WO2007066266A2

WO2007066266A2 - System and method for patching-through a user call

Info

Publication number: WO2007066266A2
Application number: PCT/IB2006/054552
Authority: WO
Inventors: Elmo M. A. Diederiks; Bartel M. Van De Sluis
Original assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
Priority date: 2005-12-05
Filing date: 2006-12-01
Publication date: 2007-06-14
Also published as: WO2007066266A3

Abstract

A system for patching-through a user call is provided. Such a system comprises a patch-through device (PTD). The patch-through device (PTD) comprises a receiving unit (RU) for receiving a user call related to a request for a service or a business, a database (BD) for storing information regarding services and businesses, wherein this information contains contact information and information related to the location of the services and businesses, and a selecting unit (SU) for selecting a service or business from among the services and businesses stored in the database (BD) based on a current location of a caller, wherein the patch-through device (PTD) patches the user call through to the selected service or selected business.

Description

System and method for patching-through a user call

The invention relates to a system for patching-through a user call, a method for patching-through a user call, a patch-through device and a wireless communication system. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Within the last years, the provision of location-dependent information to mobile terminals has gained in importance. For example, often people visit a town or places for example as tourists and are not familiar with the environment and the local possibilities for entertainment and eating out. Accordingly, information needs to be provided on a good restaurant, on a flower shop, on the location of the tourist information center and the like to the user of a mobile terminal like a mobile phone.

US 2004/0203909- Al discloses a wireless system for providing location- dependent information upon a request from a user of a mobile phone. The request of the user includes location information, user identification information and information relating to the requested or required service. Accordingly, a system for providing information from a wireless service provider to a mobile device is shown upon a request from the mobile device. Such a system may comprise a mobile device for communicating a service request. A mobile switch receives the service request from the mobile device and communicates this request to an adjunct processor. The adjunct processor retrieves the information and processes this information such that it may downloaded to the mobile device according to the geographical location information. The downloaded information may include text, graphical, audio or a combination of these types. In other words, data and information are downloaded to the mobile device such that the user of the mobile device can for example decide to which restaurant to go, and which place of interest in the vicinity of the current location he wants to visit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide a system and a method based on which a caller may receive direct and concise information from or of a requested service. This object is solved by a system for patching-through a user call according to claim 1, by a method for patching-through a user call according to claim 7, by a patch- through device according to claim 11 and by a wireless communication system according to claim 12.

Therefore, a system for patching-through a user call is provided. Such a system comprises a patch-through device. The patch-through device comprises a receiving unit for receiving a user call related to a request for a service or a business, a database for storing information regarding services and businesses, wherein this information contains contact information and information related to the location and the nature of the services and businesses, and a selecting unit for selecting a service or business from among the services and businesses stored in the database based on a current location of a caller, wherein the patch-through device patches the user call through to the selected service or selected business.

Accordingly, a direct person-to-person contact is made possible without having any detail information on hand.

According to an aspect of the invention, the patch-through device comprises a history unit for storing previous calls. The selecting unit selects a service or a business from among the services or businesses as stored in the database based on the calls stored in the history unit. Hence it can be prevented, that a user who is requesting a service or a business but who is not satisfied with the previously patched-through call is again connected to the same service or business.

According to a further aspect of the invention the patch-through device comprises a user profile database for storing a user profile. The selecting unit selects a service or a business from among the services or businesses as stored in the database based on the user profile stored in the user profile database. Therefore, an actual user profile of the caller may be consulted to provide a personalized patching through according to the preferences of the caller.

According to an aspect of the invention the selecting unit selects a business or a service which is closest to the current location of the caller which is the most convenient for the user.

According to an aspect of the invention the receiving unit receives a service number indicating a requested service or business. The patch-through device automatically patches-through the user call to the service or business as selected from the database. By means of a simply dialing a service number the user can be connected to a requested service or business in his vicinity.

The invention also relates to method for patching-through a user call. A user call related to a request for a service or a business is received. The location of the caller is determined. A requested service or a requested business is selected based on the determined location of the caller from a database containing services and businesses. The user call is patched-through or forwarded to the selected service or the selected business to enable a communication between the caller and the selected service or selected business.

