WO2000021274A1

WO2000021274A1 - Telephone switchboard with automatic selection

Info

Publication number: WO2000021274A1
Application number: PCT/EP1999/007235
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alessandro Bertoncello; Stefano Salvatico
Original assignee: Alessandro Bertoncello; Stefano Salvatico
Priority date: 1998-10-01
Filing date: 1999-09-30
Publication date: 2000-04-13
Also published as: AU6198399A; ITVI980188A1

Abstract

The invention realizes a telephone switchboard (1) comprising: a telephone applicance (2); an automatic selector (4) of outside telephone lines connected to said telephone applicance (2) comprising: an input unit (9); a detector unit (10); a clock unit (12); a memory unit (13); a comparison unit (11); a routing unit (14); an output routing unit (14); a line termination (6) to the outside telephone network (7). The automatic selector (4) is inserted between the telephone appliance (2) and the line termination (6) to the line (7), to route telephone communications onto the line that at a given moment is considered the most convenient economically.

Description

TELEPHONE SWITCHBOARD WITH AUTOMATIC SELECTION

The invention concerns a telephone switchboard especially suited for routing telephone communications onto a given line, which at a given moment is considered the most convenient economically.

In the communications sector and with special regard to fixed and mobile telephones, nowadays the presence of several telephone network companies is a consolidated reality.

This enormous presence, together with the highly competitive market conditions, has pushed individual companies to diversify their proposals, both in terms of services provided and in terms of costs.

Every telephone company offers the customer tariffs that are particularly convenient in certain situations and less in others.

In particular, the tariff applied to each individual communication is usually based on the following three parameters:

- the time bracket in which the communication is made;

- the area the calling subscriber belongs to;

- the area the called subscriber belongs to.

The arrival of mobile telephones has partly revolutionised these parameters pushing the telephone companies, at least for mobile phones, to offer the subscriber tariffs based exclusively on time brackets. Tangible examples of this marketing policy are seen with the family or business contracts, which guarantee the subscriber particularly advantageous time brackets to call, regardless of where the call is made. The subscriber therefore finds himself having to assess, driven to protect his own interests, each individual offer and identify the proposal that he prefers in a market that is somewhat crowded, diversified, and at times even difficult to understand.

The result of this kind of analysis usually gives the optimum choice as a combination of proposals from various companies. This means that for given time brackets it may be cheaper to use one telephone company, while in other time brackets other companies may be cheaper.

This situation has given rise to the creation of service agencies that intercede between the subscriber and the individual telephone network companies. More specifically the subscriber, as a customer of these agencies, dials the desired telephone number, which, by means of a special device connected next to the subscriber's telephone, is directed to a second device located at a distance.

This second device, using computers equipped with special software and selection equipment, runs an analysis on the number the subscriber has dialled and the tariffs that can be applied to that type of call. As a result of this analysis, the communication is routed towards the cheapest telephone company.

This solution to the problem allows the subscriber to optimise the costs of each individual telephone call, but forces him into a business relationship with the service agency and consequently forces him to sustain the cost of the service provided by the agency.

The main scope that the invention intends to reach is to produce a telephone switchboard capable of independently making this kind of optimum choice, without having to pass through this sort of service agency.

An additional scope is to produce a switchboard that is capable of updating the parameters used in making the optimum choice.

Another scope of the invention is to produce a telephone switchboard that is easy to install at the subscriber and is very quick and simple to set up. Last but not least, a scope is to produce a switchboard that is simple in its use and maintenance and is not costly.

Said scopes are reached by a telephone switchboard that in accordance with the main claim comprises:

- at least one telephone appliance; - at least one automatic outside line selector connected to said telephone appliance comprising:

- at least one input unit for the outgoing signal from said telephone appliance;

- a detector unit of the number dialled by the subscriber, working with said input unit;

- a clock unit suited to provide the date and time when the number is dialled;

- a memory unit, which records the tariffs, related to each telephone company providing an outside line; - a comparison unit that works with said detector unit, with said clock unit and said memory unit to select the cheapest telephone company according to the time and number dialled;

- a routing unit working with said comparison unit to direct the number called to the telephone company selected by said comparison unit; - at least one output unit working with said routing unit ;

- at least one line termination to the outside telephone network; said at least one automatic selector being inserted between said telephone appliance and said line termination to the network.

