JPH10336319A - Selective communication method and communication system thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To provide a selective communication method capable of performing communication from a caller to a callee by a communication means optimal for the callee and a communication system thereof. SOLUTION: A callee is sent from a communication device 3 to a network 1.
And the communication method based on the convenience of the callee, the type of communication device, the telephone number, and the information on the communication receiving method including the mail address are registered in the storage unit 13 of the communication system 5 in advance. In advance, the caller accesses the storage unit 13 of the communication system 5 from the communication device 3 via the network 1 to receive information on the receiving method of the called party, and determines the best communication method for the called party from the information. To communicate with the called party.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optimum communication of a called party in communication between various media such as telephone, facsimile (hereinafter simply abbreviated as FAX), Internet telephone, WWW (World Wide Web), and electronic mail. The present invention relates to a selective communication method for performing communication from a caller to a callee by means and a communication system thereof.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional communication system, a caller has to perform communication in consideration of facilities of a callee. The caller was able to convey his / her intention to the callee by voice from the telephone via a telephone network or the like, but the communication equipment and communication means were determined by the caller's convenience, and the caller's convenience (time and behavior) Etc.) was not properly communicated.

[0003] A network (telephone network, Internet, etc.) and a communication method (voice communication,
No technology has been developed that can perform appropriate communication without being aware of facsimile communication, e-mail, etc., and for the convenience (time, behavior, etc.) of the called party.

[0004]

In the prior art, communication is performed by a network which is used by the caller's unilateral intention.
Since the communication method was determined, communication was not established between the caller and the callee if the network, communication method, and convenience (time, behavior, etc.) of the callee did not match the intention of the caller.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above,
An object of the present invention is to provide a selective communication method capable of performing communication from a caller to a callee by a communication means optimal for the callee, and to provide a communication system therefor.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention according to claim 1 uses various media such as a telephone, a facsimile, an Internet telephone, and an e-mail which are connected via a network. A selective communication method for performing communication from a caller to a callee, wherein information on a communication reception method optimal for the callee is registered in a storage unit of a communication system provided in the network, and In communication with a recipient, the gist of the present invention is to receive information on a receiving method related to the recipient from the storage unit via a network, select an optimum medium from the received information, and perform communication with the recipient.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the called party can use various communication methods such as the type of communication device, telephone number, Internet mail address, or WWW based on the convenience of the called party in advance. Is registered in the storage unit of the communication system, the caller accesses the storage unit, receives the reception information on the reception method, and uses the communication method best suited to the called party from the information. In order to communicate with the called party, the called party can receive the communication using the most suitable media according to his / her own convenience.

According to the present invention, there is provided a communication system in which a caller communicates with a callee by appropriately using various communication means such as a telephone, a facsimile, an Internet telephone, and an e-mail connected via a network. A selective communication system, provided in the network, a communication method optimal for the called party, a type of communication device, a telephone number,
A storage unit in which reception information relating to a communication reception method such as a mail address is registered in advance, and at the time of communication with the called party, receiving reception information on the called party from the storage unit via a network, And selecting means for selecting an optimum communication means.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the called party communicates received information regarding a communication receiving method such as a communication method, a type of communication device, a telephone number, a mail address, etc., based on the convenience of the called party in advance. Register it in the storage unit of the system,
When making a call, the receiver accesses the storage unit, receives the reception information regarding the reception method, and communicates with the receiver using the communication method most convenient for the receiver from the selection means. Communication can be received by the most suitable communication means.

In the present invention, it is preferable that the reception information on the communication reception method stored in the storage unit is one in which an optimum communication method for the called party is registered for each time zone, and further selected. Preferably, the communication means on the called side selected by the means is matched with the communication means on the caller side.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a selective communication system that implements a selective communication method according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a network 1 is connected to a plurality of communication devices 3 and a communication system 5 used by callers and callees. The communication system 5
A communication unit 11 that communicates with each communication device 3 via the network 1, a communication method based on circumstances including the time and behavior of the called party, a communication device type, a telephone number, and a communication reception method including a mail address. Storage unit 1 for registering information
3. The communication control unit 15 that instructs the communication unit 11 to connect the communication device of the caller and the communication device of the callee by analyzing the information of the callee, and specifies when receiving the communication of the callee. And an information notifying unit 17 for notifying the sender of the ID (identification information) to be transmitted.

In the system configured as described above, various media usable in the communication device 3 include:
As shown in FIG. 2, a telephone 21, a fax 23, an Internet telephone 25, a WWW 27, and an e-mail 29 can be used by a caller and a callee. Communication can be freely performed using various communication methods.