With such a patch-through method, an automatic selection of a service or business within the vicinity of the current location of the mobile device is performed without the need of any call centers.

The invention also relates to a patch-through device, which comprises a receiving unit for wirelessly receiving a user call related to a request for a service or a business, a database for storing information regarding services and businesses, wherein this information contains contact information and information related to the location and the nature of the services and businesses, and a selecting unit for selecting a service or business from among the services and businesses stored in the database based on a current location of a caller, wherein the patch-through device patches the user call through to the selected service or selected business.

The invention further relates to wireless communication system. Such a system comprises a patch-through device. The patch-through device comprises a receiving unit for wirelessly receiving a user call related to a request for a service or a business, a database for storing information regarding services and businesses, wherein this information contains contact information and information related to the location and the nature of the services and businesses, and a selecting unit for selecting a service or business from among the services and businesses stored in the database based on a current location of a caller, wherein the patch-through device patches the user call through to the selected service or selected business.

An implementation of the above-described patch-through service can be performed on existing networks, like telecommunication networks. The only additional requirement is a database of phone numbers and addresses of businesses and services wherein this information is linked to detailed maps to determine the location of the businesses and services. The invention relates to patching-through a user call from a mobile terminal like a cell phone to a requested service or business depending on the location of the user. Therefore, the current location of the mobile terminal is determined. A user is automatically patched-through to a telephone number of a local business or to a requested service.

Accordingly, the user is brought into direct contact, i.e. a voice communication with the business or service that is closest to the location of the mobile terminal.

Further aspects of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The embodiments of the invention will now be described in more detail based on the drawings.

Fig.l shows a block diagram of the basic elements of a system for patching- through a user call according to a first embodiment of the invention,

Fig.2 shows a flow chart of a method for patching-through a user call according to the first embodiment,

Fig.3 shows a block diagram of the system for patching-through a user call according to a second embodiment, and

Fig.4 shows a flow chart of a method for patching-through a user call according to the second embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In Fig.l, a block diagram of the system for patching-through a user call according to a first embodiment is shown. Here, a mobile device MD, a patch-through device or patch-through system PTD and a business phone BP is shown. The patch-through device PTD may comprise a receiving unit RU for receiving telephone calls, a location unit MDLU for determining the location of a mobile device, a business database BD for storing service and business related information like the nature and the location of the service or business, a history unit HU for storing previous calls, and a selection unit SU for selecting a service and business as stored in the database BD. The business database BD comprises the information regarding every subscribed business or service in connection with its location and further information. The patch-through device PTD may furthermore comprise a user profile database UPD for storing the user profiles of the different users. The history unit HU is used to store the previous calls from this user in order to avoid that the user is connected again to a service or business which he has rejected. The mobile device or mobile phone of the user MD dials a specific number or initiates a specific service or business request. The dialed number or the service request is received by the receiving unit RU of the patch-through device PTD. The location of the mobile device and the requested service is determined by the mobile device localization unit MDLU. A service provider or a local business, which is able to provide the requested service, is determined and selected in the vicinity of the current location of the mobile device from among the services and businesses stored in the database. The call or the requested service from the mobile device MD is directly patched-through to the business phone BP of the determined business in the vicinity of the current location of the mobile device such that a direct voice communication between the user of the mobile device MD and the selected business is initiated.

Fig.2 shows the flow chart of a method for patching-through a user call according to the first embodiment. The flow starts with step SlO where a user calls a service number by means of his mobile telephone or the like. The service number can for example be 0900-PIZZA, i.e. 0900-74992. The user call is received for example by the receiving unit RU of the patch-through device PTD of Fig.1 and the location of the mobile telephone of the user is determined in step S20 by the localization unit MDLU. In step S30, the service as requested by the user is determined by the database based on the number the user has dialed indicating the requested service/business.

In this case, the user has requested a pizza restaurant in his vicinity.

