SI20499A - Communication procedure within telephone systems via the internet protocol (ip) with ip-phones and system for this type of telephony - Google Patents

Abstract

The data server (3) connected to the telecommunication IP network (1) storing special messages is addressing them to IP-phones (2), which include the feature of displaying special messages and are logged to this data server (3). The IP-phone (2) displays this addressed special message on a simple display (2.3). The user of the IP-phone (2) responds to this special message to the data server (3), while the latter stores all responses. The enhanced IP-phone (2) is made from a basic IP-phone (2') with an attached module (2f) for interactive display of special messages, taking care of the communication between the enhanced IP-phone (2) and the data server (3), and for displaying the special messages on the simple display (2.3) as well as tracking the responses of the enhanced IP-phone user (2) to the displayed special message. The enhanced IP-phone (2) provides new services in various field like advertising, informing IP-phone users, display of special short messages, sent to the IP-network from the mobile network, performing polls among IP-phone users, browsing phone directories and data bases, and similar.

Description

Procedure for communicating on an Internet Protocol (IP) telephony system with IP telephones and a system for such telephony

The object of the invention is a method of communicating in an Internet Protocol (IP) telephony system with IP telephones, wherein the process is refined so that, in the invention of the IP telephony system advanced with the invention, those IP telephones which have been perfected with the invention for the interactive display of special messages by a dedicated information server included in the advanced IP telephony system, I address specific messages that users of sophisticated IP telephones can respond to.

According to the international patent classification, the invention is classified in class H 04M 11/00.

It is an object of the invention to perfect the process of communicating with IP telephones in a telephony system according to the Internet protocol, so that an integrated information server with special messages addresses those IP phones which have been perfected with the invention for interactive display of special messages, and can detect the response of their users to the specific messages mentioned.

It is also an object of the invention to refine the telephony system with IP telephones according to the Internet protocol, so that those IP telephones that are sophisticated with the present invention and retain the appearance and cost of basic IP telephones with a simple display will be addressed with special messages by the information server included in this system, and it will be able to detect any response of users of advanced IP phones to said special messages.

Internet protocol telephony is a branch of telecommunications that covers the transmission of real-time speech between two or more voice IP terminals over a telecommunications IP network in accordance with the Internet protocol.

The Internet protocol telephony system basically consists of a telecommunication IP network and voice IP terminals connected to it.

A telecommunications IP network is a packet-switching networfc. The manner of establishment of voice communication, the course of voice communication and the interruption of voice communication in the telecommunication IP network is determined by standards H.323, H.225 and H.245, and the method of encoding the voice signal is determined by standards G.711, G.722, G. 723.1, G.726 and G.729; all of these standards were issued by the ITU-T, and the IMTC VoIP Forum Technical Committee explained them and gave instructions for their implementation in the IMTC Voice over IP Forum Service Interoperability Implementation Agreement 1.0.

A voice IP terminal is a device that allows the user to communicate via the telecommunication IP network to which it is connected.

As a voice IP terminal, a personal computer equipped with specific IP telephony software and a sound card to which the microphone and speaker are connected can be used.

Easier to use than general-purpose PCs, but still far more complex and expensive than IP phones with a simple display are voice IP terminals that come with a large, liquid crystal display and in which the functionality of an IP phone is added to either browser functionality around the world web or video phone functionality. On the display, the user not only observes the progress of voice IP communication, but also observes data from the World Wide Web or an interlocutor image. However, special messages sent to this type of voice IP terminal by an external device that is connected to the telecommunication IP network but not involved in voice communication may also be displayed on the display. Special messages are included in the picture signal, so no changes are needed to receive special messages on video phones. The process by which advertising messages are displayed on a video telephone screen is described in JP 10322459.

The simplest voice IP terminal is an IP phone with a simple display. It looks and functionally similar to an analog phone or an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) phone. The IP phone is equipped with a simple sign or graphical display. The user is only allowed to view information about the operation of the IP phone and information about the progress of the communication, such as the dialed number, the duration of the conversation, the setting of the phone and the like. However, an IP phone with a simple display does not allow the display of special messages transmitted by an external device that is connected to the telecommunication IP network and is not involved in voice communication, and this external device cannot detect the response of the IP phone user to said special messages.

