METHOD FOR PLACING TELEPHONE, VIDEO OR INTERNET CALLS, THROUGH AUTOMATIC NUMBER SEEK FROM SELECTIONS IN ELECTRONIC PAGES.

TECHNICAL SECTOR

The invention relates to the field of the automation of the operations to be completed to place telephone, video and/or Internet calls, using electronic computers or similar devices connected to PABX and/or IP-PBX exchange or switchboard apparatuses, or built into the same. . STATE OF TEE ART

Reference is made below to the general layout illustrated in Figure 2. The meaning of abbreviations and specific technical terms in Italian or English, used hereinbelow, is illustrated in the specific chapters entitled ACRONYMS and GLOSSARY that follow the descriptive portion of this patent application. At present, in order to place a telephone call from a common telephone (13) directly linked to the PSTN fixed telecommunications network (7) or from telephones (14, 15) linked to a PBX (19), the dial tone must be detected, then the numeric or alphanumeric sequence of the called party must be dialled, or, if the apparatus allows for this, recalled from memory, and lastly, the device must wait for telephone signal confirming that the call has been placed.

The latest generation of PABX (5) and/or IP-PBX apparatuses, that are more advanced than the previous PBX apparatuses, allow for calls to be placed either from telephone devices, (2, 3) connected to the LAN (4) or electronic computers (1), also connected to the LAN (4) and the PABX (5) using an interface (6) or IP- PBX (8).

Generally, to place a telephone, video or Internet call using these telephones (2, 3)or electronic computers (1), the numeric or alphanumeric sequence pertaining to the called party, must first be manually input or recalled from memory, before being sent, using the "call start" command, to the PABX (5) and/or IP-PBX (8) apparatuses that then detect the dial tone, and undertake all the subsequent operations required to place one or more calls.

It must be pointed out, therefore, that the procedure for placing a call using any fixed telephone, mobile handset or telecommunications, video telephony or Internet telephony apparatus, is always the same, since, in all cases, a choice must necessarily be made between just two options: manual input or recall from memory, either before or after the dial tone has been detected.

In the case of VoIP calls via LANs or the Internet, although the number called may be made up of an e-mail address or a mix between telephone numbers and internet domains, the procedure for placing calls, as described above, remains the same, save for the fact that no dial tone needs to be detected, if the VoIP call does not pass through the Telephony networks of Telecommunications Operators (7, 17).

Even when directly placing VoIP calls over the Internet "with just one click of the mouse", using popular programmes such as Skype, the numeric or alphanumeric sequence pertaining to the called party's address must either ALREADY BE PRESENT in the relevant DATABASES or BE MANUALLY INPUT at the time of placing the call. By way of mere example, should said sequence be found only in a list contained in a page in MSWord format stored in the memory of the same electronic computer (1), but not in the Skype database, the call CANNOT be placed directly from the MSWord page. In light of the above, it is obvious that to place one or more, even simultaneous telephone, video and/or Internet calls using an electronic computer (1) connected to PABX (5) or IP-PBS (8) apparatuses, the sequence of numbers or alphanumeric codes must be either manually input or stored in a specific list accessible to said electronic computer (1) or equivalent device that may also be built into the PABX (5) or IP-PBX (8) switchboard. In order to access the lists of said sequences of numbers or alphanumeric codes stored in the memory of said electronic computer (1), software programmes for placing telephone, video or Internet calls, search specific DATABASES. These DATABASES are generally closely associated with the software used to place telephone, video and/or Internet calls. In common practice, said DATABASES are compiled through manual input and/or data transfers from other databases. It is a well-known fact that transferring data

from one DATABASE to another, requires the intervention of highly specialised technicians, since such operations are very delicate and difficult. A further problem may arise when it becomes necessary to interface the DATABASES of widely used software programmes (such as MS Outlook) so as to render the same accessible to the software programmes used by one or more electronic computers (1) for placing telephone, video and/or Internet calls. In many cases, it is NOT possible to set up such an interface, for the simple reason that there is, at present, no interface software that allows for interfacing between various programmes and databases. Another frequent problem involves the stability over time of the proper functioning of said interface, in the case where one of the two interfaced programmes, or the operating system of the electronic computer (1), is subjected to a software upgrade. It is common knowledge that manufacturers of software and hardware for telecommunications applications, constantly strive to interface (and maintain said interface in working order) with the DATABASES of widely used software programmes (such as Outlook, Lotus Notes, L-Dap, etc.) produced by a variety of software houses, and already in use, to date, within nearly all business enterprises throughout the world. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The aforementioned difficulties led to a new approach aimed at resolving the problems identified above, and main subject of the invention is to propose an innovative method for placing telephone, video and even Internet calls, directly and automatically from any page displayed on the monitor of the electronic computer (1), such as, by way of mere example: word processor pages, spread sheets, Internet HTML pages, as well as graphic presentations, documents in PDF format, etc.

