WO2005067329A1 - Method for exchanging messages involving various telephone networks - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method enabling users of a mobile telephone to exchange text messages or multimedia messages, such as SMS or MMS or 3G, via a messaging service, involving various telephone networks, particularly a fixed telephone network and a mobile telephone network. The method comprises the following stages: a stage wherein a transmitting user informs the messaging service and/or management service of the fixed telephone network that he/she wishes to replace the fixed telephone number that he/she uses to send a message by a mobile telephone number in order to route reply messages such that users can enter into a dialog with each other by sending messages using the fixed telephone and receiving the replies to said messages on their mobile telephones.

Description

METHOD FOR EXCHANGING MESSAGES BY IMPLEMENTING DIFFERENT TELEPHONY NETWORKS

The field of the present invention is that of the services offered to users of mobile telephones. For several years, mobile phone users have been able to send and receive 5 messages, in particular of SMS or MMS type. Users also have the option of sending and receiving messages anonymously by choosing to replace elements making it possible to identify them (surname, telephone number, etc.) with aliases, in particular pseudonyms.

10 As evidenced by the rapid development of discussion forums, or even "Chat", the interest of SMS or MMS type messages lies in the intensive exchange made by users, in their function of vector of an ongoing dialogue takes place in particular anonymously. A message sent

15 calls for a response which itself calls for an additional message, etc. More recently, fixed line operators have offered users the possibility of using a fixed telephone instead of a mobile telephone to send and / or receive text or multimedia messages. The main interest of this new possibility resides in the phase of sending messages since it gives rise to invoicing whereas the reception of a message is in principle free for the recipient of the message. However, the use of a fixed telephone revealed a problem arising directly from the essentially sedentary nature of the fixed telephone. In fact, when he sends an SMS or MMS message using a landline telephone, the user would like to be able to receive the reply to this message at any time and in any place where he is located. so as not to have to bear the constraint of having to stay in the place where the landline telephone is installed. The user who sends a message by means of a landline telephone would therefore like to be able to receive the reply to this message on his mobile telephone. The present invention solves the above problem. The invention relates to a method enabling users with a mobile telephone to exchange text or multimedia messages via a messaging service, in particular of the SMS or MM5f or 3G type, by implementing different telephony networks, in particular a fixed telephone network and a mobile telephone network; said method comprising the step, for a sending user, of indicating to the messaging service and / or to the manager of the fixed telephone network that he wishes to have a replacement of the number of the fixed telephone that he uses to send a message, by a mobile phone number for routing reply messages, so that users can communicate with each other by sending messages via a landline telephone and receiving replies to these messages on their mobile telephones. According to a variant, said users being identified in a database of a messaging service by an identifier associated with a mobile telephone number; said method comprises the following steps: - the step, for the sending user, of transmitting to said messaging service a connection message containing said identifier of said sending user, by means of a fixed telephone, - the step, for said messaging service, to identify said sending user by: • associating the telephone number of said landline telephone with said identifier of said connection message, • searching in said database the mobile telephone number corresponding to said identifier of said connection message, step, for said sending user, to transmit a first message to a recipient user, by means of said landline telephone, via said messaging service, - step, for said recipient user, to transmit a response message to said messaging service , - the step, for said messaging service, of routing said response message to said mobile telephone of said user transmitter. In one embodiment, said method comprises the step, for the sending user, of opening, using his identifier, a dialogue session with the messaging service in order to specify to the messaging service that he wishes to receive response messages on his landline phone and / or on his mobile phone. In one embodiment, the association of the call number of said fixed telephone to said identifier of said connection message is permanent. In one embodiment, the association of the call number of said fixed telephone to said identifier of said connection message is temporary. In one embodiment, said method comprises the prior step, for the sending user, of identifying himself in a messaging service database to associate a mobile phone number with its identifier. In one embodiment, the identifier is an additional digit added to the fixed telephone number.

