WO2011159237A1

WO2011159237A1 - Call handling function

Info

Publication number: WO2011159237A1
Application number: PCT/SE2011/050735
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jörgen STEIJER; Mattias Hansson
Original assignee: Opticaller Software Ab
Priority date: 2010-06-14
Filing date: 2011-06-14
Publication date: 2011-12-22
Also published as: SE1050604A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a call handling function (CHF) in a user terminal (10). The call handling function receives, a user selection of calling data for use in relation to a telecommunication link, selects a first access number to be used for an initial telephone call, causes a voice communication unit (20) to initiate the initial telephone call to a communication handling device using the first access number for obtaining the telecommunication link between the user terminal and a call termination entity, and causes the voice communication unit (20) to transfer the calling data via at least a part of the telecommunication link for being used in a desired user activity.

Description

CALL HANDLING FUNCTION

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention generally relates to

telecommunication. More particularly the present invention relates to a method of controlling the setting up of telephone calls for a user of a user terminal, a call handling function providing device and a user terminal.

BACKGROUND

It is often of interest to associate a user terminal such as a cellular phone with a communication handling device, such as a private branch exchange of a company.

A system having this purpose is for instance described in WO 02/978368. Here a user of a mobile phone can send a data message to a mobile branch exchange that is connected to a private branch exchange. When the user of the mobile phone wants to make a phone call he first sends a data message to the mobile branch exchange including information for contacting the other party. The user thereafter calls the private branch exchange. The mobile branch exchange then orders the private branch exchange to set up a call to the other party and the two calls are then interconnected in the Private Branch Exchange .

Another solution is described in EP 1847104. Here a connection is set up via a call back procedure. A data message is sent from the mobile phone to a call setup device, which orders a communication handling device in the form of a private branch exchange to set up one connection to the mobile phone and another connection to an entity the user of the phone wants to call. These connections are then interconnected in the private branch exchange .

However, there is still room for improvement in the relation to connection of user terminals to

communication handling devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention addresses this situation. The invention is thus directed towards improving the use of a user terminal in relation to a communication handling device. This object is solved through the independent claims 1, 12, 14. The invention has a number of advantages. It allows a user terminal to perform activities in relation to a communication handling device. This can also be done in a simple way by the user without the user having to know how to connect to the communication handling device. In some variations of the invention connection costs may also be reduced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will in the following be

described with reference being made to the accompanying drawings, where Fig. 1 schematically shows a block schematic of a user terminal connected to a communication handling device and to a call routing determining device via a

communication network,

fig. 2 shows a block schematic of units in the user terminal ,

fig. 3 shows a block schematic of units in the call routing determining device,

fig. 4 schematically shows information presented by a user terminal display according to a first embodiment of the invention,

fig. 5 schematically shows a number of method steps being performed in a method according to the first embodiment of the invention,

fig. 6 schematically shows information presented by a user terminal display according to a second embodiment of the invention,

fig. 7, schematically shows a number of method steps being performed in a method according to the second embodiment of the invention, and

fig. 8 schematically shows a number of method steps being performed in a method according to a third embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following, embodiments of the invention

providing connection of a user terminal to a

communication handling device will be described.

The invention is directed towards user activities such as setting up of telephone calls in relation to a user terminal. The invention is also directed towards such activities, such as sending codes in relation to such call set up.

Fig. 1 schematically shows a user terminal 10 having a display 11 and connected to a communication handling device CHD 14 and to a call routing determining device CRDD 12 via a communication network Nl . It should here be realized that it is possible that there are separate networks provided, where the user terminal could for instance communicate with the communication handling device using a cellular network and with the call routing determining device 12 via a computer

communication network. The connection with the

communication handling device is normally a voice connection while the connection with the call routing determining device is normally a data connection. The communication handling device 14 is a device handling communication for a number of terminals through the network Nl . It can in some variations of the invention be a device provided by an operator for setting up international calls. It can also be an exchange, like a private branch exchange (PBX) . In the case of a private branch exchange there may be terminals associated with this exchange. Such terminals can have a strong connection to the exchange and be for instance

extensions that can only communicate via the exchange or have a loose connection, where they may have the capability to operate independently of the exchange, i.e. to make calls independently of the exchange.

