FR2737797A1 - Electronic calling card carrying communication addresses - has personal and contact information stored physically and electronically, to be read by electronic and communication devices - Google Patents

Abstract

The card has a non-volatile memory to store data, and has data printed on its surface. Information such as name and professional details is provided along with contact information. The conventional postal address and telephone information is provided, together with contact information appropriate to various modes of electronic communication. Typical electronic communication information is e-mail address, world wide web address, information server address. The card is intended to transfer data to a suitably equipped device, for example a telephone, fax, videophone, personal digital assistant, minitel (TM) terminal or computer. The data is suitable for transmission on any kind of information channel.

Description

DH CARD ELECTRONIQS VISIT
Today, to establish a communication with a natural person, a legal person or an online service, you must first enter the recipient's contact details in the communicating device, then launch the procedure for establishing the communication.

 “Communicating device” should be understood to mean any device making it possible to establish a remote communication independently of the type of information conveyed (sound, image, data, etc.).

 Today, an entity wishing to transmit its contact details to other entities has business cards produced where their contact details are written, then transmits (generally by hand or with a letter) a business card to each recipient entity .

 The person who received the business card must, if he wishes to contact the entity which sent him his business card, read the contact details written on the card and then enter them in the communicating device (if for example telephone coordinates) or copy them (if it is for example a postal address).

 This method of manual entry, in addition to being tedious for the person who enters, is a source of errors (especially for complex coordinates such as an email address).

 In addition, depending on the country from which the call is launched, the coordinates to be dialed may be different which adds to the difficulty. For example, you must dial the international prefix and then the country code if the call is launched from a country other than the recipient's place of residence. It should be noted that the international prefix is not the same in all countries.

 With the electronic business card all these problems are solved.

 The present invention consists of a so-called electronic business card which, associated with a communicating device, makes it possible to automatically compose the coordinates of the recipient contained in said card.

 The electronic business card contains the coordinates of an entity in its memory. On one side of the electronic business card is written all or part of the contact details.

 An entity must be understood to mean a natural person or a legal person or an online information server or a voice server.

It is necessary to understand by coordinate - the name of the entity or the title of the service, - telecommunication numbers: telephone number,
fax number, Internet Protocol number, etc., - addresses: postal address, box address
e-mail, the address of an online server
(t World Wide Web server for example) or the
number and code of a teletel server (brand
filed).

 The electronic business card may additionally contain textual comments on this entity. For example: a brief curriculum vitae, a description of the activity, the profession or an explanation of the path to follow to get to a given place.

 The electronic business card can also contain a t pointer to a computer file (also named t alias by t Apple - registered trademark - or t shortened by t Microsoft - registered trademark).

The use of an electronic business card with a pointer allows the user to directly access a computer file saved on a remote file server.

 The electronic business card can also contain an electronic document that the user can open. It can be for example an access plan, a curriculum vitae, etc.

 The electronic business card can also contain an agent, that is to say a program that can be understood by networks and telecommunications devices.

 The electronic business card may also contain a secret code which may allow the user of this card, for example, to access services prohibited to non-owners of this electronic business card.

 The electronic business card can also contain the key to a cryptographic system. If the cryptography system has two keys (one private for encryption and the other public for decryption) only the public key will be saved in the electronic business card.

 The electronic business card is made up of a card allowing data to be stored independently (without an external energy source) and to make them accessible for reading by a communicating device. It can ideally consist of a smart card, but also of a so-called contactless smart card, a magnetic card, a laser card, a card with one or more bar codes, etc. .

PRINCIPLES OF USE
The electronic business card associated with a communicating device makes it possible to automatically dial the coordinates included in the card.

 The communicating device recognizes the number (s), code or address that it can use. For example, a telephone can use only the telephone number, a fax machine the fax number. While a computer (if it is connected to a telecommunications network) is likely to use all the numbers and addresses included in the electronic business card.

 The communicating device can be a telephone, a mobile phone, a videophone, a fax machine, a t Minitel (registered trademark), a personal assistant (also called t assistant communicator or t personal digital assistant), a computer or any device allowing establish remote communication.

 The association between the electronic business card and the communicating device depends on the type of card used. If it is a smart card, you must insert the card into the communicating device, if it is a contactless smart card, you just have to approach the card of the communicating device, etc. .

