CA 02338821 2001-O1-26
Description
Performing interactive service dialogs in a
telecommunication network
The invention relates to a method for
performing a dialog between a service of a
telecommunication network and a subscriber connected to
the network via a terminal, in which method, at least
messages and/or input requests are output to the
subscriber and at least information is input by the
subscriber, in the dialog via the terminal, and the
service is continued in dependence on a dialog result
derived therefrom.
Furthermore, the invention relates to a
telecommunication terminal which can be connected to a
telecommunication network and which is set up for
exchanging messages and/or commands with the network
and for outputting messages and input requests to a
subscriber utilizing the terminal for using the
network, and for receiving inputs of the subscriber.
Similarly, the invention relates to a
telecommunication network in which services can be
utilized by subscribers, in connection with which a
dialog with the subscriber utilizing the service .and
connected to the network via a terminal being provided
in at least one of the services and in this dialog, at
least messages and/or input requests are output to the
subscriber and at least information is input by the
subscriber.
In many telecommunication networks, other
services which can be addressed by a subscriber to the
network and which will be called intelligent services
in the text which follows are set up in addition to the
basic services such as, e.g. the telephone and
facsimile service of a telephone network. These
intelligent services can be, for example, supplementary
services
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network via its terminal and the intelligent service
or, respectively, the network node controlling
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the performance of the service is carried out with the
aid of separate user-service-signaling systems. For
example, the use of a DTMF (Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency)
interface is known for the transmission of data to the
service control point, but in this method, only numbers
and a few special characters can be transmitted; in the
opposite direction, spoken announcements are made in
most cases which are called up when necessary by a so-
called peripheral. In a GSM network, the service of the
"unstructured supplementary service data" (USSD) can be
utilized. This is a special type of signaling which can
be initiated in phase 2 of the GSM network in both
directions between terminal and network service.
Another example is the utilization of information
elements of an "intelligent network application part"
(INAP) protocol such as, e.g. the core INAP according
to the ETSI standard "intelligent network (IN);
intelligent network capability set 1 (CS1), core
intelligent network application protocol (INAP), Part
1: Protocol specification" 300 374-l, July 1994, of the
European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI);
these protocols were originally designed for the
internal communication in the network between switching
centers and a service control point but can also be
used for user-service-signaling. Na~urally, the various
types of signaling can be combined, e.g. an intelligent
service can request the user to make an input via his
mobile terminal. via the above-mentioned INAP mechanism,
in which procedure an announcement stored in the
switching center or in a peripheral associated with the
switching center is played and the user input occurs
via DTMF signals which are collected via the switching
center or, respectively, the peripheral and are
forwarded to the service.
It is also :Known to arrange these dialogs in a
so-called menu. The dialog is controlled by
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the service network node, often with the aid of a
peripheral.
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In this method, the service presents a selection of
various possibilities which are in each case allocated
to a specific code, e.g. a number key; these are
usually the numbers which are transmitted and decoded
in accordance with the DTMF method. The menu can be
announced to the mobile subscriber, e.g. with the aid
of a peripheral, via a voice announcement. If the
subscriber then enters his response, i.e. the number
associated with the response, the corresponding GTMF
signal is transmitted, received by the network and
translated; the intelligent services branches into the
part of the program in which the corresponding program
section is executed and, if necessary, a corresponding
voice announcements is generated in the service network
node or the peripheral. Branching into a submenu is
also possible and a later return to a higher-level menu
etc.
However, the dialogs of the known type are
often associated with high expenditure of network
resources since the service network node or,
respectively, the associated peripheral are also
occupied during the times between output to the
subscriber and his input of a response. In the case of
complicated, e.g. multi-stage dialogs, the signal
complexity via the connecting interface, e.g. the air
interface in the case of mobile radio systems, can also
become very high.
It is also known that a terminal for request
subscriber inputs, e.g. a PIN code. However, these
requests are predetermined for the terminal and non
specific to the service used by the subscriber and do
not result in any simplification for the performance
of, in particular, complex dialogs.
From EP 0 812 120 A2 and from the publication
"wireless application protocol- wireless telephony
application specification- draft version" of
AMENDED PAGE
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30.4.1998, WAP Forum Ltd, XP002128849, it is known in
each case to transmit dialog information, for the
performance of a dialog between a service of a
telecommunication network and a terminal, to the
terminal, to store and to process it there and to
transmit back a dialog result.
