A TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEM HAVING A CENTRALIZED SUBSCRIBER LANGUAGE SELECTION REGISTER

Abstract: The invention relates to a telecommunication system comprising: interfaces (5, 6, SMSC) providing a subscriber terminal (MS) with access to services available in the telecommunication system, and a memory means (SMP) containing subscriber-terminal-specific language selection information. In order to ensure that messages are transmitted to a subscriber terminal in a selected language, said memory means (SMP) is a centralized subscriber language selection register, which indicates the language that should be used in voice messages and text messages transmitted via said at least two interfaces (5, 6, SMSC) to the subscriber terminal, and said at least two interfaces (5, 6, SMSC) are responsive to said centralized subscriber language selection register (SMP) for transmitting messages to the subscriber terminal (MS) in the language indicated by said centralized subscriber language selection register.

Description: A telecommunication system having a centralized subscriber language selection register. This invention relates to language selection in a telecommunication system Subscriber terminals of modern telecommunication systems can access several different services via a telecommunication system Many of these available services are realized in such a way that the user of the subscriber terminal receives messages from the telecommunication system while using these services It is naturally important that these messages are in a language which can be understood by the user of the subscriber terminal There is previously known a solution for transmitting voice announcements from a mobile switching center to a subscriber of a mobile communication system in a language selected by the subscriber In this prior art solution the subscriber selects a language and the corresponding language code is stored among the subscriber data of the subscriber in question This language code is retrieved and transmitted with the other subscriber data within the system Thus the mobile switching center is able to select the right language when a voice announcement is transmitted to the subscriber in question The most significant drawback of the above described prior art system is that the language selection is associated with only one specific service and interface Thus, the subscriber receives only voice announcements from the switch in the selected language However, other services which require that messages are transmitted to the subscriber are not affected by this language selection, and thus these other messages are transmitted to the subscriber in a language defined for that particular service, which might be a language that the subscriber does not understand An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described drawback and to provide a solution which ensures that a subscriber of a telecommunication system receives messages in a language which the subscriber understands Another object of the present invention is to provide a solution which makes it possible to take the language selection of a subscriber into account independently of the service and interface, such that messages originating from different services and transmitted via different interfaces can be transmitted to the subscriber in a language selected by the subscriber Still another object of the present invention is to provide a solution which makes the language selection as easy as possible for the subscriber According to a first aspect, the objects of the invention are achieved with a telecommunication system, comprising: at least two interfaces providing a subscriber terminal with access to services available in the telecommunication system, via which interfaces messages can be transmitted to said subscriber terminal, and a memory means containing subscriber- terminal-specific language selection information, said language selection information indicating a language which should be used in messages to the subscriber terminal. The telecommunication system of the invention is characterized in that said memory means is a centralized subscriber language selection register, which is independent of the interface and service used by said subscriber terminal, and which indicates the language that should be used in messages transmitted via said at least two interfaces to the subscriber terminal, and said at least two interfaces are responsive to said centralized subscriber language selection register for transmitting messages to the subscriber terminal in the language indicated by said centralized subscriber language selection register. According to another aspect, the objects of the invention are achieved with an intelligent network of a telecommunication system comprising: a service control point, a service management point and a service switching point. The intelligent network of the invention is characterized in that said service management point has access to a centralized subscriber language selection register containing service-independent information that indicates a language which should be used in messages transmitted to a subscriber terminal, and said service control point comprises means for retrieving the language selection information of the subscriber terminal from the centralized subscriber language selection register and for activating the service switching point to transmit a message to the subscriber terminal in the selected language, when a triggering criterion for transmitting a message to the subscriber terminal has been met. According to yet another aspect, the objects of the invention are achieved with a method of transmitting a message to a subscriber terminal of a telecommunication system, said method comprising the step of: receiving language selection information indicating a language which should be used in messages to the subscriber terminal. The method of the present invention is characterized in that said method further comprises the steps of: storing said language selection information in a centralized subscriber language