Telecommunication method and system

The present invention describes a method of telecommunication routing and counting of a telephone call, and also a device for enabling this method to be performed.

The known telephone systems allow only the subscriber who calls another subscriber to pay the call, without hiring a special service. However, there is the possibility to allow the called subscriber to pay the call, by using a service offered by the respective telephone company. In Sweden, the called subscriber can, however, pay the call, without using a special service, because the called subscriber has a special number called 020. It is not possible to allow a third party to pay the call. At the same time, the known telephone systems do not allow the transmission of information from a computer, during the conversation of the two subscribers, with different content for each of them.

The present invention describes a method and a device that allow a third party to pay for the call between two subscribers, without using a special service and at the same time allow the transmission, via computer, of information to the subscribers, during the call.

The telecommunication method of routing a telephone call and counting the respective call, in which a first telephone subscriber is connected to a second telephone subscriber, through the standard telephone network, where the first telephone subscriber forms a prefix followed by the subscriber number, which leads to a third party subscriber and forms a subscriber number, which leads to the second subscriber, in which the area code determines the telephone network to connect the call, through the respective telephone network, to a computer associated with the third subscriber and connected to the telephone network, and also causes the computer to route the call to the second subscriber, through the computer, as if connecting the first subscriber with the -the second subscriber, in which the detection of the respective prefix, in the telephone network, determines the network to count the conversation between the first subscriber and the second subscriber, in the account of the third and where the computer transmits, at predetermined time intervals, information superimposed over the call established between the first and the second subscriber, according to the invention removes the above disadvantages in that the said computer is determined to transmit the information with different content to the first and second subscriber, respectively, if the two telephone subscribers are placed in different places.

The telecommunication system for routing and counting a telephone call, in which the first telephone subscriber is connected to the second telephone subscriber via the standard telephone network, where a computer is associated with a third subscriber and connected to the telephone network, where the computer is thus adapted. to detect a prefix consisting of the first subscriber, followed by a subscriber number leading to the third subscriber, where the computer is designed to route the call over the telephone network, after the prefix is ​​detected, to a subscriber number that was formed by the first subscriber, after the first subscriber number mentioned, and which leads to the second subscriber so as to connect the first subscriber to the second subscriber, where the telephone network is adapted to count the conversation between the first subscriber and the second subscriber on behalf of the third subscriber, after detecting the respective area code and where the computer is designed to transmit information over the telephone call between the first and second subscribers at intervals of time

According to the invention, the predetermined Bl eliminates the disadvantages above, in that the respective computer is programmed to transmit information with different content to the first and the second subscriber, respectively, if the first and the second subscriber subscriber are located in different areas. 50

The invention is described in detail with reference to an embodiment set forth below and with reference to the figure representing a block diagram illustrating the telecommunications part.

The present invention thus describes a method of routing and counting a telephone call, in which the first telephone subscriber is connected to a second telephone subscriber 55, via the standard telephone network. The standard telephone network can be both a public switched telephone network and a mobile telephone network.

According to the present invention, the connection of a telephone call is made due to the fact that the first subscriber forms a prefix followed by a subscriber number to which we will refer in the following, as 333 333, which leads to a third 60 subscriber and further forms a number of subscriber, which leads to a second subscriber to whom we will refer in what we use, as 222 222.

According to this example, this can be achieved by first dialing the prefix of the first subscriber followed by the number 333 333, through which the first subscriber is connected to the third subscriber. When the connection is established, the first subscriber diales 65 number 222 222, through which he routes the call to the second subscriber. According to another example, the first subscriber forms the prefix and then the numbers 333 333 and 222 222 after which the call is connected to the third subscriber followed by the connection of the call to the second subscriber.

A prefix means a number, for example 030, or such a number. Thus, in the case of the last example, the first subscriber will dial 030 333 333 222 222.

The prefix determines the telephone network to connect the call to a computer belonging to the third subscriber who has the number 333 333 and which is connected to the telephone network. Also, the prefix causes the computer to route the call to the second subscriber, which has the number 222 222, so as to establish a link between the first and second subscribers. Thus, the last described phone call is connected as if it were through the third subscriber.

The telephone network, for example a switching telephone center, will detect the area code, for example, in the same way as the 020 area code is detected in Sweden. Detecting the area code in the telephone network determines the network to count the call between the first and the last subscriber. the second subscriber, on behalf of the third.

Thus, the first subscriber can establish a telephone connection with the second subscriber, through a third subscriber, who will pay the call.

The figure illustrates an inventive system for routing and dialing the telephone, in which a first telephone subscriber 1 is connected to a second telephone subscriber 2, through the standard telephone network, denoted by 3.