It is, therefore, the object of the invention
to reduce the expenditure of resources for performing
interactive dialogs. It is also intended to create the
possibility of faster and simpler handling
AMENDED PAGE
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and processing of a dialog between subscriber and
intelligent service.
On the basis of a method of the type initially
mentioned, this object is achieved in that, according
to the invention, the service transmits dialog
information relating to the performance of the dialog,
independently of actions of the subscriber, to the
terminal of the subscriber via a network connection,
this dialog information is stored by the terminal and
the terminal performs the outputs) to the subscriber
by means of the stc:>red dialog information on the basis
of a specific command given to it and receives and
processes the inputs) of the subscriber, derives a
dialog result therefrom and transmits this result to
the service via a network connection.
Performing the dialag in the terminal saves
implementing corresponding dialog procedures in the
network and expending resources. All information
required for performing the dialog is transmitted to
the terminal at the beginning of the dialog or during a
preceding network connection so that the relevant
network resources are only occupied for this
comparatively short time.
The dialog information suitably contains
commands of a dialog program which is executed by a
processor of the terminal for performing the dialog and
determining the result of the dialog.
The dialog information advantageously also
contains message informatian which describes t:he
messages and input requests to be output and the type
of expected inputs.
In an advantageous embodiment of the invention,
the output to the subscriber is carried out via a
display,
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e.g. by means of text and/or graphics, to increase the
user friendliness.
In another advantageous embodiment, an
increased ease of operation is achieved in that the
output to the subscriber is at least partially carried
out via voice announcements which are requested from
the network and are received from the network via a
voice channel of a network connection at the time of
the output and are output to the subscriber.
To relieve the volume of signaling via the
telecommunication network, it is advantageous if the
dialog information and/or the dialog result are at
least partially transmitted via a transaction
connection of the network.
The dialog information can also advantageously
remain stored in the terminal after the dialog is
finished which also lowers the required signaling
volume and accelerates the performance of the dialog by
the terminal.
The transmission of dialog information is
advantageously requested by the terminal by means o.f a
message sent to the network, e.g. at a point provided
in the service operation by the terminal for requesting
additional dialog information when the terminal is
ready for receiving the information.
In this context, it is advantageous if the
terminal checks the stored dialog information to find
out whether it is adequate for performing the relevant
dialog and, if not, sends a request message for the
transmission of corresponding dialog information. In
the other case, the request is not necessary which, in
turn, has a relieving effect on the signaling volume.
~
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The output to the subscriber is advantageously
effected via at least one menu which offers a
predetermined number of input possibilities to the
subscriber, the subscriber selects one of these input
possibilities by means of his input and this input is
used, in dependence on the menu logic, as a dialog
result or for the menu-controlled continuance of the
dialog. This allows a comfortable, easily traceable
representation of the output.
The object set out above is also achieved on
the basis of a telecommunication terminal of the type
initially mentioned which, according to the invention,
exhibits a memory device for storing dialog information
relating to the performance of at least one dialog with
I5 the subscriber, a control device for executing the
outputs) to the subscriber, for receiving and
processing the inputs) of the subscriber and for
deriving a dialog result by means of the dialog
information, and a transmitting device for receiving
dialog information and for transmitting a dialog result
via a network connection.
The advantages of this solution have already
been explained with reference to the method according
to the invention.
The control device of the terminal is suitably
constructed as processor for executing a dialog
program, the commands of which for performing the
dialog and determining the dialog result are contained
in the dialog information.
In the sense of enhanced ease of operation, a
voice output device for outputting voice announcements
to the subscriber can be provided in the terminal.
In this context, the terminal is advantageously
set up for requesting voice announcements from the
network and receiving these
~
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from the network via a voice channel of a network
connection and outputting them to the subscriber.
In another advantageous embodiment, the
terminal is set up for requesting the transmission of
the dialog information by means of a message sent to
the network.
In order to reduce the signal volume when a
dialog is used repeatedly, the terminal is suitably set
up for keeping the dialog information stored after the
end of the dialog.
To simplify the signal volume, it is also
advantageous if a device for receiving dialog
information and/or for sending a dialog result via a
transaction link of the network is provided in the
terminal.
The object set above is similarly achieved b:y a
telecommunication network of the type initially
described, which is set up for transmitting, in
dependence on the service operation, the dialog
information required by the terminal for performing 'the
dialog, via a network connection, receiving a dialog
result transmitted by the terminal and continuing the
service in dependence on this result.