For the sake of completeness, it should be stated that analogue telephones that are connected to an analogue public telephone network, but which communicate using the Analog Display Service Interface Protocol, have the ability to display special messages on their display.

The aforementioned technical problem is solved on the one hand, by the invention, that the process of communicating in the telephony system according to the Internet protocol with IP telephones is perfected by the fact that the information server that stores the set of special messages connected to the telecommunication IP addresses special messages to advanced IP telephones connected to this telecommunications IP network and logged on to this information server, and by sending a special message to the advanced IP telephone displayed on the display of that advanced IP telephone, neither receiving nor receiving however, displaying special messages does not interfere with any ongoing voice communication over this sophisticated IP phone.

The method of the invention is further characterized by the fact that the user of the advanced IP phone receives a special message to the information server that has sent a special message to his advanced IP phone, and the information server stores all responses to the specific messages addressed to the sophisticated IP Phones.

The aforementioned technical problem is, on the other hand, solved by refining the invention for the telephony system according to the Internet protocol with IP telephones and for carrying out the above communication process by connecting IP telephones equipped with IP telephony. simple character or graphical displays that are sophisticated for interactive display of special messages, and by having an information server connected to the telecommunications IP network that addresses specific messages to sophisticated IP telephones and display these special messages on a simple display of addressed advanced IP telephones .

The system according to the invention is further characterized in that the advanced IP telephone is derived from a basic IP telephone which is equipped with a simple sign or graphical display and to which is added a module for interactive display of special messages that takes care of the communication of the advanced IP telephone with the information server and for displaying special messages on the display and for detecting the response of the advanced IP phone user to the displayed special message so that the module for interactive displaying special messages exchanges data with the TCP / IP network protocol driver, with the keyboard and display driver, and with sound driver.

Further dependent claims define a preferred embodiment of the process of the invention and the system of the invention.

The process of communicating in a telephony system over the Internet protocol with IP telephones and the system for carrying out this process, which are perfected by the present invention, is particularly advantageous in that the advanced IP telephone with a simple display enables additional functionality to increase its usefulness in It provides new services to the system according to the invention, without significantly changing the price, form and complexity of the IP phone. The ability to display special messages on a simple display of a sophisticated IP phone allows it to be used in many areas, such as advertising over sophisticated IP telephones, notifying or interviewing users of sophisticated IP telephones, displaying special short messages (SMS) from a mobile network send to IP network, browse directories and databases and the like.

The invention will now be further explained on the basis of a description of an embodiment of a procedure for communicating in a telephony system according to the Internet protocol with IP telephones, as well as an embodiment of an advanced system for IP telephony, and on the basis of the associated plan, which shows in FIG. 1 is a system according to the invention with an internet protocol telephony network connected to a public telephone network; FIG. 2 is an external view of a sophisticated IP telephone according to the invention; 3 is a block diagram of the software of an advanced IP telephone according to the invention and FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of the decision mechanism in an information server.

The well-known Internet Protocol telephony system with IP telephones consists of telecommunication IP network 1 and basic IP telephones 2 'connected to it, and a gatekeeper 7 may be included (Fig. 1). It ensures the proper addressing of IP telephones, the allocation of bandwidth and the establishment and interruption of voice communication in the telecommunications IP network 1. For the sake of completeness, it should be stated that for establishing voice communication between the IP telephone 2 'and the ordinary telephone 5, which is connected to the public telecommunications network 4, the telecommunications IP network 1 and the public telecommunications network 4 are connected to each other via a protocol translator 6.

The present known IP telephony system for telephony with the invention is further improved by the invention so as to enable the invention to perform the sophisticated communication process in this system, wherein the advanced procedure relates to the display of special messages on a simple IP telephone display.

The present known system is sophisticated by the invention, by including IP telephones 2 that are sophisticated by the invention, and at least one information server 3 that sends special messages to the advanced IP telephones 2 to connect to the telecommunications IP network 1. are displayed in a simple display 2.3 addressed advanced IP phones 2.

Multiple information servers can be connected to telecommunications network 1

3. Which one of his sophisticated IP Phone 2 will communicate with is decided by the owner, but not necessarily by its user; the owner determines which information server 3 his phone is logged into.

