Abstract:
A server system ( 1 ) is connected to a number of remote displays ( 5 - 7 ) for messages for broadcasting by a communication network ( 8 ). The audiovisual messages ( 4 ) received from the server system ( 1 ) are made perceptible for the clients ( 2, 3 ). The clients can send coded instruction signals ( 16 ) to a first access device ( 5   a - 7   a ), located near a display ( 5 - 7 ), by portable client badges ( 14, 15 ), which are transmitted to the server system ( 1 ) which then establishes a back-up communication ( 18 ) with the client ( 2 ), for example, through a portable telephone. The client can thus simply establish communication and, when the server system ( 1 ) has information specifically concerning the above, the information need not be transmitted over the network.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention concerns devices for setting up calls between a customer and a service provider, both for communicating information to the customer and for transmitting orders to the service provider.  
         [0002]     The customer generally receives advertising information from the service provider in the form of printed paper, advertising posters, or even broadcast advertising on a display screen. The customer must then choose a subject of interest from the received advertisements and enter into communication with the service provider to request additional information, place a purchase order, or perform any other activity. In setting up his call, the customer must provide a great deal of information, including in particular a description of the subject of interest, a statement of his intentions and his instructions, and an indication of the means of payment in the case of a purchase order, in addition to his civil status and the delivery address, his banking details, and proof of his ability to pay.  
         [0003]     If the call set up by the customer to the service provider uses the worldwide network for communication between computers, the payment data must additionally be made secure to prevent it from being misused by third parties.  
         [0004]     All of this complicates the operations to be performed by the customer, which slows down commercial transactions and increases the risk of error.  
         [0005]     More recently there has been envisaged a simplified purchase order transmission system whereby the service provider stores most of the information relating to the customer and sends the customer audiovisual messages including a button which the customer may click to send a signal to the service provider, which generates the order itself. This limits information in transit on the network and facilitates the operations to be performed by the customer. However, the system is suitable only for placing an order and the messages that the service provider must transmit comprise an order instruction button and are therefore specific and more complex.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     The object of the present invention is to propose a new interactive communication device that facilitates the operations to be executed by the customer, facilitates the broadcasting of audiovisual messages from the service provider(s) to customers, limits the volumes of information transmitted over the networks for the various transactions, and is compatible with transactions that are more complex than a simple purchase instruction.  
         [0007]     In particular, the invention must enable the customer to choose and trigger transactions merely by actuating a badge, without having to provide and transmit confidential information and without using a bank card with a PIN.  
         [0008]     At the same time, the invention must make the transaction secure, to prevent a third party interfering with certain transactions.  
         [0009]     To achieve the above and other objects, an interactive communication device of the invention comprises: 
        at least one server system having storage means containing an area for information relating to a plurality of customers, having an area for audiovisual broadcast messages, and having an interactive communication program,     a plurality of means for displaying audiovisual broadcast messages, located remotely from the server system,     a communication network, adapted to transmit audiovisual broadcast messages chosen by the program from the server system to the display means,     at least one first access means, placed in or near an associated display means,     at least one mobile customer badge assigned to a customer and adapted, in response to a specific action of the customer, to enter into the first access means a coded instruction signal containing a customer identification code and an instruction chosen by the customer from a plurality of possible instructions,     the first access means being adapted to transmit an instruction message that contains the instruction chosen by the customer, the customer identification code, and an identifier of the display means to the server system via the communication network.        
 
         [0016]     In one advantageous embodiment, the display means are screens and electroacoustic transducers for the presentation of audiovisual messages placed in positions making them perceptible by customers.  
         [0017]     To enable the customer to choose a specific instruction from a plurality of possible instructions, the mobile customer badge may advantageously comprise an input interface enabling the customer to enter an instruction chosen from the plurality of possible instructions by means of an appropriate specific action.  