An advantage in the invention is that the device produced can be purchased and quickly installed by the customer himself.

Another advantage is that the device is fully independent and crystal clear from a functional standpoint, in the sense that it does not create induced disturbances on the telephone network.

The aforesaid scopes and advantages shall be better illustrated during the description of a preferred form of execution of the invention given as a guideline but not a limitation and illustrated in the attached diagrams where:

- fig. 1 illustrates the telephone switchboard invention;

- fig. 2 illustrates a block chart of a detail of the switchboard invention illustrated in fig. 1 ; - fig. 3 illustrates a flow chart of the operations performed by the telephone switchboard in fig. 1 ;

- fig. 4 illustrates a detail of the telephone switchboard in fig. 1.

The telephone switchboard invention is illustrated generally in fig. 1 where it is indicated by 1. It comprises a telephone appliance 2 connected by means of a first connecting cable 3 to an automatic selector 4 for an outside telephone line, that by means of second connecting cables 5 is in turn connected to one or more line terminations 6 to the outside telephone network 7.

In the execution illustrated the telephone appliance 2 is a common telephone 8 comprising a handset 8a, a numeric keypad 8b used by the subscriber U to dial the number the subscriber wants to call C.

With regard to the automatic selector 4, illustrated in the functional logic layout in fig. 2, it comprises a signal input unit 9 connected to said first connecting cable 3, and working with a detector unit 10 of the number dialled. This detector unit 10 works with a comparison unit 11 , that is in turn assisted by a clock unit 12, a memory unit 13 and a routing unit 14.

In more detail, the memory unit 13 holds the following groups of data:

- an identification code 16 for each of the telephone companies G providing an outside line 7, identifying their corresponding line termination 6 to the outside line 7;

- data related to the call directory 17, consisting of one or more numbers that may or may not be prefixed to the telephone number N selected by the subscriber U to direct the call to one of the telephone companies G providing an outside line 7; - data relating to the relation 18 between the tariff and the time bracket for each of the telephone companies G providing an outside line 7;

- data relating to the relation 19 between tariff-area of the called/calling subscriber U/C for each of the telephone companies G providing an outside line 7. What's more the memory unit 13 comprises a first updating unit 20 for the contents of the memory unit 13 that can be activated by means of signals coming from the input unit 9, generating for instance by the numeric keypad 8a, or by one of the output units 15. Again the memory unit 13 comprises a second updating unit 21 for the clock unit 12, that can also be activated, in a similar manner, by means of signals coming from the input unit 9 or from one of the output units 15. The routing unit 14 in turn works with each output unit 15, each being connected by means of second cables 5 to one or more line terminations 6 to the outside telephone network 7. The telephone switchboard invention 1 therefore has the automatic selector 4 inserted between telephone appliance 2 and line terminations 6 to the outside line 7.

The selector 4 also has signalling devices 22 consisting, in the execution described herein, by one or more visual display devices consisting of LED's 22a, suited to provide information related to the telephone company selected. In the preferred form of execution of the invention, the switchboard 1 also has acoustic signalling devices that can be activated from the selector device 4, and in the execution described herein, consisting of the speaker 8d in the handset 8a, although in a different form of execution they could consist of an external beeper or other. The invention operates, as shown on the flow chart in fig. 3, by the calling subscriber U lifting the handset 8a of his telephone 8 and dialling the number N of the subscriber C that he intends to call using the numeric keypad 8b. The signal generated is transmitted by means of the cable 3 and the input unit 9, to the automatic selector 4, thereby activating it.

The number N is passed from the input unit 9 to the detector unit 10 that activates the comparison unit 11.