According to the invention the user terminal 10 is of the latter type. The user terminal 10 can also be considered to be a terminal having a remote connection to the communication handling device 14. It should also be realized that the communication handling device 14 is normally not a part of the communication network Nl, but could from the standpoint of the operator of the communication network be considered as another "user" terminal using the network resources of the network operator.

The call routing determining device 12 is with

advantage a server providing call routing functionality in relation to the user terminal . In the first

embodiment it is associated with both the user terminal 10 and the communication handling device 14. In some variations they could be combined into one device. It should however be realized that the call routing determining device 12 need not be closely linked to the communication handling device 14, but may more or less only be used for keeping access numbers of as well as possibly other information about the communication handling device. The call routing determining device 12 can be a call set up device as described in EP 1847104, which is herein incorporated by reference. Fig. 2 shows a block schematic of some of the elements of the user terminal 10. It includes a wireless

interface in the form of an antenna 16 connected to a radio communication circuit 18. This radio

communication circuit 18 is adapted for communication using a suitable wireless communication technology such as GSM, GPRS, WCDMA etc. The radio communication circuit 18 is in turn connected to a messaging unit 22 and to a voice communication unit 20. These units 20 and 22 are both able to use the radio communication circuit 18 for transmitting voice and electronic messages, respectively. There is also a browser 24, which is connected to a browser memory 25. The browser 24 can be any type of suitable conventional browser, such as a web or Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) browser. Because of this it may connect directly to the radio communication circuit 18 for obtaining data via the network Nl . It is also connected to the voice communication unit 20 and the messaging unit 22 in order to be able to use these. The browser memory 25 is shown as including a set of data providing a call handling function CHF. This data set is indicated with dashed lines. Fig. 3 shows a block schematic of the call routing determining device 12. It includes a communication interface 26, which may be wired or wireless. To this interface 26 there is connected a control unit 28, which control unit 28 in turn is connected to a call handling function providing unit 32 as well as to a call routing selection unit 30. Now a first embodiment of the present invention will be described in relation to fig. 1 - 3 as well as to fig. 4, which schematically shows information presented by the user terminal display and to fig. 5, which

schematically shows a number of method steps being performed in a method according to the first embodiment of the invention.

The user terminal 10 is in this first embodiment associated with the communication handling device 14.

It has a loose connection to the communication handling device 14. This means that in this embodiment the communication handling device 14 may be a PBX. This also means that the user of the user terminal 10 should as much as possible have access to the same types of functions as if he or she used an ordinary extension of the PBX. This should then be combined with the

possibility of using the user terminal in the

communication network without involving the

communication handling device 14. This furthermore means that the user should be subject to the same or lower tariffs than what the communication handling device have in the network or in some cases let the costs of calls be borne by the communication handling device 14. However, the user terminal is not an

extension of the communication handling device 14 and therefore it does not as such have such an ability. One aspect of the present invention is to provide the user terminal with improved ability in this respect. This ability is according to the invention provided through a call handling function in the user terminal 10. In some variations of the invention, this call handling function is provided in the form of client software installed in the user terminal. However, in other variations of the invention it is provided through the use of a set of data including control instructions, such as an HyperText Markup Language (HTML) page in which control instructions are embedded. The control instructions can be set for accepting data and invoking the messaging unit 22 and voice communication unit 20. The first embodiment of the invention is directed to such a situation, where a web page is provided.

Therefore what happens first in the first embodiment of the invention is that a user of the user terminal 10 fetches a call handling function page CHF from the call routing determining device 12, step 42. This is done through the use of the browser 24, which fetches the page from the call routing determining device 12 via the wireless interface 16, 18. In this regard it is possible that a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) is used for identifying the page. This URL may be stored as a favorite/book mark in the browser 24.