 For office communicating devices, you must first dial o or OO to obtain communication with the outside. Communicating devices must therefore automatically dial the prefix to obtain communication with the outside (O or 00) when an electronic business card is used. Indeed, they are intended to communicate exclusively with the outside (it is rare to give his business card to a person working in the same premises).

 It is also possible to use an electronic business card from a country different from the place of residence of the natural or legal person. The international code as well as the country prefix are also dialed automatically.

For this - the electronic business card must contain the code
of the entity's country of residence, - the communicating device must include in its memory
the country code where it is located as well as the prefix
to get international communication.

 The method used consists in comparing the callsign included in the electronic business card with the callsign included in the communicating device. If the two codes are identical, this is a communication at the national level. If the two codes are different, it is an international communication. The coordinates with the necessary prefixes can then be composed.

 For nomadic communicating devices (mobile phone, personal assistant, laptop) you must indicate to the communicating device the prefix for international and the country code, because these vary according to the country from which is launched l 'call.

 However, it is possible to create a file saved in the communicating device containing: the name of all the countries, the international prefix for each country and the country code for each country. It is then sufficient to indicate to the communicating device from which country the call is launched.

 The use of the electronic business card between two countries to telephone, fax or videophone, is only possible if the telecommunications between these two countries are automated (no switchboard).

 The data and information contained in the electronic business card can be copied into a file manager, a database or an electronic document.

 The device for copying data can be an electronic diary, a personal assistant, a Minitel (registered trademark) or a computer.

 The electronic business card associated with a printer makes it possible to print all the data and information contained in the card.

 Note that the personal assistant, the t Minitel (registered trademark) and the computer both allow the recipient's contact details to be automatically dialed and the data and information included in the card to be copied.

These devices must therefore have a system allowing the user to select the action he wishes to perform (telephone, fax, send an electronic message, access an online service, copy the data, etc.).

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROCESS (SEE FIGURES 10, 11 AND 12): 1. The user introduces the electronic business card
in the communicating device.

2. The user starts the call process (this allows
leave an electronic business card inserted in a
communicating device without initiating communication or
launching a local communication).

3. The communicating device searches for the coordinates
that he is able to exploit in the business card
electronic (a phone can only use the number
phone, while a microcomputer is
likely to exploit several coordinates like the
phone number, fax number, mailing address or
etc.). If at least one usable coordinate
is detected, the next step is # 04. Otherwise it is
step n05 (for figures 10 and 11) or step 9 (for
Figure 12).

4. The communicating device warns the user if no
usable coordinate is not detected (for example if a
electronic business card without fax number is
inserted into a fax machine).

5. If the communicating device detects more than one coordinate
that he is able to exploit, the next step is
n06, if it detects only one exploitable number it is
n07 (for fig. 10) or n09 (for fig. 11).

6. The communicating device interrogates the user to find out
which coordinate to use, the user answers.

7. This step, as well as steps 8 and 9 are not
achievable only by a microcomputer.

If the coordinate to be operated is of the telephone type
(numbers), the next step is n09. If it is a
address (alphanumeric), the next step is number 08.

8. Connection to the telecommunications server if it is not
already done and open the appropriate software if not
not already open. The next step is n013.

9. In the event of a call launched by a company through
a PABX, the communicating device dials the prefix for
get outside communication (o or 00).

10. The communicating device searches for the country code of
the entity receiving the call in the business card
electronic. If the map contains the country code,
the next step is n011, otherwise it is step n013.

ll.The communicating device compares the country code including
in the electronic business card with the one included
in the communicating device. If the two callsigns of
countries are different this is an international call,
the next step is n012, if both codes are
identical this is a national call the next step
is n013.

12.In the event of an international call, the communicating device
successively compose
- the international prefix included in the device
communicating,
- the country code included in the business card
electronic, 13. The communicating device dials the coordinates.

 Figure 10 shows the general process, while Figures 11 and 12 show the process applied to specific communicating devices (see next page).

DETAILED PRESENTATION
FIG. 1) represents an electronic business card of the smart card type (1). Like any smart card, it has contacts (2) and like any business card, the coordinates of an entity are written on one of these faces. The name of the entity (3), the function of the person (4), the name of the company (5), the address (6) and the logo of the company (7).

 FIG. 2) represents an electronic business card (1) of the smart card type associated with a telephone (2).

