SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SENDING A DEFINED LETTER BASED ON DATA GIVEN BY A TELETERMINAL DEVICE

Abstract: The invention is related to a system and method in a telenetwork for sending a predetermined letter based on the data given by a teleterminal device to the customer. The invention is characterised in that it comprises at least one means (10) being able for speech formation for receiving the customer's selection and identification data, preferably identity or LY (social security)-number or A-number identity, at least one other means (11) for receiving the customer's name and address data based on the identification data, and at least third means (12) for forming of the desired letter dispatch. The first means (10) for receiving the customer's selection and identification data comprises an automatic teleservice system. The second means (11) for receiving the customer's name and address data based on identification data comprises a computer including the national, regional or organisational register. The third means (12) for forming a letter dispatch comprises a computer being able to form an electronic letter.

Description: SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SENDING A DEFINED LETTER BASED ON DATA GIVEN BY A TELETERMINAL DEVICE This invention relates to a system and method in a telenetwork for sending a predetermined letter based on data given by a teleterminal device to the customer without manual work pha¬ ses utilising an automatic teleservice system, address register and electronic letter service. This system and method are called hereafter as infoletter service. Corresponding services have been realised in compliance with prior art so that the customer speaks his or her name and address to a tape, which will later on be discharged and the ad¬ dresses will be written down and the material will be mailed. A disadvantage in these prior art solutions is, that there are often problems when the tapes are discharged with unclear addresses and that cumbersome work phases are involved If the material to be sent to the customer is pre-printed, this kind of material is unfit for use when the information is changing, and new printed matters must be worked out to replace them. The object of the present invention is to eliminate the disadvantages and drawback of prior art systems and to provide a novel method and system for sending a predetermined letter based on the information given by a teleterminal device The features specific for the invention have been presented in the accompanying claims. According to the inventive basic principle the customer calls by a teleterminal device a service number, from which a teleservice system or a computer known per se and being able to identify the voice gives an answer receiving the recognition data of the customer, preferably a personal or LY (social security)-number or A- number identity in compliance with claims 1 and 2 After this name and address data are searched for based on the identification data from the address data register according to claims 1 and 3. The name and address data as well as the information concerning the desired letter will be sent to a computer having the ability to form an electronic letter, whereby this com¬ puter compiles the desired letter according to claims 1 and 4. The advantages of the invention include the fact, that by it the operation can be automatized Letters can be sent on request more effectively and securely than before. The material to be BAD ORIGINAL *J sent to the customer has been created in one time and it can be flexibly altered without the need to send a part of the material away, as should be done for the pre-print ed material, when the information is changing The invention will be described in detail in the following with reference to enclosed drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows the overview of the invention, Figure 2 shows one exemplary embodiment; and Figure 3 shows an operational flow diagram of this exemplary embodiment. In Figure 1 has been presented an overview of the infoletter service. A customer, individual person or organisation calls by teleterminal device a service number, from which answers an automatic teleservice system 10, which comprises a computer including parts being able for speech formation, reception of DTMF audio frequency symbols to be sent by a push button telephone and, if desired, for speech identification and reception of caller's A-number identifi¬ cation. A-number identification means the caller's number data to be transferred in the tele- network's signalling. Automatic teleservice system tells the available data and the customer selects one or more interesting subject forming the contents of the letter. The automatic teleservice system identifies the caller, preferably by asking and receiving nine first characters of the identity number given by the customer or the LY-number or, if desired, by receiving the A-number identity transmitted by the telenetwork. There is a two-directional data transfer connection from the automatic teleservice system to the computer 1 1 including the national, regional or the organisation's inner address register. Name and address data are searched from the address register based on the above-mentioned identification data. If desired, the cus- tomer's post number can also be asked and received to verify the searched address data After this the automatic teleservice system sends name and address data as well as the information concerning the desired material along the data transfer connection to the computer 12 being able to form an electronic letter, the electronic letter server The compiled texts and pictures have been predeposited to the database of the electronic letter server. The electronic letter server forms and outputs the desired letter, which will subsequently be mailed to the customer. Figure 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of the invention The customer calls by the service number the automatic teleservice system 20, which comprises the IBM Direct Talk BAD ORIGINAL dm computer having a UNIX- operating system and which through a 2 Mbit/s system connection using digital R2-signalling is connected via the exchange with the telenetwork From the automatic teleservice system has been realised via the Tele's DataNet™-network using the TCP/IP protocol a data transfer connection to the server