This comparison unit 11 requests the clock unit 12 for the date and time 24 at that moment, being the same as the date and time the number N is dialled, and requests the memory unit 13 for the identification code 16, the data 17 related to the call directory, the data 18 related to the relation between the tariff/time bracket, and the data 19 relating to the relation between tariff and area of called/calling subscriber for each telephone company G providing an outside telephone network 7. By performing a comparison between all this data 24, N, 18 and 19 on each telephone company G, the comparison unit 11 identifies the identification code 16' and the directory 17' of the cheapest telephone company G'.

This information 16' and 17' is then passed onto the routing unit 14, which generates a new number N' obtained by prefixing number N, with the directory 17'.

This number N' is then send to the output unit 15 connected to the line termination 6' to the outside line 7 identified by the identification code 16 and to the signalling devices 22. Shortly after, the called subscriber C will hear his own telephone appliance T ring and the communication may begin.

It should be noted that during the conversation, the comparison unit 11 constantly checks the best conditions and by means of speaker 8d, sending a signal through the input unit 9, alerts that the communication underway with telephone company G' is no longer the cheapest with reference to the specific time of connection.

To update the clock unit 12 and memory unit 13, there are similar procedures that, as mentioned earlier, can be activated locally or by remote through the same telephone line. To locally update selector 4, the numeric keypad 8a is used both to activate one of the updating units 20 and 21 , and to enter the new parameters. A special combination of keys on the numeric keypad 8a allows the detector unit 10 to trace what operation is about to be performed and activate the corresponding updating unit for the memory 20 or the clock 21. The new data is then entered by typing the corresponding figures on the numeric keypad 8a. There is however nothing that prevents this operation being carried out by a separate auxiliary numeric keypad, not illustrated in the preferred form of execution described herein for the sake of brevity, which selector 4 can be fitted with. In the case of remote updating, this operation is performed by a device located, for instance, at the service company S that is specialised in the updating of these switchboards 1. The exchange of information in this case is achieved in a similar way to the exchange that occurs between modems. The updating procedures 20 and 21 can, in this case, be activated by the actual selector device 4, automatically, or by the subscriber U by calling the service company S, or by the company S itself that could connect periodically by telephone the selector 4 located at the subscriber U. The telephone switchboard 1 also allows to both disactivate the selector 4 and manually overdrive its operation, so that for instance, a communication is directed towards a telephone company G" regardless of whether it is effectively the cheapest telephone company in those circumstances.

It should be mentioned that in the execution described herein, to produce the functions covered by the detector unit 10, the comparison unit 11 and the routing unit 14, it is preferable that solid state components are used such as, for example a microprocessor 25, external to the telephone appliance 8. The microprocessor unit 25 is located, as shown in the detail in fig. 4, on a base 26 also housing a solid state memory 27, suited to cover the functionalities of the memory unit 12, a quartz clock unit 28 and the input units 29 and output units 30. More specifically, the microprocessor 25 will run software suited to cover the functionalities described earlier, of the detector unit 10, the comparison unit and the routing unit 14.

Nothing however prevents the selector 4 from being built into the telephone appliance 8 itself or the use of a personal computer, fitted with a suitable interface card consisting for example of a modem card, to cover all the functionalities. Even in this latter case it will be a specific software run by the actual personal computer that covers the functionalities of the detector unit 10, the comparison unit 11 and routing unit 14, using the personal computer's resources, such as RAM memory, mass storage and system clock. It should also be noted that the execution described herein uses as telephone appliance 8, a fixed telephone appliance, but there is nothing that prevents the use of any kind of mobile telephone. In this case the selector 4, whether external or built into the appliance, will have line terminations 6 to the outside telephone network 7, and these will work with a radio communications system. It can be seen that from a practical standpoint the subscriber U does not notice the existence of the automatic selector 4 both during the telephone calls he makes or during the calls he receives.

When the subscriber U receives a call, the selector 4 signals to the actual subscriber U, merely as an informative note, the telephone company G from which he is receiving the call. Therefore this invention provides a very simple, practical solution to the problem of choosing the momentarily cheapest telephone company 24 that he intends to use to make the call.

The telephone switchboard 1 that has been described therefore allows the subscriber U to obtain the maximum saving on telephone tariffs applied to his telephone calls, time by time choosing the telephone company that corresponds to the cheapest tariff from all the telephone companies G.