One way of providing the page from the call routing determining device 12 is through the control unit 28 receiving such a URL via the interface 26 and selecting a page corresponding to the URL from the call handling function providing unit 32, which may therefore be a memory including such pages provided for various communication handling devices. The selected page is then returned to the browser 24 in the user terminal 10 via the two interfaces 26 and 16, 18. In this

embodiment the page is more particularly strongly linked to the communication handling device 14. This is here done through an access number of the communication handling device being embedded in the web page. After the browser 24 in this way has fetched the page CHF, it then stores it in the browser memory 25.

Because of this the browser 24 and browser memory 25 may together be considered to form a call handling unit providing a call handling function when the browser uses the page in the browser memory.

The page is then presented to the user by the browser 24 via the display 11, step 44. One way in which the page may be display is shown in fig. 4. On the page there are shown four different selectable buttons.

There is here a first, second and third code button 34, 36 and 38 as well as a code activation button 40. The code buttons are here exemplified by a first code CI lunch, a second code C2 Meeting and a third code C3 Out Of Office. Theses are just some examples of codes.

These codes are embedded in the page and will be retrieved by the browser 24 upon activation of

corresponding code buttons. The code buttons can be activated by the user through being selected in the browser 24, for instance using a key on a keypad of the user terminal. If the user now selects one of these code buttons a corresponding selection of code data is received by the browser 24 and thus by the call

handling function, step 46. As an example the user has here activated the first code button 34 and therefore the first code CI has been selected. Code data is one type of calling data according to the invention. If then the user presses the code activation button 40, then the selected code is to be transferred to the communication handling device 14.

In the page there is in this first embodiment coded an access number AN1 of the communication handling device. The call handling function CHF thereby has knowledge of this access number, which is here a first access number AN1. As the button is pressed or activated the call handling function therefore selects this first access number AN1, step 48, and then invokes the voice

communication unit 20. The instruction coded into the page thus invokes the voice communication unit and thereby it causes the browser 24 to connect to the voice communication unit 20. As this button 40 is selected, the browser therefore connects to the voice communication unit 20 and makes this unit initiate an initial call to the communication handling device 14 over the network Nl using the first access number AN1, step 50. For this call the voice communication unit 20 uses the wireless communication interface 16 and 18. In this first embodiment the initial call is also a first call in a telecommunication link between the user terminal and a call termination entity. In this first embodiment the communication handling device 14 is this entity and the telecommunication link is only made up of this first call.

If the communication handling device 14 accepts the call, which it normally does, then the set up is completed and the call is established, step 52.

Thereafter the call handling function CHF transfers the selected code CI to the communication handling device 14 via this first call, step 54. In this first embodiment the code is transferred over the link in the form of DTMF (Dual Tone Multi-Frequency) .

The communication handling device 14, which has

knowledge of the user terminal can then identity the user based on the A-number of the call, i.e. based on the phone number of the user terminal and use the transferred code in setting data in relation to the user. As an example it can here set the user as being out for lunch. This means that in this example any calls intended for the user received by the

communication handling device can be treated according to rules set for the user, when this code is active, such as notification of the user being out to lunch or diverting calls to a mail-box. As can be seen the codes are thus codes of the user used by the call termination entity to which the telecommunication link was set up in a user activity. The user activity is in this first embodiment the application of the codes at the communication handling device for handling

connectivity aspects of the user performed via the communication handling device. It should here be realized that a code may include more data such as for instance time duration data. A code can also be a code removing an earlier code. In this way the first

embodiment allows the user to set codes in the call termination entity remotely. The first access number is furthermore selected by the call handling function without the involvement of the user.

During all this the call handling function CHF

furthermore hides some of the activities for the user. Here it hides the call set up activities. The user is only informed that the codes are being set at the communication handling device 14.