That is, in this system, as shown in FIG. 2, not only existing services such as intercommunication between telephones, intercommunication between facsimile, etc., but also communication from FAX to e-mail, FAX and electronic Various communications including communication from mail to telephone, communication from WWW to FAX, communication from Internet telephone to telephone, and further from WWW to telephone can be performed by a communication method most suitable for the called party.

In the communication between different media, for example, communication from WWW to FAX and communication from Internet telephone to telephone, media conversion is performed as shown in FIG.

That is, in the case of communication from WWW to FAX, as shown in FIG.
A character signal or the like input from the W browser 31 is converted from a communication board 33 of the client via a communication board 35 of a server to a conversion unit 37 as matching means for matching between media.
Is sent to the FAX and converted to a format that can be output to FAX.
The data is transmitted from the AX board 39 to a FAX via a telephone line. At the time of this matching, voice recognition, voice synthesis, image recognition technology and the like are appropriately used.

In the case of communication from an Internet telephone to a telephone, as shown in FIG. 3B, a server 47 (a communication destination) that performs a directory service from the Internet telephone 41 of the client via the communication boards 43 and 45, as shown in FIG. Is a server that renews its address, and accesses a WWW server, directory server, address server, etc.)
When the communication destination is specified through the Internet telephone, the server 47 that performs the directory service is switched to the circuit switching board 4.
From 9, an Internet telephone is connected to the telephone of the communication partner.

Next, referring to FIG. 4, the called party receives a communication method including the communication method, the type of communication device, the telephone number, and the mail address based on its own convenience (time, action, etc.) as described above. A method for storing information on the method in the storage unit 13 of the communication system 5 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 4, the registration of the information on the receiving method in the storage unit 13 includes a method in which the callee directly performs the registration and a method in which the information is requested by a representative such as an administrator. In the method performed by the callee himself, the callee 51 transmits the information to the WWW.
The communication system 5 is accessed from the browser 53, and the information is registered in the storage unit 13. Further, in the method of requesting a representative such as an administrator, the called party 51 requests the representative such as the administrator to register the information, and the representative accesses the communication system 5 from the system console 55 and receives the information. The information is registered in the storage unit 13.

The items related to the connection in the registration information include the type of communication device (telephone, facsimile, e-mail), connection ID of the communication device (telephone number, e-mail address), and communication device available. There are times (start time, end time).

In connection with the communication device, when the communication device of the called party is available for use, the button of the communication device is set to W.
When displayed on the WW and a plurality of communication devices are available, all buttons of available communication devices are displayed.

FIG. 5 shows an example of called party registration information registered in the storage unit 13 of the communication system 5 as described above. Table 1 shown in FIG. 5A registers registrants who use this system, that is, callees. In the figure,
A and B are registered as registrants.

In Table 2 of FIG. 5B, media (communication devices) usable by each registrant are registered for each registrant together with the number of owned media. In Table 2, three telephones, two faxes, one e-mail, WWW
Are registered, and the number of Internet phones is registered as 0.

Table 3 in FIG. 5C shows the number of IDs (telephone numbers, e-mail addresses, etc.) for each medium for the number of registrations.
Is registered, and the arrival time is registered for each media. In this case, it is necessary to register the same type of media so that the arrival times do not overlap. In Table 3,
For example, a telephone with a telephone number (media ID) of “010-xxx-xxxx” is 7: 00-
It is registered that a call can be received at an arrival time 1 of 10:00 and an arrival time 2 of 17: 30-24: 00.

Next, the operation will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS.

First, in FIG. 6, the sender accesses the communication system 5 by operating the WWW to view a page on which the information of the receiver is displayed (step S1).
1), the communication system 5 refers to the information of the called party to the storage unit 13 (step S13). The information is transferred from the storage unit 13 to the communication system 5 (Step S15). The communication system 5 determines the button of the communication medium to be displayed based on the information obtained from the storage unit 13 and displays the button for the caller (step S17).

When the caller selects the callee's communication medium from the information displayed on the WWW (step S19),
The communication system 5 requests the communication unit 11 to establish communication between the caller and the callee, and designates a communication medium between them (step S21). Then, the communication unit 11 attempts to connect to the communication medium of the called party (step S23), thereby establishing communication between the calling party and the called party (step S25).

Next, referring to the flowchart of FIG.
Although the process is almost the same as that of FIG. 6, a case where the process of determining the display information of the called party is slightly more detailed will be described.

