Background Art Currently, mobile communication service providers and wired telephone service providers provide conference call services. As an example of such a conference call, if a user wants to simultaneously call a third party during a conversation with a second party, a"S"mobile communication service provider establishes a three-party call when the user presses a"SEND"button again after the user presses the phone number of the third party and the"SEND"button during the conversation with the second party and the third party responds. Further, a "K"wired communication service provider establishes a three-party call when a user presses a hook button and then makes a phone call to a third party during a conversation with a second party. However, the conventional technologies are defective in that they enable only a three-party call, not a four or more-party call, and the user must inconveniently search for a phone number of another person or press a keypad for establishing the three-party call.

Meanwhile, there is a trunked radio system (TRS) providing only a multi- party call service. However, the TRS communication is problematic in that it uses an exclusive base station and an exclusive terminal, so a normal user must be

additionally furnished with an exclusive terminal.

In order to solve the problem, a group notification service and system is disclosed in the U. S. Patent. No. 5,260, 986 (referred to as a"first cited invention" hereinafter). The first cited invention transfers prestored messages to specific persons using a public switched telecommunications network (PSTN) including a voice messaging system' (VMS). However, the first cited invention is still problematic in that it enables only the unilateral message transfer, not a multi-party call.

Meanwhile, a method of simultaneously calling a plurality of terminal subscribers is disclosed in Korean Patent Laid-open Publication No. 1999-60515 (Application No. 10-1997-80742, referred to as a"second cited invention" hereinafter). However, the second cited invention is problematic in that an additional exchanger must be constructed, a user must enter a secret number whenever a multi-party call is required and repeatedly press a unique number or short number so as to identify the user as a group-subscriber, and each of group- subscribers must register the information of all group-subscribers at his subscriber information processing apparatus.

Disclosure of the Invention Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a multi-party call system using an automatic response system (ARS), which enables normal telephone users to make a multi-party call, such as TRS communication, using only an automatic response system (ARS) without requiring additional equipment.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a message multi- transfer system using an automatic response system, which can multi-transfer a voice message using the automatic response system (ARS).

In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a multi-party call system using a normal telephone, comprising: an automatic

response system comprising a user DB having fields for a caller's number, a receiver group ID, and a receiver group name, a member DB having fields for the same receiver group ID as the receiver group ID of the user DB, and a member's phone number, a character/voice converting unit for converting the receiver group name of the user DB into a voice, one or more interface units for interfacing with one or more external exchangers, a call mixer for mixing calls connected to the interface units to enable a multi-party call, and a central processing unit for transferring data among the user DB, the member DB, the character/voice converting unit, the interface units and the call mixer, and controlling them; one or more exchangers connected to the automatic response system; and one or more terminals connected to the exchangers.

Further, the multi-party call system is operated such that, if a user desiring to initiate a multi-party call dials a corresponding number using a corresponding terminal, and the terminal is connected to the automatic response system, the central processing unit detects a caller's number, extracts a receiver group name corresponding to the caller's number from the user DB, converts the extracted receiver group name into a voice by the character/voice converting unit, and transmits the voice to the terminal to allow a voice response to be provided to the terminal, and; if a signal for selecting any one receiver group according to the voice response is sent to the central processing unit from the terminal, the central processing unit extracts members'phone numbers of a receiver group corresponding to the signal from the member DB, and dials the members'phone numbers through the interface units, and; if calls are connected to terminals corresponding to the members'phone numbers, the call mixer mixes the calls, thus enabling the multi-party call to be established.

Further, in the present invention, information of the user DB and the member DB of the automatic response system must be inputted and revised by the user. However, it is inconvenient to input or revise the information using a conventional telephone due to inconvenience of input means of the conventional telephone. Therefore, it is preferable that the automatic response system receives data from a computer/mobile phone through the Internet/the wireless Internet, and

creates/revises/deletes information stored in the user DB and/or the member DB.

Further, if a user attempts to make a multi-party call, a certain terminal may not be connected to the multi-party call because there is no one answering the call, or a telephone is busy. Therefore, the automatic response system preferably further comprises a voice DB connected to the central processing unit for storing contents of a conversation of the multi-party call, and allowing some of terminals corresponding to members'phone numbers, which was not connected through the multi-party call, to be called, thus enabling the contents of the conversation stored in the voice DB to be transferred to the terminal.

