WO2000013400A2

WO2000013400A2 - Method for implementing an accessibility service and for updating a routing list

Info

Publication number: WO2000013400A2
Application number: PCT/FI1999/000700
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ari Hynninen; Juha-Pekka Jauhiainen
Original assignee: Helsingin Puhelin Oyj - Helsingfors Telefon Abp
Priority date: 1998-08-26
Filing date: 1999-08-25
Publication date: 2000-03-09
Also published as: FI981832A; FI981832A0; WO2000013400A3

Abstract

The present invention concerns a method related to a number routing service in which at least one routing list is provided with facilities allowing the client to perform a self-contained update of the list via a suitable user interface. In the context of the present invention, such a reconfigurable routing list is called a multi-link. In addition to the multi-link, the number routing service may use conventional routing lists herein denoted as basic routing lists and a basic answering number location denoting a direct number rerouting to a single answering location. In the embodiments of the invention, the answering locations of the multi-link can be reconfigured using a DTMF telephone or a WWW user interface. According to the invention, the WWW user interface may also be used for changing the definitions of the basic routing lists.

Description

METHOD FOR IMPLEMENTING AN ACCESSIBILITY SERVICE AND FOR UPDATING A ROUTING LIST

The invention relates to a method according to the preamble of claim 1 for implementing a personal number service and to a method according to the preamble of claim 3 for updating a personal number routing list.

This type of method is employed for providing personal number services in a public telephone network. In the personal number service, a client such as a person to be reached defines at least one routing list for the telecommunications system operator by whom the personal number service is provided, according to which list calls placed on the primary call number of the personal number service are sequentially routed to alternate telephone connections. The sequence of the routing list may comprise, e.g., from 2 to 5 telephone numbers. A call placed on the basic call number of the person to be reached is initially routed to the first number of the sequence and, if no answer from the first number is detected within a preset time, the call is routed to the second number of the sequence. If even the second number fails to answer, the call attempt is transferred to the next number in the sequence and so forth. This procedure is repeated until the call attempt is terminated at the last number of the sequence which typically is the number of the person's answering machine or an automatic answering service. Obviously, the forwarding of the call in the sequence is also terminated if the call is either answered at any number of the routing list or the calling party hangs up.

To maximize the benefits of the personal number service to the client, the service is conventionally configured so as to provide a plurality of routing lists, e.g., two or three lists. Thus, the routing lists of a client to be reached can be arranged so that, e.g., one sequence is defined for worktime connections related to the client's daily job, a second sequence for work-related calls during the off-the-office travel and a third for off-duty hours. Switching between these call-forwarding sequences, that is, change from one activated routing list to another, is conventionally performed by way of calling to a given service number, wherein the change can be accomplished after the entry of a possible password by dialing with a DTMF keypad the code of the routing list desired to be activated as of the dialing time instant. Alternatively, switching between the routing lists can be performed in a time-controlled manner, whereby the routing list is always changed at preset time of the day.

In the prior art, changes in the routing lists themselves are accomplished by contacting the provider of the personal number service. Herein, a previously stored routing list can be reconfigured or an entirely new routing list may be established.

A disadvantage plaguing the use of the prior-art technique is that the change of the routing list must be made by contacting the telephone service operator. Accordingly, alterations in the routing list requires both a call placed by the client to the operator and an update operation performed by the telephone network operator personnel. Such an update transaction is, however, unbearably costly, awkward and often too slow to meet the rapidly changing accessibility needs of clients subscribing to personal number services.

In the art is also known a so-called portable number service in which the client is provided with a fixed personal number, whereby he can route all incoming calls placed on said fixed personal number to any closest connection. This technique is hampered by requiring the allocation of a separate number for use as the subscriber's portable number. The favor of this type of portable number service is also diminished by the handicap that only one connection is offered at a time for answering the incoming calls and thus an incoming call cannot be forwarded to an other number downstream a predetermined routing sequence.

It is an object of the invention to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages and to provide an entirely novel type of method for implementing a personal number service. It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel type of method for updating a routing list.

The goal of the invention is achieved through configuring a personal number service to include at least one routing list with a provision offering the client a suitable interface for self-contained reconfiguration of said list. In the present application, such a reconfigurable routing list is called a multi-link. In addition to the multi-link, the personal number service may utilize conventional routing lists denoted in the present application as basic routing lists and a basic rerouted number denoting a direct call forwarding to a single connection. According to the different embodiments of the invention, the numbers forming the multi-link can be redefined via, e.g., a DTMF telephone set or a WWW user interface. Furthermore, the invention has other advantageous embodiments in which the WWW user interface may also be employed for redefining the parameters of the basic routing lists.