The caller accesses the communication system 5 and clicks the information of the callee from the information displayed on the WWW browser (step S31).
The communication system 5 acquires the information of the called party from the storage unit 13 (Step S33). When the communication system 5 acquires the media type and the media ID from the storage unit 13 (steps S35 and S37), the communication system 5 determines whether the day or time is available for the media (step S39). If the available day and time are available, the callee's availability information is determined from the callee's available media (step S4).
(1, S43), the caller is returned to the sender, and the called party information is displayed on the sender's WWW (step S45).

The caller selects and clicks on the displayed called party information (step S47), and transmits the selected called party information to the communication system 5, whereupon the communication system 5
Then, the type and ID of the media are determined from the transmitted information of the called party (step S49), and the communication unit 11 is notified. The communication unit 11 connects the media of the caller and the callee (steps S51 and S53). At this time, if necessary, media conversion is performed as described with reference to FIG.

As described above, the callee uses the communication medium to be used in advance according to his / her own convenience (time, behavior, etc.)
A telephone number of a communication medium, a unique number such as a mail address, and the like are registered in the storage unit 13 of the communication system 5. Then, the caller connects to the communication unit 11 of the communication system 5 via the network 1 from the communication medium,
The information of the called party stored in the storage unit 13 is transmitted to the information notification unit 17.
Obtain from Then, the caller requests the communication system 5 via the communication medium to establish communication connection with the callee based on the information of the callee displayed on the communication medium.

When the communication system 5 receives a connection request for communication from the caller to the callee from the network 1 via the communication unit 11, the communication system 5 acquires the callee information from the storage unit 13,
Analyze the information of the called party whose connection is requested by the calling party. In this analysis, the communication system 5 refers to the callee's information (time, behavior, etc.) based on the callee's information to determine which communication line (voice communication line, data communication line) It is determined whether or not to make a connection using the number, and an optimal communication means for the called party is determined. In accordance with this determination, the communication system 5 notifies the communication control unit 15 of the communication lines and communication devices of the caller and the callee, and requests that they be connected. Then, the communication control unit 15 uses the communication unit 11 to connect the caller and the callee. When the communication between the two ends, the communication unit 11 receives the communication disconnection information from the network 1 and notifies the communication control unit 15 that the communication control unit 15 disconnects the communication.

[0032]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The called party registers in advance the information on the communication receiving method including the communication method, the type of the communication device, the telephone number, and the mail address in the storage unit of the communication system based on the convenience of the called party. To receive the information on the receiving method and communicate with the called party using the best communication method of the called party from the information, so that the called party receives the communication by the most suitable communication means according to his / her own convenience. This makes it possible to always give priority to the user's own convenience without the need for an unreasonable communication request from the caller. In addition, the caller can communicate with the callee by an optimum communication means without considering the communication device of the callee.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a system that implements a communication method with a called party according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing various media that can be used in a communication device in the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing media conversion in communication between different media in the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a procedure in which a called party registers his / her own information in the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 shows an example of registration information of a called party registered in a storage unit of the communication system in the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation which is almost the same as the operation of FIG. 6, but in a case where the process of determining the display information of the called party is slightly more detailed.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 network 3 communication device 5 communication system 11 communication unit 13 storage unit 15 communication control unit

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A telephone connected via a network,
A selective communication method for performing communication from a caller to a callee by appropriately using various media such as facsimile, Internet telephone, and e-mail, wherein information on a communication reception method optimal for the callee is transmitted to the network. Is registered in a storage unit of the communication system provided in the communication unit, upon communication with the called party, receives reception information on the called party from the storage unit via a network, and selects an optimum medium from the reception information. A selective communication method comprising performing communication with the called party. 2. A telephone connected via a network,
A selective communication system for performing communication from a caller to a callee by appropriately using various communication means such as facsimile, Internet telephone, and e-mail, provided in the network, and an optimal communication method for the callee. A storage unit in which reception information relating to a communication reception method such as a type of a communication device, a telephone number, a mail address and the like is registered in advance, and when communicating with the called party, the storage unit is connected to the called party via a network. Selecting means for receiving the received information and selecting an optimal communication means from the received information. 3. The selective communication system according to claim 2, wherein the reception information relating to the communication reception method stored in said storage unit registers a communication method optimum for a called party for each time zone. . 4. The selective communication according to claim 2, further comprising matching means for matching the communication means on the receiver side selected by said selection means with the communication means on the sender side. system.