WO1998036552A1 - Information system - Google Patents

Information system Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1998036552A1
WO1998036552A1 PCT/GB1998/000340 GB9800340W WO9836552A1 WO 1998036552 A1 WO1998036552 A1 WO 1998036552A1 GB 9800340 W GB9800340 W GB 9800340W WO 9836552 A1 WO9836552 A1 WO 9836552A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
server
information
display unit
user
over
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB1998/000340
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Robin Thomas Mannings
David Lynton Gibson
Original Assignee
British Telecommunications Public Limited Company
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by British Telecommunications Public Limited Company filed Critical British Telecommunications Public Limited Company
Priority to KR1019997007109A priority Critical patent/KR100543622B1/en
Priority to AU58752/98A priority patent/AU5875298A/en
Priority to EP98902135A priority patent/EP0960522B1/en
Priority to CA002278448A priority patent/CA2278448C/en
Priority to DE69825036T priority patent/DE69825036T2/en
Priority to US09/043,308 priority patent/US6334152B1/en
Publication of WO1998036552A1 publication Critical patent/WO1998036552A1/en

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M11/00—Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
    • H04M11/08—Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems specially adapted for optional reception of entertainment or informative matter
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/60—Network structure or processes for video distribution between server and client or between remote clients; Control signalling between clients, server and network components; Transmission of management data between server and client, e.g. sending from server to client commands for recording incoming content stream; Communication details between server and client 
    • H04N21/61—Network physical structure; Signal processing
    • H04N21/6106—Network physical structure; Signal processing specially adapted to the downstream path of the transmission network
    • H04N21/6131—Network physical structure; Signal processing specially adapted to the downstream path of the transmission network involving transmission via a mobile phone network
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L67/00—Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications
    • H04L67/01—Protocols
    • H04L67/02—Protocols based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L67/00—Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications
    • H04L67/34—Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications involving the movement of software or configuration parameters 
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L9/00—Cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communications; Network security protocols
    • H04L9/40—Network security protocols
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M11/00—Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
    • H04M11/08—Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems specially adapted for optional reception of entertainment or informative matter
    • H04M11/085—Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems specially adapted for optional reception of entertainment or informative matter using a television receiver, e.g. viewdata system
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
    • H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
    • H04M3/487—Arrangements for providing information services, e.g. recorded voice services or time announcements
    • H04M3/493—Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
    • H04M3/4938—Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
    • H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
    • H04M3/50—Centralised arrangements for answering calls; Centralised arrangements for recording messages for absent or busy subscribers ; Centralised arrangements for recording messages
    • H04M3/51—Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention, e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/45—Management operations performed by the client for facilitating the reception of or the interaction with the content or administrating data related to the end-user or to the client device itself, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies, resolving scheduling conflicts
    • H04N21/462—Content or additional data management, e.g. creating a master electronic program guide from data received from the Internet and a Head-end, controlling the complexity of a video stream by scaling the resolution or bit-rate based on the client capabilities
    • H04N21/4622—Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/47—End-user applications
    • H04N21/478—Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
    • H04N21/4782—Web browsing, e.g. WebTV
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N7/00—Television systems
    • H04N7/14—Systems for two-way working
    • H04N7/141—Systems for two-way working between two video terminals, e.g. videophone
    • H04N7/147—Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N7/00—Television systems
    • H04N7/16—Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
    • H04N7/173—Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
    • H04N7/17309—Transmission or handling of upstream communications
    • H04N7/17318—Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N7/00—Television systems
    • H04N7/16—Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
    • H04N7/173—Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
    • H04N7/17309—Transmission or handling of upstream communications
    • H04N7/17336—Handling of requests in head-ends
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
    • H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
    • H04M3/42314—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers in private branch exchanges
    • H04M3/42323—PBX's with CTI arrangements
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M7/00—Arrangements for interconnection between switching centres
    • H04M7/12—Arrangements for interconnection between switching centres for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W12/00—Security arrangements; Authentication; Protecting privacy or anonymity
    • H04W12/12—Detection or prevention of fraud

Definitions

  • This invention relates to interactive computer information display systems for displaying text or other visual information.