The advantages produced by this solution have
already been represented above.
An advantageous embodiment of the
telecommunication network according to the invention is
set up for transmitting dialog information on the basis
of a specific request message of the terminal.
:30 The telecommunication network is also
advantageously set. up for transmitting voice
announcements, which can be used by the terminal in an
output to the subscriber,
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on the basis of a specific request message of the
terminal.
An advantageous embodiment of the
telecommunication. network according to the invention
exhibits a server device for centrally storing the
dialog information and/or output information,
especially voice announcements, which simplifies the
administration and the call-up of these data.
In this arrangement, the telecommunication
network can advantageously forward request messages
relating to the transmission of dialog information and
voice announcements, respectively, to the server device
and accept from the latter the requested dialog
information or, respectively, voice announcements and
transmit these to the terminal.
It is also advantageous if the
telecommunication network is set up for handing over
control of the service to the server device for the
duration of the performance of the dialog and
continuing the service after the end of the dialog and
reception of the dialog result from the server device.
In the text. which follows, the invention will
be explained in greater detail with reference to an
exemplary embodiment, using the attached drawings, in
which:
Figure 1 shows a diagrammatic overview of a
telecommuriicatio:~ network, and
Figure la shows the terminal in greater detail;
Figure 2 shows a signaling sequence of an interactive
dialog.
The exemplary embodiment relates to a c;SM
network MFN, the essential components of which,
inasmuch as they are of significance to i=he
representation of the invention, are shown in Figure 1.
For administering arid executing intelligent services,
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a service control point SCP, which is constructed, e.g.
as a so-called "CAMEL Service Environment" (CSE)
according to the CAMEL standard is set up in the
network MFN. The subscriber TNR which is here
representative for the subscribers of the network MFN
which are authorized to use the service, is connected
to the mobile radi.a network MFN via his terminal, a
mobile telephone MTL in the exemplary embodiment. A
connection here means any type of technical measures
which enable the relevant subscriber or, respectively,
terminal to establish network connections, for instance
the access air interface ALS of the GSM network between
the terminal MTL and a base station of the network in
the example, in connection with the associated
configuration data of the subscriber TNR for the
network MFN, e.g. the subscriber characteristics,
stored in the serv~_ce control point SCP and/or a home
location register including any personal access codes
which may have been issued such as, for example, a so-
called "personal identification number" (PIN). ;~11
connections and control messages which relate to 'the
subscriber TNR pass via the switching center, which is
a "mobile service switching point" (MSP) in the present
case and which is associated with the connection ALS,
as long as the subscriber is located within the
coverage area of the switching point MSP.
It is assumed that. a so-called "prepaid"
service is set up, for example, in the mobile radio
network MFN, which service allows a call to be charged
at the same time as the connection is being operated.
For this purpose, an account in a network component,
e.g. the service control point SCP, is allocated to the
subscriber TNR. A connection of the subscriber is
monitored by the associated switching point MSP and t:he
service control. point SCP with regard to the charges
arising. At the latest at the end of the connection, an
amount corresponding to the appropriate tariff model is
deducted from the user
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account. The account can also be "stocked up" again by
the subscriber TNR. For this purpose, and for
interrogating the account, a statement-of-account
service is offered under its own service call number.
If the
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subscriber dials this call number, the relevant service
is called up via the switching point MSP. A menu
interrogation can have the following appearance, for
example:
1 Information on the service
2 Current balance
3 Restocking the account
4 Changing the PIN
5 End
The mobile subscriber can be notified of this
menu, e.g. via a vcice announcement of the form "dial 1
in order to find out general information on the service
- dial 2 for interrogating your balance...". If the
subscriber then enters the number 2, the intelligent
service is intended to interrogate the current balance
of the account from a database and then produce a
corresponding voice announcement, for instance "your
balance is ..." .
According to the invention, the dialog such as
the DTMF menu described is then carried out by a
program logic executed locally on the terminal MTL. In
the text which follows, the operation of a service in
which a dialog takes place will be represented by way
of example by means of the above-mentioned "prepa:id"
service, referring to Figure 2.
