BACKGROUND ART International travelers often place international calls, for a variety of reasons such as letting their families know how they are and getting in touch with their offices. To make an international call, international travelers conventionally place a collect call or use a prepaid, post-paid or local telephone card.

In the case of placing a collect call, an international traveler dials and informs the operator of the recipient's phone number. The operator dials the number and asks the recipient whether he will accept the charges and take the call or not. If the recipient takes the call, the operator connects the international traveler through to the recipient. Although this method allows the international traveler to make international calls without using a credit card or telephone card, the charges for the international collect calls may be expensive, because an operator is involved in the communication.

In the case of a prepaid telephone card, an international traveler dials the phone number of a provider of prepaid telephony services. The provider provides an automatic response announcement to the international traveler. Following the instructions in the announcement, the international traveler enters the identification number printed on the prepaid telephone card. The time available for the international call is limited to the amount of money reserved on the prepaid telephone card. To use the prepaid telephony service, the international traveler has to purchase the prepaid telephone card in advance. Also, obtaining a refund of money remaining on the prepaid telephone card is difficult.

In the case of a post-paid telephone card, an international traveler dials the phone number of a provider of post-paid telephony services. The provider provides an automatic response announcement to the international traveler. Following the instructions in the announcement, the international traveler enters a phone number printed on the post-paid telephone card or the number and password of his credit card.

The procedure for using a post-paid telephone card is more complicated than for a prepaid telephone card. The charges for the post-paid telephony services are more expensive than those for prepaid telephony services.

In the case of a local telephone card, an international traveler purchases the local telephone card in the place where he is staying. The international traveler dials the phone number of a telephony service provider and enters the identification number printed on the local telephone card. In order to use this service, the international traveler has to buy the local telephone card in advance. Further, this service may not be available in the traveler's native language.

In all the above-mentioned telephone services, the traveler must obtain a phone number corresponding to each telephony service in the place where he is staying and keep the phone number in mind.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, an objective of the present invention to provide a system and method for providing telephony services to international travelers by allowing international travelers to use their boarding pass as a telephone card.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, it is provided a system for providing telephony services to internationally traveling passenger, comprising: a passenger transport provider for issuing boarding passes in accordance with passengers'requests, the passenger transport provider including means for receiving passenger information from the passengers; and a telephony communication provider having telephony service capabilities and for storing passengers'telephony service information in association with the passenger information, wherein the passenger transport provider further includes means for transmitting the passenger information to the telephony communication provider and the telephony communication provider includes means for transmitting the passenger's telephony service information corresponding to the passenger information received from the passenger transport provider to the passenger transport provider, and wherein the passenger transport provider includes means for printing the passenger's telephony service information on the boarding pass.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, it is provided a system for providing telephony services to internationally traveling passengers through a telephony communication provider, comprising: a passenger transport provider for providing passengers with telephony service information when the passenger requests telephony services, wherein the passenger transport provider

shares information related to the passenger with the telephony communication provider, and the passenger transport provider provides to the telephony communication provider information related to an international travel of the passenger and receives from the telephony communication provider the telephony service information created from the information related to the international travel of the passenger.

In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, it is provided a system for providing telephony services to internationally traveling passengers through a passenger transport provider, comprising: a telephony communication provider, in which information related to passengers is shared with the passenger transport provider, for creating telephony service information required for the passenger to use the telephony services based on information related to an international travel of the passenger provided from the passenger transport provider and providing the telephony service information to the passenger transport provider, wherein the telephony communication provider provides the telephony services to the passenger upon receiving the telephony service information from the passenger.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, it is provided a method for providing telephony services to internationally traveling passengers, comprising the steps of : a) initializing a passenger transport provider for providing a transport means to a passenger and a telephony communication provider for providing the telephony services to the passenger; b) providing to the telephony communication provider information related to the passenger, in response to a request, wherein the request is an issuance of a boarding pass for the transport means; c) creating telephony service information based on the information related to the passenger, wherein the telephony service information is used when the passenger uses the telephony services; d) transferring the telephony service information to the passenger transport provider; and e) providing the telephony service information to the passenger customer.