         [0018]     For example, the mobile customer badge may comprise a plurality of keys each corresponding to a specific instruction and which, when pressed, generate a coded instruction signal containing the corresponding specific instruction.  
         [0019]     It may be advantageous for one of the keys to be operable more than once in succession to generate successively an order instruction and then a payment instruction. The same key may also switch on the mobile customer badge. It may be switched off automatically by a timer.  
         [0020]     Security may be improved by the mobile customer badge comprising at least one key associated with a fingerprint recognition device and the device comprising means for inhibiting execution of the customer&#39;s specific instruction in the event of non-recognition of one or more fingerprints previously stored by the customer.  
         [0021]     In a first embodiment: 
        the mobile customer badge is a magnetic stripe card, optical stripe card or microchip card in which the customer identification code is stored,     the first access means is a card reader adapted to read the customer identification code in the card presented to it.        
 
         [0024]     In another embodiment: 
        the mobile customer badge is an electromagnetic signal sender adapted, in response to a specific action of the customer, to send the coded instruction signal in the form of a coded electromagnetic signal,     the first access means is an electromagnetic signal receiver adapted to receive said coded electromagnetic signal and to extract therefrom the customer identification code and the instruction corresponding to the specific action of the customer.        
 
         [0027]     In the latter case, the mobile customer badge may be a dedicated device. Alternatively, it may be a cellular mobile telephone.  
         [0028]     For improved communication between the customer and the first access means, it may be advantageous if: 
        the mobile customer badge is adapted to receive electromagnetic acknowledgement signals,     the first access means comprises a sender and means for generating and sending an electromagnetic acknowledgement signal after reception of a coded instruction signal coming from the mobile customer badge,     the mobile customer badge is adapted to send a status signal perceptible by the user and indicating if the first access means has received the coded instruction signal correctly.        
 
         [0032]     In all the above situations, to establish a link between the audiovisual message perceived by the customer on a display means and the instruction that the customer wishes to give, it can be provided that. 
        a subroutine contained in said program instructs the server system to store the time of transmission to each display means of each broadcast audiovisual message,     on receiving an instruction message, the program of the server system combines the specific coded instruction signal, the identifier of the display means, the time of generation of the coded instruction signal, and the remainder of the broadcast messages to determine the broadcast audiovisual message that was being displayed at the time of generation of the coded instruction signal and to deduce therefrom the action to be performed by the return transmission means.        
 
         [0035]     To make transactions more secure, in particular transactions having a non-negligible economic impact, it can be provided that: 
        the device comprises return transmission means adapted to set up directly to the customer a follow-up call from the server system or a service provider system designated by the server system,     the program of the server system is adapted to choose and set up the follow-up call as a function of the coded instruction signal received from the customer and as a function of information contained in the area for information relating to a plurality of customers.        
 
         [0038]     The return transmission means may advantageously be the cellular mobile telephone network. The call for requesting more information, confirming an order, instructing shipping or any other transaction is then set up by telephone.  
         [0039]     In one particular embodiment, the return transmission means is a means for transmitting text messages, such as the postal service, electronic mail, facsimile, electronic messages. This constitutes an alternative to the cellular mobile telephone. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0040]     Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the following description, which is given with reference to the appended drawings, in which:  
         [0041]      FIG. 1  shows diagrammatically the architecture of one embodiment of an interactive communication device of the present invention; and  
         [0042]      FIG. 2  shows the active face of a mobile customer badge used in one embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0043]     In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , an interactive communication device of the invention provides communication between a server system  1  and a plurality of customers  2  and  3  shown diagrammatically.  
         [0044]     The server system may communicate audiovisual messages  4  to the customers  2  and  3  via a plurality of means for displaying broadcast messages remote from the server system  1 , such as the display means  5 ,  6  and  7 . A communication network transmits audiovisual messages  4  to be broadcast chosen by a program that is stored in storage means  9  of the server system  1  from the server system  1  to the display means  5 - 7 .  
