Guidance information notification apparatus in communication network system, communication network system and guidance information notification method

• US 7,180,983 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2004
• Issued: 02/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Urakawa, Yasutaka, Uchida, Motoyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang; Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): SING, SIMON P
• Application Number:
  US10/775,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20040242188A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.06
• US Class Current: 379/88.06
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2061 Language aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4874 Intercept announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

There is provided a guidance information notification apparatus in a communication network system which enables improvement of convenience to a user by dispensing with a particular operation other than a normal origination operation required when a user obtains a guidance message in an understandable language such as a native language, with a terminal unit, and by enabling the user to receive support from a communication operator of the user'"'"'s contract network even when a roaming service is provided. If an originator inputs a destination telephone number with a normal origination operation at a mobile telephone set 18, a guidance information notification apparatus 22-1 notifies guidance message information in a language associated with the origination telephone number to the origination mobile telephone set 18. Similarly, a guidance information notification apparatus 22-2 notifies guidance message information in the language associated with the destination telephone number to the destination fixed telephone set 20. Furthermore, a direction to process guidance message information is received from a switchboard 12 or 14, and the guidance message information is notified to the telephone set 18 or 20 in response to this direction.

Claims

1. A communication network system provided with a guidance notification apparatus for notifying guidance information to at least one of origination and destination terminal units having a telephone function via a switchboard;

wherein

the origination terminal unit comprises;

storage means for storing a first country code corresponding to the language understandable to the owner of the origination terminal unit; and

sending means for sending the first country code stored in the storage means when a destination telephone number is sent from the origination terminal unit; and

the guidance information notification apparatus comprises;

first acquisition means for acquiring a first country code from the origination terminal unit via the switchboard;

second acquisition means for acquiring a telephone number from the switchboard;

conversion means for, with the use of the first country code with which at least one language used in a country or a country district can be identified, converting the acquired telephone number into the first country code based on the correspondence relationship between a telephone number pre-associated with the first country code and the telephone number acquired by the second acquisition means;

a database in which the first country code is stored in association with guidance information in the language;

selection means for selecting the guidance information associated with the first country code which has been converted by the conversion means, from the database;

notification means for notifying the guidance information selected by the selection means to the terminal unit via the switchboard;

notification necessity/unnecessity determination means determines whether a notification of guidance information is necessary or unnecessary based on a notification necessity/unnecessity specification signal generated by the switchboard and sent from the switchboard; and

,

notification order setting means to direct the order for notification of guidance information based on the notification order direction signal sent from switchboard by a direction from a communication operator or user when it is determined that notification of guidance information is necessary.

3. A communication network system, according to claim 1 or 2, the guidance information apparatus further comprising:

setting means for causing information which directs processing of the guidance information to be set via the switchboard;

wherein the notification means notifies the guidance information selected by the selection means to the terminal unit in response to the direction set by the setting means.

2. A communication network system provided with a guidance notification apparatus for notifying guidance information to at least one of origination and destination terminal units having a telephone function via a switchboard;

wherein

the origination terminal unit comprises;

storage means for storing a first country code corresponding to the language understandable to the owner of the origination terminal unit; and

sending means for sending the first country code stored in the storage means when a destination telephone number is sent from the origination terminal unit; and

the guidance information notification apparatus comprises;

first acquisition means for acquiring a first country code from the origination terminal unit via the switchboard;

second acquisition means for acquiring a telephone number from the switchboard;

conversion means for, with the use of a second country code with which the language used in an area where a switchboard managing at least one of the origination and destination telephone numbers is installed can be identified, converting the acquired telephone number into the second country code based on the correspondence relationship between a telephone number pre-associated with the second country code and the telephone number acquired by the second acquisition mean;

a database in which the first country code and second country code are stored in association with guidance information in the language;

selection means for selecting the guidance information associated with the second country code which has been converted by the conversion means, from the database;

notification means for notifying the guidance information selected by the selection means to the terminal unit via the switchboard;

notification necessity/unnecessity determination means determines whether a notification of guidance information is necessary or unnecessary based on a notification necessity/unnecessity specification signal generated by the switchboard and sent from itself; and

,

notification order setting means to direct the order for notification of guidance information based on notification order direction signal sent from switchboard by a direction from a communication operator or user when it is determined that notification of guidance information is necessary.