computer 21 , from which a data transfer connection has been realised through Tele's FastNet™-network using the fixed SDLC/SNA-protocol to the computer including the Posti Oy's address data register Similarly a data transfer connection has been realised from the automatic teleservice system via Tele's DataNet™-network using TCP/IP protocol to the server computer 23, from which there is a X 400 electrical mail connection through Tele's DataNet™-network to Posti Oy's eKirje™- letter service 24, which comprises a computer for forming of electronic letters Figure 3 shows a flow diagram illustrating the operation of the exemplary embodiment of figure 2 The customer calls using the service number the automatic teleservice system and initially in the exchange 30 the automatic teleservice system tells the available data and the customer selects one or more interesting object forming the contests of the letter In the phase 31 is examined if the selection is proper In the phase 32 the automatic teleservice system identifies the caller by asking and receiving the nine first letters of the identity number In the phase 33 the data transfer connection shown in the figure is automatically searched based on the acquired identity number by using name and address information corresponding the iden¬ tity number from Posti Oy's address data register In the phase 34 it is examined, whether the data searching was successful on the grounds of the identity number In the phase 35 cus¬ tomer's post number is asked and received In the phase 36 it is checked, whether the post number given by the customer coincides with the one received from the address register If checkings in phases 31 , 34 and 36 have been successful, an announcement is given in the phase 37 that the desired mail dispatch will arrive in next few days In other cases an an- nouncement is given in the phase 38, that the mailing cannot be performed The compiled texts and pictures have been deposited in advance to Posti Oy s eKirje™ -letter service database Automatic teleservice system sends using the data transfer connection shown in figure 2 the name and address data and the information concerning the desired material to the eKirje™- letter server The eKirje™ -letter server forms and outputs the desired letter, which will thereafter be dispatched to the customer BAD ORIGINAI The invention has been described above referring to some of its preferable realisation exam¬ ples. These examples are not, however, intended to limit the invention in any way, but all the modifications are possible in the spirit of the inventive idea set forth in the following claims.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A system in a telenetwork for sending a predetermined letter based on data given by a teleservice device to a customer, characterized in that this system comprises at least one means (10) being able for speech formation for receiving the customer's selection and identification data, at least one other means (11) for receiving the customer's name and ad¬ dress data based on the identification data, and at least third means (12) for forming of the desired letter dispatch 2. A system according to claim 1, characterized in that the customer's identification data comprises the identity or LY (social sectιrity)-number given by the customer or a part of these or an A-number identity transferred by the telenetwork, and that the first means (10) for receiving the customer's selection and identification data has been selected for the group, comprising firstly the automatic teleservice system receiving the DTMF-signals, secondly a computer being able for speech identification, and thirdly an automatic teleservice system receiving the A-number identity to be transferred in a signalling of a telecommunication network and being able to receive DTMF-signals 3. A system according to claim 1, characterized in that as the second means (11) for receiving the customer's name and address data based on the identification data a computer is used comprising the national, regional or organisational inner address register 4. A system according claims 1 and 2, characterized in that as the third means (12) for formation of a letter dispatch a computer is used being able to compile an electronic letter 5. A system according to claims I and 2, characterized in that the automatic teleserv¬ ice system asks and receives the post number given bv the customer in order to verify the searched address data 6. A method in a telenetwork for sending a predetermined letter based on data given by a teleservice device to a customer, characterized in that the customer's selection and identification data are received by using at least one first means (10) being able for speech BADORIGJΠA. formation, that customer's name and address data are searched based on the identification data used in at least one other means (11), and that the desired letter dispatch is formed by using at least one third means (12) 7. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the customer's identification data comprises the identity or LY-number given by the customer or a part of these or an A- number identity transferred by the telenetwork, and that the first means (10) for receiving the customer's selection and identification data has been selected for a group comprising firstly the automatic teleservice system receiving the DTMF- signals, secondly a computer being able for speech identification, and thirdly an automatic teleservice system receiving the A-number identity to be transferred in the telenet's signalling and being able to receive DTMF-signals 8. A method according to claim 6, characterized in that as the second means (11) - for receiving the customer's name and address data based on the identification data a computer is used comprising the national, regional or organisational inner address register. 9. A method according to claim 6, characterized in that as the third means (12) for formation of a letter dispatch a computer is used being able to compile an electronic letter. 10. A method according to claims 6 and 7, characterized in that the post number given by the customer is asked and received in order to verify the searched address data. BAD ORIG

Inventors: MAKKONEN MIKA, MAKKONEN, MIKA
Applicants: FINLAND TELECOM OY, MAKKONEN MIKA, MAKKONEN, MIKA, TELECOM FINLAND OY
Application year: 1996
Main classification: H04M11
IPC codes: H04M11