         [0045]     In practice, the storage means  9  contain an area  10  for the various broadcast messages, contain an area  11  for information relating to a plurality of customers, contain an area  12  for information relating to the means for displaying broadcast messages, and contain an interactive communication program  13  that controls a central unit  22 .  
         [0046]     Each display means  5 - 7  is associated with a display means identifier that identifies it unambiguously.  
         [0047]     The device further comprises at least one first access means respectively  5   a ,  6   a  or  7   a  in the vicinity of an associated display means  5 ,  6  or  7 . The first access means  5   a - 7   a  is adapted to receive from a customer  2  or  3  an instruction signal that it then transmits to the server system  1  via the communication network  8 .  
         [0048]     Each customer  2  or  3  may be provided with their own respective mobile customer badge respectively  14  or  15 .  
         [0049]     Each mobile customer badge  14  or  15  is adapted, in response to a specific action of the customer  2  or  3 , to enter into the first access means  5   a - 7   a  a coded instruction signal  16  chosen by the customer  2  or  3  and containing a customer identification code  16   a  and a specific instruction  16   b  taken from a plurality of possible instructions.  
         [0050]     The first access means  5   a - 7   a  transmits said coded instruction signal  16  to the server system  1  in the form of an instruction message  17  that contains the customer&#39;s instruction  16   b , the customer identification code  16   a , and additionally, in an area  5   b , the identifier of the corresponding display means  5 - 7 .  
         [0051]     After receiving an instruction message  17 , the server system  1  either executes the customer&#39;s instruction or starts by setting up a follow-up call  18  to the customer  2  or  3  via a return transmission means  19 . The return transmission means  19  is adapted to set up directly a follow-up call to the customer  2  or  3  from the server system  1  or a service provider system  20  designated by the server system  1 .  
         [0052]     The program  13  of the server system  1  chooses and sets up the follow-up call  18  as a function of the coded instruction signal  16  received from the customer  2  or  3  in the instruction message  17 : the program  13  finds in the coded instruction signal  16  the customer identification code  16   a  and may then extract the telephone coordinates of the customer concerned from the area  11  for information relating to the plurality of customers and use that information to instruct the return transmission means  19  to set up the follow-up call  18 ; the program  13  also finds the customer&#39;s instruction  16   b  in the coded instruction signal  16  and may then extract from the area  11  for information relating to the plurality of customers the additional data needed for following up the customer&#39;s instruction, for example credit data or authorizations needed to progress the customer&#39;s instruction.  
         [0053]     The device of the invention is preferably programmed to manage less important transactions and more important transactions differently. Accordingly, the program  13  of the server system may be adapted to launch execution of the customer&#39;s specific instruction  16   b  directly, without setting up a follow-up call  18 , if the instruction  16   b  involves a financial transaction in an amount below a predefined threshold. On the other hand, if the customer&#39;s specific instruction  16   b  involves a financial transaction in an amount above the predefined threshold, then the program  13  of the server system sets up the follow-up call  18  in order to verify the real intentions of the customer.  
         [0054]     In the case of a follow-up call  18 , it is advantageous for the server system  1  to comprise a voice recognition device associated with the return transmission means  19  and means for inhibiting execution of the specific instruction  16   b  in the event of non-recognition of the prerecorded voice of the customer  2  or  3 .  
         [0055]     The instruction message  17  may advantageously further include an area  17   a  containing an indication of the time at which the coded instruction signal  16  was sent. This enables a link to be established with the audiovisual message  4  that was being perceived by the customer  2  or  3  at the time he generated the coded instruction signal  16 . To this end, the program  13  stored in the storage means  9  of the server system  1  comprises a subroutine  13   a  that instructs the server system  1  to store the time of transmission to each display means  5 - 7  of each broadcast audiovisual message  4 .  