The multi-link is advantageously implemented so that the telephone numbers, or answering number locations, are programmed into the routing list so as to remain in memory until redefined. Thus, a change affecting only one answering number location of the sequence allows the definitions of the other answering number locations to remain unchanged. The user of the service may have, e.g., from one to four answering number locations stored in a single multi-link.

More specifically, the method according to the invention for implementing a personal number service is characterized by what is stated in the characterizing part of claim 1. Furthermore, the method according to the invention for updating a routing list is characterized by what is stated in the characterizing part of claim 3.

The invention offers significant benefits. A client to be reached, either a physical person or a given group of people, can avail of the invention by virtue of its vastly simplified approach to the update of routing lists in a personal number service. Additionally, the client need not anymore know in advance which connection at a given time will be closest to his physical location, but rather, when arriving at a given physical location he can readily program the multi-link to include a desired number or numbers as the answering location(s). This feature facilitates flexible accessibility, e.g., for clients handling their businesses from a plurality of office sites. As the present invention makes the update of the routing list of the client's personal number more flexible, the client can update the routing list more accurately and frequently, thus improving his accessibility.

The multi-link according to the invention may also be arranged to operate so that a call placed to the service number of the multi-link triggers a response suggesting the first user-configurable answering number location to be programmed to store the A number identified for the connection from which the control call is being placed to the service control number. Hereupon, the client may either accept the A number suggested by default or, alternatively, enter another number. This feature offers the additional benefit that the client already calling from the desired destination connec- tion can obviate the dialing of the destination number, which further contributes to the ease of updating the multi-link.

Furthermore, the advantageous embodiment of the invention utilizing the WWW interface offers the additional benefit of permitting the WWW interface to be used in a straightforward manner for controlling all answering number locations stored in the multi-link and changing the contents of the list from any site having access to the web.

From the standpoint of the telecommunications operator providing personal number services, the multi-link offers a further benefit of relieving the clients from the need for defining new conventional routing lists over and over for varying unusual situations. In these situations, the clients can now readily reprogram the multi-link to correspond to the changed accessibility circumstances, whereby the operator's requirement to provide a large memory capacity for storing the routing lists is relaxed. In the following, the invention will be examined with the help of exemplifying embodiments by making reference to the attached drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a flow diagram of the steps required to update a multi-link in an embodiment of the method according to the invention;

Fig. 2 shows a flow diagram of the steps to be carried out in an embodiment according to the invention after the steps of Fig. 1 are completed; and

Fig.3 shows diagrammatically an exemplary method suitable for use in the implementation of the method according to the invention utilizing a WWW interface.

The basic concept of the flexible routing list, or the multi-link, is to offer the client a versatile and uncomplicated method of controlling the routing of incoming calls placed to his personal number. Within the scope of the present invention, the client's personal number may be, e.g., a nation-wide personal number or a conventional local subscriber number that is connected to a personal number service. Advantageously , the multi-link can be programmed according to the client's own selection to include from one to four answering number locations, that is, telephone numbers to which incoming calls can be routed. Obviously, while the number of the answering number locations could be higher, it is generally impracticable to have a greater number of answering number locations in a single routing list.

The multi-link can be configured to function so that, e.g., when a control call is placed to the service control number of the multi-link, the allowable A number (calling party number) identified from the service control call by the telecommunications network is suggested to be programmed into the user- configurable location being changed in the multi-link. In the next step, the client can accept or reject the suggested A number or, alternatively, enter another number. In the implementation of this feature, before suggesting the identified A number, the allowability of the A number must be checked. Unacceptable A numbers that on this basis must be rejected are, e.g., emergency telephone numbers and fault report service numbers. This limitation is necessary to prevent fraudulent calls from being connected to these vital numbers. Other unacceptable A numbers can be defined to be, e.g., toll-charge telephone numbers to which the owner of the personal number, such as the client's employer, does not necessarily wish the calls to be transferable by the user of the personal number, that is, the person to be reached via the personal number. The group of acceptable A numbers includes all the A numbers that are not included in the group of unacceptable numbers.

An exception in the group of acceptable user numbers is formed by unlisted telephone numbers. To prevent unauthorized parties from revealing an unlisted number or configuring call transfers thereto by means of calling from the connection of the unlisted telephone number, the control logic of the number routing service should be programmed to bypass the A number identification when the service control call is placed from an unlisted number.