It will be assumed, for instance, that the
subscriber would like to interrogate his balance. For
this purpose, the subscriber dials the call number #dst
of the statement-of-account service which is
transmitted via the terminal MTL to the associated
switching point MSP in a SETUP message. In t:he
switching point MSP, an initial detection point (II)P)
message is generated which starts the desired service
DST in the service control point SCP. The IDP message
:35 is a part of the INAP protocol; in other embodiments,
the appropriate signaling types known to the expert
must be used. The service DST usually
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runs in the service control point SCP in the form of a
service control function (SCF).
The service controller then recognizes
possibly after initialization of the service and first
working steps - that an interactive dialog with the
subscriber TNR has to take place and that this is tc> be
executed on the terminal MTL of the subscriber. The
information required for performing the dialog is then
transmitted to the terminal. For this purpose, the
service control point transmits a request message anf
to a dialog server DGS especially set up for the
purpose of storing the dialog information and/or the
output information used during dialogs, especially
voice announcements, and orders the server to carry out
the interactive dialog DIG.
In the exemplary embodiment, the dialog server
DGS is a separate network node which is set up in the
network MFN for the central storage of the dialog
information necessary for the performance of dialogs by
terminals and, if necessary, for voice announcements.
The dialog server DGS can also take over control of the
service DST for the duration of the performance of the
dialog from the service control point SCP; when the
dialog is finishe<a, the dialog server returns the
operation of the service to the service control point
SCP. In a telecommunication network MFN, a number of
dialog severs can be provided which, e.g., in each
case supply different groups of services or different
coverage areas of the network. The dialog server ~~an
also be, for example, a data server computer connected
via another information or data network such as the
Internet.
The dialog server DGS is advantageously
incorporated directly in the network MFN so that the
transmission of the data 2 to and, respectively, from
the terminal MTL has to occur directly via the
switching point MSP but not via the service control
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point SCP. Of course, it is also possible and, in
special cases, suitable,
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to connect the dialog server DGS via the service
control point SCP or another network node, e.g. a
gateway.
Naturally, it is also possible for the storage
and administration of dialog information to be handled
by one or more network nodes such as, e.g. a switching
center or, in particular, also
the service cont=rol
point SCP.
The dialog server DGS then transmits to the
terminal MTL data which relate
to the performance of
the dialog DIG, a menu of the type described above in
the example, by the terminal. Using these data, which
are here designated dialog information dif, the
terminal MTL - after the dialog DIG has been started.
by
the termination of the transmission
of the dialog
information dif - executes the outputs) to the
subscriber TNR according to the invention, receives the
inputs) of the subscriber and processes these. During
the execution of a dialog DIG, the service goes into
a
suspended state in a network MFN
until further
information from the terminal arrives which indicates
the end of the dialog.
The address of the terminal to
which the dialog
information dif is to be sent, the dialog server DGS
receives as a parameter of the dialog request anf or
via a separate message, e.g. of the INAP protocol from
the service control. point SCP or the switching point
MFP. This is necessary because the transmission of the
dialog information dif and the return messages of the
terminal can take place via different transmission
paths, in particular also via other connections than
the subscriber connection ALS.
If necessary, ~he
interrogation is conducted by a dialog server DGS
itself, e.g. by means of an inquiry at the home
location register of the net work in an any-tirne-
interrogation message.
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After the dialog information dif has been
transmitted, the connection of the terminal MTL to the
network can be taken down which is necessary, in
particular, if the terminal will be blocked by the
reception of the dialog information due to the full
connection. It i.s also possible to reduce the
expenditure of resources, especially in the case of
elaborate dialogs, by taking down the full connection
and establishing, e.g. a transaction link. The release
of the network connection can be initiated by the
terminal MTL, e.g. by means of an REL message ("release
call") or initiated by the network, either directly or
by an indication to the terminal which requests the
terminal to release the connection. As another
possibility, the original connection can remain in
existence and be released at a later time, e.g. at the
end of the dialog.
The dialog information dif can be, for example,
data which control in a program permanently stored in
the terminal MTL or a code which can be interpreted or
executed in the manner of a program. Thus, the dialog
information dif can be written, e.g. in Java code which
is executed by a so-called Java Virtual Machine in the
terminal MTL. The dialog information dif stored in the
terminal MTL forms, together with the hardware and/or
software of the terminal which is provided for
controlling the interactive dialog and, in particular,
the interpretatioru and execution of the dialog
information, a local "branch" of the service which
precedes the service DST as "service front end" SFE and
handles the interaction with the subscriber TNR for
this service. In the wider sense, the front end SFE can
also be considered as a subroutine of the service DST.