Further, the present invention provides a message multi-transfer system, comprising: an automatic response system comprising; a user DB having fields for a caller's number, a receiver group ID, and a receiver group name, a member DB having fields for the same receiver group ID as the receiver group ID of the user DB, and a member's phone number, a voice DB having fields for a receiver group ID and voice data, a character/voice converting unit for converting the receiver group name of the user DB into a voice, and a central processing unit for transferring data among the user DB, the member DB, the voice DB and the character/voice converting unit, and controlling them; an exchanger connected to the automatic response system; and one or more terminals connected to the exchanger.

The message multi-transfer system is operated such that, if a user desiring to initiate a message multi-transfer dials a corresponding number using a corresponding terminal, and the terminal is connected to the automatic response system, the central processing unit detects a caller's number, extracts a receiver group name corresponding to the caller's number from the user DB, converts the extracted receiver group name into a voice by the character/voice converting unit, and transmits the voice to the terminal to allow a voice response to be provided to the terminal, and; if a signal for selecting any one receiver group according to the voice response is sent to the central processing unit from the terminal, the central processing unit generates a receiver group ID corresponding to the signal in the voice DB, records voice received from the terminal as voice data in the same

record as that of the receiver group ID, extracts members'phone numbers corresponding to the receiver group ID from the member DB at a preset time and dials the phone numbers, and; if calls are connected to terminals corresponding to the members'phone numbers, the voice data recorded in the voice DB are transferred to the terminals.

Further, the message multi-transfer system may be operated such that, if a user desiring to initiate a message multi-transfer dials a corresponding number using a corresponding terminal, and the terminal is connected to the automatic response system, the central processing unit detects a caller's number, and; if a voice message function is selected by the terminal, the central processing unit records voice received from the terminal as voice data in a record by generating the record in the voice DB, and; if the reception of voice from the terminal is finished, the central processing unit extracts a receiver group name corresponding to the caller's number from the user DB, converts the extracted receiver group name into a voice by the character/voice converting unit, and transmits the voice to the terminal to allow a voice response to be provided to the terminal, and; if a signal for selecting any one receiver group according to the voice response is sent to the central processing unit from the terminal, the central processing unit records a receiver group ID corresponding to the signal in a different field from a field of a record of the voice DB in which the voice data are recorded, extracts members' phone numbers corresponding to the receiver group ID from the member DB at a preset time and dials the phone numbers, and; if calls are connected to terminals corresponding to the members'phone numbers, the voice data recorded in the voice DB are transferred to the terminals.

In the message multi-transfer system, information of the user DB and the member DB of the automatic response system must be inputted and revised by the user. However, it is inconvenient to input or revise the information using a conventional telephone due to inconvenience of input means of the conventional telephone. Therefore, it is preferable that the automatic response system receives data from a computer/mobile phone through the Internet/the wireless Internet, and creates/revises/deletes information stored in the user DB and/or the member DB.

Brief Description of the Drawings The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a multi-party call system according to the present invention; FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing flow of the multi-party call system of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a message multi-transfer system according to the present invention; FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing flow of the message multi- transfer system of the present invention; and FIG. 5 is a view showing the field configuration of a user DB and a member DB according to the present invention.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail through embodiments. However, the embodiments are used only for exemplary objects, so the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

[Embodiment 1] Multi-party call system FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a multi-party call system according to the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the multi-party call system comprises an automatic response system 100, exchangers 200 connected to interface units 140 of the automatic response system 100, and terminals 300 connected to the exchangers 200. Further, the automatic response system 100 is connected to a network (Internet) 400, and a computer 500 is connected to the Internet 400.

The automatic response system 100 is comprised of a user database (DB)

120, a member DB 122, a voice DB 124, a character/voice converting unit 150, a plurality of interface units 140, a call mixer 130 and a central processing unit 110 for transferring data among these units 120,122, 124,150, 140 and 130, and controlling them.

The user DB 120 has fields for a caller's number, a user identification (ID), a secret number, a receiver group ID and a receiver group name.

The member DB 122 has fields for the same receiver group ID as that of the user DB 120, a receiver group name, a member name, a member's phone number and additional information.

The voice DB 124 has a group ID field and a voice field, and records contents of a conversation of a multi-party call. After the multi-party call is finished, the voice DB 124 allows some of terminals corresponding to members' phone numbers, which was not connected through the multi-party call, to be called, such that the contents of conversation recorded in the voice DB 124 can be transferred to the terminal.