The scope of application of the invention embraces all telephony in which electronic computers (1) or equivalent devices, including those built into switchboard apparatuses or PABX (5) and/or IP-PBX (8) devices, installed with appropriate software, are used to place one or more telephone, video and/or Internet calls through PABX (5) and/or IP-PBX (8) devices, said computers (1) are installed with

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an Operating System as well as widely used word processing, spread sheet, and other software programmes (such as MSOFFICE, SUN STAR OFFICE, ADOBE READER, etc.) and are, furthermore, connected to a LAN (4) or the Internet network (9). As already noted, at present, telephone calls may be placed through an electronic computer (1) using one of the two procedures described above: manual input or input by recall from memory. The invention is characterized by the use of an innovative Method as per the attached claims, that allows for the use of a third procedure, described below, under which the INPUT and/or START of the call may be effected directly and automatically from digital pages displayed on the monitor of the electronic computer (1), without the need for manual input or any recall of previously stored sequences, from memory units.

The use of the Method of the invention, even only in manual mode (dialling through highlighting), provides for significant advantages, since any telephone, video phone or Internet telephone number contained in any document (such as WORD, PDF, INTERNET, etc.) displayed on the monitor of the electronic computer (1), may be dialled, thanks to the special ALGORITHM of the Method, so as to immediately place a telephone, video and/or Internet call, either automatically or following a specific command. This innovative Method, therefore, can be used to place one or more calls, WITHOUT ANY NEED TO MANUALLY INPUT OR RECALL FROM PREVIOUSLY COMPILED DATABASES stored in the memory of the electronic computer (1) or other memory device, the numeric or alphanumeric sequences of one or more telephone numbers. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a better understanding of the features and advantages of the invention and the substantive difference between the same and systems currently in use, reference is made to an embodiment, that is not intended in any way as limiting the invention, with the help of the accompanying drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 shows a logical flowchart of the Method of the invention; - Figure 2 shows a block diagram of a private telephone system connected to public networks;

- Figure 3 shows an example of placing a call by highlighting, in a page in MSWord format, the sequence of a single telephone number;

- Figure 4 shows an example of placing a call by highlighting, in a page in MSWord format, the sequence of a single telephone number, with spurious characters to its right and left;

- Figure 5 shows an example of placing a call by highlighting, in a page in MSWord format, the sequence of a single telephone number, encapsulating spurious characters within itself;

- Figure 6 shows an example of placing a call by highlighting, in a page in MSWord format, the sequence of a single telephone number, with spurious characters not only to its right and left, but also within the sequence itself;

- Figure 7 shows an example of placing a call by highlighting, in several portions of a page in MSWord format, several sequences of telephone numbers, with spurious characters not only to their right and left, but also within the sequences themselves;

- Figure 8 shows the automatic placement of a call, using a pre-programmed procedure, upon the opening of a page in MSWord format, featuring automatic dialling and display of the "CATCH CALL" window showing the status of the call; - Figure 9 shows an example of placing a call by highlighting, in a part of a page in MSWord format, the sequence of the telephone number, featuring dialling through a command button in the "CATCH CALL" window;

- Figure 10 shows an example of placing a call by highlighting, in a part of a page in MSWord format, more than one sequence of telephone numbers, featuring dialling through a command button in the "CATCH CALL" window.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to Figure 2, the private telephony systems uses both conventional

POTS telephones (16) linked to the PABX (5) and conventional POTS telephones (3) linked to the LAN (4) through an adaptor, as well as IP telephones or video phones (2) linked directly to the LAN (4) or connected to the IP-PBX (8).

The electronic computer (1) places the call thanks to its connection to or integration within PABX (5) or IP-PBX (8) exchange or switchboard apparatuses linked to the fixed PSTN (7) or mobile (17) telecommunications or Internet (9) networks that provide the connection with conventional POTS (13, 14, 15), cell (20) or IP (11, 12) telephone terminals.

The components of the figures are defined as follows:

1- Electronic computer: personal computer or similar device connected via a

LAN (4) to exchange apparatuses or PABX (5) and/or IP-PBX (8), or integrated within the latter, installed with an operating system and applications software for the management of word processing, spread sheets, graphic presentations, Internet access, HTML pages and PDF files.