The terminal MTL exhibits a transceiver device
SEE, a terminal controller EST for coding and decoding
the received signals and those to be sent
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for the output and, respectively, of the input of the
user and an input/output device
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EAG which exhibits, e.g. a keypad TAS and a
microphone/loudspeaker device MLE in a mobile
telephone; in addition, a display ANZ can also be
provided. To execute the front end SFE, a memory MEM
for storing the received dialog information dif and a
processor PRZ which executes, e.g. the commands
contained in the dialog information or performs the
dialog by means of a separate permanently programmed
interpreter logic with reference to the dialog
information, are advantageously provided. The processor
PRZ can be designed as a separate component or as a
part of other components, e.g. integrated with the
terminal controller. In accordance with the network
MFN, the terminal can be implemented, for example, as
line network telephone, as mobile radio telephone, as
so-called mobile communicator or as any other device
equipped as a terminal for receiving, processing and
transmitting telecommunication messages.
Performing the dialog in the terminal MTL makes
it possible to save on implementing corresponding
dialog procedures in the network MFN, such as, e.g. in
peripherals, and the expenditure of resources which are
required for the messages to be exchanged between the
subscriber TNR and the service DSG in the course o:f a
dialog. All information dif required for performing the
dialog is transmitted to the terminal at the beginning
of the dialog so that the appropriate network resources
are only occupied for this comparatively short time.
The front end thus created runs in the terminal MTL,
i.e. at the location of the subscriber TNR. At this
point, it should be emphasized that the invention is
just as suitable for intelligent networks implemented
as line networks as for GSM networks in which, e.g. the
CAMEL standard is implemented, or other mobile radio
networks such as, e.g. IS-95 used in the US, or also
the "universal mobile telecommunication system" UMTS.
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The front end SFE thus runs on the terminal MTL
and executes the dialog DIG with the subscriber here.
In the example, this means that the menu explained
above is displa~~ed and/or announced to the subscriber.
The form of representation of the output to the
subscriber is carried out via the input/output device
EAG of the terminal. Depending on what components the
input/output device EAG has, namely, for example,, a
microphone/loudspeaker device MLE and/or a display ANZ
etc., in addition to the usual keypad TAS, the menu can
be output in many ways, e.g. as a text with a fixed
character set (e.g. ASCII) and/or as graphics on the
display ANZ, as a voice output or in any suitable form.
It is an essential advantage of the invention that it
provides for the output on the terminal to be in visual
form or combined audio-visual form.
As a part of the output to the subscriber TNR,
the latter is requested to select a menu item. Once the
subscriber has made his choice, he inputs it, e.g. via
the keypad TAS; depending on the dialog structure, the
dialog then branches e.g. into another menu or the
dialog is continued in another form. During this
process, the front end SFE determines a dialog result
drs, forwards it to the transceiver device SEE of the
terminal for transmission to the network MFN and
finally terminates the dialog. In the example, the
subscriber selects the menu item "current balance" and
presses number key 2 of his mobile telephone MTL. In
the example, the dialog result drs is the number of the
selected menu branch but can be generally a subset of
the subscriber inputs, or all of the subscriber inputs
or a result calculated from this via the front end S:EE.
The transmission of the dialog result drs does not need
to take place via a full connection, i.e. a call
connection of the mobile radio network MFN in the
example, but other
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transmission paths can be used, especially if the
original connection has already been released,
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e.g. via short message services or the like; these
solutions will stall be discussed in greater detail
below.
In a variant, a number of dialog results drs
can also be sent back to the network from a dialog. In
this case, it is advantageous if the termination of the
dialog DIG or, respectively, of the dialog front end
SFE is indicated t~:~ the service DST in the last dialog
result sent or in a separate message.
The dialog result drs is forwarded in the
network MFN to the dialog server which processes it and
sends a return message, e.g. as FIN message, to the
service control point. Depending on the result of the
dialog received in the dialog result drs and the return
message rmd, the service DST then continues.
In the example, the service branches to the
section which outputs the current balance of the
subscriber TNR in accordance with the choice of the
subscriber. In the service control point SCP an
interrogation is carried out in familiar manner and the
relevant balance is determined. The balance can then be
output to the subs~~riber TNR in an interactive dialog
also according to the invention, instead of being
carried out by means of a peripheral in familiar
manner. For this purpose, the service control point
directs a second request message anf', in which a
corresponding information dialog is requested and the
balance is used as parameter, to the dialog server DGS.