Advanced IP Phones 2 are equipped with Basic Characters or Graphics 2.3 equipped with Basic IP Phones 2 ', which are sophisticated for interactive display of special messages.

The exchange of information between the advanced IP telephone 2 and the information server 3 is effected by exchanging data IP packets over telecommunication IP network 1.

The additional functionality of an advanced IP phone must not be conditional on any change in the ITU-T standards for IP telephony. A sophisticated IP phone must be compatible with other devices in the telecommunications IP network 1.

Addressing special messages to sophisticated IP phones 2 by the information server 3 means that information server 3 sends special messages to the addresses of advanced IP phones 2 and receives these messages.

The sophisticated IP Phone 2 is apparently identical to the known basic IP Phone 2 'and outwardly consists of a housing 2.1, a handset 2.2, a simple display 2.3 and a keyboard 2.4 consisting of character keys 2.4.1 and function keys 2.4.2 (Fig. 2 ). The 2.4.2 function keys are located directly along the adjacent edge of the display 2.3 on the advanced IP Phone 2.

The advanced IP telephone 2 according to the invention is derived from a basic IP telephone 2 'with a simple display (Fig. 3). In this, the TCP / IP driver 2a, which handles data exchange with the telecommunication IP network 1, communicates with the speech processing module 2b and the signaling module 2c, which communicate with the audio driver 2d, with a headset 2.2 connected to it. The signaling module 2c communicates with display driver 2e and keyboard 2.4.

The sophisticated IP Phone 2, therefore, is, like the basic IP Phone 2 ', provided with a voice communication software consisting of a signaling portion according to H.323 protocol and a speech compression and encoding part.

A basic module 2f has been added to the basic IP telephone 2 'for interactive display of special messages. This module 2f takes care of communicating the advanced IP phone 2 with the information server 3 and of displaying special messages in a simple display 2.3 and detecting the response of the advanced IP phone 2 user to the displayed special message. The special message interactive display module 2f is connected to exchange data with the TCP / IP network protocol driver 2a, the signaling module 2c, the display and keyboard driver 2e, and the 2d audio driver.

In advanced IP-phone 2, additional software takes care of displaying voice communication parameters on one part of display 2.3 and displaying special messages, as well as the display of information displayed by the information server 3 2.3.1 on the significance of function keys 2.4.2 in the response of the user of advanced IP-phone 2 on special message on the second part of the display 2.3. So show up

2.3.1. For each special message, the meanings of the function keys 2.4.2 appear individually in the display 2.3, preferably at its edge, each time close to the corresponding function key 2.4.2. This allows the user of the sophisticated IP Phone 2 to respond quickly to a specific message.

The sophisticated IP Phone 2 also comes with software to configure this Advanced IP Phone 2.

The information server 3 of the invention for telephony Internet Protocol telephony 2 ', 2 is a device equipped to communicate over telecommunications IP network 1 and to exchange data packets with sophisticated IP telephones 2 per protocol and enables implement the system of the invention with a sophisticated communication process relating to the display of special messages. Information server 3 comprises a storage device for storing a set of special messages and is provided with a mechanism for deciding which particular message and at what point to appear on a particular advanced IP telephone 2.

Information server 3 comprises a software block 3.2 for control and configuration (Fig. 4), comprising software 3.2.2 for changing the server configuration and software 3.2.1 for statistical processing of data on displayed special messages and for viewing response data of users of advanced IP Phones 2 to Special Messages. The mechanism for deciding on the display 3.3 of a special message in procedure 3.1 deciding on the display of messages, with different emphasis relies on information on the subject of special messages, already displayed special messages, the response of the user of the advanced IP-phone 2 to the displayed special messages, the owner of the advanced IP-phone 2 , Advanced IP Phone 2 user, Advanced IP Phone 2 user interlocutor, Current Advanced IP Phone 2 location and current time and date, Advanced IP Phone 2 display capability, and Advanced IP Phone 2 status and information server configuration 3 that it is provided by program block 3.2.

The described embodiment of the invention of the advanced telephony system over IP protocol with IP telephones is used to carry out the communication procedure described below with the invention.

A known process for communicating on an Internet protocol telephony system with IP telephones relates to the communication of voice communications between two or more IP telephones 2 ', 2 via telecommunication IP network 1, both basic

IP Phones 2 'as well as IP Phones 2 that are sophisticated for displaying special messages.

