this calling terminal Tl, and aims to improve the experience of the two parties in the communication between the users of terminals T1 and T2.

If the means M1 determine that an incoming message m is not an information message ma, they transmit this message m to the default application TS message processing which can be part of the operating system. Typically, this message m can then be notified on the human-machine interface of the terminal T2. The user of the terminal T2, or "receiver", can display it to read it.

If the means M1 determine that an incoming message m is an information message ma, they transmit this message m to means M2 of the application Aa. This message will not be available either for the default application of TS message processing, or directly for the user of the T2 communication terminal.

The information messages ma are therefore transparent to the receiver which is thus not disturbed in its normal use of the terminal T2. The means M1 are therefore adapted so that the information messages are not accessible to the users, in particular by not storing them in the memory provided for the storage of SMS and MMS messages.

The means M2 are provided for storing information contained in the information message in a memory MEMa of the communication terminal T2. This memory is typically a dedicated area of the memory of the terminal T2. It can especially be a group of contacts reserved within the telephone directory of the terminal T2.

The information contained in the information messages ma can be stored in whole or in part in this MEM memory. For example, control data, security ("checksum" ...) contained in the information message may not be stored in the memory MEMa. Similarly, the particular data to determine that the message is an informational message may not be stored either.

The means M2 are further adapted to analyze the incoming information message to determine the information it contains. This information can be transmitted in the alpha ma message in a standardized text format of XML ("eXtended MetaLanguage") or CSV ("Comma Separated Values") as defined by RFC 4180 of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). .

The information contained in the message ma and which can be stored in the memory MEMa by the means M2 can comprise: a unique identifier of the calling terminal T1 and / or the user of this terminal (or transmitter), which is origin of the information message ma, this identifier is for example a telephone number; - the name and surname of this calling user; - the name of a corporation or corporation associated with that calling user (or issuer); - a function of the calling user within this company; - an identifier of a sector of activity; - etc. The activity sector identifier can be used to determine a visual element (logo, graphic, etc.) supplied with the application that will be displayed by default in association with the stored information, upon receipt of an incoming call from this user, as will be seen later. Other information can also be used to determine a visual element. This can for example be an identifier of a company, etc. The software application Aa can be provided for connecting to a web server, for example, to recover the visual element chosen by the issuer from these identifiers. This visual element can be determined by the means M2 during the reception of an information message and stored in the memory MEMa or by the means M3 when receiving an incoming call.

Thus, one can have a visual element by default, provided with the application, and possibly a visual element downloaded from the web and chosen by the issuer. This second visual element can then replace the default visual element.

According to one embodiment of the invention, it may be provided to allow transmitters to provide graphics, logos, etc. "Default" which will be integrated into all the visual elements provided with the application. This feature can be of interest to large companies, who can pay to have a clean visual element, provided with the application and can be stored in the communication terminal.

According to an implementation of the invention, the information message ma is in MMS format and contains a business card, including a vcf compliant business card.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the means M2 may be provided for transmitting an acknowledgment message to the calling terminal, thereby indicating that it is ready to receive a call from it, that is to say to present to the receiver of information upon receipt of a signaling message C from it. It should be noted that this acknowledgment message is intended for the calling terminal but may not be addressed directly to it. As will be seen later, it can be sent to a central server that can act on behalf of the user of the calling terminal T1 (or issuer) and it can then be informed of the acknowledgment via this server.

In a second step, a call from the same calling terminal is received by the called terminal T2. This call can be implemented by a signaling message C, and it aims to establish a telephone call (and possibly video) between the calling terminal and the called terminal T2.

This call is processed by the means M3 of the application Aa. H initiates the search, by means M3, of information corresponding to the incoming call and transmitted by the signaling message C. The search can be based on an identifier of the calling terminal or the transmitter which can correspond to a key of search within memory MEMa.

Thus, the means M3 can recover the information stored in the memory MEMa in association with this identifier. M3 means can then present to the receiver this information, listed below, so that it can read it before deciding whether or not to take the incoming call, or information derived from the stored information.

As has been seen previously, this information may comprise in particular: a unique identifier of the calling terminal T1 and / or the user of this terminal, which is at the origin of the information message ma, this identifier is for example a phone number ; - the name and surname of this calling user; - the name of a corporation or corporation associated with that calling user; - a function of the calling user within this company; - an identifier of a sector of activity; etc.