Now a second embodiment of the invention will be described in relation to fig. 1 - 3 as well as to fig. 6, which schematically shows information presented by the user terminal display, and to fig. 7, which

schematically shows a number of method steps in a method according to this second embodiment.

In this second embodiment, a page is fetched, step 60, and presented, step 62, in the same way as in the first embodiment. However in this embodiment the page

includes an access number entry window 56 and a call initiation button 58 presented to the user via the display 11. In this window 56 the user can enter data, such as an access number of a call termination entity the user wants to reach. Such an access number is another type of calling data. In fig. 6 this is exemplified by an access number AN2 being entered in the window 56. If then the user presses the call initiation button 58, then this access number AN2 , which is a second access number, is received by the call handling function CHF, step 64. This pressing of the button also causes the browser 24 to select the first access number AN1, step 66, and initiate the set upf of the initial call using the first access number AN1, step 68. These steps are performed in the same way as in the first embodiment through using the voice communication unit 24.

However, here the set up is not completed, i.e. the call is not established. Instead the call handling function causes the browser to make the voice

communication unit 20 to disrupt the set up of the initial call, step 70. This disruption is done as soon as the communication handling device 14 is aware of the call.

This disruption in turn causes the communication handling device 14 to call back the entity that

initiated the disrupted call, i.e. the user terminal 10. The call handling function provided through the page therefore makes the browser 24 to await an

incoming call. This can be combined with preventing any other calls from being received in the time between the disruption of the setting up of the initial call and the reception of the return call. This can also be combined with providing busy indications for such possible other calls. The returned call, which is the first call according to this second embodiment, is then received by the voice communication unit 20, step 72, which informs the browser 24 of this fact. The call handling function CHF then causes the browser 24 to order the voice communication unit 20 to abort alerting the received call and instead it orders the voice communication unit 20 to directly accept the call without involvement by the user and to then transfer the second access number AN2 via this first call, step 74, which transfer may be performed in the same way as in the first embodiment, i.e. using DTMF. In this way a first part of a telecommunication link is set up and the second access number AN2 transferred as calling data over this first part of the telecommunication link . When the communication handling device 14 receives this second access number AN2, it sets up a second call to a call termination entity associated with this second access number AN2 and then interconnects these two calls, i.e. it interconnects the first and the second call. In this way a complete telecommunication link is formed between the user terminal and the end connection equipment, which link is made up of the first and the second call, where the second call is a second part of this telecommunication link. Calling data, here in the form of the second access number AN2, is then

transferred over a part of the telecommunication link, the first part of the link. The two interconnected calls are then presented for the user by the

communication handling function CHF as if there were only one direct call from the user terminal to the call termination entity, i.e. the activities of the

communication handling device 14 are kept hidden from the user. In this way it is possible for the user to set up a call using the communication handling device 14. Possible costs associated with the

telecommunication link will then normally be allocated to the communication handling device, which is of advantage if the user is a user conducting business via his or her personal user terminal. The calling data in the form of the second access number is in this second embodiment thus used in setting up the second call and the user activity of the communication data is thus in this case the connection of the user terminal to the call termination entity.

It should here be realized that the teaching of the first and second embodiment could be combined. It is for instance possible to use the initiating call as the first call also in the second embodiment as well as to use the call back call as the first call in the first embodiment .

It is furthermore possible to combine the two types of calling data. It is therefore possible to transfer code data to a call termination entity using a second access number selected by the user. This means that a call is set up to a call termination entity that is not the communication handling device and code data is then transferred to this call termination equipment. This is for instance possible to do if the user wants to connect to a bank via the communication handling device in order to for instance perform some bank activities, like blocking a stolen bank card.

It should also be realized that the second access number could for instance have been selected by the user through a selection in a phone book of the user terminal .

Now a third embodiment of the invention will be

described with reference being made to fig. 1 - 3 and 8, where the latter shows a number of method steps in a method according to a third embodiment of the

invention .