The character/voice converting unit 150 converts the receiver group name of the user DB 120 into a voice, and transmits the voice to the terminal of the user.

The interface units 140 are variously positioned, and serve to interface with the external exchangers 200.

The call mixer 130 mixes calls connected to the interface units 140 to enable a multi-party call to be established.

The central processing unit 110 allows the user DB 120, the member DB 122, the voice DB 124, the character/voice converting unit 150, the interface units 140 and the call mixer 130 to exchange data thereamong, and controls them.

Further, the central processing unit 110 is connected to the network (Internet) 400 through the network interface unit 160. The central processing unit 110 can revise information stored in the user DB 120, the member DB 122 and the voice DB 124 using the computer 500 connected to the Internet 400 or a mobile phone.

The multi-party call system constructed as described above is utilized as follows: when a user desiring to initiate a multi-party call dials a corresponding

number using the terminal 300 and the terminal 300 is connected to the automatic response system 100, the central processing unit 110 detects a caller's number, extracts a receiver group name corresponding to the caller's number from the user DB 120, converts the extracted receiver group name into a voice by the character/voice converting unit 150, and transmits the voice to the terminal 300 to allow a voice response to be provided to the terminal 300. If a signal for selecting any one receiver group according to the voice response is sent to the central processing unit 110 from the terminal 300, the central processing unit 110 extracts members'phone numbers of a receiver group corresponding to the signal from the member DB 122, and dials the phone numbers through the interface units 140. At this time, if calls are connected to other terminals 300 corresponding to the members'phone numbers, the call mixer 130 mixes the calls, thus enabling the multi-party call to be established.

The contents of the conversation of the multi-party call are stored in the voice DB 124. After the multi-party call is finished, a terminal 300 which was not connected through the multi-party call is called, such that the contents of the conversation stored in the voice DB 124 can be transferred to the terminal 300.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing flow of the multi-party call system of the present invention. The user dials a designated number, for example, 1588-1000 using a normal telephone at step 600. A call path is connected to the automatic response system through the exchanger at step 601.

The automatic response system searches for a caller's number by requesting a phone number of the user connected to the exchanger from the exchanger, and checks whether the searched caller's number is registered in the user DB (120 of FIG. 1) at step 602. The automatic response system searches the user DB (120 of FIG. 1) for a group name (business team, managing team, development team) registered by the caller using the checked caller's number at step 603, and converts the searched group name into a voice by the character/voice converting unit (150 of FIG. 1), thus providing a voice response at step 604.

The user selects the business team, for example, at step 605. The automatic response system (100 of FIG. 1) occupies the interface units (140 of

FIG. 1) with the phone numbers of members of the selected business team, and calls multiple members with reference to data stored in the member DB (122 of FIG. 1), such as"A" : 011-213-1000,"B" : 011-213-1001 and"C" : 018-213-1003, at step 606. If the called member"A" : 011-213-1000 receives a call, the automatic response system 100 sends a reception message ("A multi-call is being sent to the business team. Press"1"if you wish to receive the call, or press"2"if you wish to reject the call). Thereafter, if the multi-call is received at step 607, the multi- party call is established between the user and the receiver group member"A".

Other receiver group members"B"and"C"are connected to the multi-party call using the same procedure as that of"A"at step 608.

Further, in the flowchart of FIG. 2, receivers'numbers can be directly assigned according to groups, for example, 1588-1001 is assigned to the business team and 1588-1002 is assigned to the managing team, such that a multi-call is directly sent to a group without executing the group name providing step 604 and the user selecting step 605 of FIG. 2, thus enabling the multi-party call to be directly established.

[Embodiment 2] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a message multi-transfer system according to the present invention. Referring to FIG. 3, the message multi-transfer system comprises an automatic response system 100, an exchanger 200 connected to an interface unit 140 of the automatic response system 100, and terminals 300 connected to the exchanger 200. Further, the automatic response system 100 is connected to a network (Internet) 400, and a computer 500 is connected to the Internet 400.

The automatic response system 100 is comprised of a user database (DB) 120, a member DB 122, a voice DB 124, a character/voice converting unit 150, the interface unit 140, and a central processing unit 110 for transferring data among these units 120,122, 124,150 and 140, and controlling them.

The user DB 120 has fields for a caller's number, a user ID, a secret number, a receiver group ID and a receiver group name.