  • Such systems are coming into widespread use, through information access systems such as the "Internet” World Wide Web (WWW).
  • WWW World Wide Web
  • Large amounts of information are available to users having access to such systems.
  • relatively expensive hardware is required, in particular a computer and a modem, limiting the availability of the information to users who have access to such a terminal.
  • the hardware is typically bulky, and is not easily portable.
  • Mobile systems comprising a "laptop" computer and a cellular telephone, do exist, but because of the limited bandwidth available on mobile communications, these tend to be very slow.
  • Multimedia "kiosks” have been proposed for locations to which the public have access.
  • the equipment is valuable, and its accessibility to the public makes it vulnerable to theft, vandalism, and tampering.
  • the equipment is also not suitable for exposed locations, as it is not in general weatherproof.
  • facilities such as a credit card "swipe" unit and/or personal identity number (PIN) facility are also necessary.
  • PINs personal identity number
  • an interactive information delivery system comprising an information display unit, server means for transmitting text or other visual information from an information store over a delivery communications link to the information display unit, and a user interface for receiving control commands over a mobile communications link, for identifying from the control commands the information display unit to be controlled by said commands, and for transmitting the control commands to the server means to select the information to be transmitted to the display unit.
  • a user interface for an interactive information delivery system comprising means for receiving control commands over a mobile telecommunications link, and means for transmitting commands to an information server means, for controlling the server means to access text or other visual data from an information store and transmit said visual data over a delivery communications link, the delivery communications link being selected according to said control commands received over the mobile telecommunications link.
  • a method of operating an interactive information delivery system comprising the steps of: transmitting control information to a server over a mobile telecommunications link; controlling the server in response to said control information to select a delivery communications link; controlling the server to select text or other visual information for transmission over the delivery communications link in response to said control information; transmitting said information from the server over the selected delivery communications link for display on a display unit.
  • control information to select the delivery communications link allows the service to be provided to any user with a mobile telephone who is within sight of the display unit, even though there is no direct physical connection or organisational association between them.
  • the control command may be displayed on the display device when in idle mode, for inputting via the mobile telephone by the user when required.
  • the human user completes the loop between the display of the appropriate prompt on the display device and the inputting of the command on the mobile telephone, by way of his eyes, brain and fingers.
  • This arrangement has a number of advantages.
  • this approach requires only standard computer hardware to display the information. As users require no physical contact with the display unit, it can be positioned anywhere visible to potential users, without being exposed to the elements or the attentions of vandals, thieves, etc, for example a shop window
  • the server means can be arranged to transmit audio information to the user by means of the mobile communications link.
  • a narrow-bandwidth system can be used for this link, without impairing the response speed of the system, which is limited only by the bandwidth of the delivery telecommunications link.
  • the mobile communications link is preferably a dial-up connection made by the user, from the user's own cellular mobile telephone This allows user identification and payment to be provided readily through the billing system, if required. Furthermore, the need to use a cellular telephone would discourage frivolous customers. There is no need for access controls to prevent unauthorised use, other than those already provided by the mobile phone operator. In particular, if an access code (PIN) is required to identify the user, it is of no use to a "shoulder surfer" observing the user's keystrokes unless he has access to the user's telephone itself.
  • PIN access code
  • the user In order to control the display and to "browse" the information, the user would use the telephone connection. After dialling a number indicated on the display unit when in idle mode (the number being specific to the display unit to be used), the user would move from page to page by either pressing the keypad as instructed, either by information on the screen, or by simple voice commands. At key places in the display program, a command could allow the user to be connected to a further telecomunications link.
  • This may be a telephone help desk, where for example, a customer's order may be taken.
  • the help desk may have provision for itself transmitting commands to the server to display information on the display device, allowing the help desk operator to control the session and display information likely to be of interest to the other user.
