HK1046602A1 - A telephone system - Google Patents

Abstract

A TELEPHONE SYSTEM COMPRISES FIXED LINE CONSUMER PREMISES EQUIPMENT (2)-HAVING A SMART CARD READER FOR ACCEPTANCE OF A SMART CARD (1) TO DEDICATED TO THJE CONSUMER PREMISES EQUIPMENT (2), A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE CONSUMER PREMISES EQUIPMENT (2) AND A TELEPHONE EXCHANGE, A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE EXCHANGE AND A SERVER (4) FOR READING THE INFORMATION FROM THE SMART CARD (2) WHEN THE RECEIVER IS LIFTED, FOR ACTIVATING A DIAL TONE AND PASSING INFORMATION REGARDING THE CALLER AND THE CALL TO THE SERVICE PROVIDER AND A WORK STATION AND NODE SYSTEM (5,6) FOR RECEIVING AND PROCESSING THE INFORMATION SO PROVIDED. THE SMART CARD (1) IS PREFERABLY A PREPAID CARD AND IS PREFERABLY ALSO OPERABLE ON A PUBLIC PAY PHONE. THE CONSUMER PREMISES EQUIPMENT CONNECTED TO THE EXTERNAL TLEPHONE SYSTEM (3) BY A POLARIZED LINE.

Description

Telephone system

Technical Field

The present invention relates to telephony, and more particularly to a telephony system using a smart card to enable the system.

Background

Current telephone systems operated by telecommunications companies are prone to many problems for both the operating company and the user. Problems for companies include high operating costs, more and more deadlines, and complex billing processes. The main problem for telephone users is the limited service transmission. Telephone fraud is a major problem for both parties.

To solve these problems, many proposals have been made and new systems have been developed, but no satisfactory answer has been found.

For example, U.S. patent No.5,740,240 describes an automated telephone call reaction system and method for communicating database information obtained in automated telephone calls based on an order of selected agents in use. The voice response unit receives caller identification information from the caller, retrieves a record on the caller based on the identification information, provides information requested by the caller, allows the caller to select an agent being used, and provides the agent number being used to determine the network identification number. Thus, when an agent in use begins a conversation with a caller, the agent in progress receives database information from the caller.

The use of smart cards and PIN numbers has been described in many systems but these tend to make the system too complex for the user.

It would therefore be a significant advancement to develop a telephone system that reduces the likelihood of telephone fraud without significantly reducing the speed of service delivery.

Pre-pay telephone cards have been used in public pay telephones and mobile telephones for many years. It is common for a mobile phone to be adapted to a particular phone. The use of pre-coin public phone cards, even if the phone card or phone is lost or stolen, limits the amount of fraud money.

Until today, there is no pre-pay phone card suitable for fixed phones, except for pay phones.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention provides a smart card that provides a guarantee for a fixed telephone system that is very easy to use and install using existing lines and telephone exchanges.

According to the invention, the fixed telephone system comprises a fixed handset, hereinafter referred to as customer premise system or CPE, with a smart card reader for receiving a smart card for enabling the CPE, the smart card being dedicated to the CPE, a connection between the CPE and a telephone exchange, a connection between the telephone exchange and a server for reading information from the smart card when the telephone server is running, for enabling dial tones and for transmitting caller-related information and call content to service providers, workstations and end systems for receiving and processing the provided information.

The smart card may contain only subscriber and CPE identification and is preferably a prepaid card, so that it cannot be used beyond the call charges remaining on the card. The smart card can also preferably be designed to be used in a conventional public pay telephone.

Once the smart card has been inserted and authenticated by the server for authorization, the CPE behaves like a regular phone. Preferably equipped to receive and transmit ADSI and CAS protocols and DTMF.

A server is a processor and operating platform that provides network access interfaces and performs the functions of controlling, processing, monitoring, managing and maintaining the telephone system. Among its network access functions are PSTN, intelligent network, LAN, and WAN. However, other functions that can be performed using a telephone connection may also be performed.

Workstations and end systems are subsystems that support the tracking, collecting, receiving and/or transmitting information from the host system and from the servers.

A telephone switch is a conventional public switched network that provides worldwide access to anyone with telephone or access privileges. It may operate an analog, ASDN, or SS7 signal interface.

Preferably, to provide security of the system, the CPE is connected to an external telephone system via a polarized wire.

Drawings

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and to the extent it is considered practical, a preferred embodiment thereof will be described in conjunction with the following appended drawings, wherein:

fig. 1 shows a block diagram of the components of the infrastructure of the invention.