In the update of routing lists via a telephone, the system controlling the number routing service must be capable of identifying the client calling the service control number and retrieving from memory the routing lists configured for the client. The personal identity of the client must also be ascertained with the help of a password, for instance. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the verification of the client's identity is implemented so that a personal special code is given to each client subscribing to the number routing service. Then, the system controlling the multi- link number routing service knows already from the user B number specifically allocated to the client calling the service who the calling person should be by default, whereby the system only have to perform the steps of retrieving the data of the calling client from memory and verifying the identity of the calling client. This type of arrangement can substantially reduce the load imposed on the control system as compared with the conventional technique of performing similar client data retrievals, that is, a method based on the use of a single special code alone, combined with the identification of the client calling the service control number from the user ID code, for instance. Such an arrangement based on a single special code requires the system to maintain a database for number retrieval and, respectively, to perform a large number of number retrieval searches. In contrast, the arrangement which uses a separate specific code per each personal number offers the client an additional advantage by way of identifying the client directly from the user B number to which the service control call is placed, thus relieving the client from the task of entering separate ID codes.

In the following, an exemplary process is described in order to elucidate the actions of a typical client of the routing list service and the possible routines of an advantageous embodiment of the multi-link according to the invention. In this exemplary case, the client is assumed to be a person having to travel in a business matter to a geographical location remote from his office. To do so, the client person wishes to route calls placed in a normal manner at his personal number to be forwarded firstly to a permanent wire connection at the remote location, next to his mobile phone, then to his secretary and finally to a voice mail box. In order to set said remote wire connection as the first answering number of the multi-link, he calls from said wire connection to his service control number. Hereby, the caller is identified at the service control number from the client's password and, if the A number from which the client calls is found in the group of acceptable numbers, the A number identified from the client's call is suggested to be stored in the first answering number location of the multi-link.

In this exemplary case, the default configuration of the multi-link is assumed to have the client's mobile phone number stored in the first answering number location and the client's home number in the second location. By his call to the service control number, the client stores the remote location number in the first multi-link location and his mobile phone number in the second multi-link location. The two last answering number locations of the list may be accepted as such, whereby the client has no need to enter their number information separately. Thus, the service control call placed from the remote location number accomplishes the programming of the first answering number location of the multi-link simply by accepting the suggested A number and the number information to be stored in the second location is entered by conventional DTMF dialing of the desired number. Resultingly, the answering number locations of the multi-link are changed as shown in Table 1 below.

Table 1

Alternatively, the programming of the multi-link locations can be performed by calling the service control number from any connection and then entering the desired number information by DTMF dialing. Also a WWW user interface can be employed for entering the answering number information. Any conventional terminal communicating with the Internet via the WWW interface may be used for programming the multi-link. The security and data encryption of the WWW pages of the service can be accomplished by means of conventional and approved authentication techniques.

Now referring to Fig. 1, the embodiment of the method shown therein for programming the multi-link via a DTMF telephone includes the following steps:

1. The user goes off-hook and calls his personal service control number specifically allocated for the programming of his personal number routing list.

2. The control logic of the service requests the client to enter his password.

3. The control logic checks the client's authorization to update the routing list by comparing the entered password with the password stored in the control number database for the user B number, that is, his personal service control number.

4. If the entered password is incorrect, the voice announcement device of the system tells the client that the call is terminated. 5. If the entered password is correct, the system forwards the call to a link server such as the service handling the update of the routing lists. The link server retrieves the client's current multi-link.

6. The announcement device asks whether the first answering number location should be changed. 7. The client opts to change the number at the first answering number location of the list.

8. The announcement device asks whether the client wants his allowable A number to be stored at the first answering number location.

9. If the A number is unlisted, unacceptable or the client does not wish to use it at the first answering number location of the list, the announcement device requests the client to enter another number and close the programming step by an end code, e.g., pressing the "#" key.

10. The link server identifies the end code of the programming step and terminates the number programming subroutine. 11. The announcement device echoes the entered digits and asks the client to verify the entered number.

12. The client approves the entered number.

13. In the case that the client opts to select the A number as the first answering number location, the announcement device echoes the digits of the A number and suggests the number to be stored as the first answering number location.

14. The client approves the echoed number.

15. The announcement device asks whether the client wants to change the second answering number location. Herefrom, the programming operation can be continued, e.g., as shown in Fig. 2, whereby the following steps are carried out:

16. The client opts to reprogram the second answering number location. 17. The client dials the number for the second answering number location and terminates the entry by dialing the end code.