  • the display unit may be associated with a video input means, the system further comprising means for transmitting video signals from the video input means to the further telecommunications line, for example to allow a videoconference to take place.
  • the system could also be used to call back the user when a session is initiated, thereby transferring the cost of provision to the information provider.
  • the display unit could be a PC and browser, controlled remotely by the user through the first and second communications links, either by voice commands or keystrokes. Costs could be further reduced by replacing the display unit by a Network Computer.
  • the invention can be used with either analogue or digital telephone systems (which term embraces Internet Protocol systems as well as conventional switched systems) as the mobile communications link, and with public switched telephone network (PSTN), Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), Private Circuit or Local Area Network (LAN) connections as the delivery communications link (which will generally be fixed).
  • PSTN public switched telephone network
  • ISDN Integrated Services Digital Network
  • LAN Local Area Network
  • the relative physical locations of the display unit, user interface unit and server can also be varied.
  • Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating the interrelationships between the various functional elements which co-operate to form one embodiment of the invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an alternative configuration.
  • the systems of both Figures 1 and 2 comprise two network based subsystems; firstly a computer telephony integration (CTI) unit 1 which acts as a user interface, and secondly a WWW (World-wide web) Internet server 2.
  • CTI computer telephony integration
  • WWW World-wide web
  • the interface unit 1 controls the WWW server 2.
  • the server 2 is connected by a fixed link, e.g. PSTN, ISDN, LAN, etc, to a display unit 3, typically a standard PC and modem with standard WWW browser client software, and having a visual display unit (VDU) 4.
  • this link is direct, whilst in Figure 2 it is made by way of the user interface.
  • the visual display unit 4 is located in a position where it can be seen by users, but protected from weather, vandals, theft, etc, for example behind a window 5. Users do not need physical access to the display unit 3 or the VDU 4, as control of the display is carried out remotely, as will be described later.
  • a user having a mobile cellular telephone 6 can access information for display on the VDU 4 by dialling a telephone number specific to the display unit 3 and displayed on the VDU 4 when in idle mode. This enables connection to be made from the telephone 6, through a telephone network 7, to the interface unit 1 , and thus to the server 2.
  • the interface unit converts voice or keypad commands transmitted to it from the telephone 6 into instructions to the server to transmit the required data to the display unit 3.
  • the function of a mobile telephone can be subsumed into a personal mobility terminal, making use of internet protocols. Mobile control access could then be made using a Mobile IP (internet protocol) session.
  • the interface unit 1 is also capable of connection to a call centre 8 to allow a voice link to be made between the telephone 6 and the call centre 8, for example for use as a help line, or in order to place a purchase order, to allow the user to be presented, by the call centre operator, with pages of interest etc.
  • both the display unit 3 and call centre 8 may be provided with video cameras, for generating images to be transmitted to each other by way of the interface unit 1 .
  • video cameras for generating images to be transmitted to each other by way of the interface unit 1 .
  • the interface unit 1 answers telephone calls made to the number displayed on the VDU 4 when the client PC is in idle mode.
  • the interface unit 1 interprets the key pad presses and/or voice commands, and in response to these it identifies the display unit 3,4 to be controlled and commands the appropriate server 2 to initialise a session, and then to move from page to page.
  • the interface unit 1 can also pass an audio feed from the server 2 to the user's telephone 6, which may include speech prompts to support visual prompts displayed on the VDU 4. In response to appropriate commands from the telephone 6, it can also divert the call to a predefined call centre. At the end of the session, the interface unit 1 clears the call and commands the WWW server to reset to idle. It also logs any charges incurred for use of the system, for billing either to the user's telephone account, or to a separate account previously identified during the initialisation process. In a variant of this embodiment, the interface unit 1 also stores customer information, e.g. account details and telephone numbers.