Only a part of the information stored in the memory MEMa can be presented. For example, a name, a company name can only be displayed on the human-machine interface of the terminal T2, together with the incoming call notification.

In addition, a visual element (logo, graphic ...) corresponding to the company or a professional field can also be displayed. As previously described, this visual element may have been stored in the memory MEMa or it may be recovered at the time of this call c depending on an identifier or a link stored in the memory MEMa. This last implementation makes it possible to minimize the volume of data stored in the memory MEMa and to be able to more easily manage the dynamic modifications of these visual elements since these are deported on a server.

The information presented on the human-machine interface of the called terminal T2 can be constructed from the stored information and / or include some or all of the information stored and associated with the identifier of the caller.

Consequently, when an incoming call arrives, the means M3 can conventionally use the memory MEMu which stores the personal directory of the user of the terminal T2, in order to determine if the call comes from a known user. If so, then the information associated with this user is presented to the user, in a manner known per se.

If the user is not known, then a search is triggered in the memory MEMa and if the terminal T2 has previously received an information message from this user, then information can also be presented to the user. The invention thus makes it possible to present the user with information about a caller, even in the case where the caller is unknown to the user.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the memory MEMa is a sub-part of the memory MEMu which contains the directories of the user. For example, a dedicated contact group can be associated with the users corresponding to the information messages and this contact group can be configured so that its contacts can not be visible to the user when consulting his telephone directory.

A mechanism can also be provided to delete certain information stored in the memory MEMa, including the oldest information. These deletions can be triggered according to a date of seniority and / or as a function of a filling rate of the memory of the communication terminal T2 and / or according to a maximum number of users, etc.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the application Aa is adapted to take into account the missed calls. When a call is missed, that is to say not picked up in time by the receiver, the telephone operator notifies in the call log of the terminal T2 that a new message is available, in the case where the sender left a voice message. The application Aa can then complete the content of the notification in the call log by adding additional information such as name, surname, company, and any other information among those stored in the memory MEMa in association with the number of phone the missed call.

FIG. 2 illustrates a system embodying the invention, comprising a terminal called T2 as described above, a calling terminal T1 and a server S. The terminal user, or transmitter, T1 provides information to the server S. can do this through the terminal Tl or by any other means. For example, the server S may offer a web interface for providing this information.

This transmitter provides D information that will be presented to the called user, or receiver. This information D can be provided during a preliminary registration phase of the transmitter Tl with the server S.

This information D may include a personal name, a company name, a type of activity, a visual element such as a logo, a graphic, a photograph, etc. This information can form a kind of virtual business card of the issuer.

Information can be provided automatically, that is, transparently for the sender, such as a phone number of the sender, and so on. This information can be determined automatically by the server S from the signaling data and the communication protocol. The transmitter may further provide call terminal identifiers to be called T2, for example telephone numbers belonging to a contact list. In one implementation of the invention, the server S itself determines the identifiers of the terminals to be called T2 (for example their telephone numbers) on the basis of a soliciting campaign, or prospecting, configured by the issuer Tl.

The data provided can then be stored in a memory of the server S. This data can be stored in a database set up on the server S.

The server S can then transmit the business cards to terminals called T2. It can be a software module executed by the server S which, from the information stored in the server memory, transmits information messages Mi to each identified terminal T2 to prepare the call of the transmitter to that the latter is not anonymous.

A concrete example of this mechanism can be described for a company that wants to carry out a direct marketing campaign with a customer base or potential customers. She then enters the customer files on the server S, including the phone numbers of these customers or potential customers, as well as information about herself: name of the company, type of activity (which will allow the determination of a visual element displayed on the called terminal), possibly a personal name to "customize" the call, etc.

Once these data have been entered, the server S can trigger the transmission of an information message Mi to the selected terminals T2 for this campaign of soliciting.

The terminals T2 can transmit, in response, acknowledgment messages Ma.

The server S can update the data stored in its memory and present the issuer with an interface enabling it to visualize the base of customers or potential customers and, opposite, if they have received the information message and / or if they have transmitted an acknowledgment message. In this way, the sender knows whether he can trigger a call c to the terminal T2 of the customer with the assurance that his "identity card" will be presented to the customer (receiver). He can decide to wait until a customer or potential customer has received the identity card before calling.