         [0056]     For example, the display means  5 - 7  may be screens and electroacoustic transducers for presentation of audiovisual messages placed in positions making them perceptible by the customers  2  and  3 . For example, the screen and electroacoustic transducers may be those of a conventional television set, a multimedia computer, a display panel, a product display, or any other equivalent device.  
         [0057]     The display means  5 - 7  may be installed in public places, for example, or in customers&#39; homes, and may in particular be connected to the server system  1  via the worldwide network for communication between computers, satellite, the switched telephone network, dedicated lines, the fiber optic cable network, wireless means or any other means.  
         [0058]     The mobile customer badge  14  or  15  may also itself constitute a display means.  
         [0059]     In a first embodiment, the mobile customer badge  14  or  15  may be a magnetic stripe card, an optical stripe card or a microchip card in which the customer identification code  16   a  is stored and which comprises at least one key for the customer to choose the specific instruction  16   b  to send, for example. The first access means  5   a - 7   a  may then comprise a card reader adapted to read the customer identification code  16   a  in the card  14  or  15  that is presented to it. To transmit an instruction to the server system  1 , the customer  2  or  3  must then present his card  14  or  15  to the reader of the first access means  5   a - 7   a  and choose the specific instruction  16   b.    
         [0060]     In a preferred embodiment, the mobile customer badge  14  or  15  may comprise an electromagnetic signal sender adapted to send the coded instruction signal  16  in the form of a coded electromagnetic signal  14   a  or  15   a  in response to the actuation of a key  14   b  or  15   b  by the customer  2  or  3 . The first access means  5   a - 7   a  then comprises an electromagnetic signal receiver adapted to receive said coded electromagnetic signal  14   a  or  15   a  and to extract from it the customer identification code  16   a  and the instruction  16   b  corresponding to the key  14   b  or  15   b  operated by the customer  2  or  3 .  
         [0061]     Depending on the applications envisaged, other access means  5   a - 7   a  may comprise a cash register, a coin or banknote dispenser, an automaton, a telephone.  
         [0062]     The mobile customer badge  14  or  15  preferably comprises a plurality of keys, for example four keys as shown in the figure, each corresponding to a specific instruction and generating a coded instruction signal  16  containing a specific instruction.  
         [0063]     For example, if the customer  2  presses a key  14   b  that causes the sending of a coded purchase instruction signal  16  and then the instruction message  17 , the system associates the instruction message  17  with the audiovisual message  4  perceived by the customer  2  or  3  at the time he pressed the key  14   b . Thus the server system  1  interprets the instruction message  17  as a purchase instruction relating to an object appearing on the screen  5  for which the first access means  5   a  has received the coded instruction signal  16  sent by the customer  2 , for example. Where applicable, on receiving this instruction, the server system  1  sets up a follow-up call  18  to the customer  2  via the return transmission means  19 .  
         [0064]     For example, the return transmission means may be a means for transmitting text messages, such as the postal service, electronic mail, facsimile, electronic messages on cellular telephones. This transmission mode is suitable if the messages to be transmitted are relatively simple and do not have to be transmitted particularly quickly.  
         [0065]     A return transmission means in the form of a cellular mobile telephone network may nevertheless be preferred. Direct communication with the customer  2  or  3  is then more reliable, and in this case it is advantageous to use the same, and appropriately programmed, cellular mobile telephone as the mobile customer badge  14  or  15 .  
         [0066]     In all situations in which the mobile customer badge  14  or  15  is adapted to emit electromagnetic signals, for example in the case of a cellular mobile telephone or an appropriate sender, it may be advantageous to provide means for displaying the transmission status. In this case, the mobile customer badge  14  or  15  may advantageously be adapted to receive electromagnetic acknowledgement signals sent by the first access means  5   a - 7   a . To this end, the first access means  5   a - 7   a  comprises a sender and means for generating and sending an electromagnetic acknowledgement signal  21  after a coded instruction signal  16  is received from the mobile customer badge  14  or  15 . At the same time, the mobile customer badge  14  or  15  sends a status signal  14   c  perceptible by the user and indicating whether the first access means  5   a - 7   a  has received the coded instruction signal  16  correctly.  