The method allows users with a mobile telephone to exchange text or multimedia messages, in particular of the SMS or MMS or 3G type, by implementing different telephony networks, in particular a fixed telephony network and a telephony network. mobile. According to a first variant embodiment of the invention, the sending user indicates to the messaging service and / or to the manager of the fixed telephone network that he wishes to have the number of the fixed telephone that he uses to send replaced. a message by their mobile phone number (or any other mobile phone number). In this variant embodiment, it is not essential that the user has previously subscribed to a messaging service, that is to say have identified themselves in a database of a messaging service by an alias, by example a pseudonym associated with a mobile phone number. In a variant, the users are identified in a database of a messaging service by an identifier, in particular an alias, a pseudonym associated with a mobile telephone number. The method then comprises the following steps: the step, for a sending user, of transmitting to the messaging service a connection message containing the identifier, in particular an alias, a pseudonym or a mobile telephone number of the sending user, using a landline telephone, - the step, for the messaging service, to identify the sending user by: • associating the telephone number of the landline telephone with the identifier of the connection message, temporarily or not temporarily, • searching in the database for the mobile telephone number corresponding to the identifier of the connection message of the sending user, - the step, for the sending user, of transmitting a first message to a receiving user, by means of the landline telephone, via the messaging service, - the step, for the receiving user, of sending a response message to the messaging service, using either a landline or a mobile phone, - the step, for the messaging service, to route the response message: • to the mobile phone of the sending user and / or • to the landline telephone implemented by the sending user. In practice, the sending user specifies at his convenience to the messaging service if he wishes to receive response messages on his fixed telephone or on his mobile telephone. This choice also concerns the temporary or non-temporary nature of the routing of the response messages. Thus, users can communicate with each other by sending messages by means of a landline telephone and by receiving replies to these messages on their mobile telephones. The invention therefore makes it possible to ensure that the thread of a discussion between two users is not interrupted because one of them leaves the place where the landline telephone is located and, consequently, is not able to take note of the reply addressed to him. The invention provides the means for users in dialogue to remain responsive by quickly responding to the messages they have received, wherever they are. According to a second variant embodiment of the invention, the sending user triggers the opening of a dialogue session (opening of a message exchange channel) with the messaging service with a view to having a replacement carried out. the landline number he uses to send a message using his mobile number. To open this session, the sending user communicates his identifier, in particular his pseudonym and / or his mobile phone number to the messaging service (or else a user name and / or password). The session thus opened is intended to be closed at the end of a fixed period and / or at the end of a fixed period after the last message has been sent from the fixed telephone. This alternative embodiment applies to users already registered with a messaging service, that is to say identified in a database of a messaging service by an identifier, in particular a pseudonym associated with a mobile telephone number. According to an alternative embodiment of the second alternative embodiment of the invention, that is to say in the case of the opening of dialogue sessions, the invention implements a fixed telephone network transporting at least one additional digit (a digit) allowing to identify multiple users sharing the same fixed telephone number during the message reception phase. For example if the shared number in question is 01 44 44 66 77, a first user (the father for example) will be assigned 01 44 44 66 771, a second user (the mother for example) will be assign 01 44 44 66 772 and so on. In this case, by receiving any message from such an extended landline number, the messaging server may associate it with the user's mobile phone number associated with the extended landline number, depending additional digit. Thus, according to this alternative embodiment of the second alternative embodiment of the invention, the user need not communicate to the server its mobile telephone number associated with the extended fixed telephone number only once, in particular during the first connection.

Claims

1. Method allowing users having a mobile telephone to exchange via a messaging service text or multimedia messages, in particular of the SMS or MMS or 3G type, by implementing different telephony networks, in particular a telephony network landline and mobile phone network; said method comprising the step, for a sending user, of indicating to the messaging service and / or to the manager of the fixed telephone network that he wishes to have a replacement of the number of the fixed telephone that he uses to send a message, by a mobile phone number for routing reply messages, so that users can communicate with each other by sending messages by means of a landline telephone and receiving replies to these messages on their mobile telephones. 2.. Process according to claim 1; said users being identified in a database of a messaging service by an identifier associated with a mobile telephone number; said method comprising the following steps: - the step, for the sending user, of transmitting to said messaging service a connection message containing said identifier of said sending user, by means of a fixed telephone, the step, for said service to identify said sending user by: • associating the telephone number of said landline telephone with said identifier of said connection message, • searching in said database for the mobile telephone number corresponding to said identifier of said connection message, the step, for said sending user, of transmitting a first message to a recipient user, by means of said landline telephone, via said messaging service, - the step, for said recipient user, of transmitting a response message to said service of messaging, the step, for said messaging service, of routing said response message to said mobile telephone of said sending user. 3. Method according to claim 2, said method comprising the step, for the sending user, of opening, using his identifier, a dialogue session with the messaging service in order to specify to the messaging service that '' they wish to receive reply messages on their desk phone and / or on their mobile phone. 4. The method of claim 2 or 3, wherein the association of the call number of said landline telephone to said identifier of said connection message is permanent. 5. Method according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the association of the call number of said landline telephone to said identifier of said connection message is temporary. 6. The method of claim 2, said method comprising the prior step, for the sending user, to identify himself in a database of the messaging service in order to associate a mobile telephone number with his identifier. 7. Method according to one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the identifier is an additional digit added to the fixed telephone number.