FIG. 3) represents an electronic business card (1) of the contactless smart card type associated with a telephone (2)
FIG. 4) represents an electronic business card (1) of the smart card type associated with a fax machine (2).

 FIG. 5) represents an electronic business card (1) of the smart card type associated with a minitel (registered trademark) t (2).

 FIG. 6) represents an electronic business card (1) of the smart card type associated with a computer (2).

 FIG. 7) represents an electronic business card (1) of the smart card type associated with a portable computer (2).

 FIG. 8) represents an electronic business card (1) of the smart card type associated with a personal assistant (2).

 FIG. 9) represents an electronic business card (1) of the smart card type associated with a printer (2).

 FIG. 10) describes the general process of automatic composition of coordinates using an electronic business card with a communicating device, from the introduction of the electronic business card to the composition of the coordinates.

 Figure 11) describes the same process as Figure 10, but for communicating devices that can only use telephone type numbers (digits) and not addresses (alphanumeric).

 Figure 12) describes the same process as Figure 11, but for communicating devices that can only use one coordinate (for example the telephone).

INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS
The industrial applications are as follows
- manufacture and sale of memory cards (smart cards,
contactless smart card, laser card, etc.),
- personalization of these cards (registration of
coordinates in the card memory and printing of
main coordinates on one of the faces),
- manufacture and sale of devices allowing to realize
the operation previously described,
- manufacture and sale of capable communicating devices
use electronic business cards.

Claims (1)

l) Electronic business card characterized in that it  includes a support in business card format, a memory  non-volatile (can store data without being  connected to an external power source) and one side  printable.  The name and contact details of the entity are registered  in the card memory. The name and the main  coordinates are also printed on one side of  the electronic business card.  The coordinates being the telephone number, the number  fax number, videophone number, postal address,  telephone number and service code t minitel  (registered trademark), the address of a mailbox  the address of an online server, as well as  any number or address used to establish a  communication with an entity. It can be added  possibly the country code of residence of  the entity.  An entity being a natural person or a person  moral, an online server, a voice server or any  entity or service with contact details. 2) Device for automatic composition of coordinates  contained in an entity's electronic business card  characterized in that it comprises  - a communicating device,  - a memory card reader,  - means of selection and transmission of these  coordinated with a numberer,  - an automatic numberer.  The communicating device can be a telephone, a  cell phone, fax machine, videophone,  videoconferencing, a personal assistant (or assistant  communicator), t minitel (registered trademark) un  computer connected to a telecommunications network or  any device allowing to communicate remotely  regardless of the type of information conveyed (voice,  data, image, video, etc.). 3) Device for recovering coordinates and  information contained in the electronic business card  of an entity characterized in that it comprises  - a memory card reader,  - a memory allowing to store the data read in  the map.  The storage system can be electronic,  magnetic, chemical or barcode. 4) Device for printing coordinates and information  contained in an entity's electronic business card  characterized in that it comprises  - a memory card reader,  - an editing system.  The editing system can be a printer. 5) Electronic business card according to claim 1  characterized in that it includes, in addition, a  several or all of the following  - information on the natural person, the person  moral or online t server,  - a pointer to a computer file,  - a document in electronic form,  - an agent, that is to say a message comprising a  language program understandable by networks and  telecommunications devices,  - a secret code,  - a key to a cryptography system. 6) Device according to claim 2 wherein the apparatus  communicating is characterized in that it comprises in  extra charge:  - a memory where the prefix is recorded to obtain  international and country code of the country where is installed  the communicating device,  - a device for comparing the codes contained in  the electronic business card and in the device  communicating. 7) Device according to claim 1 wherein the business card  electronic is of the smart card type and where the reader  electronic business card according to claim 2) and  3) is a smart card reader. 8) Device according to claim 1 wherein the business card  electronic is of the contactless smart card type and where the  electronic business card reader according to  claim 2) and 3) is a smart card reader without  contact. 9) Device according to claim 1 wherein the business card  electronic is of the magnetic card type and where the reader  business card according to claim 2)  and 3) is a magnetic card reader. 10) Device according to claim 1 wherein the business card  electronic is a card with a barcode and where the  electronic business card reader according to  claim 2) and 3) is a barcode reader. ll) Device according to claim 1 wherein the business card  electronic is a laser card and where the card reader  of electronic visit according to claim 2) and 3) is  a laser card reader.