Figure 2 shows the exchange of signals between the telephony server and the user premises equipment.

Detailed Description

Referring to fig. 1, a telephone system is shown, comprising a smart card (1), Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) (2), a telephone network (3), a host system (4) and access workstation (5) and a terminal system (6).

The smart card (1) comprises a reference data store, a data configuration, a security code and a type of application service. By using the smart card (1) by the ID-data user, access to the telephone system can be made with complete security.

The CPE (2) is integrated with the smart card reader, receives smart card data and transmits smart card data to the host system. The CPE also operates as a normal telephone service. The telephone is capable of receiving and transmitting ADSI protocol, CAS protocol and DTMF.

The host system (4) is a processor and operating platform that provides network access (PSTN, intelligent network, LAN and WAN) interfaces and performs the functions of controlling, processing, monitoring, managing and maintaining the telephone system.

The workstations (5) and the end systems (6) are subsystems that support the tracking, collecting, receiving and/or transmitting information from the main system and the slave servers.

The telephone network (3) is a public switched telephone network, that is, a telephone network that provides worldwide access to anyone with telephone or access privileges.

The B-part (7) is a telephone or other communication device receiving a call.

The LAN (8) is a short-range data transmission network, and the WAN (8) is a data transmission network interconnecting LANs (8) at different locations.

Referring to fig. 2, the exchange of signals between the telephony server and the CPE is shown. The communication sequence required for CPE is as follows:

1. handling the lower levels of the ADSI protocol, which requires at least:

1.1 detecting 2137+2750Hz tone

1.2 receive 1200 Baud FSK modem

1.3 sending DTMF acknowledgments

2. Transmitting FSK Modem data (for transmitting Smart card data)

3. Detecting DTMFs (acknowledgement from server after telephone transmission FSK)

4. Transmitting DTMFs (from keypad and special function keys)

CAS signal (Standard Bellcore signal)

When the CPE receiver is off-hook pending, the server detects this and the CAS is ready to send FSK data. When the CAS is detected, the CPE sends DTMF a signaling that it is ready to receive FSK and at the same time noise suppresses the keypad of the CPE. The server further sends FSK-ADSI and displays information requesting the insertion of a smart card, if not already inserted. When the card has been inserted, the CPE transmits the card information via an FSK data pulse. The server then checks and processes the data while the CPE sends DTMF 'D' as an acknowledgement. The CPE also sends DTMF 1 as "backup" to tones that cannot be noise suppressed. Next, the server sends ADSI asking for the number to be called. The CPE then receives DTMF from the user and simultaneously displays the entered digits on a display. The server also calls the number of the "B" part and sends ADSI, informing it that it is calling the number. Therefore, when the part B hangs up, the server sends ADSI to disconnect the call of the caller. The CPE eventually requires the user to hang up and disconnect while the server interrupts the call.

The present invention combines and upgrades multiple uses in payphone, ordinary telephone (DEL), and integrates a smart card reader in the CPE. It also receives the smart card data into a separate product and can operate on any switching platform. It is a combination of a fixed phone and a payphone, taking advantage of the advantages of the fixed phone and the payphone and mixing them into a single product while eliminating their disadvantages.

The present invention provides programmable switching technology for an open Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) communication system for a variety of applications on a platform. The phone system can be specialized and configured to run multiple types of applications on the same platform using software drivers.

The present invention provides a standardized software and hardware based carrier-level programmable switching platform. The carrier-level telephony system provides an open system using Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) technology, integrating any type of telephony switching technology provided by other switching vendors such as Nokia, NECAlcatel, etc.

The CPE is used to connect to the calling subscriber and to transmit all data on the smart card to the server center. The caller inserts a smart card in the CPE card reader slot so that they can use the system. The CPE reads the data stored in the smart card memory and sends these data to the server. These data are checked and checked by the system before allowing the user to dial the destination number. The format of the data that has been transferred includes an alphanumeric type, and the transfer protocol is formatted into a CAS signal using ADSI-FSK (hexadecimal). The CPE uses digital and analog ICs and electronic chip technology for interfacing with the calling subscriber and for transmitting all the data in the smart card to the telephony server center. The CPE is fully integrated with a communications tone generator and DTMF encoder designed for ISDN, E1 is interconnected with an analog display signal interface (ASDI), a smart card reader and a telephone memory for an analog display signal interface (ASDI) display. The CPE is extended with mixed signal ICs and a full analog/digital telephony interface.