Analogously to the process described above, the dialog
server DGS then sends dialog information which
describes this information dialog DIG' with the current
balance. In this particular case, it suffices if the
dialog result drs' comprises the acknowledgement
message for the reception of the dialog information
dif' and/or the output of the balance information. 'rhe
subscriber acknowledges the output of the balance
message, e.g.
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by pressing a key provided for this purpose. After the
appropriate return message
~
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rmd' of the dialog server DGS, the service DST is
terminated in the example; naturally, in other cases,
post processing can still occur i.n dependence on the
relevant service and the preceding events and dialog
results, e.g. other dialogs can be initiated or a new
connection is established (initiated by a connection
request CON).
As already mentioned, the invention reduces the
consumption of resources, especially via the access
interface ALS from the network MFN to the terminal MTL.
This also leads tct faster handling and processing of
the dialog between the user and the service - more
precisely the front:: end, since it is not necessary to
wait for messages to be transmitted in the network.
Furthermore, the representation of the dialog can be
made user-friendly :in a simple form.
An interactive dialog can be triggered in
accordance with known methods as can be seen, e.g. in
ETSI standards for:' intelligent networks or the GSM
CAMEL standards. To call up a service dialog or a
service controlled by means of dialogs, the subscriber
can dial, for example, a predetermined call number
#dst. Furthermore, an intelligent service can also
switch in familiar manner, e.g. via a peripheral,
during a dialog to a front end in the terminal MTL
which continues the dialog or performs a part of the
dialog; as wel:L, dialog steps can be conversely used in
accordance with known methods in a dialog via the
terminal MTL. Naturally, a transmission of
corresponding messages between the terminal MTL and the
service network node MSP, SCP or, respectively, the
dialog server DGS for requesting the relevant dialogs
or dialog functions must be provided for this purpose.
For the terrninal MTL, the arrival of the dia:Log
information dif, the input of a specific command by the
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subscriber TNR or another adequate event such as, e.g.
the reception of a starting message sent by the
network, serves as a signal for starting the dialog DIG
or, respectively, the front end SFE.
As already mentioned, the dialog can be divided
into parts, especially in the case of complex dialc>gs,
and the dialog can be executed in such a manner that
only one dialog part is transmitted in a dialog
information message. The other parts are requested as
required, advantageously by means of corresponding
request information which is stored in the dialog
information of the dialog part which has just been
executed. Thus, for example, a main menu can be
transmitted first and the subordinate submenus are only
transmitted when the relevant submenu is requested as a
consequence of a corresponding choice of the
subscriber.
The structure of the dialog information dif can
differ in dependence on the requirements of the
transmission via l:he access interface ALS and the
display capabilities of the terminal MTL; corresponding
parameter information is stored, if necessary, in the
subscriber characteristics. The dialog information can
be available, for example, as program code, as mar k-up
document (see below or as a simple text in the form. of
a character string.
In the case where the dialog information dif is
implemented as program code, the dialog information is
available as code, e.g. as Java code, which can be
executed or interpreted by the processor PLZ of t:he
terminal MTL. Furthermore, it can be provided, for t=he
case where the terminal MTL is not immediately capable
of interpreting the dialog information dif, to transmit
an interpretation program from the network to t:he
terminal MTL in order to realize a so-called "virtual
machine".
Another possibility is to display the dialog
information dif by means of a mark-up document, e.g. an
HTML
CA 02338821 2001-O1-26
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(Hyper-text mark-up language) document or a mobile-
radio-specific mark-up language such as, for instance,
HDML (hand-held mark-up language) or WML (wireless
mark-up language). Mark-up languages are used as t=ext
setting languages for representing texts, where
information on the formatting of text, text styles,
cross references etc, are represented as so-called
mark-ups . Mark-ups are commands in text form which can
be recognized as commands from certain features, e.g. a
backslash. A mark-up text interpreter or compiler, a
so-called browser, converts these mark-ups into the
corresponding features for the remaining text. In this
case, the browser part is the front end SFE and the
output is effected with the aid of the display ANZ of
the terminal MTL. The dialog in the form of a mark-up
document can be animated with the aid of embedded
program routines (so-called applets). These program
routines can request: the user to input an information
item and can also perform syntax checks or semantic
checks locally at the terminal MTL via the input
characters. The dialog content, especially the text of
the menus, can be ~~isplayed, e.g. in the form of text
characters, as graphics or via cross references and by
combinations of these. In this process, a predetermined
file format can also be demanded.
