WO2001015417A1

WO2001015417A1 - Method for anonymous and random simultaneous telephone communication of callers having common interest

Info

Publication number: WO2001015417A1
Application number: PCT/FR2000/002025
Authority: WO
Inventors: Franck Teboul
Original assignee: Franck Teboul
Priority date: 1999-08-19
Filing date: 2000-07-13
Publication date: 2001-03-01
Also published as: AU6453000A; FR2797730A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a method for subscriber telephone communication with at least a service establishing relationship based on a common interest. The invention is characterised in that the subscriber calls are addressed with a subscriber code identifying the type of caller and the subscribed service to a centralised call management server service, said service, using a computerised telephone coupling system and a site management computer, identifies the caller subscriber code and the requested communication establishing service and establishes communication with another subscriber caller making a compatible call and not connected as yet. The invention is useful for establishing relationship through telephone contact between two callers, initiated by a simultaneous intention for such contact, originally anonymous, on the basis of common interests.

Description

Method for connecting anonymous and random simultaneous telephone calls to callers with a common interest

The present invention relates to a method of immediate telephone connection of two persons provided with a special card, generally prepaid, from a common and simultaneous intention of an anonymous and random contact on a basis of common interest.

Developments in computer science and telecommunications techniques have favored individual independence, but this autonomy of the individual has often developed at the cost of a certain isolation, particularly in terms of social relations. The subject of the present invention is a method making it possible to remedy this individual isolation by putting two callers in telephone contact relation, from a single simultaneous intention of such contact, initially anonymous, on the basis of a community of 'interests.

Such occasional individual contacts are generally made during gatherings or social events around a common interest, for example seminars for professionals in the same branch, or balls, for people of the opposite sex or not. . These classic dating organizations require a physical presence, at a specific time and in an organizational framework that is sometimes costly. The object of the present invention makes it possible to establish in a much more flexible manner, and less costly in time and money, such relational contacts, initially random but based on a common interest, applied to the random context of the development of human contacts. , using a simple and economical telecommunications management technique.

Telecommunications techniques are known heretofore oriented towards the communication of well-defined calling and called lines, for example in call routing systems in teleconferencing networks, such as that described in the international patent application. PCT WO 97/24864 on behalf of the Canadian company Northern Telecom Ltd which describes a method of connecting subscribers to a teleconference system using coded calls.

The method according to the invention implements, on the one hand, a subscription card for one or more services, in particular of the type of rechargeable prepaid card, mentioning the telephone access numbers to this or these services as well as a card identifier code. and on the other hand, a Computer Telephony Coupling (CTI) type system allowing the telephone system to be connected to a management computer generating routing scenarios and the communication of two almost simultaneous calls.

More generally, the subject of the invention is a method of putting subscribers into communication by telephone with at least one matching service based on a common interest, characterized in that subscriber calls are addressed with a code subscription identifying the type of caller and the service subscribed to a centralized call management server service, said service, by means of a computer telephone coupling system (CTI) and a site management computer, will identify the code of the calling subscriber and the requested connection service and will ensure this connection with another calling subscriber who has made a compatible call and not yet connected.

Rechargeable prepaid cards for implementing the process have a confidential identification code making each card unique and may include a telephone number for accessing the various services. Upon purchase, the card will have a defined quantity of telephone units. In use, the code will tell the server the type of card and the number of units remaining. The card can be recharged by making a special call number where an operator will reload. Payment can conventionally be made by credit card. We can also simply redeem another card.

To move through the routing scenarios, the user will use the keys on his telephone keypad, the system having been programmed to recognize the actions to be performed according to the keys used.

Thus, in an application scenario, the software will have to manage several elements such as:

- cards of different types,

- proprietary codes,

- the number of units remaining on each card,

- reloading in units, - the choice of the path decided by the user.

A more detailed example of application of the method according to the invention to the organization of telephone contacts between people of opposite or opposite sex will be described below with reference to the appended functional diagram illustrating a software structure required for this application.

For such an application, callers will use subscription cards differentiated according to the gender of their owner. Beyond a difference in physical appearance by their shape or their color, these cards will be differentiated by a proprietary code formed by a chain of logical characters, which will be referenced in a database. When using the card in an application scenario, the system will therefore recognize whether the card belongs to a man or a woman.

If the prepaid card is used to make a call to a specific correspondent, this distinction will not have to intervene and communication will be charged at the rate provided.

On the other hand, if the card is used in the context of the "relational" application, called "public relations", that is to say direct contact between men and women, the recognition of the digital code particular to each card and put in database will select the communication.

Thus, a user of this "public relations" service, man or woman, will make a call number for the service, the same for everyone. A welcome message will ask the caller to provide the owner code number for their card. On receipt of this code, a second message will indicate that he can access the link site by making the "1" or telephone at a preferential rate by making the "2". When reading the codes of callers who have chosen "1", the system will recognize whether they are "male" or "female" cards. The caller will dial the number "0" or "1" depending on whether he wishes to contact a woman or a man. The system, having followed all these operations, will automatically connect a calling man and woman with a calling woman or man. To avoid redundant connections prepared for a first connection, in the event of a search for contacts by one or other of the callers connected, the server may be programmed to discard a new connection communication of these callers during a given period.

The attached functional diagram illustrates this process. From a card

"male" or "female" are issued the unique call number, then the card code, then the number of the chosen access. The choice of "line" access will result in the tone followed by conversation of a conventional call. The choice of "public relations service" access will result in the corresponding server, which will recognize the type of card, then enter the type of person sought and finally put in immediate telephone contact with two callers of the opposite sex or not, on the basis of the greater proximity of the calls, that is to say that a call will be automatically connected to the first compatible next call, on a perfectly random basis, the chance thus putting the users in simultaneous relationship.