The switchboard invention may receive changes in execution with regards to its constructive elements, which may have forms of execution that differ from those illustrated and described in the figures. Therefore even if the invention has been described with reference to the figures illustrated in the attached diagrams, changes and variants in execution may be made to it, that shall all fall under the inventive concepts defined in the attached claims.

Claims

1 ) Telephone switchboard (1 ) characterised in that it comprises:

- at least one telephone appliance (2);

- at least one automatic selector (4) of outside telephone line connected to said telephone appliance (2) comprising:

- at least one input unit (9) for the outgoing signal from said telephone appliance (2);

- a detector unit (10) of the number dialled by a subscriber working with said input unit (9); - a clock unit (12) suited to provide the date and time (24) when the number is dialled;

- a memory unit (13) that records the tariffs related to each telephone company providing an outside line;

- a comparison unit (11 ) that works with said detector unit (10), with said clock unit (12) and with said memory unit (13) to select the cheapest telephone company according to the time and number dialled;

- a routing unit (14) working with said comparison unit (11) to direct the number called to the selected telephone company by said comparison unit (1 1); - at least one output unit (15) working with said routing unit (14);

- at least one line termination (6) to the outside telephone network (7); said at least an automatic selector (4) being inserted between said telephone appliance (2) and said line termination (6) to the network (7).

2) Switchboard (1 ) according to claim 1 ) characterised in that said memory unit (13) has the following groups of data:

- an identification code (16) for each of said telephone companies providing outside networks (7);

- data relating to the call directory (17) for each of said telephone companies providing outside networks (7); - data relating to the relation (18) between tariff and time bracket for each of said telephone companies providing outside networks (7);

- data relating to the relation (19) tariff/area of the called/caller for each of said telephone companies providing outside networks (7).

3) Switchboard (1 ) according to claim 1 ) characterised in that said memory unit (13) comprises a first updating unit (20) of the contents of said memory unit (13).

4) Switchboard (1) according to claim 3) characterised in that said updating unit (20) can be activated by means of signals coming from the input unit (9) or from the output unit (15) by means of said detector unit (10). 5) Switchboard (1 ) according to claim 1 ) characterised in that said memory unit (13) comprises a second updating unit (21) of said clock unit (12).

6) Switchboard (1 ) according to claim 5) characterised in that said second unit (21 ) can be activated by means of signals coming from the input unit (9) or the output unit (15) by means of said detector unit (10). 7) Switchboard (1 ) according to claim 2) characterised in that said data relating to the call directory (17) are one or more numbers that may or may not be prefixed to the selected telephone number.

8) Switchboard (1) according to claim 1 ) characterised in that said switchboard (1 ) comprises signalling devices (22) of the telephone company selected.

9) Switchboard according to claim 8) characterised in that said signalling devices (22) comprise one or more visual display devices (22a).

10) Switchboard (1) according to claim 1 ) characterised in that said switchboard (1 ) comprises acoustic signalling devices. 11 ) Switchboard (1 ) according to claim 10) characterised in that said acoustic devices, during the telephone communication, signal that the selected telephone company is no longer the cheapest.

12) Switchboard (1 ) according to claim 11 ) characterised in that said acoustic devices (8d) consist of a speaker (8d) in said telephone appliance (2). 13) Switchboard (1 ) according to claim 1 ) characterised in that at least one solid state component (25) performs the functions of said detector unit (10), of said comparison unit (11 ) and of said routing unit (14).

14) Switchboard (1 ) according to claim 1 ) characterised in that said selector (4) is external to said telephone appliance (2) and is inserted between said appliance (2) and said line termination (6) to the outside telephone network (7).

15) Switchboard (1) according to claim 1 ) characterised in that said selector (4) is inside said fixed or mobile telephone appliance (2) and is inserted between said appliance (2) and said line termination (6) to the outside telephone network (7). 16) Switchboard (1) according to claim 1 ) characterised in that said telephone appliance (2) is of the fixed type.

17) Switchboard (1) according to claim 1) characterised in that said telephone appliance (2) is of the mobile type.