According to the invention, the third subscriber has a computer 4 which is connected to the telephone network 3. The computer 4 is programmed to detect the prefix formed by the first subscriber, followed by the number of the subscriber leading to the third subscriber. 90 The third subscriber will have a telephone, local or switching telephone center 5, to which the computer 4 is connected.

RO 117343 Bl

The telephone exchange 5 can be built to connect an incoming call to the computer after the area code has been detected. After detecting the prefix, the computer will route the call, through the telephone network, to a subscriber number formed by the first subscriber, after dialing the subscriber number mentioned first and leading to a second subscriber, so as to connect the first subscriber with the one second subscriber.

The telephone network 3 is also designed to count the call between the first and the second subscriber on the account of the third subscriber, after the respective prefix has been detected. The prefix is ​​precisely detected in the switching telephone center of the telephone exchange 6, associated with the telephone network, for the counting of the call.

This service can be used, for example, for noble purposes, as well as to make certain telephone numbers known and those companies and organizations to which these telephone numbers belong, by requesting the telephone number of the company or organization, a number that must be formed after the prefix is ​​formed. to use this service.

According to a preferred example, the computer is designed to transmit information about the telephone connection, between the first and the second subscriber, at certain time intervals.

According to the first example, this information is transmitted, so that the first and second subscribers can hear the information, although they cannot talk to each other while the information is being transmitted.

According to a second example, the information is transmitted, so that the first and second subscribers can hear the information and also can talk to each other at the same time.

This information is preferably advertising information, relating to companies or organizations that constitute the third subscriber.

For example, a restaurant chain or a gas station chain may have a computer that runs a telephone number, which consists of a prefix followed by the subscriber's number. When the first subscriber is connected to the computer or when the first subscriber is connected to the second subscriber, the advertising information mentioned earlier may be, for example, information related to price offers or fuel sales.

In this case, the first subscriber will not pay the talk with the second subscriber, while the company or organization concerned will provide its advertising information, at least to the first subscriber, but preferably to both subscribers.

According to an example of the invention, the information is transmitted over short periods of time, so that the total transmission time of the information is less than 20% of the total time of the call.

For example, an advertisement may be transmitted for a period of 5 s, after a call has been conducted for 30 s, after which the call may continue for another 30 s and then may be interrupted by an advertising transmission for 5 s and so on. .

According to an example of the invention, the duration of a telephone connection is limited by a predetermined cost of the call. For example, the cost of the call may be limited so that it corresponds to a 5 minute call at a local telephone rate. In the case of a long distance call, in a particular country, the cost of a call may be limited

RO 117343 Bl at 2 min, for example. Obviously, for shorter international calls, shorter talk times are planned. 140 naturally, the duration of a call may vary from case to case and it may be decided that connections can only be made within close geographical areas.

It has been mentioned before that a company or organization can be equipped with such a computer. However, the invention can also be applied to a group of companies that connect a computer to the telephone network. In this case, the advertising transmissions are mixed in a predetermined sequence. In this case, the area code and number lead to that computer.

According to an example of the invention, the advertisement is controlled according to the areas or places where the first and second subscribers are placed. For example, if the first subscriber is in Stockholm and the second subscriber is in Gothenburg and 150 the first subscriber forms a prefix and number leading to a Stockholm company, the advertising information regarding the Stockholm company may be transmitted to the first subscriber, in while, in the same time period, the information about the company in Gothenburg is transmitted to the second subscriber.

Thus, the advertising information can be controlled to address the district or 155 where the respective subscribers are located.

The advertising information can be recorded in the computer, in a data environment, such as in a permanent memory, CD or on a recorder, connected to the computer, in the figure, it is noted with 7 external memory or the recorder.

It is obvious that the present invention solves the aforementioned problem, in introduction 160 allowing a third subscriber to pay the call between two other subscribers.

The term third party subscriber was used in the preceding paragraphs and is used in the following claims. Naturally, this term or expression includes a third party subscriber belonging to the respective telephone network.

However, the term also includes the case where the computer is installed 165 together with a given subscriber, but when the payer is other than the one the computer belongs to.

It will also be understood that the present invention can be used as a marketing tool for the companies or organizations concerned, for the benefit of both the company or organization concerned and the persons established in the conversation established through the computer.

It will also be understood that changes can be made. For example, the computer may contain, in whole or in part, a telephone exchange of the company or organization. Also, the computer may contain either fully or partially a telephone exchange, included in the telephone network. 175

The present invention will therefore not be considered as limited by the examples described above, as long as modifications can be made in the spirit of the following claims.