Method for the provision of telecommunications services

0001The method according to the invention is aimed at the provision of telecommunications-based services via calling card systems in accordance with the customer's service requirements. As in Telekom Praxis 12/97 pages 17 to 27 under the title, calling card systems require <img file="EP0944231A2_D0001.tif" />Calling Card Services features and technical implementation ", in contrast to conventional telephone cards and credit card solutions, actually no plastic cards to function. This system works on the basis of sequences of digits consisting of a card number and a secret number, and for example memory can be typed in from any button phone. Using the sequence of digits, the telephone customer identifies himself as an authorized user of the system in the database of the system computer. Calling Card Services make it possible for the first time to make calls from any telephone anywhere in the world on your own account, cashlessly, as from your own device. The basic service functions of a calling card system can be classified as follows:<ul id="ul0001" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>a) worldwide cashless calls with personal user code (PAN and PIN) and individual charge allocation to your own customer card account;</li><li>b) worldwide cashless phone calls with the help of a previously saved amount of money (credit phone calls);</li><li>c) worldwide cashless calls with primary and secondary cards and allocation of costs to defined cost centers (cost center calls);</li><li>d) Worldwide cashless calls for young people with a call home function (family CCS).</li><li>e) Provision of service functionalities, such as a voicebox function.</li></ul>

0002In processes based on the principles of operation described, the individual services are considered to be independent services that can only be offered to the customer as individual services. The customer's device configuration is not taken into account. The interaction between the customer and the calling card system is limited to a few individual control words in one language in voice-controlled systems. Conversions, for example from speech to writing (output by fax), have not yet been possible. All existing services are implemented on self-contained platforms that do not allow for expansion options in the form of new services and new forms of conversion.

0003The technical task is aimed at a method for a calling card system, which enables the customer a wide range of expandable access to telecommunication-based services, especially for complex service requests. Based on his or her service requests, the calling card system should offer the customer all the service components that he needs to solve his service request. Furthermore, an authorization check of the customer and a plausibility check should take place before the provision of the desired services.

0004This object is achieved by a method with the features according to claim 1. According to the invention, a connection to a database is established after a call to the customer and the connection of the customer's telecommunications terminal to a calling card service after recognition of a first valid information entry by the customer via a control module. in which data on the types of calling cards permitted as part of the services of the calling card service with the identifiers for the calling cards and the services permitted for the respective card type are stored and logically linked. Via the information input / output module of the calling card service, the customer is asked to enter data such as PAN and PIN, which are necessary for identification in connection with the calling card used. After successful identification of the customer to the calling card service, the customer is asked via the information input / output module to enter information about the desired service or services. In a second subordinate database, the PAN is used to check whether the service requested by the customer is permissible in connection with the calling card he is using. If the service requested by the customer is permissible, suitable services or service combinations as well as the associated information input and output media are determined via a database in which data about services or Combinations of services are stored which are logically linked to stored data via information input and output media and combinations of information input and output media which can be derived therefrom. Information input and output media are understood to mean speech, data, video and audio, to which end devices typical of the species are assigned, which support these information input and output media.

0005The services or service combinations determined based on the customer's service request and the information input and output media determined for this purpose are subjected to a plausibility check, wherein an evaluation logic is used to check whether the desired service or the desired service combination is provided by the customer's information input / output module and the customer's calling card is supported, whether the desired service or the desired service combination is suitable for solving the customer's problem and whether the desired service or the desired service combination is permitted within the framework of the calling card service. If the result of the plausibility check is negative, feedback is given to the information input / output module, from which information stored on the problem that has occurred is output to the customer. With this information, the customer is asked to correct the information about his service request.

0006If the plausibility check is successfully completed, the service or service combination required to solve the customer's problem is generated and automatically switched through to the customer. The customer is able to realize his service request via the service made available to him or the service combination made available to him in connection with the terminal device configuration available to him.

0007The method according to the invention is explained in more detail using an exemplary embodiment for a calling card service, which is based on a voice-controlled human / machine dialog. The customer, who has an owner phone card, wishes to determine a phone number and establish a communication link to that phone number. A holder's phone card is a personal card in which the customer transfers his personal data with a valid account number to the system to generate a master data record. The customer receives a PAN as the customer address and a PIN that identifies them to the calling card system.

0008After dialing the service number of a calling card provider, after establishing the connection to the service center of the calling card provider, the customer is connected to an information input / output module via a module telephone interface with CLI recognition (calling line identification) Speech recognition / speech output module is designed and which works on the principle of user-independent speech recognition. After determining the connection identifier (CLI detection), by which the telecommunication terminal from which the customer is calling is defined, a first database is activated after detection of a first valid voice input by the customer, in which the data of the different types of calling cards are included the data services or data services permitted for the respective card type Combinations of data services as well as the identifiers such as PAN and PIN for the calling cards are stored and logically linked. A PIN is only required for personal calling cards.