This server can be operated by a service provider that offers this service to memorize the business cards (that is to say the information to be transmitted to customers or potential customers), the customer base or potential customers and to manage the transmissions of business cards instead of the sending user. This service can be offered according to a tariff.

The server can also implement other services, such as the management of "reporting" (data communication) prospecting campaigns or canvassing customers.

According to one embodiment of the invention, a mechanism can be provided to verify that the application Aa is installed on the terminal called T2.

In fact, if the application Aa is not installed on the terminal T2, the information messages ma will not be processed by it but by the default mechanisms of the operating system. The information messages will therefore be considered as normal messages and will appear in the list of messages received for the receiver, which can be considered unpleasant by this receiver.

A preliminary step can be put in place to guard against this problem. This preliminary step consists of transmitting a message to the terminal T2 which is both the least annoying possible if the application Aa is not installed, and which allows the application Aa to react, if it is installed, by responding to it. . This message can be transmitted by the server S, and depending on the response or not the terminal T2, it can know T2 terminals that have an application Aa installed.

Such a mechanism can be implemented in different ways.

For example, a message may be transmitted by the server S to the terminal T2 of the receiver, this message containing both a neutral text for the receiver and data for the application Aa. This text may be an informational message from the operator of the server S. In the case where the server S is managed by the operator of the mobile network, this message may be a welcome message on the network.

The data for application Aa may be special characters that are not visible to the recipient. For example, it can be the characters "\ t", "\ n". the "space" character or a combination of these.

When the terminal T2 receives this message, two situations are possible: the application Aa is installed. In this case the message is processed by the application because, by the presence of the non-visible data, it understands that the message is intended. It responds to the server S to mean it is installed on this terminal. -Aa application is not installed. The message is then processed by the default mechanisms of the terminal T2. It is displayed as a normal message and visible by the receiver. An acknowledgment can be sent back to the server S, but according to the normal default mechanisms. The server S will be informed of the non installation of the application alpha Aa by not receiving a specific acknowledgment.

Another implementation may be to issue an operating message, rather than a normal message.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the examples and to the embodiment described and shown, but it is capable of numerous variants accessible to those skilled in the art.

Claims (10)

A method for establishing a telephone communication between a calling terminal (Tl) and a called terminal (T2) connected to a mobile communication network, comprising a step of reception by said called terminal of an information message containing information about a calling user associated with said calling terminal, said message being processed by said called terminal so that it is not accessible to a called user associated with said called terminal, and said information being stored in a memory (MEMa) said called terminal; a step of reception by said called terminal of a signaling message relating to a call from said calling terminal, triggering the search in said memory (MEMa) of information corresponding to said call, and the presentation of second information determined by said information on said call terminal called. 2. Method according to claim 1, wherein said message is an SMS or MMS type message. 3. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said message is sent by a server and the method comprises a prior step of transmitting said calling terminal to said information server relating to a calling user. 4. Method according to one of claims wherein said information comprises a unique identifier of said calling terminal and / or the user of said calling terminal, this identifier is for example a telephone number, the name and the first name of the calling user; the name of a corporation or corporation associated with the calling user; a function of said calling user within this company; an identifier of a sector of activity; a visual element; or a combination of these elements. 5. Method according to one of the preceding claims wherein when said called terminal has received said information, it issues an acknowledgment message for said calling terminal. 6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said information message is transmitted by a server (S) to which said calling terminal has previously provided said information. 7. Method according to one of the claims, wherein when following reception of said signaling message, the call is missed on said called terminal (T2), said call is notified in a call log of said terminal called in association with said information corresponding to said call. 8. Computer program comprising software means adapted to the implementation of the method according to one of the preceding claims, when triggered by an information processing platform. A communication terminal adapted for receiving a telephone call from a calling terminal through a mobile communication network, comprising: first means (M1, M2) for receiving messages and determining whether a message received is an informational message and if so, to process it so that it is not accessible to a user associated with said terminal, and that information contained in said information message is stored in a memory ( MEMa) of said terminal; second means (M3) for receiving a signaling message relating to a call from said calling terminal, triggering the search in said memory of information corresponding to said call, and the display of second information determined by said information on said terminal called. 10. System comprising a calling terminal, a called terminal according to claim 9 and a server (S), wherein said server has means for storing information provided by the user of said calling terminal and means for transmitting said message. information, containing said information, to said called terminal (T2).