  • the interface unit On answering a call, the interface unit checks the customer's identity, using calling line identity (CLI) signals generated by the telephone network on call set-up, and if the customer is identified as having an account, the interface unit 1 immediately clears the call and dials back to the user's telephone 6, using the calling line identity. This reduces call charges to the user.
  • CLI calling line identity
  • the Internet WWW server 2 has associated CGI (Common Gateway Interface) scripts and control programs.
  • the CGI script generates user-specific interactive content, such as page counters and password systems, if required.
  • the CGI script and control programs largely follow normal WWW Internet practice except that the output from the server is to be transmitted to a destination (display unit 3) other than that from which the instructions arrive (the interface 2).
  • Future realisations could include a distributed approach using "Object Broker” technology, in which the application makes use of a distributed architecture.
  • the application scripts provide a static page, or a set of "rolling" pages, specific to the display unit 3 when idle using "Server Push” technique.
  • the server 2 On command from the interface unit 1 the server 2 handles the communications session to the display unit 3 and transmits the required pages to the display unit 3 as determined by an application script program. It also transmits any audio signals to the interface unit 1 .
  • the server 2 may be arranged to transmit the same data, including both audio and visual, to both the interface unit 1 and the display unit 3, the interface unit being arranged to select the audio signal for onward transmission to the user's telephone 6 also.
  • the display unit 3 receives the audio channel as well as the visual information, but because of its position behind a window 5 this may not be audible to the user. Indeed, the display unit 3 need not be fitted with an audio output.
  • the server 2 transmits the visual information (as well as any audio signal) to the interface unit 1 , which itself transmits the visual information to the display unit 3. This removes the need to modify the server 2 to transmit information to a destination other than that from which its control instructions come.
  • This arrangement is functionally equivalent to the arrangement of Figure 1 , the interface 1 merely relaying the visual information from the server 2 to the display unit 3. The server 2 reverts to the idle state when commanded by the interface unit 1 .
  • HTML commands for controlling the display may be transmitted from the call centre 8 to the interface unit 1 .
  • the display unit 3 may be associated with a video camera 10, for tranmittmg video images to the interface unit 1 (either using an
  • Video images may also be transmitted in the reverse direction, from a camera 1 1 , for display on the display device, thereby allowing a video conference to take place. It will be apparent that both these optional features may be used, singly or in combination, in either embodiment.
  • the display unit 3 which is a conventional PC and modem, when in idle mode displays a page or pages in the idle state, including a telephone number to dial in order to access information. This number will be specific to the display unit, allowing the interface unit 1 to identify which display unit the user wishes to use. Alternatively, information about the location of the user may be extracted from the cellular radio system, or by using calling line identity if the call is from a fixed telephone, in order to identify the whereabouts of the user and therefore which display unit he is viewing.
  • the display unit 3 receives new pages transmitted from the WWW server
  • Each display system 3/4 that is deployed would have a unique application script (set of instructions) in the server 2, which associates an HTML page with the key/voice commands required to go to other pages or to the call centre 8.
  • the telephone numbers by which to contact the interface unit 1 (which is specific to the display unit 3) and the call centre 8 would also appear in the script.

Abstract

An interactive information delivery system server (2), delivering text or other visual data to a display unit (3) is accessed by a user by means of his own telephone (6), through an interface unit (1). The interface unit (1) interprets key pad presses and/or voice commands, and in response to these it controls the server (2). This allows the expensive and vulnerably hardware 3/4 (which may be a conventional PC and modem) to be positioned in a secure location, but still be usable by members of the public. As the location of the display unit (3) (which may be a conventional PC and modem) may make audio output impractical, the interface unit (1) may pass an audio channel from the server (2) to the user's telephone (6). In response to appropriate commands from the telephone (6), it can also divert the call to a predefined call centre. The server (2) application scripts and control programs largely follow normal WWW Internet practice, except that the output from the server is to be transmitted to a destination (display unit 3) other than that from which the instructions arrive (the interface 2). The display unit (3), when in idle mode, displays a page or pages in the idle state, including a telephone number to dial in order to access information. This number will be specific to the display unit, allowing the interface unit (1) to identify which display unit the user wishes to use.