2 - IP Telephone or Video phone: communications terminal for the management of voice and/or video telephony connected directly to the LAN (4). The IP telephone terminal also includes a conventional POTS telephone connected to the LAN (4) through a specific adaptor.

3 - Analogue POTS telephone: connected to the LAN (4) through a specific adaptor.

4 - Local Area Network (LAN)

5 - PABX: (Private Automatic Branch eXchange) telephone switchboard using analogue and digital technology, equipped with automatic functions for the management of extensions towards conventional POTS telephones (16) and connected, through interfaces (6), to the LAN (4) as well as to the fixed PSTN

(7), and the GSM, UMTS, SATELLITE and similar telecommunications networks (17). 6 - Connection interface: connection interface between the LAN (4) and the

PABX (5) allowing for interaction between the electronic computer (1) and the

IP (2, 3) and POTS (16) telephone terminals. 7 - PSTN: Public Switched Telephone Network: public telephone network for voice telephony. 8 - EP-PBX: Recently designed PABX switchboard equipped with functions for managing data compatible with the IP protocol and therefore suited for direct

connection to the LAN (4) as well as the Internet (9) and the PSTN (7) and the GSM, UMTS, etc. (17) telecommunications networks.

9 - Internet: the Internet network.

10 - Server: electronic processor linked to the Internet (9) containing the updates of the roots of the number groupings used by Telecommunications Operators, and to which the electronic computer (1) linked to the LAN (4), connects automatically via the Internet (9).

11 - IP telephone: BP telephone linked to the Internet (9) and accessible by other D? telephones (2 and 3) through an IP-PBX (8) device, via the Internet. 12 - IP telephone: D? telephone linked to the Internet (9) and accessible to other D? telephones (2 and 3) through an IP-PBX (8) device, via the Internet. 13 - POTS telephone: stand-alone telephone linked directly to the PSTN network and accessible to D? (2, 3) and other POTS (16) telephones through IP-PBX (8) or PABX (5) via the PSTN network. 14 - POTS telephone: telephone linked via PBX (19) to the PSTN network and accessible to D? (2, 3) and other POTS (16) telephones through IP-PBX (8) or

PABX (5) via the PSTN network.

15 - POTS telephone: telephone linked via PBX (19) to the PSTN network and accessible to D? (2, 3) and other POTS (16) telephones through IP-PBX (8) or PABX (5) via the PSTN network.

16 - POTS telephone: telephone linked via PABX (5) to the PSTN network and accessible to D? (2, 3) telephones through the PABX (5) apparatus linked to the LAN (4) via interfaces (6); this telephone is also accessible to other POTS (13, 14 and 15) telephones via PSTN as well as D? (11 and 12) telephones via the Internet (9), EP-PBX (8) and the LAN (4).

17 - Mobile Telephone Network: wireless telecommunications network, GSM,

UMTS, etc.

18 - Router and Firewall: apparatus for the connection and sorting of data packets amongst computer networks and devices and the related anti-intrusion protection software.

19 - PBX: (Private Branch eXchange) telephone switchboard that uses mainly analogue technology for the management of extensions connected to conventional POTS (14, 15) telephones and the fixed PSTN (7) telecommunications networks. 20 - Mobile phone: terminal for connection to the GSM, UMTS (17) etc. Mobile Telephone Networks, and via PABX and IP-PBX to IP telephones (2, 3), conventional POTS (16, 13, 14, 15) and the IP telephones (11) and (12). 21- Example of highlighting a single sequence, made possible by the Method of the invention. 22- 24- 26- 28- 29- 30- 31- Further examples of highlighting pages or parts of pages, made possible by the Method of the invention. 23- 25- 27- Examples of (CATCH CALL) control windows for the placing of one or more calls, either automatically or at the user's command.

The Method of the invention makes use of a special ALGORITHM, as indicated in figure 1, activated by the electronic computer (1) connected to or built into a PABX

(5) and/or IP-PBX (8) apparatus, and installed with specific telecommunications software programmes, including those covered by patent no. 1316585 of 15

December 2000 and patent applications nos. PCT/EPO/11739 of 16 October 2002 and PCI/IB2004/000769 of 16 March 2004, as well as general applications software, such as, by way of example and without limitation, MS OFFICE, SUN STAR

OFFICE, ADOBE READER, or others of similar nature .

Thanks to said special ALGORITHM, the Method allows for placing, even simultaneously, one or more telephone, video or Internet calls, by opening any digital page, or merely by highlighting (21) the characters contained in a sequence of numbers of alphanumeric codes compatible with the number groupings used by Telecommunications Operators providing fixed and/or mobile and/or satellite and/or Internet telephony services.