         [0067]     For example, the mobile customer badge  14  or  15  may be programmed to send a “Received OK” status signal  14   c  if it has received the electromagnetic acknowledgement signal  21  shortly after the coded instruction signal  16  is sent or a “Not received OK” status signal  14   c  if it has not received the electromagnetic acknowledgement signal  21  within a predetermined time after a coded instruction signal  16  is sent.  
         [0068]     The benefit of all embodiments of the invention is to enable the customer  2  or  3 , merely by actuating his mobile customer badge  14  or  15 , to give to the server system  1  sufficient specific instructions to perform a complex transaction such as a purchase and payment instruction, a request for more information, a shipping request, or various other services that may be provided by associated service providers.  
         [0069]     It may further be advantageous for the mobile customer badge  14  or  15  to comprise an RPT key and storage means for temporarily storing the coded instruction signal  16  until an electromagnetic acknowledgement signal  21  is received if the electromagnetic acknowledgement signal  21  is not received, as soon as a “Not received OK” status signal  14   c  is sent, the RPT key is activated and the user may operate it to send the stored coded instruction signal  16  again. In particular, this facility solves the problems of collisions in the event of simultaneous sending of a plurality of coded instruction signals from a plurality of mobile customer badges  14  and  15  to the same first access means  5   a.    
         [0070]     Each means  5 - 7  for displaying broadcast messages may comprise a private surveillance video camera fixed above the screen, a small monitor or monitoring screen receiving images from the video camera, a sensor for detecting persons in the vicinity, and a plurality of first access means such as the first access means  5   a.    
         [0071]     The electromagnetic acknowledgement signal  21  may comprise an identity code of the first access means  5   a - 7   a  that sent it. This code may be displayed on the mobile customer badge  14  or  15 .  
         [0072]     The server system  1  may be programmed to set up quickly the follow-up call  18 . Alternatively, the server system  1  may be programmed to defer setting up the follow-up call  18 , thereby guaranteeing discretion or confidentiality.  
         [0073]     A plurality of interactive sub-badges may be associated with a main mobile customer badge  14  or  15 , for example issued to members of the same family.  
         [0074]     Instead of this, or in addition to this, a plurality of customers may use the same mobile customer badge in succession. In this case, a biometric recognition means may be provided, such as a fingerprint recognition means, to inhibit the operation of the badge in the event of failure to recognize one of the prestored fingerprints, and the coded instruction signal  16  may contain the chosen instruction  16   b , the customer identification code  16   a , and an identification code of the mobile customer badge  14  or  15 .  
         [0075]     In the case of a mobile customer badge  14  or  15  in the form of a cellular mobile telephone, the cellular mobile telephone may advantageously be programmed to provide an encrypted access code, voice recognition to recognize the timbre of the voice of the usual customer, a personalized pseudonym, fingerprint recognition.  
         [0076]      FIG. 2  shows one example of a mobile customer badge.  
         [0077]     This mobile customer badge  14  takes the form of a calculator type unit comprising a display screen  30 , which may be replaced with light-emitting diodes, and in particular a main key  31 , an RPT key  32 , a CANCEL key  33 , a SHIP key  34 , a MORE INFO key  35 , a HELP key  36 , and an OTHER SERVICES key  37 .  
         [0078]     The main key  31  constitutes, firstly, means for actuating the interface and, secondly, means for recognizing the fingerprint of the operator. The fingerprint of the customer is stored beforehand, either in the mobile customer badge or in the server system  1  if the corresponding information may be transmitted with the customer&#39;s instruction.  