Accordingly, a database BD of businesses or services, here of pizza restaurants, is searched in order to find the pizza restaurant which is closest to the current location of the mobile telephone MD. In step S40, the call from the mobile telephone of the user is automatically patched-through to the selected local business, in this case the pizza restaurant closest to the mobile telephone MD. In other words, the call from the mobile telephone MD is patched- through to the actual telephone number of the pizza restaurant which may be 040-2961810. In step S60, the call from the user of the mobile telephone MD is connected to the telephone of the local business as selected by the patch-through device PTD.

In other words, by means of a single service number and by means of the location information of the mobile device of a user, a call of a user can be automatically patched-through to a local service or local business.

In the first embodiment, the location of the mobile device MD of the user is determined in step S20 in the patch-through device PTD. Therefore, the patch-through device PTD comprise a localization unit MDLU for determining the location of the mobile device MD initiating the requested service. This can for example be performed by using a GSM- network localization, by detecting in which GSM cell the position of the mobile device is located. Alternatively or additionally, a GSM triangulation may be performed. Alternatively or additionally, the location of the mobile device may also be determined by any other localization technique which may be based on the telecommunication abilities of the mobile device or which may be based on additional means for determining the localization of the mobile device from outside the mobile device. This may for example be performed by means of a RF tag associated to the mobile device and by detecting the position of such a RF tag. Alternatively, any other means for identification of a mobile device may be used, which may be detected from the outside of the mobile device. According to the first embodiment, the location of the mobile device is performed by the patch-through device PTD.

If a call has been patched-through to a business or service provider, the patch- through service may inform the business who has been called that a client will be patched- through to him via the patch-through service and whether he wants to accept the call.

In the case that several services or businesses are located at a comparable distance from the location of the mobile device issuing the requested service, the patch- through device PTD randomly selects one of the businesses or services. Alternatively, the call will be forwarded to a business which has a higher priority, for example as it is paying a higher subscribing fee.

Once the direct voice communication between the user and the local business or service is established, the local business may provide the caller with the requested information. In addition or alternatively, the local business may forward the requested information to the mobile device of the caller. Accordingly, the local business may send a SMS or a MMS or an e-mail with the requested information like the location of the business, the route to the location of the business, the actual services provided by the business like the menu, product prices, special offers, the products sold by the business, etc. Alternatively, all this information may also be passed via the direct voice communication between the local business and the caller.

The above-mentioned may be charged to the caller by a fixed amount per call or by the duration of the call or a combination thereof. The local businesses subscribed to the patch-through service may be charged based on a monthly basis or for each received call, i.e. each patch-through call. The businesses or services subscribed to the patch-through service may also be subscribed to a premium service where the local business or service is charged with all of the costs of such a communication such that the above-mentioned user call is free of charge.

The height of the subscription fee to the patch-through service may also influence the selection of a business or service such that any business or service which is willing to pay a higher fee will be selected even if it is not business or service located closest to the location or position of the user.

Based on the central service number, a plurality of services may be requested and provided. If the caller is requesting information or a service regarding a restaurant, the service number may be 0900-PIZZA. If he is requesting a service of a flower shop, the service number may be 0900-BLOEMETJE. If the caller needs information regarding the local tourist office, the service number may 0900- VVV. If the user is requesting the service of taxi, the service number may be 0900-TAXI.

If a user does not use a mobile device but a fixed phone like a telephone booth, the localization may be performed by means of the identification of the caller. Alternatively, in the case that a telephone booth is used, the location of the telephone will be known to the service provider as the location of the telephone as well as its number will be stored in the respective databases.

Fig.3 shows a block diagram of the system for patching-through a user call according to a second embodiment. The system according to the second embodiment is based on the system according to the first embodiment. The difference between the service according to the second embodiment compared to the service according to the first embodiment is that the determination of the location of the mobile device MD is not performed in the partial-through device but for example in the mobile device itself such that not only the information regarding the requested service but also the information regarding the current location of the mobile device is transmitted to the patch-through device PTD. The patch-through device PTD comprises a receiving unit RU for receiving telephone calls, a business database BD, a history unit and a selection unit SU. Optionally, a user profile database UPD may also be provided. Based on the information of the current position of the mobile device received by the receiving unit RU and the requested services, the patch- through device PTD patches the call of the user through to a business phone according to the selected local business. The receiving unit RU according to the second embodiment must be able not only to receive the user call but also the location information and to provide this information for the selecting of a business or service from the business database BD. The business database BD comprises the information regarding every subscribed business or service in connection with its location and possible further information. The user profile database UPD serves for storing the user profiles of the different users subscribed to the patch-through service. The history unit HU is used to store previous calls from this user in order to avoid that the user is connected again to a service or business which he has rejected or which has rejected the caller.