The known process according to the invention is further refined by the following two characteristics. An information server 3 that stores a set of special messages connected to telecommunications IP network 1 addresses these special messages to sophisticated IP telephones 2 that are connected to telecommunications IP network 1 and that have logged on to that information server 3. And, to the advanced IP phone 2 a special message addressed appears in the simple display 2.3 of this advanced IP phone

2. Receiving or displaying special messages does not interfere with any ongoing voice communication over an advanced IP phone 2.

An important feature of the sophisticated communication process is that the user of the sophisticated IP-phone 2 to the information server 3 to which a specific IP-address 2 has sent a special message can respond to that special message.

In a preferred way, this is done by providing information server 3 to the edge of a simple display 2.3 of an advanced IP phone 2 directly next to function keys 2.4.2 to provide displays 2.3.1 of the corresponding meaning of function keys 2.4.2 and the user of advanced IP phone 2 to then responds to the special message by pressing the function key 2.4.2 with appropriate meaning.

According to the process of the invention, information server 3 stores all user responses of advanced IP-phones 2 to specific messages addressed to those advanced IP-phones 2.

Information server 3 with sophisticated IP phone 2 exchanges data packets either as long as it has logged on to information server 3, or only when voice communication is performed via advanced IP phone 2.

The sophisticated IP Phone 2 logs on to the Information Server 3 whose IP address was entered to it during configuration. Alternatively, it may log on to the information server 3 whose IP address is remotely entered by its owner remotely using the advanced IP phone 2 remote configuration software.

Alternatively, the owner of the sophisticated IP-phone 2 can report it to the information server 3 whose identification and IP address he has received after querying the telecommunication IP network 1, or to the selected information server 3 when, after querying the telecommunication IP-network 1 receives the identification and IP address from several information servers 3. The query triggers the advanced IP phone 2 by sending a special IP packet that requires all information servers 3 that receive this IP packet to send it their IP -title and identification.

An upgraded IP Phone 2 can be changed by the IP address of the Information Server 3 after the owner of the phone has entered the password.

The sophisticated IP Phone 2 logs on to the Information Server 3 by communicating its IP address and possibly its identification number.

However, upon logging in, the advanced IP Phone 2 can further transmit to the Information Server 3 one or more of the following information: the ability to display on its display 2.3, e.g. its size and organization; its ability to convey the user's response to a received special message, e.g. number and arrangement of function keys 2.4.2; the profile information of its owner and possibly the user.

The sophisticated IP Phone 2 continuously communicates to the Information Server 3 any change in its voice communication status and any response of the user to the special message displayed.

Information server 3 can send a special message to the advanced IP-phone 2, if required, otherwise the information server 3 selects and decides to display 3.3 of the special message according to various criteria in procedure 3.1 of decision on displaying special messages (Fig. 4 ) or what specific message and at what point it will display on the simple display 2.3 of certain advanced IP phones 2. In its selection, it uses a decision mechanism that relies on the information on the subject of the special messages from the 3.1.3 database and the special ones already displayed. messages, 3.1.1 User response of the Advanced IP Phone 2 user to the Special Messages displayed, Owner 3.1.6 and Advanced 3.1 Phone User 3.1.7, Interlocutor 3.1.2 User of the Advanced IP Phone 2, Current location 3.1 .4 Advanced IP Phone 2 and Current Time and Date 3.1.5, Display Capacity and Status 3.1.8 Advanced IP Phone 2.

Information server 3 provides a sophisticated IP phone 2 with a request to display a special message, such as the desired duration of the special message to be displayed, a request for an audio signal during the display of the special message, and a request to report its status, but it can request an immediate status check.

The communication protocol between the advanced IP telephone 2 and the information server 3 should include elements by which the sender of the information proves its authenticity. Otherwise, any device connected to telecommunication IP network 1 could be identified as an information server 3 and would send special messages to sophisticated IP telephones 2 in that telecommunications IP network 1. In special cases, an individual special message and / or respond to it cryptographically.