The present invention thus provides a public switched or nationally switched telephone communications network and programmable switched communications lines for a server center and operates over analog, ISDN and SS7 telephone communications interfaces. The telephone system (server) is used as a public switch or telephone exchange to enable the public to connect over existing telephone communication networks. The servers are open software driven platforms that can be tailored to meet the requirements of current networks such as PSTN analog protocols, ISDN protocols, and SS7 protocols for their telephony signal interfaces.

The present invention provides a server and platform that is a unified call control and media control API that reduces the time and cost of developing programmable switch-based services and thereby allows for the full continuum integration of s.100 and TAPI-based applications.

The h.110 standard based card level media resources can be directly connected to the backplane being switched. The application of the control is preferably located in a host processor integrated with the switch, further reducing system cost and footprint. The server supports a wide range of card slots based on the state of the open architecture backplane, e.g., ISAPCI and compressed PCI. In this system there are two types of cards, interconnected by an innovative midplane architecture. One or more system control cards function as system controllers, while resource cards perform all network interface, signaling, and media processing functions. Unlike conventional switches that use expensive centralized power structures, 48 volts of power is supplied directly to each card. With a single platform hub, Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) applications and services can be developed with unlimited development scenarios (multiple services and products).

The present invention also prevents phone/SIM card fraud whereby the system detects invalid authorized consumption levels, invalid signal interference, any invalid tone frequencies that have been used to fraud with the CPE phone line and the CPE itself. When a user inserts a smart card into the CPE for use of the system, the system may also detect a duplicate or copy of the phone smart card and the data information included therein. During use of the system by the user, the telephone system has in its software algorithms for detecting, monitoring, preventing, evaluating and analyzing fraud by the CPE and smart card.

The present invention is a combination of several technical factors, including some or all of the following:

1. smart/SIM cards, including data storage, allow users to efficiently access telephone services with full security.

2. Voice and fax Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) card

3. All Bellcore standard telephony signals compliant with MFC-R2, ISDN, and SS 7.

4. Switching technology for conventional analog PSTN and Advanced Intelligent Networks (AIN).

5. Data switching technology for analog display signal interface (ASDI) and Wide Area Network (WAN) connectivity technology.

6. The CPE, used for digital and analog ICs and electronic chip technology, forms a connection with the party of the call and transmits all the data in the smart card to the telephony server center.

The telephony system is preferably a Computer Telephony Integration (CTI)/Telco product that integrates all Telco applications in a single platform using the current telephony infrastructure. It is also a Telco product developed for commercial telephony applications from the customer grade CPE up to the telephony exchange grade (telephony server).

The drive in the computer telephony industry is a telephone network for accessing computer information via virtually any convenient, easy to use and obtain terminal device, including:

● telephone (pulse dial, push-button telephone and cordless telephone)

● Analog Display Service Interface (ADSI) telephone

● pager

● facsimile apparatus

● Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs)

● personal computer

It will be appreciated that whilst the above has been given by way of illustrative example of the present invention, all such and other modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the present invention as defined in the claims.

Claims (8)

1. Telephone system comprising a fixed line subscriber premises equipment (2) with a smart card reader for receiving a smart card (1) for activating the subscriber premises equipment, the smart card (1) being dedicated to the subscriber premises equipment (2), a connection between the subscriber premises equipment (2) and a telephone exchange, a connection between the telephone exchange and a server (4) for reading information from the smart card (1) when the receiver is operating for activating dial tones and for transferring information about calls and call content to service providers, workstations and terminal systems (5, 6) for receiving and processing the information provided, wherein the server (4) supports a wide range of card slots on the basis of the state of the base of an open architecture, in which telephone system there are two types of cards, i.e., system control cards and resource cards, interconnected by a midplane architecture, one or more system control cards function as system controllers, and resource cards are used to perform all network interface and signaling and media processing functions.

2. A telephone system according to claim 1, wherein the smart card (1) is a prepaid card.

3. A telephone system according to claim 2, wherein the smart card (1) can also be used in a public coin telephone.

4. A telephone system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the subscriber premise equipment device (2) is arranged to receive and transmit ADSI and CAS protocols and DTMF.

5. Telephone system according to claim 1, wherein the user premises equipment (2) is connected to the external telephone system (3) by means of a polarized wire.

6. Telephone system according to claim 1, wherein the server (4) comprises in its network access functions PSTN, intelligent network, LAN and WAN.

7. A telephone system according to claim 1, wherein the telephone exchange operates an analogue, ASDN or SS7 signal interface.

8. The telephone system according to claim 1, wherein the terminal system (6) comprises telephone pulse dialing, push-to-talk and cordless telephones, analog display service interface telephones, pagers, facsimile machines, personal digital assistants and personal computers.