METHOD AND SYSTEM IN A TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEM

Abstract: The present invention relates to telecommunication systems. The object of the invention is to disclose a new type of method and system that will enable the amount of information transmitted along with the call request to be increased especially for automated applications. According to the invention, the content of the A-number field to be transmitted from the conversion/transmission center (2) to the second telecommunication terminal (4) is modified by adding control information to it. This control information is used to control an actuating device (5) connected to the second telecommunication terminal (4).

Description: METHOD AND SYSTEM IN A TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEM FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to telecommuni- cation systems. In particular, the invention relates to a new type of method and system that enable the volume of the information flow between telecommunication terminals to be increased. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the public switched telephone network (PSTN) , the dialing information was at first generated in the form of pulses. However, this manner of operation did not allow the transmission of call-specific supplementary information. The next step after pulse dialling is tone frequency dialling. As compared with pulse dialling, tone frequency dialling provides e.g. the advantage of faster dialling and a possibility to send supplementary information after the dialling. With mobile communication systems, e.g. the GSM system (GSM, Global System for Mobile communications) , the reception of calls has become less dependent on location. Mobile communication systems have set the scene for the rise of a new form of communication, the short message service. In accordance with natural development, new systems bring about new services and solutions that improve customer satisfaction. In the ISDN system (ISDN, Integrated Services Digital Network) and most of the mobile communication systems, it is possible to transmit information regarding the calling party, i.e. the A-number, along with the call-specific signalling. In practice, this appears in the receiving terminal as an identifier of the calling party. Further, after call setup it is possible to select various functions via tone frequency selections, based e.g. on a tone frequency menu. In this case, the telephone exchange communicates e.g. with an intelligent peripheral (IP) which is controlled by tone frequency signals received. Transmitting supplementary information to the receiving party's terminal after call setup is slow as well as expensive if the receiving number is a specially priced service number. Using a data connection or a GSM text message, it is possible to communicate e.g. with an automated application. The problem is the slowness of call setup or variation in the transmission time of GSM text messages. However, the worst problem is that, due to limitations regarding the length of the number, the amount of information that can be transmitted in the B- or C-number is not suffi- cient for all automated applications. The object of the present invention is to eliminate the drawbacks referred to above or at least to significantly alleviate them. A specific object of the invention is to dis- close a new type of method and system that will allow the transmission of a larger amount of information along with the call request especially considering various automated applications. In the method, the A- number field sent with the call request is used in a new way. It can be replaced with subscriber-specific information, or such information can be added to it. The invention makes it unnecessary e.g. to connect a speech channel for the transmission of information in conjunction with a call request, but the answering to the call is implemented as an acknowledgement sent to the A-party and the telephone exchange. In addition, the number data carried in the A-number field can be easily analyzed. As for the features characteristic of the present invention, reference is made to the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The method of the invention concerns the transmission of subscriber-specific supplementary information in a telecommunication system. The telecom- munication system preferably comprises a telecommunication network, a first and a second telecommunication terminal, a conversion/transmission center and an actuating device. The first and second telecommunication terminals are connected to the conversion/transmission center via the telecommunication network. The actuating device comprised in the system is connected to the second telecommunication terminal. In the method, information is transmitted from the first telecommunication terminal to the sec- ond telecommunication terminal. To the receiver's normal identification number, i.e. the B-number, optional numbers are added. In the conversion/transmission center, the A-number field to be sent further is modified by appending to it the supplementary information that were appended to the normal B-number. The A-number field may also be modified by replacing it with completely new information, e.g. with the numbers appended to the