Claims (28)

Patent claims 1. A method of communicating on an Internet Protocol (IP) telephony system with IP telephones, relating to the communication of voice communications between two or more IP telephones (2 ', 2) over a telecommunications IP network (1), wherein both basic IP telephones (2 ') and IP telephones (2) that are sophisticated for displaying special messages are connected to the telecommunication IP network (1), characterized in that they are connected to this telecommunication IP network (1) an information server (3) that stores a set of special messages addresses special messages to sophisticated IP telephones (2) that are connected to the telecommunications IP network (1) and logged on to that information server (3) displays the special message addressed to the advanced IP phone (2) on the display (2.3) of that advanced IP phone (2), without receiving or displaying special messages that may interfere with any ongoing voice communication over the advanced IP telephone she (2). Method for communicating on an Internet protocol telephony system with IP telephones according to claim 1, characterized in that the user of the sophisticated IP telephone (2) is provided to the information server (3) which is on his advanced IP telephone (2) addressed a special message, responds to a special message. 3. The process of communicating on an Internet protocol telephony system with IP telephones according to claim 2, characterized in that the information server (3) transmits displays (2.3.1) of the meaning of the function keys (2.4.2) to the very edge of the display (2.3) ) of the advanced IP-phone (2) next to the corresponding function keys (2.4.2) and that the user of the advanced IP-phone (2) responds to a special message by pressing the function key (2.4.2) with appropriate meaning. Process for communicating on an Internet protocol telephony system with IP telephones according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the information server (3) stores all responses to specific messages addressed to advanced IP telephones (2) . 5. An Internet protocol telecommunication system communication method according to claim 4, characterized in that the information server (3) exchanges data packets with the advanced IP telephone (2) after the latter has logged on to the information server (3). A method of communicating on an Internet protocol telephony system with IP telephones according to claim 4, characterized in that the information server (3) exchanges data packets only with those sophisticated IP telephones (2) through which voice communication takes place. A method of communicating on an Internet protocol telephony system with IP telephones according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the sophisticated IP telephone (2) logs into the information server (3) whose IP address has been entered to it while configuring. Method for communicating on an Internet protocol telephony system with IP telephones according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the sophisticated IP telephone (2) logs into the information server (3) whose IP address in the advanced IP its phone (2) is entered by its owner remotely using pro17 software to remotely configure a sophisticated IP phone (2). A method of communicating on an Internet protocol telephony system with IP telephones according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the owner of the sophisticated IP telephone (2) logs them to the information server (3) whose identification and IP - received the title after inquiring into the telecommunications IP network (1). A method of communicating on an Internet protocol telephony system with IP telephones according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the owner of the sophisticated IP telephone (2) logs them to the information server (3) he selects, when desired after requesting the telecommunication IP network, it accepted the identification and the IP address of the redundant information servers (3). A method of communicating on an Internet protocol telephony system with IP telephones according to claim 8, 9 or 10, characterized in that the sophisticated IP telephone (2) is changed by its owner after the information server (3) has changed entered the password. Method of communicating on an Internet protocol telephony system with IP telephones according to claim 7 or 11, characterized in that the advanced IP telephone (2) logs on to the information server (3) by communicating to it its IP address and possibly your identification number. Process for communicating on an Internet protocol telephony system with IP telephones according to claim 12, characterized in that the sophisticated IP telephone (2) logs into the information server (3) by providing one or more further data to it after 18 : - the ability to display on its display (2.3), e.g. the size and organization of the display; - its ability to convey the user's response to a received special message, e.g. number and arrangement of function keys (2.4.2); - the profile information of its owner and possibly the user. Process for communicating on an Internet protocol telephony system with IP telephones according to claim 13, characterized in that the sophisticated IP telephone (2) transmits to the information server (3) each change of its voice communication status and each response of the user to the displayed special message. 15. The method of communicating on an Internet protocol telephony system with IP telephones according to claim 14, characterized in that the information server (3) sends a special message to the advanced IP telephone (2) upon request thereof. 