In the simplest case, the dialog information
dif consists of a sequential character string. 'the
individual entries of a menu can be separated by
specific codes. A code at the beginning of the
character string, for example, identifies the character
string as a menu, possibly with a specification with
regard to an interleaved menu. A code at the end of the
character string is used for identifying the end of
menu. The character string can also contain, if
necessary, formatting information with regard to l.he
display on the display ANZ, and separating symbols for
differentiating between the individual menu lines. The
significance of these
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codes is defined on the basis of a suitable output rule
which is permanently programmed in the processor.
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The dialog information can be suitably
transmitted via a transaction link, i.e. a connection
without voice channel. Examples of this in the GSM
network are, for instance, the aforementioned USSD or a
short message service (SMS). In this connection, parts
of the dialog information, e.g. individual menu
entries, can be transmitted in different messages, if
this is required because of the volume of the
information to be transmitted or is expedient for other
reasons, which messages are received by the terminal
and are jointly processed. Even if the original
connection has. not yet been released (REL message in
Figure 2), the message can be received via the
transaction link. Due to their codes, the content of
the dialog information dif transmitted via USSD, as
short message or the like can be recognized by the
terminal MTL as menu of an interactive dialog and can
be displayed correctly on a display by means of the
formatting. Thus, tvhe message is not simply displayed
as USSD message or short message or stored in a memory
otherwise provided for these messages but displayed as
dialog information in the format of the menu. During
this process, the terminal MTL can temporarily buffer
the arriving information, e.g. in a part-area of the
memory MEM reserved for this purpose, until the menu
display to be outpi.zt has been completely received and
processed.
At this point, the so-called GSM service data
transfer or a transmission by means of the WAP proto~~ol
which forms the basis of the above-mentioned WML mark
up language must be mentioned as examples of other
possibilities for transmitting the dialog information
dif. Packet-oriented services such as, e.g. "the
general packet radic:~ service" (GPRS) of the GSM network
or circuit switched connections such as, e.g. via
"high-speed circuit switched data" (HSCSD) in the GSM
network can also be used. The examples mentioned here
relate to mobile networks, but corresponding solutions
are also
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available for land networks; at this point, the use of
a service for electronic mail (e-mail) must also be
mentioned. In addition, these methods can also be
combined with one another. The corresponding addresses,
via which the subscriber TNR or, respectively, the
terminal MTL can be reached via these transmission
methods, a . g. an SMS address code or an Internet or e-
mail address, are stored in the service control point
SCP, the home location register of the mobile radio
network MFN or directly in the dialog server DGS.
The selection of the transmission methods used
can be permanently preset for the subscriber or can be
determined on the basis of the resources which are
currently available, in dependence on information about
the capabilities of the terminal MTL and the
performances offered by the network MFN, which can be
used with regard to the subscriber location. Thus, for
instance, it can be provided to use GPRS for
transmitting dialog information for a GPRS-capable
terminal as lang as the terminal is located within a
coverage area with GPRS provision. The relevant
decision can be made by the service DST (or,
respectively, the service program), the dialog server
DGS or, if the first request is made by the terminal
MTL, at the terminal MTL (or, respectively, the front
end SFE). In this arrangement, a certain transmission
path, e.g. USSD, could be preset.
The dialog result drs and possibly other
messages relating t:o the performance of the dialog
for example error messages - can be transmitted on one
of the abovementioned transmission paths, the same path
as for the transmission of the dialog information dif
being usually used for the sake of simplicity; in
special cases, however, it may also be expedient to
change the transmission method. In addition, terminal-
oriented signaling systems such as, for instance, DTMF,
can also be used.
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According too the invention, the terminal is
capable of executing one or more of the following
functions or combinations thereof:
- executing a code, e.g. a program code,
- interpreting a code, e.g. a Java code,
- interpreting a mark-up document (e.g. in HTML, WML
etc.) and displaying it appropriately, e.g. on the
display ANZ,
- receiving and processing a message via a full link
or a transaction link, e.g. via SMS, USSD or the
like (see above) and displaying the mess<~ge
content in ac~~ordance with an output format in
each case defined for the message,
- functions for user input, e.g. via keypad, w_Lth
the aid of programmable keys (so-called soft keys)
by means of a touch-sensitive screen etc.,
- coding and sending a message via a full message or
a transaction message;
and, naturally, the functions required for requesting
:?0 and receiving a connection as a terminal including t:he
receiving and sending of user information.