4. A communication network system provided with a guidance information notification apparatus for notifying guidance information to at least one of origination and destination terminal units having a telephone function via a switchboard;

wherein

the origination terminal unit comprises;

storage means for storing an origination country code corresponding to the language understandable to the owner of the origination terminal unit; and

sending means for sending the origination country code stored in the storage means when a destination telephone number is sent from the origination terminal unit; and

the guidance information notification apparatus comprises;

first acquisition means for acquiring the origination country code from the origination terminal unit via the switchboard;

second acquisition means for acquiring the destination telephone number from the switchboard;

conversion means for, with the use of a destination country code with which at least one language used in a country or a country district can be identified, converting the acquired destination telephone number into the destination country code based on the correspondence relationship between a telephone number pre-associated with the destination country code and the acquired destination telephone number;

a database in which the destination country code is stored in association with guidance information in the language;

selection means for selecting the guidance information associated with at least one of the origination country code acquired by the first acquisition means and the destination country code converted by the conversion means, from the database;

notification means for notifying the guidance information selected by the selection means to the terminal unit via the switchboard;

notification necessity/unnecessity determination means determines whether a notification of guidance information is necessary or unnecessary based on a notification necessity/unnecessity specification signal generated by the switchboard and send from itself; and

,

notification order setting means to direct the order for notification of guidance information based on notification order direction signal sent from switchboard by a direction from a communication operator or user when it is determined that notification of guidance information is necessary.

5. A communication network system provided with a guidance information notification apparatus for notifying guidance information to at least one of origination and destination terminal units having a telephone function via a switchboard,

wherein

the origination terminal unit comprises:

storage means for storing an origination country code corresponding to the language understandable to the owner of the origination terminal unit and storing a destination country code corresponding to the language understandable to the owner of the destination terminal unit in association with a destination telephone number; and

sending means for, when the destination telephone number is sent from the origination terminal unit, reading the destination country code associated with the destination telephone number and the origination country code from the storage means and sending the codes; and

the guidance information notification apparatus comprises;

acquisition means for acquiring at least one of the origination and destination country codes from the terminal unit via the switchboard;

a database in which the origination and destination country codes are stored in association with guidance information in languages understandable to owners of the origination and destination terminal units, respectively;

selection means for selecting the guidance information associated with at least one of the origination and destination country codes acquired by the acquisition means, from the database;

notification means for notifying the guidance information selected by the selection means to the terminal unit via the switchboard;

notification necessity/unnecessity determination means determines whether a notification of guidance information is necessary or unnecessary based on a notification necessity/unnecessity specification signal generated by the switchboard and sent from itself; and

,

notification order setting means to direct the order for notification of guidance information based on notification order direction signal sent from switchboard by a direction from a communication operator or user when it is determined that notification of guidance information is necessary.

6. A communication method for notifying guidance information to at least one of origination and destination terminal units having a telephone function via a switchboard, in a communication network system, the communication method comprising:

a first step of storing an origination country code corresponding to the language understandable to the owner of the origination terminal unit;

a second step of sending the origination country code corresponding to the language understandable to the owner of the origination terminal unit;

a third step of acquiring at least one of origination and destination telephone numbers from the switchboard;

a fourth step of, with the use of a first country code with which at least one language used in a country or a country district can be identified, converting the acquired telephone number into the first country code based on the correspondence relationship between a telephone number pre-associated with the first country code and the telephone number acquired at the third step;

a fifth step of selecting, from a database in which the first country code is stored in association with guidance information in the language, the guidance information associated with the first country code converted at the fourth step;

a sixth step of notifying the guidance information selected at the fifth step to the terminal unit via the switchboard;

a seventh step of determining whether a notification of guidance information is necessary or unnecessary based on a notification necessity/unnecessity specification signal generated by the switchboard and sent from itself; and

,

a eighth step of directing the order for notification of guidance information based on notification order direction signal sent from switchboard by a direction from a communication operator or user when it is determined that notification of guidance information is necessary.