selection register which is independent of interfaces and services provided by the network, defining at least one triggering criterion for interfaces providing access to services available in the telecommunication system, and retrieving said language selection information from the centralized subscriber language selection register and transmitting a message to the subscriber terminal in a language selected according to the retrieved language selection information via one of said interfaces when said at least one triggering criterion has been met. The invention is based on the idea that the use of a centralized subscriber language selection register, which is independent of services and interfaces, makes it possible to distribute the language selection information as widely as possible in the telecommunication system. Therefore, different network elements of the system can take the language selection into account when they provide services to the subscriber terminal. The invention also makes it easier to administrate the language selection of the subscriber since it is sufficient to store the language selection information in only one location. The language selection for the services and interfaces of the system can thus be changed at once via any of the available interfaces. The most significant advantages of the invention are that the language selection information of a subscriber terminal needs to be stored only in one location from where it can be used by substantially any network element or software application providing services to the subscriber terminal, that the same language selection information can be taken into account in different types of interfaces, such as interfaces transmitting text messages, voice messages or messages in a graphical form to the subscriber terminal, and that the language selection information of a subscriber terminal needs to be changed only at one location when desired, in which case this change can affect a plurality of services and interfaces. The preferred embodiments of the telecommunication system, the intelligent network and the method of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims 2 to 6, 8 and 10 to 12. In the following, the present invention will be described in closer detail by way of example and with reference to the attached drawings, in which Figure 1 is a block diagram of a first preferred embodiment of a telecommunication system according to the present invention, Figure 2 is a block diagram of a second preferred embodiment of a telecommunication system according to the present invention, and Figure 3 is a flow diagram of a first preferred embodiment of the method according to the present invention. Figure 1 is a block diagram of a first preferred embodiment of a telecommunication system according to the present invention. Figure 1 illustrates part of an intelligent network of a telecommunication system. Those parts of the intelligent network which are relevant for describing the invention are shown in Figure 1. A core IN platform 1 of Figure 1 includes an SMP (Service Management Point) with access to a centralized subscriber language selection register. This can be accomplished as in Figure 1 , where the centralized subscriber language selection register is included in the SMP, or alternatively, the centralized subscriber language selection register can be located in a separate network element to which the SMP has access. The centralized subscriber language selection register includes the language selection information of different subscriber terminals, such as a subscriber terminal MS. In the example of Figure 1 , it is assumed that the user of the subscriber terminal MS, which might be, for instance, a mobile station of the GSM system (Global System for Mobile communications), has selected language A for his subscriber terminal. Thus, the register of the SMP has the information "language A" stored for the subscriber terminal MS. The core IN platform 1 further includes an SCP (Service Control Point) and an SSP (Service Switching Point) which are connected to each other over an SS7 signaling channel, for instance. In Figure 1 , the SSP is a part of an MSC (Mobile Switching Center) of the telecommunication system, which in this case is a mobile communication system (for instance a GSM system). The subscriber terminal MS may have a prepaid account in which a predetermined amount of money has been stored in advance. If the user of the subscriber terminal MS wants to know the balance of the prepaid account he can call a predetermined service number by the subscriber terminal MS. The MSC detects this call and retrieves the balance of the account from the accounting function of the telecommunication system. At this stage, the MSC detects that there is a triggering criterion defined for a situation where a message needs to be transmitted to a subscriber terminal. Thus, the MSC informs the SCP that the triggering criterion has been met. The SCP retrieves the language selection information of the subscriber terminal MS from the centralized subscriber language selection register SMP and transmits the language information for the subscriber terminal MS to the MSC. The MSC uses the received language information for selecting a language (language A) for the message. When the language has been selected the MSC transmits the balance information to the MS in the selected language. This message can be transmitted as a voice message generated by a VANG (verbal announcement generator) included in the MSC, or alternatively the MSC may transmit the balance information to the subscriber terminal MS as a text message, in which case the message is transmitted as an SMS (Short Message Service) generated by an SMSC (Short Message Service Centre). It is also possible to transmit the balance information to the subscriber terminal MS with a USSD message (Unstructured Supplementary Services Data) generated by a USSD centre (not shown in the figures). A USSD message can include up to 182 characters. The core IN platform of figure 1 also includes an IP (Intelligent Peripheral) which can, for instance, be