0009Via the voice recognition / voice output module, the customer is asked to enter the data required to recognize his special calling card and to recognize his access authorization, such as PAN and PIN or just PAN. The card number PAN represents the customer address in the system. It is also the identification of the customer to the calling card system and authorizes dialing into the calling card service. Before using the PIN, the customer proves that only he is authorized to use the desired service. After successfully checking the data of the calling card and thus the authorization of the customer, the customer is asked for the communication terminals available to him besides the telephone, such as fax, e-mail, etc. and for his service request. The customer enters via the voice recognition / speech output module that he is looking for a specific phone number and would like to be connected to this phone number. The PAN of the calling card, which is already known to the system, is used to check whether the customer's service request is permitted. After a successful check, a second database is activated. The second database serves as a database for a search routine. It contains a link matrix in which all possible data services, such as order services, telephone services, information services and translation services, are logically linked with one another and with a conversion matrix that contains possible input and output media or combinations of input and output media for the above data services. Using a search routine, the data services / services and the input and output media that are suitable for fulfilling the customer's service request are determined based on the customer's service request. The conversion matrix for the input and output media is constructed so that it contains all known input and output media and that all possible combinations of information input and output media within the data services and the combination of data services are converted with the terminal device configurations that support them can. This means that it also contains combinations that have not yet been technically implemented.

0010This matrix therefore provides a means in which future possible combinations of services and information input and output media suitable for these services are already taken into account.

0011For current operations, it is advisable to limit the combination options to permitted combination options in accordance with the current range of services offered by the calling card system.

0012Permissible combination options can be determined using the following search criteria:<ul id="ul0002" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>Which possible combinations are possible within the framework of the permitted calling cards,</li><li>which combinations are desired by the customers or are sensible for the customers and</li><li>what possible combinations are supported by hardware.</li></ul>

0013The data required in the database, which is based on this principle, is used to determine the service or combination of services required for the solution in connection with the possible information input and output media, based on the customer's request or problem, and subject it to a plausibility check. It is checked whether the desired service in connection with the determined input and output media is suitable for solving the customer's problem, taking into account the terminal device configuration available to the customer. Such a plausibility check is particularly advantageous if several services have to be linked to form a service combination to solve the problem. When combining several services, the selected combination is subjected to a further plausibility check, in which a comparison with stored allowed services and service combinations and the input and output media permitted for this purpose is used to check whether the selected combination is permissible.

0014If an invalid problem or an invalid combination of data services is detected, feedback is sent to the speech recognition / speech module. Via the speech recognition / speech output module, the customer is prompted for an error message relating to the problem that has been saved, and the customer is asked to correct the information about his problem.

0015If the plausibility check is successful, the service or combination of services required to solve the customer's problem, which was determined on the basis of a comparison with the data stored for the problem, is generated and automatically switched through to the customer. The service or the combination of services that the customer needs to solve his or her service request is available to the customer ready for inquiry. Since the customer is looking for a specific telephone number, as explained above as an example, he is automatically connected to an information service, for example a telephone information service. After the customer has determined the telephone number via the telephone information, he is taken over again by the headquarters of the calling card provider and connected to the corresponding telephone connection. This is possible by returning the desired telephone number in the form of a three-way conference between telephone information, customers and the calling card service. In the calling card service system, the telephone number output as voice information from the directory inquiry is received, evaluated by voice recognition, converted into a sequence of digits and automatically entered in the database of the intermediary service as the desired B number for the customer. Then the connection selection of the desired B subscriber and the announcement of the status of the B subscriber at the customer or the establishment of the connection between the customer and the desired B subscriber takes place automatically. After using the desired service or the desired combination of services is debited from the fee incurred for using the service via the credit of the calling card used by the customer, for example the credit of a holder card. The method according to the invention is designed in such a way that in the event of operating difficulties in dialog with the machine, switching to an operator is provided. For this purpose, automatic switchover options are provided at various points in the Customer / Machine dialog. Switchings are activated if the computer does not receive the requested data, not in time or in the wrong form. In parallel to the connection with the customer, the operator is shown all important data for communication with the customer, such as: B. card number, destination number, etc. are displayed.

0016The advantage of the method according to the invention is that the customer is made available from a large number of possible services or combinations of services via a search routine, the service or the service combination that he needs to solve his problem or his service request. It is checked whether the customer has access to the device configuration required for this service or this service combination or that the customer's terminal configuration supports this service or this combination of services. According to the invention, a wide variety of card types, such as, for example, owner card, prepaid card, call home card, etc., are permitted for the customer's access to the calling card service. The type of calling card defines, in particular, the access authorization of the customer to the various possible services or service combinations, as well as the type of service billing. The solution according to the invention is suitable for increasing the degree of automation of the services offered by calling card providers. The customer has the advantage that, in particular in the case of a complex service request spanning individual services, he is provided with all the services or service combinations required to fulfill his service request in succession in one session.