Method and system for connecting two or more persons by telephone

• US 20050190896A1
• Filed: 02/28/2005
• Published: 09/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Original Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Inventors: Gonzalez, Jean, Bojman, Frederic
• Granted Patent: US 7,636,427 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/652 Call initiation triggered by text message
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42008 Systems for anonymous communication between parties, e.g. by use of disposal contact identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0045 where the text-based messaging service is an instant messaging service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0054 where the data service is an electronic mail service

Abstract

Connecting two or more persons by telephone without any person having to give their telephone coordinates. A messaging server adapted to send to one or more invited persons a message sent by an inviting person and containing an invitation to communicate by telephone, to create automatically a number dedicated to a telephone call in which at least one invited person has agreed to participate, and to broadcast the dedicated number to the inviting person and to the invited person(s) who have agreed to participate. An exchange is adapted to connect at least two calls to the dedicated number.

Claims

1. A method of connecting two or more persons by telephone without any person having to give their telephone coordinates, comprising:

a step in which an inviting person sends one or more invited persons a message containing an invitation to communicate by telephone;

a step in which a number dedicated to a telephone call in which one or more invited persons have agreed to participate is automatically created;

a step in which the dedicated number is broadcast to the inviting person and to the invited person(s) who have agreed to participate; and

a step in which two or more calls are connected through to the dedicated number.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said connection of two or more calls through to the dedicated number is controlled by means of a predetermined time period in which the dedicated number is valid.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the dedicated number is destroyed after use.

4. A system for connecting two or more persons by telephone without any person having to give their telephone coordinates, comprising:

a messaging server adapted to send to one or more invited persons a message sent by an inviting person and containing an invitation to communicate by telephone, to create automatically a number dedicated to a telephone call in which one or more invited persons have agreed to participate, and to broadcast the dedicated number to the inviting person and to the invited person(s) who have agreed to participate; and

an exchange adapted to connect two or more calls through to the dedicated number.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein the exchange is adapted to control the connection of two or more calls through to the dedicated number by means of a predetermined time period in which the dedicated number is valid.

6. A system according to claim 4, wherein the exchange is adapted to destroy the dedicated number after use.