Description

INFORMATION SYSTEM
This invention relates to interactive computer information display systems for displaying text or other visual information. Such systems are coming into widespread use, through information access systems such as the "Internet" World Wide Web (WWW). Large amounts of information are available to users having access to such systems. However, in order to gain access to such systems relatively expensive hardware is required, in particular a computer and a modem, limiting the availability of the information to users who have access to such a terminal. Furthermore, the hardware is typically bulky, and is not easily portable. Mobile systems, comprising a "laptop" computer and a cellular telephone, do exist, but because of the limited bandwidth available on mobile communications, these tend to be very slow.
United States patents 52361 99 (Thompson) and 4789895 (Mustafa) describe systems in which narrowband telephone links are used to control images presented via a broadband system (e.g. a cable television downlink), but in both cases the telephone lines are fixed, and dedicated to a specific display unit. These systems therefore require the user to have the use of such a device. Because the links are necessarily fixed it is not possible to use such an arrangement for a mobile user.
Multimedia "kiosks" have been proposed for locations to which the public have access. However, the equipment is valuable, and its accessibility to the public makes it vulnerable to theft, vandalism, and tampering. The equipment is also not suitable for exposed locations, as it is not in general weatherproof. In order to identify the user, and allow payment to be made for the service, facilities such as a credit card "swipe" unit and/or personal identity number (PIN) facility are also necessary. The use of PINs is vulnerable to people reading a genuine user's keystrokes as he enters his PIN, in order to subsequently use the PIN himself.
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an interactive information delivery system comprising an information display unit, server means for transmitting text or other visual information from an information store over a delivery communications link to the information display unit, and a user interface for receiving control commands over a mobile communications link, for identifying from the control commands the information display unit to be controlled by said commands, and for transmitting the control commands to the server means to select the information to be transmitted to the display unit.
According to a second aspect, there is provided a user interface for an interactive information delivery system comprising means for receiving control commands over a mobile telecommunications link, and means for transmitting commands to an information server means, for controlling the server means to access text or other visual data from an information store and transmit said visual data over a delivery communications link, the delivery communications link being selected according to said control commands received over the mobile telecommunications link.
According to a third aspect, there is provided a method of operating an interactive information delivery system comprising the steps of: transmitting control information to a server over a mobile telecommunications link; controlling the server in response to said control information to select a delivery communications link; controlling the server to select text or other visual information for transmission over the delivery communications link in response to said control information; transmitting said information from the server over the selected delivery communications link for display on a display unit.
The inputting and use of control information to select the delivery communications link allows the service to be provided to any user with a mobile telephone who is within sight of the display unit, even though there is no direct physical connection or organisational association between them. The control command may be displayed on the display device when in idle mode, for inputting via the mobile telephone by the user when required. The human user completes the loop between the display of the appropriate prompt on the display device and the inputting of the command on the mobile telephone, by way of his eyes, brain and fingers.
This arrangement has a number of advantages. In particular, this approach requires only standard computer hardware to display the information. As users require no physical contact with the display unit, it can be positioned anywhere visible to potential users, without being exposed to the elements or the attentions of vandals, thieves, etc, for example a shop window
In such a position it may be difficult to deliver an audio channel, as is required by many multimedia services. To overcome this, the server means can be arranged to transmit audio information to the user by means of the mobile communications link.
Because only command information, and possibly an audio return channel, are transmitted over the mobile communications link, a narrow-bandwidth system can be used for this link, without impairing the response speed of the system, which is limited only by the bandwidth of the delivery telecommunications link.
The mobile communications link is preferably a dial-up connection made by the user, from the user's own cellular mobile telephone This allows user identification and payment to be provided readily through the billing system, if required. Furthermore, the need to use a cellular telephone would discourage frivolous customers. There is no need for access controls to prevent unauthorised use, other than those already provided by the mobile phone operator. In particular, if an access code (PIN) is required to identify the user, it is of no use to a "shoulder surfer" observing the user's keystrokes unless he has access to the user's telephone itself.