In accordance with more another aspect of the present invention, it is provided a method for providing telephony services to an internationally traveling passenger through a transport means, comprising the steps of : a) providing a passenger with telephony service information for use in providing telephony services to the passenger; b) identifying information related to the passenger based on the telephony service information, when the passenger inputs the telephony service information; c) providing call information assigned to the passenger; d) providing the telephony services to the passenger; and e) providing call items contained in the call

information to the passenger, after completing the telephony services.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS The above and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of a telephony service system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Figs. 2A to 2D illustrate information tables stored in a passenger transport provider of the telephony service system shown in Fig. 1.

Figs. 3A to 3C depict information tables stored in a telephony communication provider of the telephony service system shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing the procedure of providing telephony services in accordance with the present invention.

Figs. 5 and 6 are flowcharts explaining in detail the procedure shown in Fig.

4.

Fig. 7 shows an example of a boarding pass bearing a call number and a personal identification number (PIN).

MODES OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Referring to Fig. 1, there is shown a schematic block diagram of a telephony service system in accordance with the present invention. As shown, telephony service system 1 comprises customer 103, passenger transport provider 101, and telephony communication provider 102. Customer 103 should be interpreted and understood as an international traveler.

Passenger transport provider 101 includes boarding pass issuing unit 302, passenger transport server 303, customer information database (DB) 304, and transport information DB 305. Boarding pass issuing unit 302 issues a boarding pass in response to an issuing request from customer 103. The boarding pass bears the telephony service information necessary for customer 103 to make an international call.

Passenger transport server 303 controls the whole operation of passenger transport provider 101 and manages information related to customer 103 and passenger transportation. Passenger transport server 303 provides customer information to and requests telephony communication service information from telephony communication provider 102. After receiving the telephony

communication service information from telephony communication provider 102, passenger transport server 303 provides it to boarding pass issuing unit 302.

Boarding pass issuing unit 302 prints the telephony communication service information on a boarding pass to be issued.

Customer information DB 304 and transport information DB 305 store the customer information and the passenger transport information, respectively.

Customer information DB 304 contains an information table shown in Fig. 2A and transport information DB 305 contains information tables shown in Figs. 2B to 2D, for systematically managing these information. Specifically, Fig. 2A is a customer information table including customer identification (ID), customer name, passport number, registration number, nationality, address, telephone number, sex data, and so on; Fig. 2B is a transport information table including transport item data, such as customer ID, departure, arrival, transport means, class, date, time data, and so on; Fig.

2C is a mileage information table including customer ID, utilization, mileage data, and so on; and Fig. 2D is a boarding pass information table including information printed on a boarding pass, such as customer ID, transport information ID, call number, personal identification number (PIN), and so on.

Referring back to Fig. 1, telephony communication provider 102 includes international call handling unit 307, telephony communication server 308, customer information DB 309, and telephony communication information DB 310.

International call handling unit 307 is equipped with communication devices for providing international call service. When receiving telephony service information from customer 103, international call handling unit 307 provides the international call service to customer 103 based on the telephony service information received.

Telephony communication server 308 controls the whole operation of telephony communication provider 102 and manages customer information and telephony communication information related to customer 103 transmitted from passenger transport provider 101. Also, telephony communication server 308 creates and provides the telephony service information to allow customer 103 to use telephony service on an international trip based on the customer information from passenger transport provider 101. In one embodiment of the present invention, the telephony service information includes a call number and PIN printed on the boarding pass.

The call number is created by the telephony communication server 308 using arrival information from passenger transport provider 101. The call number is a free phone number used by customer 103 to make an international call.

The PIN is created based on the customer information from passenger transport provider 101, such as customer ID, passport number, nationality, destination, class data of customer 103, and so on. By using the PIN, telephony communication server 308 continuously manages customer 103 and the available time of the telephony service for customer 103. Also, telephony communication server 308 may provide customer 103 with an automatic response announcement in his native language, based on the nationality of customer 103 contained in the PIN, which is triggered when customer 103 dials the call number.

Customer information DB 309 and telephony communication information DB 310 store customer information and communication item information, respectively. Customer information DB 309 contains an information table shown in Fig. 3A and telephony communication information DB 310 contains information tables shown in Figs. 3B and 3C, for systematically managing the information.

Specifically, Fig. 3A is a customer information table including customer ID, customer name, passport number, registration number, nationality, call number, remaining time available data, and so on, which are related to customer 103 who uses the telephony service according to the present invention; Fig. 3B is a telephony communication information table including international call items, such as caller area, recipient area, elapsed time, charges, date, time data, and so on; and Fig. 3C is a payment information table including PIN, payment manner, total charges data, and so on.