used for transmitting voice announcements to a subscriber station roaming in another network. In that case the roaming subscriber is connected to the IP, which acts as the MSC in the example explained above, in other words it informs the SCP that that the triggering criterion has been met. Thus, the language selection of the roaming subscriber will be received by the IP and the IP will transmit the voice announcement to the roaming subscriber in the selected language. The core IN platform of Figure 1 has a language mapping function associated with the SMP. This language mapping will ensure that the subscriber will receive an appropriate language through different interfaces. It might be possible that language A is represented by a different code, for instance, in the IP transmitting voice announcements and the WAP interface transmitting messages in a text form or a graphical form. However, the language mapping function will ensure that the differences in the different interfaces are taken into account such that the subscriber will receive his messages in the right language. The system of Figure 1 also includes a subscriber management platform 2, which in Figure 2 has four different interfaces 3 to 6. Interface 3 is a SMAP Web interface. This interface can be used by the operator for management of the IN services. Interfaces 4 to 6 are all interfaces which offer the subscriber access to the services provided by the system. Interface 4 iSMAP is an internet-enabled services management access point. This iSMAP interface 4 offers the subscriber (and also the operator) access to the management of data in the system. Interface 5 is a SMAP VOICE interface providing an interactive voice response service and interface 6 is a WAP interface (Wireless Application Protocol). The user of the subscriber terminal can access the system via interfaces 5 or 6 in order to use the services provided by the system, or alternatively in order to change the user data of the subscriber terminal MS, such as to change the language selection. The WAP interface can be realized in the system also differently than shown in Figure 1. One alternative is to have a WAP interface communicating with the SMAP WEB over an WAP gateway. The WAP gateway converts messages from the telecommunication system to a format which can be used by a WAP browser, when such a solution is used. When the subscriber terminal MS has selected to access the system over user interface 6, then the user of the subscriber terminal receives messages from the WAP server 6 in the form of text messages. When the subscriber terminal MS has performed a login via interface 6, interface 6 detects that there exists a triggering criterion which has been met, since the interface 6 needs to transmit a message to the subscriber terminal MS. At that moment, interface 6 retrieves the language selection information of the subscriber terminal MS from the SMP via an SMI (Subscriber Management Interface). When the language selection information has been retrieved and is available for interface 6, interface 6 changes over to use language A in text messages transmitted to subscriber terminal MS. The access to the system via interface 5 is similar to that described in connection with the access via interface 6, but in the case of the access via interface 5, messages to the subscriber terminal are voice messages. The user of the subscriber terminal MS may access the system over any of interfaces 4 to 6 in order to change the language selection for the subscriber terminal MS. In that case, the subscriber is given languages B to E as alternatives to language A currently in use. The selected language is stored in the SMP and put into use from that moment. It is also possible for a subscriber to select several languages such that a specific language is selected for each interface type. Thus, the subscriber can, for instance, select English as the language for all text messages and Arabic as the language for receiving voice messages. The selected languages and information indicating the corresponding message type is also in this case stored in the centralized subscriber language selection register, from where the information can be retrieved when necessary. The information exchange between the elements of the core IN platform 1 in connection with giving announcements can be realized in several optional ways. In the following, three different solutions, all suitable for being used in a CAMEL/CAP environment (Customised Application for Mobile nework Enhanced Logic, CAMEL Application Part), will be given by way of example. The table below illustrates a first alternative solution: In the first alternative solution, a message id is included in a CAP message transmitted from the SCP to the SSP. The message id identifies a specific message in a specific language. The external IP or the SSP internal IP which is used for giving the announcement is able to select the message in the right language based on the message id given by the SCP. The table below illustrates a second alternative solution: In the second alternative, the language identifier is configured in the coding of the message identifier. The first (or alternatively the last) digit of the announcement identifier (CAP Ann. id) is a language identifier and the three last digits are the actual announcement identifier. The IP or SSP is thus able to select the right message in the right language based on the id included in the CAP message from the SCP. In the third alternative, the CAP message includes a separate announcement id field, which contains the id of the message, and a separate language id field which indicates the language that should be used. The IP or SSP is thus able to select the right message in the right language based on the information included in these two fields. Figure 2 is a block diagram of a second preferred embodiment of a telecommunication system according to the present invention. Figure 2 illustrates a situation where a subscriber terminal MS with the home location network 1 is roaming in a second network 2. The network 1 is the same network as