Beyond this example of a simple application for organizing telephone contacts between people of the opposite sex or not, from a simultaneous intention to establish such contact, initially anonymous and random, the process according to invention allows the organization of social contacts from the most diverse services of common interest, such as those of clubs, associations or learned societies, to which it can serve as a vector for individualized contacts between members, to a fairly modest organizational cost in the current context of development of telephone telecommunications.

It should be noted that the method which is the subject of the invention ensures initial anonymity of contacts in complete security, in that it only identifies cards purchased impersonally and does not include a database comprising elements of caller ID.

In a variant embodiment of the invention, the subscription will be provided by a mobile telephone service comprising a code or a telephone number for access to the various available connection services, and a user code which, associated to its mobile phone subscription number, makes the combination unique for using the service. This service is provided either by a telecommunications operator or any other supplier operating the Internet. In order to protect and personalize the service, when accessing it for the first time, the caller is given a personal user code which he will enter each time the service is used. By associating the personal user code and the subscriber's telephone number, the system recognizes the quality of the caller.

To use the connection service, callers enter the service access code or telephone number, their confidential code, enter the type of person sought and are finally put in immediate telephone contact based on the availability of compatible calls and not yet connected.

When anonymous and random simultaneous telephone calls are made to two callers, they can, by entering a combination of keys on their telephone keypad, inform the centralized call management server of their desire to be able to call each other later while preserving their anonymity of telephone subscriber number.

The centralized call management system receiving information expressing the callers' desire to be able to remember later while preserving their anonymity of telephone subscriber number, sends an identical digital code to the phones of the two callers, thus creating a link between said code and the telephone number of the two callers. To later call back the other party, one of the two callers calls the connection service, dials their personal code and then the code previously issued by the centralized call management server allowing the desired contact to be identified. The interlocutor thus called is informed by his telephone that the call originates from the caller with whom he has already conversed during a previous simultaneous anonymous and random telephone communication of callers with a common interest.

Claims

claims

1- Method for connecting telephone subscribers to at least one matching service based on a common interest by means of a centralized call management server service, comprising a computer telephone coupling system (CTI) and a site management computer, characterized in that subscriber calls are addressed with a subscription code identifying the type of caller and the subscribed service, said centralized call management service will identify the code of the calling subscriber and the connecting service requested and will ensure communication with another calling subscriber who has requested the same service and is not yet connected.

2- A method of putting subscribers into communication according to claim 1, characterized in that the subscription is provided by rechargeable prepaid cards comprising a telephone number for access to the various services available and a confidential identification code rendering each card is unique, each card having the purchase of a defined quantity of telephone units, the code indicating to the server during use the number of units remaining.

3- A method of putting subscribers into telephone communication according to claims 1 or 2, characterized in that it is applied to the organization of telephone contacts between persons of opposite or opposite sex on the basis of common and simultaneous intention of anonymous and random contacts.

4- A method of setting up subscriber telephone commumcation according to claim 3, characterized in that the callers use subscription cards differentiated according to the sex of their owner by an owner code formed by a chain of logical characters, which will be referenced in a database, when using the card, the system will recognize whether the card belongs to a man or a woman to establish communication.

5- A method of setting up subscriber telephone communication according to claims 3 or 4, characterized in that, in order to avoid redundant calls set up for a first commumcation, in the case of a search for contacts by l '' or one of the callers placed in commumcation, the server is programmed to discard a new communication of these callers for a given period. 6- A method of putting subscribers into communication according to claims 3, 4 or 5, characterized in that, from a "male" or "female" card, the unique server call number is sent, then the card code, then the number of the chosen access, leading to the corresponding service, which will recognize the type of card, then enter the type of person sought and finally put in immediate telephone contact with two callers from opposite sex or not, based on the availability of compatible calls not yet connected.

7- A method of putting subscribers into telephone communication according to claims 1 or 3, characterized in that the subscription is provided by a mobile telephone service comprising a code or a telephone number for access to the various services available and a confidential user code which, combined with their mobile telephone subscription number, makes the combination unique for using the service.

8- A method of putting subscribers into telephone communication according to claim 7, characterized in that the callers use a confidential code when accessing the service and the concatenation of which with their own telephone subscriber number will be referenced in a database. When using the service, the system recognizes the quality of the caller to establish the connection.

9- A method of setting up subscribers' telephone communication according to claim 8, characterized in that two callers during communication can inform the centralized call management server of their desire to be able to continue to call each other later while retaining their original anonymity.

10- A method of putting subscribers into telephone communication according to claim 9, characterized in that the centralized call management server is informed by means of a unique combination of keys on the telephone keypad made respectively by the two callers, thus confirming their willingness to call each other later.

11- A method of setting up subscriber telephone commumcation according to claims 9 or 10, in that the server returns a code which will be stored in the telephone of the two callers allowing them to be called later by dialing said code when access to the service while preserving the anonymity of the respective callers. 12- A method of putting subscribers into telephone communication according to claims 8 or 9, characterized in that, to avoid communication connections

redundant after a first connection, in the event of a search for contacts by one or other of the callers put in communication, the server is programmed to discard a new connection of these callers for a period given.

13- A method of putting subscribers into telephone communication according to claims 8, 9, 10 or 11, characterized in that, from a mobile telephone, the server's unique call number is issued, leading to the corresponding service, then the user's confidential code, then the entry of the type of person sought and finally the immediate telephone contact of two callers of opposite or opposite sex, based on the availability of compatible calls not yet connected.