7. A communication method for notifying guidance information to at least one of origination and destination terminal units having a telephone function via a switchboard, in a communication network system, the communication method comprising:

a first step of storing an origination country code corresponding to the language understandable to the owner of the origination terminal unit;

a second step of sending the origination country code corresponding to the language understandable to the owner of the origination terminal unit;

a third step of acquiring at least one of origination and destination telephone numbers from the switchboard;

a fourth step of, with the use of a second country code with which the language used in the area where a switchboard managing at least one of the origination and destination telephone numbers is installed can be identified, converting the telephone number acquired at the third step into the second country code based on the correspondence relationship between a telephone number pre-associated with the second country code and the acquired telephone number;

a fifth step of selecting from a database in which the origination country code and second country code stored in association with guidance information in the language, the guidance information associated with the second country code converted at the fourth step;

a sixth step of notifying the guidance information selected at the fifth step to the terminal unit via the switchboard;

a seventh step of determining whether a notification of guidance information is necessary or unnecessary based on a notification necessity/unnecessity specification signal generated by the switchboard and sent from itself; and

a eighth step of directing the order for notification of guidance information based on notification order direction signal sent from switchboard by a direction from a communication operator or user when it is determined that notification of guidance information is necessary.

8. A communication method for notifying guidance information to at least one of origination and destination terminal units having a telephone function via a switchboard, in a communication network system, the communication method comprising:

a first step of storing an origination country code corresponding to the language understandable to the owner of the origination terminal unit;

a second step of sending the origination country code corresponding to the language understandable to the owner of the origination terminal unit;

a third step of, when a destination telephone number is sent from the origination terminal unit, sending an origination country code corresponding to the language understandable to the owner of the origination terminal unit;

a fourth step of acquiring the origination country code sent at the third step from the switchboard;

a fifth step of acquiring the destination telephone number sent at the third step from the switchboard;

a sixth step of, with the use of a destination country code with which at least one language used in a country or a country district can be identified, converting the destination telephone number acquired at the fifth step into the destination country code based on the correspondence relationship between a telephone number pre-associated with the destination country code and the acquired destination telephone number;

a seventh step of selecting, from a database in which the destination country code is stored in association with guidance information in the language, the guidance information associated with at least one of the origination country code acquired at the third step and the destination country code converted at the sixth step; and

a eight step of notifying the guidance information selected at the seventh step to the terminal unit via the switchboard;

a ninth step of determining whether a notification of guidance information is necessary or unnecessary based on a notification necessity/unnecessity specification signal generated by the switchboard and sent from itself; and

,

a tenth step of directing the order for notification of guidance information based on notification order direction signal sent from switchboard by a direction from a communication operator or user when it is determined that notification of guidance information is necessary.

9. A communication method for notifying guidance information to at least one of origination and destination terminal units having a telephone function via a switchboard, in the communication network system, the communication method comprising:

a first step of storing an origination country code corresponding to the language understandable to the owner of the origination terminal unit;

a second step of sending the origination country code corresponding to the language understandable to the owner of the origination terminal unit;

a third step of, when a destination telephone number is sent from the origination terminal unit, reading from storage means for storing a destination country code corresponding to the language understandable to the owner of the destination terminal unit in association with the destination telephone number, the destination country code associated with the sent destination telephone number and sending the destination country code, as well as reading from storage means for storing an origination country code corresponding to the language understandable to the owner of the origination terminal unit, the origination country code and sending the origination country code;

a fourth step of acquiring at least one of the origination and destination country codes from the origination terminal unit via the switchboard;

a fifth step of selecting, from a database in which the origination and destination country codes are stored in association with guidance information in languages understandable to the owners of the origination and destination terminal units, respectively, the guidance information associated with at least one of the origination and destination country codes acquired at the fourth step;

a sixth step of notifying the guidance information selected at the fifth step to the terminal unit via the switchboard;

a seventh step of determining whether a notification of guidance information is necessary or unnecessary based on a notification necessity/unnecessity specification signal generated by the switchboard and sent from itself; and

,

a eighth step of directing the order for notification of guidance information based on notification order direction signal sent from switchboard by a direction from a communication operator or user when it is determined that notification of guidance information is necessary.