Just as in the first and second embodiments, a page is fetched, step 76, and presented, step 78. A second access number AN2 is then received from the user in the same way as in the second embodiment, step 80. However in this embodiment this reception does not cause the browser 24 to connect to the voice communication unit 20. Instead the browser 24 connects to the messaging unit 22, which sends an electronic message, here in the form of an SMS, to the call routing determining device 12. This message then includes the second access number AN2. The second access number AN2 is thus sent to the call routing determining device, step 82.

This message is received by the control unit 28 of the call routing determining device 12 via the interface 26 and forwarded to the call routing selection unit 30. which selects a call routing scheme based on an

analysis of the second access number as well as based on an analysis of other data such as settings made in relation to the user terminal and the communication handling device 14. This unit 30 may consider a least cost routing scheme and determine how a connection to the call termination equipment is to be set up based on this. The call routing determining unit 30 will then determine if the telecommunication link to the second access number AN2 is to be set up from the user

terminal, which constitutes a first route or first mode of operation, or from the communication handling device 14, which constitutes a second route or second mode of operation. It then sends a response in the form of an electronic return message, for instance an SMS via the control unit 28 and interface 26.

The return message is then received by the messaging unit 22 of the user terminal 10, which unit 22 extracts the content of the message and forwards it to the browser 24. In this way the communication handling function receives the response, step 84. If the response indicates that the first route is to be used, step 86, then the first access number is selected, step 87, and then the first call is initiated and

established from the user terminal to the call handling device 14 using the selected first access number AN1, step 88, and the second access number transferred as calling data via this first call, step 90. This

transfer is here performed in the same way as in the first embodiment using the first access number AN1 that is known to the call handling function CHF .

In case the first route is not to be used, but the second, then the first call is received from the call handling device 14, step 92. In this case the call routing determining device 12 would therefore order the communication handling device 14 to set up a first call to the user terminal 10 and a second call to the call termination entity for providing the telecommunication link .

Also in this case all the activities are hidden from the user. The user is only informed that a

telecommunication link is set up between the user terminal and the call termination entity.

There are a number of variations that are possible to make in relation to this third embodiment. It should be realized that the response message may only be sent in case the first route is to be used and no response message be sent if the second route is selected. In this case the call handling function will expect a call from the call handling device in the absence of a response . Another possible variation of the third embodiment is that the user terminal is not associated with the call handling device, but that one of a number of call handling devices may be selectable. In this case there would be no first call set up from the call handling device. There would not be any route selection in that sense. Instead the call route selection unit of the call routing determining device could select an

operator based on an analysis of the second access number. If for instance the telecommunication link is to be used for an international call, the call route selecting unit could investigate which operator has the best tariffs for such a call and then include an access number of this operator in a response message to the user terminal. The call handling function CHF would in this case select access number in this response message for use as a first access number in the setting up of the first call. In any event the user does not have to select access number to a call handling device. This is done for her or him. The user is thus not involved in the selection. The selection is thus automatically made through the help of the call handling function. The invention may be varied in a number of ways apart from those already mentioned. The electronic message may for instance be an MMS or even an e-mail instead of an SMS. As mentioned earlier, the call handling function may be provided as a set of data downloadable from a server like the call routing determining device. In the examples above it was provided in the form of a web page on this server. However, it can also be provided in the form of for instance a client program, which may be downloaded from a server, like the call routing determining device, and then installed on the user terminal. It may also be provided on a data carrier such as a memory stick or CD Rom disc which can be connected to the user terminal and the program code loaded onto the user terminal therefrom. The call handling function can finally also be provided in the form a circuit or a part of a circuit mounted in the user terminal .

The user terminal was furthermore desired in relation to a cellular phone. It may as one alternative be a computer. The voice communication unit can in this situation for instance be a Skype voice communication unit. Consequently the present invention is only to be limited by the following claims.