B-number. Furthermore, it is possible to add to the A-number field or replace it with informa- tion depending on the geographic location of the first telecommunication terminal and/or on the time and/or other factors. The actuating device connected to the second telecommunication terminal is controlled on the basis of the information contained in the A-number field transmitted to the second telecommunication terminal . A confirmation of execution of a control request can be sent to the first telecommunication terminal. In this way, it is possible to verify whether the desired control function has been successfully executed or not. The system of the invention comprises means for modifying the A-number field to be transmitted from the conversion/transmission center to the second telecommunication terminal by adding control information to it, and means for controlling the actuating device with the information in the A-number field. The system of the invention further comprises means for adding information dependent on the geographic location of the first telecommunication terminal and/or on the time and/or other factors to the A- number field to be transmitted. Moreover, the conver- sion/transmission center comprised in the system may be a telephone exchange, a message center or a VRU (VRU, Voice Response Unit), e.g. an IBM Direct Talk. Further, the first and second telecommunication terminals may be mobile stations. The first telecommunica- tion terminal may also be a telephone apparatus in the public switched telephone network. As compared with prior art, the present invention provides the advantage of increasing the amount of information transmitted together with call requests. A further advantage of the invention is that no speech channel need be connected for the transmission of the information. Yet another advantage is that the information carried in the A-number field can be analyzed by simple methods and means. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS In the following, the invention will be described in detail by the aid of some of its embodiments, wherein Fig. 1 presents a preferred system according to the present invention, and Fig. 2 presents an application example illustrating the operation of the system presented in Fig. 1. The system presented in Fig. 1 comprises a telecommunication network 1 and a conversion/transmission center 2 connected to the telecommu- nication network 1. The telecommunication network 1 is e.g. a PSTN (Public Switched Telecommunications Network) or a PLMN (Public Land Mobile Network) . The system further comprises a first telecommunication termi- nal 3 and a second telecommunication terminal 4, which are connected via the telecommunication network 1 to the conversion/transmission center 2. Moreover, the system comprises an actuating device 5 connected to the second telecommunication terminal 4. The system comprises means 6 for modifying the A-number field to be sent from the conversion/transmission center 2 to the second telecommunication terminal 4 by adding control information to it. Further, the system comprises means 7 for controlling the actuating device 5 on the basis of the information contained in the A-number field. In addition, the system comprises means 8 for adding information dependent on the geographic location of the first telecommunication terminal 3 and/or on the time and/or other fac- tors to the A-number field to be transmitted. Means 6 - 8 are implemented in a manner known in itself and they will therefore not be described in detail . Fig. 2 presents an application example of the operation of the system illustrated in Fig. 1. In the example, a caller wants to control a jukebox and calls the number 0600-800-20-1234, step 20. In the A-number field in the call setup, the number 0400-665100 is transmitted, step 21. The exchange in the network, in this example an IN-network (IN, Intelligent Network) , changes the number data in the A-number field into 20 1234, step 23. At step 22, a number conversion is performed whereby the initially selected service number is set as the final number, i.e. C-number. In this ex- ample, the extra numbers, 20 1234, appended to the telephone number dialed at the beginning mean that the caller supplies a monetary input of 20 marks into the jukebox by telephone and wants to have piece number 1234 played. The apparatus at the receiving end may be a telephone component in the automaton, which receives the incoming information and controls the automaton in accordance with the information contained in the A- number field. In this example, the service selected by the caller is charged for in the telephone bill. The apparatus at the receiving end may alternatively be a number display device or a computer provided with the required software. In an embodiment of the system according to Fig. 1, the A-party (0400-665100) calls the number of an automatic snack machine (0600-88550-XX) and wants to pay 18 marks by this phone call. According to the invention, the A-party dials the number 0600-88550-18. The number is converted in the conversion/transmission center, e.g. in the telephone exchange, into the actual C-number of the automaton, which in this example is 040E-123465. The exchange announces the A-party identification as the number 0400-665100-18. The automaton knows that the two last digits of the A- number represent the amount to be paid for the purchase as specified by the A-party. After the automaton has deciphered the A-number, its display will present a message, e.g. "Paid FIM 18". This indicates that the caller may select products for the sum of FIM 18 from the machine. The invention is not restricted to the examples of its embodiments described above, but many variations are possible within the scope of the inventive idea defined in the claims.