shown in Figure 1 , in other words a GSM network with an associated intelligent network IN for providing intelligent network services to the subscribers. The language selection information of the subscriber terminal MS is thus stored in the centralized language selection register of the intelligent network IN. At least one triggering criterion for an intelligent network service has been defined in an MSC2. Said criteria is met if the MSC2 has a voice message which should be transmitted to the subscriber terminal MS. The message is not transmitted by the visited network 2, but by the home network 1 of the subscriber terminal MS instead. The MSC2 is able to identify the home network 1 of the subscriber terminal based on information stored in a VLR (Visitor Location Register). The message can be transmitted by the home network 1 of the subscriber terminal MS for instance such that the MSC2 transmits information to an MSC indicating the message which should be transmitted (or the actual message in text form) and the subscriber who should receive the message. The home network 1 transmits the voice message to the subscriber terminal as described in connection with Figure 1. If the subscriber terminal MS uses for instance WAP services while it is located within the coverage area of network 2, the login is performed via a WAP interface of network 2. The login procedure is carried out in the default language of network 2. Network 2 is, however, able to identify the home network of the subscriber terminal MS after the login procedure, and thus the interaction with the subscriber terminal MS is continued between the WAP server of the home network 1 and the subscriber terminal MS after the login procedure. The WAP server of the home network 1 is able to select the right language for the subscriber terminal MS as described in connection with Figure 1. Figure 3 is a flow diagram of a first preferred embodiment of the method according to the present invention. The flow diagram of Figure 3 can be used for instance in the system of Figure 1 in order to transmit messages to a subscriber terminal in a language selected by the user of the subscriber terminal. In block A, interfaces of a telecommunication system are provided with means for transmitting a message in one of several optional languages. If the interface in question is an interface transmitting text messages, for instance, said interface may be provided with a memory where each possible message is stored in all the optional languages. Thus, it is possible to retrieve the message in any selected language and to transmit it to a subscriber terminal. In block B, triggering criteria for activating the language selection according to the invention are defined. In block C, the language selection information of a subscriber terminal is received. The language selection can be entered into the telecommunication system by the operator, or alternatively by the subscriber terminal by the user. In block D, the received language selection information is stored in a centralized subscriber language selection register. The register should be independent of services and interfaces of the system such that the information stored therein can be used in connection with any service via any available interface. In block E, it is checked whether or not a defined triggering criterion has been met. In the following, it is assumed that a triggering criterion according to which a message should be transmitted to a subscriber terminal MS has been met. In block F, the language selection information for the subscriber terminal MS, which should received the message, is retrieved from the centralized language selection register. In block G, a language is selected for use in the interface in accordance with the retrieved language selection information. In block H, the message is transmitted in the selected language to the subscriber terminal via the interface. It is to be understood that the above description and the accompanying Figures are only intended to illustrate the present invention. It is therefore possible to utilize the present invention also in other telecommunication systems than the GSM system used as an example. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the invention can be varied and modified also in other ways without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention disclosed in the attached claims.

Claims: Claims: 1. A telecommunication system, comprising: at least two interfaces (4, 5, 6, SMSC) providing a subscriber terminal (MS) with access to services available in the telecommunication system, and via which interfaces messages can be transmitted to said subscriber terminal, and a memory means (SMP) containing subscriber terminal specific language selection information, said language selection information indicating a language which should be used in messages to the subscriber terminal (MS), c h a ra cte rized in that said memory means (SMP) is a centralized subscriber language selection register, which is independent of the interface and service used by said subscriber terminal (MS), and which indicates the language that should be used in messages transmitted via said at least two interfaces (4, 5, 6, SMSC) to the subscriber terminal, and said at least two interfaces (4, 5, 6, SMSC) are responsive to said centralized subscriber language selection register (SMP) for transmitting messages to the subscriber terminal (MS) in the language indicated by said centralized subscriber language selection register. 2. A system according to claim 1, characterized in that one of said at least two interfaces is: an interactive voice response interface (5) or a verbal announcement generator transmitting voice messages to said subscriber terminal (MS), a short message service centre (SMSC) transmitting text messages to said subscriber terminal (MS), an Unstructured Supplementary Services Data Centre transmitting USSD messages to said subscriber terminal (MS), or a web interface transmitting text messages or messages in a graphical form to said subscriber terminal (MS). 