In order to control the display and to "browse" the information, the user would use the telephone connection. After dialling a number indicated on the display unit when in idle mode (the number being specific to the display unit to be used), the user would move from page to page by either pressing the keypad as instructed, either by information on the screen, or by simple voice commands. At key places in the display program, a command could allow the user to be connected to a further telecomunications link. This may be a telephone help desk, where for example, a customer's order may be taken. The help desk may have provision for itself transmitting commands to the server to display information on the display device, allowing the help desk operator to control the session and display information likely to be of interest to the other user.
The display unit may be associated with a video input means, the system further comprising means for transmitting video signals from the video input means to the further telecommunications line, for example to allow a videoconference to take place.
To reduce the user's call charges, the system could also be used to call back the user when a session is initiated, thereby transferring the cost of provision to the information provider..
The display unit could be a PC and browser, controlled remotely by the user through the first and second communications links, either by voice commands or keystrokes. Costs could be further reduced by replacing the display unit by a Network Computer. The invention can be used with either analogue or digital telephone systems (which term embraces Internet Protocol systems as well as conventional switched systems) as the mobile communications link, and with public switched telephone network (PSTN), Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), Private Circuit or Local Area Network (LAN) connections as the delivery communications link (which will generally be fixed). Likewise, the relative physical locations of the display unit, user interface unit and server can also be varied.
The invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating the interrelationships between the various functional elements which co-operate to form one embodiment of the invention.
Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating an alternative configuration. The systems of both Figures 1 and 2 comprise two network based subsystems; firstly a computer telephony integration (CTI) unit 1 which acts as a user interface, and secondly a WWW (World-wide web) Internet server 2. The interface unit 1 controls the WWW server 2. The server 2 is connected by a fixed link, e.g. PSTN, ISDN, LAN, etc, to a display unit 3, typically a standard PC and modem with standard WWW browser client software, and having a visual display unit (VDU) 4. In the arrangement shown in Figure 1 , this link is direct, whilst in Figure 2 it is made by way of the user interface. The visual display unit 4 is located in a position where it can be seen by users, but protected from weather, vandals, theft, etc, for example behind a window 5. Users do not need physical access to the display unit 3 or the VDU 4, as control of the display is carried out remotely, as will be described later.
A user having a mobile cellular telephone 6 can access information for display on the VDU 4 by dialling a telephone number specific to the display unit 3 and displayed on the VDU 4 when in idle mode. This enables connection to be made from the telephone 6, through a telephone network 7, to the interface unit 1 , and thus to the server 2. The interface unit converts voice or keypad commands transmitted to it from the telephone 6 into instructions to the server to transmit the required data to the display unit 3. The function of a mobile telephone can be subsumed into a personal mobility terminal, making use of internet protocols. Mobile control access could then be made using a Mobile IP (internet protocol) session.
The interface unit 1 is also capable of connection to a call centre 8 to allow a voice link to be made between the telephone 6 and the call centre 8, for example for use as a help line, or in order to place a purchase order, to allow the user to be presented, by the call centre operator, with pages of interest etc.
As shown in Figure 2, both the display unit 3 and call centre 8 may be provided with video cameras, for generating images to be transmitted to each other by way of the interface unit 1 . The operation of the system will now be described.
The interface unit 1 answers telephone calls made to the number displayed on the VDU 4 when the client PC is in idle mode. The interface unit 1 then interprets the key pad presses and/or voice commands, and in response to these it identifies the display unit 3,4 to be controlled and commands the appropriate server 2 to initialise a session, and then to move from page to page.