18. The link server identifies the end code and terminates the number programming subroutine.

19. The announcement device echoes the entered digits and asks the client to verify the entered number.

20. The client approves the entered number.

21. The announcement device asks whether the client wants to change the third answering number location.

22. The client opts not to reprogram the third answering number location, but rather, to keep the stored answering number information of location unchanged.

23. The announcement device asks whether the client wants to change the fourth answering number location.

24. The client opts not to reprogram the fourth answering number location, but rather, to keep the stored answering number information of location unchanged.

25. The announcement device informs the client on a successful programming and activation of the multi-link. Hereupon, the call placed to the service control number can be terminated.

As shown in Fig. 3, the update of the multi-link by means of a WWW-based or similar user interface can be performed in a system comprising a terminal 41 available to the client, a public data transfer network such as the Internet 42 capable of communicating with said terminal 41, a server 43 communicating with said public data transfer network 42 and being maintained by the number routing service provider, an SCP device 44 communicating with said server and a number retrieval database 45 linked to said SCP device 44.

As shown in Fig. 3, the update of the multi-link by means of a WWW-based user interface is carried out by performing the following steps:

31. The client establishes by means of a terminal 41 a connection to the service provider's WWW page on which the service control functions are accessible. 32. The service control identifies the calling client.

33. Server 43 retrieves the client's routing lists.

34. The client edits the routing lists as desired.

35. The client returns the edited routing lists to the server 43.

36. Server 43 transmits the edited routing lists further to SCP device 44. 37. With the help of the number retrieval database 45, SCP device 44 verifies the acceptability of the edited changes and sends an acknowledgment message to server 43.

38. Server 43 informs the client on the activation of the requested change.

Without departing from the scope of the invention, embodiments different from those described above may be contemplated. Instead of using an SCP device, the described control functions may be implemented, e.g., in an IP device or an external server. Furthermore, the multi-link can be configured using, e.g., the short-message facility of a digital mobile phone such as the GSM network text messages. Herein, the system is provided with a short-message server capable of handling the short messages sent to the sever and then passing the control information extracted therefrom to the system controlling the number routing service. In principle, it is also possible to configure the routing list so that a single answering number location of the list stores the numbers of two parallel connections, whereby the routed call rings simultaneously in both of these connections.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. Method for implementing a number routing service, said method comprising the steps of - assigning a personal number for the use of a client, and

- configuring at least one routing list with at least two answering number locations stored therein for the purpose of routing calls placed to the personal number, characterized by - configuring at least one of said routing lists to be a re-configurable routing list, and

- offering a user interface, such as a DTMF signal interface or a WWW interface, to the client for making at least said re-configurable routing list configurable by the client in a self-contained manner.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized by generating and allocating to the client, for the configuration of said routing list, a service control number of said number routing service, said service control number being unique and specifically associated with the client's personal number.

3. Method for updating a routing list, said method comprising the steps of

- receiving from the client information on the update configuration of said routing list and, if the received configuration is acceptable

- updating the routing list to correspond to the configuration defined by the client,

characterized in that, for receiving the update configuration of the routing list, a connection is established between the client and the apparatus controlling the update of the number routing service, the client's authorization to update the routing list is verified by means of said update-controlling apparatus, - configuration information is received from the client by means of said update- controlling apparatus, and

- the update configuration of the routing list is passed from the update- controlling apparatus for use in the public telephone network.

4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that said connection between the client and said apparatus used for updating the number routing service is established via the public telephone network by virtue of transferring the information from the client to the update-controlling apparatus using DTMF signals.

5. Method according to claim 4, characterized by the steps of

- establishing a connection from the client's current subscriber number to a personal-number-specific service control number,

- identifying said personal-number-specific service control number known as the user B number of the established connection, - receiving a password entered by the client, and

- verifying the client's authorization to update the routing list by comparing the entered password with a stored password associated with said personal- number-specific service control number.

6. Method according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the A number of the subscriber connection used by the client for calling the service is suggested by the system to the client as an update number of a location of the routing list.

7. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that the connection between the client and the apparatus controlling the update of the number routing service is established via the public telephone network

8. Method according to any of claims 3-7, characterized by checking the update information entered by the client and, if the client or the system itself suggests a certain location of the routing list to be updated with an unacceptable number, canceling the update operation.

9. Method according to any of claims 3-8, characterized in that, if no new number is entered as an update information of a certain location of the routing list, the entered update number is found unacceptable or the update operation is canceled, the contents of said certain location of the routing list is retained unchanged.