3. A system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said messages are voice messages transmitted by an interactive voice response of an intelligent peripheral (IP), or a voice announcement generator of an exchange (MSC) in said telecommunication system. 4. A system according to claim 1, characterized in that said telecommunication system comprises an intelligent network (IN, 1, 2) including: a service management point (SMP) with access to said memory means containing the subscriber terminal (MS) specific language selection information is included, a service control point (SCP), and at least one service switching point (SSP) which provides said subscriber terminal (MS) with access to a mobile switching center (MSC) or to an Intelligent Peripheral (IP) which is responsive to the subscriber terminal (MS) specific language selection information stored in said memory means (SMP) for transmitting messages to the subscriber terminal in the language indicated by the language selection information. 5. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said at least two interfaces (4, 5, 6, SMSC) comprise means for interacting with the subscriber terminal (MS) in order to receive language selection information from said subscriber terminal (MS) and for storing said language selection information in said memory means (SMP) as the language selection information of said subscriber terminal. 6. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 5 characterized in that said subscriber terminal (MS) has a prepaid service in said telecommunication system. 7. An intelligent network of a telecommunication system comprising: a service control point (SCP), a service management point (SMP), and a service switching point (SSP), characterized in that said service management point (SMP) has access to a centralized subscriber language selection register containing service-independent information that indicates a language which should be used in messages transmitted to a subscriber terminal (MS), and said service control point (SCP) comprises means for retrieving the language selection information of the subscriber terminal (MS) from the centralized subscriber language selection register and for activating the service switching point (SSP) to transmit a message to the subscriber terminal (MS) in the selected language, when a triggering criterion for transmitting a message to the subscriber terminal has been met. 8. An intelligent network according to claim 7, characterized in that said service switching point (SSP) provides said subscriber terminal (MS) with access to a mobile switching center (MSC) or to an Intelligent Peripheral (IP) comprising means for transmitting voice messages to the subscriber terminal (MS). 9. A method of transmitting a message to a subscriber terminal of a telecommunication system, said method comprising the step of: receiving language selection information indicating a language which should be used in messages to the subscriber terminal, characterized in that said method further comprises the steps of: storing said language selection information in a centralized subscriber language selection register which is independent of interfaces and services provided by the network, defining at least one triggering criterion for interfaces providing access to services available in the telecommunication system, and retrieving said language selection information from the centralized subscriber language selection register and transmitting a message to the subscriber terminal in a language selected according to the retrieved language selection information via one of said interfaces when said at least one triggering criteria has been met. 10. A method according to claim 9, characterized in that, the method further comprises the steps of: providing at least one of the following interfaces in said telecommunication system: - an interactive voice response interface for transmitting voice messages to the subscriber terminal, - a verbal announcement generator for transmitting voice messages to the subscriber terminal, - a web interface for transmitting text messages to the subscriber terminal, - a short message service centre for transmitting text messages to the subscriber terminal, - an Unstructured Supplementary Services Data Centre for transmitting USSD messages to the subscriber terminal, providing said at least one interface with means for transmitting a message in one of several optional languages, and defining a triggering criterion for said at least one interface, according to which triggering criterion the language selection information for the subscriber terminal is retrieved from the centralized subscriber selection register, and one of said optional languages is selected for use based on the retrieved language selection information when a message should be transmitted from said at least one interface to the subscriber terminal. 11. A method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that, the method further comprising the steps of: receiving language selection information via one of said interfaces from the subscriber terminal indicating a language which should be used in messages to the subscriber terminal, and storing said language selection information in the centralized subscriber language selection register. 12. A method according to any one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that, the method further comprising the steps of: receiving language selection information indicating several different languages and associated information indicating the message type for each language, and transmitting a message to the subscriber terminal in a language selected according to type of the message which should be transmitted to the subscriber terminal.

Inventors: BJERKELI BJORN, PALVIAINEN KEIJO, PARTANEN VEIJO, VIKMAN TUIJA, BJERKELI, BJORN, PALVIAINEN, KEIJO, PARTANEN, VEIJO, VIKMAN, TUIJA
Applicants: BJERKELI BJORN, NOKIA NETWORKS OY, PALVIAINEN KEIJO, PARTANEN VEIJO, VIKMAN TUIJA, BJERKELI, BJORN, PALVIAINEN, KEIJO, PARTANEN, VEIJO, VIKMAN, TUIJA
Application year: 2000
Main classification: H04M3
IPC codes: H04M3, H04Q3, H04Q7