The interface unit 1 can also pass an audio feed from the server 2 to the user's telephone 6, which may include speech prompts to support visual prompts displayed on the VDU 4. In response to appropriate commands from the telephone 6, it can also divert the call to a predefined call centre. At the end of the session, the interface unit 1 clears the call and commands the WWW server to reset to idle. It also logs any charges incurred for use of the system, for billing either to the user's telephone account, or to a separate account previously identified during the initialisation process. In a variant of this embodiment, the interface unit 1 also stores customer information, e.g. account details and telephone numbers. On answering a call, the interface unit checks the customer's identity, using calling line identity (CLI) signals generated by the telephone network on call set-up, and if the customer is identified as having an account, the interface unit 1 immediately clears the call and dials back to the user's telephone 6, using the calling line identity. This reduces call charges to the user.
The Internet WWW server 2 has associated CGI (Common Gateway Interface) scripts and control programs. The CGI script generates user-specific interactive content, such as page counters and password systems, if required. The CGI script and control programs largely follow normal WWW Internet practice except that the output from the server is to be transmitted to a destination (display unit 3) other than that from which the instructions arrive (the interface 2).
Future realisations could include a distributed approach using "Object Broker" technology, in which the application makes use of a distributed architecture. The application scripts provide a static page, or a set of "rolling" pages, specific to the display unit 3 when idle using "Server Push" technique. On command from the interface unit 1 the server 2 handles the communications session to the display unit 3 and transmits the required pages to the display unit 3 as determined by an application script program. It also transmits any audio signals to the interface unit 1 . In one form, the server 2 may be arranged to transmit the same data, including both audio and visual, to both the interface unit 1 and the display unit 3, the interface unit being arranged to select the audio signal for onward transmission to the user's telephone 6 also. In this arrangement the display unit 3 receives the audio channel as well as the visual information, but because of its position behind a window 5 this may not be audible to the user. Indeed, the display unit 3 need not be fitted with an audio output.
In another arrangement, shown in Figure 2, the server 2 transmits the visual information (as well as any audio signal) to the interface unit 1 , which itself transmits the visual information to the display unit 3. This removes the need to modify the server 2 to transmit information to a destination other than that from which its control instructions come. This arrangement is functionally equivalent to the arrangement of Figure 1 , the interface 1 merely relaying the visual information from the server 2 to the display unit 3. The server 2 reverts to the idle state when commanded by the interface unit 1 .
A basic realisation of the server 2 would use individually composed HTML pages in the server, with the prompts inserted during manual creation. In an enhanced system an extra sub-system 9 would interpret standard WWW pages and automatically produce the necessary screen prompts to guide the user through the data system. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 1 , HTML commands for controlling the display may be transmitted from the call centre 8 to the interface unit 1 . As shown in Figure 2, the display unit 3 may be associated with a video camera 10, for tranmittmg video images to the interface unit 1 (either using an
Internet Protocol application or as an ISDN application), and hence to the call centre 8 or to another user. Video images may also be transmitted in the reverse direction, from a camera 1 1 , for display on the display device, thereby allowing a video conference to take place. It will be apparent that both these optional features may be used, singly or in combination, in either embodiment.
The display unit 3, which is a conventional PC and modem, when in idle mode displays a page or pages in the idle state, including a telephone number to dial in order to access information. This number will be specific to the display unit, allowing the interface unit 1 to identify which display unit the user wishes to use. Alternatively, information about the location of the user may be extracted from the cellular radio system, or by using calling line identity if the call is from a fixed telephone, in order to identify the whereabouts of the user and therefore which display unit he is viewing. The display unit 3 receives new pages transmitted from the WWW server
2, and is also capable of rebooting into the WWW browser application and reestablishing communications to the server 2 if a problem occurs (e.g. power failure)
Each display system 3/4 that is deployed would have a unique application script (set of instructions) in the server 2, which associates an HTML page with the key/voice commands required to go to other pages or to the call centre 8. The telephone numbers by which to contact the interface unit 1 (which is specific to the display unit 3) and the call centre 8 would also appear in the script.