Referring to Fig. 4, there is shown a flowchart explaining the procedure of providing telephony services in accordance with the present invention. The procedure starts at step S401 where passenger transport provider 101 and telephony communication provider 102 are initialized in order to communicate with each other.

Customer 103 requests passenger transport provider 101 to issue a boarding pass (Step S402). Passenger transport server 303 of passenger transport provider 101 provides telephony communication provider 102 with the customer information related to customer 103 who will board an airplane (Step S403). Using the customer information, telephony communication server 308 of telephony communication provider 102 creates telephony service information containing a call number and PIN (Step S404).

After creating the telephony service information, telephony communication server 308 provides it to passenger transport server 303 (Step S405). Passenger transport server 303 transfers the telephony service information to boarding pass issuing unit 302. Boarding pass issuing unit 302 prints the telephony service

information on a boarding pass (Step S406) and provides customer 103 with the boarding pass (Step S407).

As described above, the telephony service information printed on the boarding pass contains a call number and PIN assigned to customer 103. An example of the boarding pass is illustrated on Fig. 7, which bears the telephony service information issued in accordance with the present invention. The telephony service information may contain not only the call number and PIN, but also the available time for the telephony service and the usage of a credit card.

Customer 103 dials the call number and enters the PIN to request telephony services for an international call to provider 102 (Step S408). In response to the request from customer 103, telephony communication server 308 authenticates customer 103 based on the information stored on DBs 309 and 310 (Step 409). If customer 103 is authenticated, then international call handling unit 307 provides telephony services to customer 103 (Step S410). Otherwise, provider 102 rejects the request and terminates the procedure. The telephony service may be free depending on the class of customer 103 as evaluated by provider 101 based on the customer information.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, there is shown flowcharts explaining in detail the procedure shown in Fig. 4. At step S501, customer 103 dials the call number printed on the boarding pass to connect to international call handling unit 307 of provider 102. Provider 102 need not charge customer 103 for this connection.

After connecting to international call handling unit 307, customer 103 enters the PIN printed on the boarding pass following the instructions in an automatic response announcement from provider 102 (Step S502). The automatic response announcement may be provided from international call handling unit 307 or telephony communication server 308. In response, provider 102 determines whether any service time is available to customer 103, based on the PIN entered (Step S503). If service time is available, then the process moves to step S504.

Otherwise, it goes to step S601 in Fig. 6 through tap A. At step S504, provider 102 informs customer 103 of the remaining time available. Provider 102 allows customer 103 to freely make international calls within the remaining time available (Step S505).

After completing the international call, provider 102 informs customer 103 of the elapsed time for the international call and the remaining time available and the service is terminated. In this case, the customer information is shared with providers 101 and 102 as shown in Fig. 1, so that the remaining time available may

be deposited in the customer's account as mileage, wherein the customer's account is held in provider 102. Optionally, a step for providing information related to the time available in the native language of customer 103 is provided after step S503.

In this case, provider 102 may determine the customer's native language based on the PIN to provide the information in that language.

At step S601 of Fig. 6, provider 102 informs customer 103 of payment options that customer 103 can select, when the remaining time available is exhausted.

Provider 102 determines whether customer 103 selects payment options, wherein the payment with a credit card or a mileage (Step S602). If customer 103 selects credit card payment option, the process moves to step S603. Otherwise, it goes to step S606.

At step S603, provider 102 receives the credit card number and its password from customer 103. After authenticating the received credit card number and its password, in a conventional manner, provider 102 provides customer 103 with telephony services (S604). Upon completing the telephony service, provider 102 informs customer 103 of the elapsed time, the charges for the international call, and/or the remaining mileage (Step S605).

At step S606, provider 102 has determined that customer 103 will pay the charges for the international call with mileage and shares mileage information with provider 101. Provider 102 informs customer 103 of the remaining time available in connection with newly updated mileage (Step S607) and the process moves to step S604.

While the present invention has been described and illustrated with respect to a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations and modifications are possible without deviating from the broad principles and teachings of the present invention, which should be limited solely by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY As described above, the present invention allows the customer traveling internationally to make an international call through a simplified procedure by using the telephony service information printed on the boarding pass, thereby offering the convenient telephone service to the customer. The charges for the telephony service rendered may be paid with a credit card or mileage.