Fig.4 shows the flow chart of the method for patching-through a user call according to the second embodiment. In step SI lO the user dials a specific service number. In step S 120, the current location of the mobile device of the user is determined by the localization unit LU and the service number as well as the location of the mobile device MD is forwarded to the receiving unit RU of the patch-through device PTD. In step S130, the nearest local business or local service is determined from among the businesses and services stored in the database based on the requested service and the current location of the mobile device MD. The call from the mobile device MD of the user is then automatically patched- through to the requested service or local business. As according to the first embodiment this may be a pizza restaurant with the telephone number 040-2961810. In step S 150, the user is directly connected to the requested service or local business such that a direct voice communication is enabled.

According to a third embodiment which may be based on the first or second embodiment, a user dials the service number of the pizza restaurant, i.e. 0900-PIZZA. The patch-through device PTD determines the nearest pizza restaurant in the vicinity of the current location of the mobile device MD and patches-through or forwards the call directly to Antonio's restaurant, where the phone starts to ring. If Antonio picks up the phone, the patch- through service may inform him that a call will be forwarded to him via the patch-through service. Thereafter, the call from the user of the mobile device is put through or patched- through such that a direct voice communication is enabled between the user and Antonio's. The caller may inquire about the variety of pizzas that the Antonio offers as well as the prices. For example, if the caller decides that the prices of Antonio's pizzas are too high, he may end the call. If the user calls the service number for the pizza restaurants again, i.e. 0990-PIZZA, the patch-through device or patch-through service will determine based on its history unit HU that the user has already called the particular service number and that the user has been patched-through to Antonio's before. Therefore, the call of the user will be patched-through to the next restaurant which offers pizzas in the vicinity of the location of the mobile device and which is subscribed to the patch-through service. Therefore, the call will be put through to the restaurant Napoli where the phone again rings. If Mario, the owner of the restaurant Napoli picks up the phone, the system will inform him that a call will be forwarded to him via the patch-through service. Thereafter, the direct voice communication between the user and Mario is initiated. Once again the caller may inquire regarding the kind of pizzas that the restaurant Napoli offers as well as the prices. If the caller decides that the prices are o.k., he may make a reservation and Mario may provide him with directions to his restaurant. Alternatively, Mario may send message to the mobile device of the user which contains the information to the direction of the restaurant. In addition, the system may transmit the location of the user or caller to Mario subsequently with patching-through the call.

The patch-through service may also use a user profile of the user of the mobile device, where the specific user profile can be stored. For example, information regarding the preferences of the user may be stored like which pizza the user prefers and for example which are the price limits for such a pizza. Accordingly, when the patch-through service is determining the nearest requested service or local business, the determination may also involve the actual user profile such that the nearest pizza restaurant is determined which serves the kind of pizza as preferred for the preferred price according to the preferences of the user.

The businesses or services may subscribe to the patch-through service based on several different subscription fees. For example, the subscribers may decide for themselves how much they would like to pay possibly with a minimum fee. Any user who is calling the patch-through service may either pay nothing, for example for a free service or for a service where the subscribed businesses or services will be charged with the costs.

Additionally, the caller may pay a single fee which may be a fixed amount per call. The subscribed businesses or services alternatively only pay the costs for the regular phone costs like a collect call or a flexible fee like a fixed amount per time unit which may be a second or a minute.

The above-mentioned patch-through device or patch-through service may be implemented in a wireless communication system which forms an environment for a cellular phone communication. The above-mentioned patch-through device may also be connected to a wireless communication system. This may for example be done via the internet.