Claims

1 . An interactive information delivery system comprising an information display unit, server means for transmitting text or other visual information from an information store over a delivery communications link to the information display unit, and a user interface having means for receiving control commands over a mobile communications link, means for identifying from the control commands the information display unit to be controlled by said commands, and means for transmitting the control commands to the server means to select the information to be transmitted to the display unit.
2. An interactive information delivery system according to claim 1 , wherein the server means is arranged to transmit audio information to a user by means of the mobile communications link.
3. An interactive information delivery system according to claim 2, wherein the user interface includes means for setting up a telephone connection between the user interface and a further telecommunications line.
4. An interactive information delivery system according to claim 3, wherein the further telecommunications line is arranged to transmit commands to the information server.
5. An interactive information delivery system according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the display unit is associated with a video input means, the system further comprising means for transmitting video signals from the video input means to the further telecommunications line.
6. A user interface for an interactive information delivery system comprising means for receiving control commands over a mobile telecommunications link, and means for transmitting commands to an information server means, for controlling the server means to access text or other visual data from an information store and transmit said visual data over a delivery communications link, the delivery communications link being selected according to said control commands received over the mobile telecommunications link.
7. A user interface according to claim 6, having means for receiving audio data from a server means, and means for transmitting said audio data over the mobile telecommunications link.
8. A user interface according to claim 5, 6, or 7, further comprising means for setting up a connection between the user interface and a further telecommunications line.
9. A user interface according to claim 8, having means for receiving visual data from the information server means over the delivery telecommunications link and transmitting said visual data over the further telecommunications line.
10. A user interface according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the further telecommunications line is connected to means for transmitting commands to the information server.
1 1 . A method of operating an interactive information delivery system comprising the steps of: transmitting control information to a server over a mobile telecommunications link; controlling the server in response to said control information to select a delivery communications link; controlling the server to select text or other visual information for transmission over the delivery communications link in response to said control information; transmitting said information from the server over the selected delivery communications link for display on a display unit.
1 2. A method according to claim 1 1 , wherein audio information is transmitted from the server to a user by means of the mobile communications link.
1 3. A method according to claim 1 1 or 1 2, further comprising the step of controlling the server to set up a connection between the user and a further telecommunications line.
14. A method according to claim 1 3, wherein visual data is transmitted from the information server means over the delivery telecommunications link to the further telecommunications line.
1 5. A method according to claim 1 3 or 14, wherein the further telecommunications line is connected to means for transmitting commands to the information server.
1 6. An interactive information delivery system substantially as described with reference to the drawings.
1 7. A method of operating an interactive information delivery system substantially as described with reference to the drawings
PCT/GB1998/000340 1997-02-13 1998-02-04 Information system WO1998036552A1 (en)

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KR1019997007109A KR100543622B1 (en) 1997-02-13 1998-02-04 Information system
AU58752/98A AU5875298A (en) 1997-02-13 1998-02-04 Information system
EP98902135A EP0960522B1 (en) 1997-02-13 1998-02-04 Interactive information system with display unit, corresponding method and user interface
CA002278448A CA2278448C (en) 1997-02-13 1998-02-04 Information system
DE69825036T DE69825036T2 (en) 1997-02-13 1998-02-04 Interactive information delivery system with display unit, corresponding procedure and user interface
US09/043,308 US6334152B1 (en) 1997-02-13 1998-02-05 Information system

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EP97300929.3 1997-02-13

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EP0960522A1 (en) 1999-12-01
US6334152B1 (en) 2001-12-25
KR100543622B1 (en) 2006-01-20
CA2278448C (en) 2008-09-09
KR20000070844A (en) 2000-11-25
CN1124017C (en) 2003-10-08
DE69825036D1 (en) 2004-08-19
CA2278448A1 (en) 1998-08-20
US20010049736A1 (en) 2001-12-06
AU5875298A (en) 1998-09-08
CN1247665A (en) 2000-03-15
EP0960522B1 (en) 2004-07-14

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