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Method for transmitting subscriber- specific information in a telecommunication system comprising a telecommunication network (1) , a conver- sion/transmission center (2) connected to the telecommunication network (1) , a first telecommunication terminal (3) connected to the conversion/transmission center (2) via the telecommunication network (1), a second telecommunication terminal (4) connected to the conversion/transmission center (2) via the telecommunication network (1) , said terminal (4) being also connected to an actuating device (5) , an actuating device (5) connected to the second telecommunication terminal (4) , in which method connection-specific in- formation is transmitted from the first telecommunication terminal (3) to the second telecommunication terminal (4) and subscriber-specific optional parameters are added to the dialling sent to the conversion/transmission center (2), charac t eri zed in that the method comprises the steps of: modifying the A-number field to be transmitted from the conversion/transmission center (2) to the second telecommunication terminal (4) by adding control information to it and/or replacing the A-number field with control information; and controlling the actuating device (5) on the basis of the information contained in the A-number field. 2. Method as defined in claim 1, char ac t e ri z ed in that, in the conver- sion/transmission center, information dependent on the geographic location of the first telecommunication terminal (3) and/or on the time and/or other factors is added to the A-number field to be transmitted. 3. Method as defined in claims 1 and 2, chara c t e ri z ed in that the control information placed in the A-number field is transmitted in conjunction with the call request. 4. Method as defined in claims 1 - 3, charact e ri zed in that a confirmation of execution of the control request is sent to the first telecommunication terminal (3) . 5. Method as defined in claims 1 - 4, charac t e ri z ed in that a confirmation of execution of the control request is sent to the first telecommunication terminal (3) by answering the call. 6. System for transmitting subscriber- specific information in a telecommunication system comprising a telecommunication network (1) , a conversion/transmission center (2) connected to the telecommunication network (1) , a first telecommunication terminal (3) connected to the conversion/transmission center (2) via the telecommunication network (1), a second telecommunication terminal (4) connected to the conversion/transmission center (2) via the telecommunication network (1) , said terminal (4) being also connected to an actuating device (5) , an actuating de- vice (5) connected to the second telecommunication terminal (4), in which system information is transmitted from the first telecommunication terminal (3) to the second telecommunication terminal (4) and subscriber-specific optional parameters are added to the dialling sent to the conversion/transmission center (2), charac t e r i z ed in that the system comprises : means (6) for modifying the A-number field to be transmitted from the conversion/transmission center (2) to the second telecommunication terminal (4) by adding control information to it; and means (7) for controlling the actuating device (5) on the basis of the information contained in the A- number field. 7. System as defined in claim 6, char ac t e r i z ed in that the system comprises means (8) for adding information dependent on the geographic location of the first telecommunication terminal (3) and/or on the time and/or other factors to the A- number field to be transmitted. 8. System as defined in claims 6 and 7, charact eri zed in that the conversion/transmission center (2) is a telephone exchange. 9. System as defined in claims 6 - 8, charac t eri zed in that the conversion/transmission center (2) is a message center. 10. System as defined in claims 6 - 9, charac t e ri z ed in that the conversion/transmission center (2) is a VRU. 11. System as defined in claims 6 - 10, charac t eri zed in that the first telecommuni- cation terminal (3) is a mobile station. 12. System as defined in claims 6 - 11, charac t eri z ed in that the second telecommunication terminal (4) is a mobile station. 13. System as defined in claims 6 - 12, charac t e ri z ed in that the first telecommunication terminal (3) is a telephone apparatus in the public switched telephone network. 14. System as defined in claims 6 - 13, charac t er i z ed in that the second telecommu- nication terminal (4) is a number display device or equivalent .

Inventors: VIHINEN SEPPO, VIHINEN, SEPPO
Applicants: SONERA OYJ, VIHINEN SEPPO, VIHINEN, SEPPO
Application year: 2000
Main classification: H04M11
IPC codes: H04M11, H04Q3, H04Q11