Alternatively, external implementation of the patch-through device does not necessarily need a receiving unit RU for receiving the user calls and does not necessarily need the localization unit MDLU. As long as these information are forwarded to the patch-through device according to the further embodiment, the patch-through device may determine one of the businesses or services and forward this information to the wireless system such that the wireless system may perform the patching-through of the user call to the selected business or service.

Therefore, such a patch-through device may comprise a business database BD and a history unit HU as well as a user profile database UPD. Such a patch-through device receives the information regarding the current location of the mobile device as well as information regarding the requested services or businesses. Based on these two information, namely the location of the user and the requested services or businesses, one of the services or businesses stored in the database BD is selected and is forwarded to a wireless

communication system or a telecommunication system which in turn will perform the actual patching-through of the received user call to the selected business or service.

When the user initiates a specific request for a business or a service, the user may receive additional information like example sentences in a different language which the user might require to request for the service or business.

The above described patch-through device or service can be implemented in a wireless telecommunication system, wherein a user issues a call (i.e. dialing a service number) through his mobile device or mobile terminal.

It should be noted that the above-mentioned embodiments illustrate rather than limit the invention, and that those skilled in the art will be able to design many alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claim. The word "comprising" does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those listed in a claim. The word "a" or "an" preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements. In the device claim enumerating several means, several of these means can be embodied by one and the same item of hardware. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.

Furthermore, any reference signs in the claims shall not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. System for patching-through a user call, comprising a patch-through device (PTD) having

a receiving unit (RU) for receiving a user call related to a request for a service or a business,

- a database (BD) for storing information regarding services and businesses, wherein this information contains contact information and information related to the location of the services and businesses, and

a selecting unit (SU) for selecting a service or business from among the services and businesses stored in the database (BD) based on a current location of a caller, wherein the patch-through device (PTD) patches the user call through to the selected service or selected business.

2. System according to claim 1, wherein

the patch-through device (PTD) further comprises a history unit (HU) for storing previous calls, wherein the selecting unit (SU) selects a service or a business from among the services or businesses as stored in the database (BD) based on the calls stored in the history unit (HU).

3. System according to claim 1, wherein

- the patch-through device (PTD) furthermore comprises a user profile database

(UPD) for storing a user profile, wherein the selecting unit (SU) selects a service or a business from among the services or businesses as stored in the database (BD) based on the user profile stored in the user profile database (UPD).

4. System according to claim 1, wherein the selecting unit (SU) is adapted to select a business or a service which is closest to the current location of the caller.

5. System according to claim 1, wherein the receiving unit (RU) is adapted to receive a service number indicating a requested service or business, wherein the patch- through device (PTD) automatically patches-through the user call to the service or business as selected from the database.

6. System according to claim 1, wherein the patch-through device (PTD) comprises a localization unit (MDLU) for determining the current location of the caller.

7. Method for patching-through a user call, comprising the steps of:

receiving a user call related to a request for a service or a business;

determining the location of the caller,

- selecting a requested service or a requested business based on the determined location of the caller from a database containing services and businesses, and

patching-through the user call to the selected service or the selected business to enable a communication between the caller and the selected service or selected business.

8. Method according to claim 7, wherein the service or business, which is closest to the current location of the caller, is selected from among the services and businesses stored in the database (BD).

9. Method according to claim 7, wherein

- a caller dials a service number indicating the requested service or business and wherein the call is automatically patched-through to the service or business as selected from the database (BD).

10. Method according to claim 7, wherein the selection of the requested service or business in the vicinity of the location of the user is performed based on a user profile of the caller.

11. Patch-through device (PTD), comprising

a database (BD) for storing information regarding services and businesses, wherein this information contains contact information and information related to the location of the services and businesses, and

12. Wireless communication system, comprising a patch-through device (PTD) having

a receiving unit (RU) for wirelessly receiving a user call related to a request for a service or a business,

a selecting unit (SU) for selecting a service or business from among the services and businesses stored in the database (BD) based on a current location of a caller, wherein the patch-through device (PTD) patches the user call through to the selected service or selected business .