In practice, this special ALGORITHM allows for the automatic placement (23) of one or more telephone, video and/or Internet calls upon the display (22) on the monitor of the electronic computer (1), of any word processor document, spread sheet, graphic presentation, Internet HTML page, PDF file, etc. One or more

telephone calls may also be placed manually (25, 27) by highlighting the entire page or a part or parts thereof (24, 26) displayed on the monitor of the electronic computer (1), either individually (25) or all together (27), including simultaneously or sequentially, as per the user's settings. The Method of the invention may therefore be applied to any and all general purpose software programmes that allow for the automatic selection or highlighting of entire pages or parts thereof, graphically displayed on the monitors of the electronic computers (1), including, by way of mere example and without limitation, documents in WORD, EXCEL, OUTLOOK, PDF, LOTUS NOTES format, as well as any and all HTML web pages.

Therefore, even when operating only in the mode requiring the user's command, thanks to the Method based on the said special ALGORITHM and the mere SELECTION by HIGHLIGHTING of an entire page or part or parts thereof containing one or more numeric or alphanumeric sequences compatible with the number groupings used by Telecommunications Operators, telephone, video and/or Internet calls may be placed either instantly or at a later time, without any need for the aforementioned INTERFACING with the DATABASES of software programmes that are different from those used by the electronic computer or computers (1) for placing calls. In future, telephone numbers may be written on pages in common word processor, spread sheet, HTML, PDF, etc. formats, giving rise to considerable savings in terms of time, and eliminating the aforementioned problems of interfacing DATABASES, since said common format pages themselves would become the DATABASES for placing telephone, video and Internet calls. In order to further render the functioning of said Method even more efficient and secure, it was necessary to cause the ALGORITHM to access a LIST stored in the memory of the electronic computer (1), containing the roots (or portions) of all the number groupings belonging to sets of number groupings authorised by the relevant Telecommunications Regulators and used by Telecommunications Operators providing fixed and/or mobile and/or Internet telephony services. These roots are constantly updated by the server (10) linked to the Internet, whenever the said

Telecommunications Operators use new sets of number groupings. The ALGORITHM is structured to periodically and automatically connect the electronic computer (1) to the server (10) via the Internet, so as to download the new roots of the new sets of number groupings used by Telecommunications Operators and contained in the server (10), to the said LIST stored in the memory of the electronic computer (1) or similar devices connected to or built into the PABX (5) and/or the EP-PBX (8) apparatuses.

By comparing the roots included in the LIST stored in the memory of the electronic computer (1), the said special ALGORITHM recognises whether or not the automatically or manually highlighted numeric or alphanumeric characters (manual highlighting involves "selecting" the text desired by left-clicking it with the mouse and then dragging the mouse through to the end of the portion to be highlighted), contain a sequence compatible with the number groupings used by Telecommunications Operators. To provide a practical example: if all or part of a page in MSWord format is highlighted on the display of the electronic computer (1), and such highlighted text contains a telephone number, the ALGORITHM allows for a call to placed to such telephone number either automatically, or by pressing a pre-established key designated for starting calls, on the keyboard on the electronic computer (1). Another practical example could involve the opening of an HTML web page containing the telephone number of a person to whom a voice call is to be placed: the user manually highlights the telephone number on the screen displaying the HTML web page, and presses the pre-established key designated for starting calls, on the keyboard on the electronic computer (1), following which, the call will be placed automatically.

In the case where the highlighted text contains more than one telephone number, the user must first select the mode in which the ALGORITHM is to place the calls, such as, by way of example: simultaneous calling of all the highlighted numbers (conference call with an operator or connection to an operator at each number called), individual sequential manual calling, automatic sequential calling, etc.

Following the automatic or manual selection of the text, the ALGK)RITHM not only recognises the numeric and alphanumeric sequences required to place telephone, video and Internet calls, by comparing the said sequences with the roots of the number groupings included in the said LIST, but also completely automatically REMOVES from said highlighted sequences, any and all characters to the right or left of the sequence in question (28). Should the sequence not be continuous (29), that is to say, should it feature spurious characters such as blank spaces, dots, commas, slashes, etc. between the characters making up the sequence, the ALGORITHM automatically also eliminates these further spurious characters. This so-called "clean-up" operation of said numeric or alphanumeric sequence or sequences is of crucial importance, since it allows the electronic computer (1) To send the sequence to the switchboard or PABX 85) and/or IP-PBX (8) apparatuses, in the proper format required to successfully place the telephone call or calls in question. It is common knowledge that if the sequence of telephone numbers is input together with characters (30, 31) that are not part of the number groupings used by Telephone Operators providing fixed and/or mobile and/or Internet telephony services, the call cannot be placed.