In the dialog between the subscriber TNR and
the service front end SFE, it is necessary that the
subscriber inputs information which is used for
a?5 controlling the dialog and/or far determining the
result of the dialog drs. The inputs can be made, for
example, via a keypad TAS which can also use
programmable keys, the function of which can then
differ within t:he respective menu, via touch-sensitive
~0 input/output devices, by using a mouse for clicking on
a screen etc.
A dialog can also be started in a service which
has been called up due to an event in the network. Thus
it is possible, for example in the "prepaid" service
?5 that in the case where the balance of the account
~
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of the calling subscriber is exhausted during a call,
the call connection is disconnected or suspended and a
corresponding service is called up which informs the
subscriber of the reason for the interruption, e.g. by
means of the menu shown above, and invites him to
conduct a menu interrogation and stocking-up of the
balance. If the latter takes place, the subscriber is
asked in another menu whether the call is to be _
continued again. Iru the meantime, an announcement (e. g.
"please wait") is fed to the other party.
In a variant of the invention, the dialog
information dif card be stored at the terminal MTL, for
example in the memory MEM of the terminal or on an SIM
(subscriber identit:.y module) card which can be written
to and read out again by the terminal via a protocol
interface. In this way, a repeated loading of the same
dialog information in successive dialogs or uses of the
service can be avoided. This means a saving in
resources, especially at the access interface ALS.
If the subscriber TNR, for instance, enters the
service call number #dst of a service at the terminal
MTL, the terminal MTL checks whether this service
begins with an interactive dialog, the dialog
information dif of: which is already stored at the
terminal. If this is so, the dialog DIG or,
respectively, the front end SFE, is performed
immediately by the terminal MTL. When the dialog is
finished, the dialog result drs is sent, together with
an unambiguous code for the executed dialog DIG and the
service DST, to the network. If necessary, e.g. for
reasons of network: administration or for correctly
performing the dialog refreshments, an indication that
the service dialog DIG is started on the terminal MTL
can already be sent to the network MFN or,
respectively, the service control point SCP at the
start of the dialog. In this arrangement, a special
call number,
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provided for these transmissions between the terminal
MTL and the service control point SCP, can be used
which, e.g., is permanently stored in the terminal as a
service-independent number or is stored as part of the
dialog information dif. Between the dialog server DGS
and terminal MTL, there is a correlation defined by the
dialog information. Dialog information dif is
transmitted as soon as this is recognized as necessary
by the service DST or the terminal MTL. In any case
these messages can be transmitted independently of a
user connection.
The dialog information stored in the terminal
are refreshed, for example, when a new software version
of the dialog is taken into operation or if it is
requested by the terminal. The dialogs stored by the
terminal are selected as determined by the available
memory space, e.g. on the basis of the frequency of the
dialogs or menus and submenus used. If the subscriber
accesses a certain selection of a certain submenu of
the menu very frequently, the corresponding dialog
information is kept in a cache memory; other
information must be requested from the network, if
necessary. This shortens the access times for selection
paths which are used frequently.
Thus, the transmission of the dialog
information dif and the execution of the dialog DIG on
the front end SFE can take place at separate times. The
dialog DIG is started by a corresponding command by t:he
subscriber, for example by the input of a call number
:30 or by means of a command key on the terminal. 7.'he
transmission of the dialog information dif, however, is
initiated by the service DST.
In special cases, e.g. in the case of a
predictable frequent use of a certain dialog, the
:35 corresponding dialog information can also be stored in
a part designed
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as permanent memory (ROM memory) of the terminal memory
MEM.
It should be noted that the invention is not
restricted to the exemplary embodiments listed,
especially not to its use in a mobile radio network but
is suitable for telecommunication networks of any type.
Moreover, the inputs are not restricted to keypad
inputs or DTMF signals, or the outputs are not
restricted to screen outputs or output of prerecorded
voice announcements but all methods of information
input/output including voice-controlled input/output,
pointer-controlled :input (e.g. by mouse) etc. known to
the expert can be used.