16. The method of communicating on an Internet protocol telephony system with IP telephones according to one of claims 12 to 15, characterized in that the information server (3) according to a decision mechanism based on information about: - topics of specific communications, - special messages already displayed, - the response of the user of the advanced IP telephone (2) to the specific messages displayed, - the owner of an advanced IP phone (2), - the user of an advanced IP phone (2), - the interlocutor of the user of the advanced IP phone (2), - the current location of the advanced IP phone (2) and the current time and date, - display capabilities of a sophisticated IP telephone (2), - state of the advanced IP phone (2), choosing which specific message and at what point to display on the specified advanced IP phone (2). A method of communicating on an Internet protocol telephony system with IP telephones according to claim 16, characterized in that the information server (3) transmits a request to the sophisticated IP telephone (2) to display a special message, such as the desired duration of displaying the special message , a beep request while displaying a special message, and a request to report its status. A method of communicating on an Internet protocol telephony system with IP telephones according to any one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that the communication protocol between the advanced IP telephone (2) and the information server (3) contains elements by which the sender information proves its authenticity. 19. An Internet protocol telephony system for IP telephones and for carrying out the communication process according to claims 1 to 18, existing from telecommunication IP networks (1) and basic IP telephones (2 ') connected thereto, characterized in that IP telephony (1) connected IP telephones (2) equipped with a simple sign or graphical display (2.3) and advanced for interactive display of special messages and connected to the telecommunications IP network (1) an information server (3) that addresses special messages to sophisticated IP telephones (2) and these special messages are displayed on the display (2.3) of addressed advanced IP telephones (2). 20. Internet protocol telephony system according to claim 19, characterized in that the advanced IP telephone (2) is derived from a basic IP telephone (2 '), which is provided with a simple sign or graphical display (2.3) and to which is added a module (2f) for interactive display of special messages that takes care of communication of the advanced IP phone (2) with the information server (3) and for displaying special messages in a simple display (2.3) and for detecting the response of the user of the advanced IP- telephone (2) to the displayed special message so that the module (2f) for interactive display of special messages exchanges data with the TCP / IP driver (2a) of the network protocol, with the module (2c) for signaling, with the driver (2e) for the keyboard and display and with a sound driver (2d). 21. Internet protocol telephony system with IP telephones according to claim 20, characterized in that the advanced IP telephone (2) is provided with software for displaying voice communication parameters on a part of a simple display (2.3) and for displaying special messages and by the information server (3) the mediated displays (2.3.1) of the significance of the function keys (2.4.2) in the response of the user of the advanced IP-phone (2) to a special message on the rest of the simple display (2.3). An internet protocol telephony system with IP telephones according to claim 20 or 21, characterized in that the advanced IP telephone (2) is provided with software to configure this advanced IP telephone (2). 23. Internet protocol telephony system according to one of claims 20 to 22, characterized in that the function keys (2.4.2) of the sophisticated IP telephone (2) are located at the edge of a simple display (2.3), on which the information (2.3.1) of the significance of these function keys (2.4.2) in response of the user of the advanced IP-phone (2) to a special message by pressing the function key (2.4.) are provided directly next to them by the information server (3). 2). 24. Internet protocol telephony system according to one of claims 20 to 23, characterized in that the information server (3) is a device equipped with: - for communication over a telecommunications IP network (1), - for exchanging data packets with sophisticated IP telephones (2) according to a protocol enabling the communication process according to any one of claims 1 to 18 to be carried out, - a storage device for storing a set of special messages, - a mechanism for deciding which specific message and at what point to appear on a specific advanced IP phone (2). 25. IP protocol telephony system according to claim 24, characterized in that the information server (3) is equipped with a program for statistical processing of the data of the displayed special messages and a program for viewing the response data of users of advanced IP- phones (2) to special messages. 26. Internet protocol telephony system with IP telephones according to claim 25, characterized in that the information server (3) provides a decision mechanism for displaying a special message for which the information server (3) relies on information about : - topics of specific communications, - special messages already displayed, - the response of the user of the advanced IP phone (2) to the specific messages displayed, - the owner of an advanced IP phone (2), - the user of an advanced IP phone (2), - the interlocutor of the user of the advanced IP phone (2), - the current location of the advanced IP phone (2) and the current time and date, - display capabilities of a sophisticated IP telephone (2), - Advanced IP Phone status (2). An Internet protocol telephony system with IP telephones according to claim 26, characterized in that the information server (3) is provided with a program for configuring this information server (3). 28. Internet protocol telephony system with IP telephones according to claim 26 or 27, characterized in that several information servers (3) are connected to the telecommunication IP network (1).