The Method of the invention provides for obvious benefits in terms of immediacy, flexibility and potential functions when it comes to placing telephone, video or Internet calls.

There can be no doubt th _, at these features and advantages remain unchanged even if changes or variants are brought to the examples illustrated, and that any and all such changes or variants may be introduced without exceeding the scope of protection of the inventive idea, as defined in the claims set forth hereinbelow. Acronyms

GSM - Global System for Mobile Communications; ISDN - Integrated Services Digital Network ; ISP - Internet service Provider; POTS - Plain Old Telephone Service; PSTN - Public Switched Telephone Network; UMTS- Universal Mobile Telecommunications System; HTML - Hyper Text Mark-up Language. Glossary

IB2006/001957

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NUMBER GROUPING used by TELECOMMUNICATIONS OPERATORS and/or ISPs: these are telephone numbers that are widely used to place a telephone, video and/or Internet call, through the fixed PSTN (7), mobile (17) and/or Internet telephony network, using any device, such as fixed (13) or mobile telephone apparatuses or IP telephones (2) and/or electronic computers (1) connected to the LAN (4) and to a PABX (5) or IP-PBX (8) apparatus, to reach one or more called parties (11, 12, 14, 15, 20).

E.164 NUMBER GROUPINGS Telephone numbers compliant with the structure defined in the ITU-T E.164

Guidelines as further updated. ENUMNUMBER GROUPINGS

Telephone numbers with a logical structure compliant with the ITU-T E.164 Guidelines, but with a graphical format compatible with the ENUM protocol established by IETF through RFC 2916

SETS OFNUMBER GROUPINGS

Blocks of contiguous telephone numbers, typically in multiples of tens, hundreds, thousands or tens of thousands, assigned by National Telecommunications Regulators to Telecommunications Operators which in turn assign final customers, individual numbers, or sets of numbers in blocks of less than tens of thousands, for the management of PABX or IP-PBX switchboards. NUMERICAND ALPHANUMERIC SEQUENCES

Continuous or discontinuous string of numeric or alphanumeric characters with features compatible with the number groupings used by

Telecommunications Operators and/or ISPs providing fixed, mobile, satellite

and Internet services, such number groupings being inclusive of the number groupings defined in the ITU-T E.164 and IETF-ENUM Guidelines.

SPURIOUS CHARACTERS

Alphanumeric characters highlighted together with one or more telecommunications numbers, and appearing before or after or within numeric or alphanumeric sequences recognised as compatible with the number groupings used by Telecommunications Operators and/or ISPs providing fixed, mobile, satellite and Internet services, including the number groupings defined in the ITU-T E.164 and IETF-ENUM Guidelines. In brief, spurious characters include any kind of character that does NOT belong to the aforesaid number groupings used by Telecommunications Operators and/or ISPs. Unless eliminated, any spurious character would make it impossible for the call to be placed, since the numeric or alphanumeric sequence of even just a single spurious character would not be compliant with the number groupings used by Telecommunications Operators and/or ISPs providing fixed, mobile, satellite and Internet services, including the number groupings defined in the ITU-T E.164 and IETF-ENUM Guidelines. Example no.l: if an entire highlighted page in MSWord, HTML, etc. format contains a full telephone number made up of the country code (if necessary), the area code and the telephone number, the spurious characters include all those characters, including graphical markings, that appear before the said number, after the said number, or within the alphanumeric sequence of the said number. Example no.1 : if an entire highlighted page in MSWord, HTML, etc. format contains several full telephone numbers made up of the country code (if

necessary), the area code and the telephone number, the spurious characters include all those characters, including graphical markings, that appear before the said numbers, after the said numbers, or within the alphanumeric sequence of the said numbers.

ROOTS

Parts or portions of number groupings used by Telecommunications Operators and/or ISPs providing fixed, mobile, satellite and Internet services, including the number groupings defined in the ITU-T E.164 and IETF- ENUM Guidelines. These Parts or Portions of number groupings include:

- The international code (for instance +, 00, 010, etc.), the country code, area Code and the Sets of Number Groupings or parts thereof, assigned by the relevant Telecommunications Regulators, Portions of IETF-ENUM number groupings made up of domains at various levels and ITU-T E.164 number groupings or parts thereof.