Claims

1. Method of controlling the setting up of

telephone calls for a user of a user terminal (10) and comprising the steps of

receiving (46; 64; 80), in a call handling function (CHP) provided in the user terminal, a user selection of calling data (CI; AN2) for use in relation to a telecommunication link,

selecting (48; 66; 87), by the call handling function, a first access number (AN1) to be used for an initial telephone call,

initiating (50; 68; 88), by the call handling function, the initial telephone call from said user terminal to a communication handling device (14) using said first access number for obtaining the telecommunication link between the user terminal and a call termination entity, and

transferring (54; 74; 90) said calling data via at least a part of said telecommunication link for being used in a desired user activity.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the initial call is a first call comprised in the

communication link, the method further comprises the step of completing (52; 88) setting up said first call, by the call handling function, and the step of

transferring said calling data comprises transferring said calling data to the communication handling device via said first call.

3. Method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of disrupting (70) the set up of the initial call before being established, receiving (72) a return call from the communication handling device, where said return call is a first call comprised in said

telecommunication link.

4. Method according to any previous claim, wherein the calling data comprises codes (CI) of the user to be used by the call termination entity to which the telecommunication link is set up.

5. Method according to claim 4, wherein the communication handling device is the call termination entity and said user activity is the application of said codes at the communication handling device for handling connectivity aspects of the user via said communication handling device.

6. Method according to any previous claim, wherein the calling data comprises a second access number (AN2) of a call termination entity to which the user wishes to connect .

7. Method according to claim 6, further comprising the steps of setting up a second telephone call from the communication handling device to the call

termination entity associated with the second access number and interconnecting the first call and the second call for forming said telecommunication link.

8. The method according to claim 6 or 7, further comprising the step of sending (82) an electronic message from the user terminal to a call routing determination device (12), said message comprising said second access number.

9. Method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of receiving, by the call handling function from the call routing determining device, said first access number of the communication handling device, which first access number has been determined by the call routing determining device according to a call setup scheme.

10. Method according to claim 9, further

comprising the steps of receiving by the call routing determining device said second access number from the call handling function, selecting a telephone operator based on an analysis of the second access number and possible further data, selecting an access number of the selected operator and sending the selected access number to the call handling function in the user terminal for use as said first access number.

11. Method according to any of claims 6 -10, wherein the steps of selecting a first access number and initiating an initial phone call are performed in a first mode of operation, and where there exists a second mode of operation in which the communication handling device sets up a first telephone connection to the user terminal, a second telephone connection to the call termination entity and interconnects the first and the second telephone connections, wherein the first mode is only entered if the call routing determination device selects it and otherwise the second mode is used for providing said telecommunication link.

12. Call handling function providing device having a call handling function (CHF) that can be loaded into a user terminal (10), said call handling function comprising computer program code configured to make a user terminal perform, when said code is loaded into the user terminal

receive, a user selection of calling data (CI; AN2) for use in relation to a telecommunication link,

select a first access number (AN1) to be used for an initial telephone call,

cause a voice communication unit (20) of the user terminal to initiate the initial telephone call from said user terminal to a communication handling device (14) using said first access number for obtaining the telecommunication link between the user terminal and a call termination entity, and

cause the voice communication unit (20) to transfer the calling data via at least a part of said

telecommunication link for being used in a desired user activity .

13. Call handling function providing device according to claim 12, where the calling data comprises a second access number (AN2) and further comprising a call routing selection unit (30) configured to select a telephone operator based on an analysis of the user selected access number, select an access number of the selected operator and send the selected second access number to the call handling function in the user terminal for use as said first access number.

14. User terminal comprising a voice communication unit (20) and a call handling unit (24, 25), said call handling unit being configured to:

select a first access number (AN1) to be used for an initial telephone call,

cause the voice communication unit (20) to initiate the initial telephone call from said user terminal to a communication handling device (14) using said first access number for obtaining the telecommunication link between the user terminal and a call termination entity, and

telecommunication link for being used in a desired user activity .