         [0079]     Pressing the main key  31  a first time switches on the mobile customer badge, and where applicable turns on a first light-emitting diode  38 . Pressing the main key  31  again sends an order instruction and turns on a second light-emitting diode  39 . Pressing the main key  31  again sends a payment instruction and turns on a third light-emitting diode  40 .  
         [0080]     A greater number of dedicated instructions may be provided by assigning certain dedicated instructions a combination of keys to be actuated simultaneously or in succession.  
         [0081]     If the mobile customer badge  14  does not receive an acknowledgement of the instruction that has been sent to the nearby access means, the mobile customer badge generates a visual message by turning on a diode  41 , prompting the customer to press the RPT key  32  to generate the instruction again.  
         [0082]     Note that the fingerprint recognition device may be replaced by any other biometric recognition means.  
         [0083]     It may be useful to modify the customer identification code  16   a  periodically. One option is as follows: 
        the mobile customer badge contains a stack of customer identification codes  16   a  stored in a random order in a memory of the badge,     the server system  1  contains the same stack of customer identification codes stored in the same random order in a memory of the server,     with each dedicated instruction  16   b  that the customer decides to send, the mobile customer badge  14  associates the next higher customer identification code  16   a  in the stack of customer identification codes,     on each reception of an instruction message  17 , the server system  1  compares the customer identification code  16   a  received with the next higher customer identification code in its own stack of customer identification codes and inhibits execution of the customer&#39;s dedicated instruction  16   b  if they are different.        
 
         [0088]     Another option is for the coded instruction signals  16  and/or the instruction messages  17  to be encrypted using from 128 to 448 bits and keys distributed in a random selection mode with the rate of distribution of keys modifiable and adjustable.  
         [0089]     The operation of the device of the invention may be summarized in the following manner in the case of an order instruction.  
         [0090]     When he sees on the display means  5  an audiovisual message  4  of interest, the customer  2  presses the key  14   b  relating to an order instruction. The mobile customer badge  14  then sends a coded instruction signal  16  to the first access means  5   a . Either immediately or later, the first access means  5   a  generates an instruction message  17  that is sent to the server system  1 , which verifies the data of the message: it verifies the customer identification code  16   a  against the area  11  for information on the plurality of customers, it verifies the identifier of the display means  5   b  against the area for means for displaying broadcast messages  12 , and it searches for the audiovisual message  4  in the area  10  for broadcast messages as a function of the time at which the coded instruction signal  17   a  was generated. Immediately or later, the server system  1  then generates a telephone call to the mobile telephone  14  of the customer  2  to validate the order, program shipment and on-line follow-up, and record the total payment.  
         [0091]     When he presses a dedicated key to send an information request message, the mobile customer badge  14  of the customer  2  generates a different dedicated coded instruction signal that is transmitted to the server system  1  in the same way and is interpreted by the server system  1  in order to set up quickly a follow-up call  18  for transmitting the required information to the customer.  
         [0092]     A similar mode of operation may be provided for the situation where the customer  2  presses a key relating to a shipping instruction.  
         [0093]     If the customer  2  presses a key for another service, the server system  1  interprets the signal received to set up a call between a service provider system  20  and the customer  2 .  
         [0094]     Giving the device an additional help function may be envisaged. To this end, a dedicated key on the mobile customer badge  14  is assigned, actuation of this key generating a dedicated coded instruction signal  16  that is received by the server system  1 , which immediately generates a telephone call to the mobile telephone of the customer  2 . If it is not possible to set up the call, then the server system  1  generates a telephone or fax call or an electronic mail that is transmitted directly to the law enforcement agency nearest the first access means  5   a - 7   a  that has received the signal from the customer  2 . The message sent to the law enforcement agency contains full information on the customer and the geographical location of the access means  5   a - 7   a , in order for intervention to be expedited immediately to the appropriate place and as quickly as possible.  
         [0095]     The present invention is not limited to the embodiments that have been described explicitly and includes variants and generalizations thereof that fall within the scope of the following claims.