The member DB 122 has fields for the same receiver group ID as that of the user DB 120, a receiver group name, a member name, a member's phone number and additional information.

The voice DB 124 has a group ID field and a voice field, and stores recording contents for message multi-transfer therein. After the recording is finished, the voice DB 124 allows terminals corresponding to members'phone numbers to be called, such that the recording contents stored in the voice DB 124 can be transferred to the terminals.

The character/voice converting unit 150 converts the receiver group name of the user DB 120 into a voice, and transmits the voice to the terminal of the user.

The interface unit 140 serves to interface with the external exchanger 200.

The central processing unit 110 allows the user DB 120, the member DB 122, the voice DB 124, the character/voice converting unit 150 and the interface unit 140 to exchange data thereamong, and controls them.

Further, the central processing unit 110 is connected to the network (Internet) 400 through the network interface unit 160. The central processing unit 110 can revise information stored in the user DB 120, the member DB 122 and the voice DB 124 using the computer 500 connected to the Internet 400 or a mobile phone.

The message multi-transfer system constructed as described above is utilized as follows: when a user desiring to initiate a message multi-transfer dials a corresponding number using the terminal 300, and the terminal 300 is connected to the automatic response system 100, the central processing unit 110 detects a caller's number. If the caller's number corresponds to a user's number, the central processing unit 110 asks the user if he wants to multi-transfer a voice message. At this time, if it is checked through the terminal 300 that the user wants to multi-transfer a voice message, the central processing unit 110 extracts a receiver group name corresponding to the caller's number from the user DB 120, converts the extracted receiver group name into a voice by the character/voice converting unit 150, and transmits the voice to the terminal 300 to allow a voice response to be provided to the terminal 300. If a signal for selecting any one

receiver group according to the voice response is sent to the central processing unit 110 from the terminal 300, the central processing unit 110 generates a receiver group ID corresponding to the signal in the voice DB 124, records voice received from the terminal 300 as voice data in the same record as that of the receiver group ID. After the recording is finished, the central processing unit 110 extracts members'phone numbers corresponding to the receiver group ID from the member DB 122 at the preset time and dials the phone numbers. When calls are connected to terminals 300 corresponding to the members'phone numbers, the voice data recorded in the voice DB 124 are transferred to the terminals 300.

Alternatively, the message multi-transfer system constructed as described above can be utilized as follows: when a user desiring to initiate the message multi-transfer dials a corresponding number using the terminal 300, and the terminal 300 is connected to the automatic response system 100, the central processing unit 110 detects a caller's number. If the caller's number corresponds to a user's number, the central processing unit 110 asks the user if he wants to multi-transfer a voice message. If a voice message function is selected by the terminal 300, the central processing unit 110 records voice received from the terminal 300 as voice data in a record by generating the record in the voice DB 124. If the reception of voice from the terminal 300 is finished, the central processing unit 110 extracts a receiver group name corresponding to the caller's number from the user DB 120, converts the extracted receiver group name into a voice by the character/voice converting unit 150, and transmits the voice to the terminal 300 to allow a voice response to be provided to the terminal 300. If a signal for selecting any one receiver group according to the voice response is sent to the central processing unit 110 from the terminal 300, the central processing unit 110 records a receiver group ID corresponding to the signal in a different field from a field of a record of the voice DB 124 in which the voice data are recorded.

Further, the central processing unit 110 extracts members'phone numbers corresponding to the receiver group ID from the member DB 122 at the preset time and dials the phone numbers. When calls are connected to terminals 300 corresponding to the members'phone numbers, the voice data recorded in the

voice DB 124 are transferred to the terminals 300.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing flow of the message multi- transfer system of the present invention. The user dials 1588-1000 using a normal telephone at step 700. Therefore, a call path is connected to the automatic response system through the exchanger at step 701. The automatic response system searches for a caller's number by requesting a phone number of the user connected to the exchanger from the exchanger, checks whether the searched caller's number is registered in the user DB, and then approves the recording of a voice message at step 702. When a voice message function is selected by the user, the user records a voice message at step 703. After the recording of a voice message is finished, the central processing unit searches the user DB (120 of FIG.

3) for a group name (business team, managing team, development team) registered by the caller using the checked caller's number, and converts the searched group name into a voice by the character/voice converting unit (150 of FIG. 3), thus enabling a voice response to be provided at step 704. The user selects, for example, the business team as a group to which the voice message will be transmitted at step 705. The user terminates the call. The automatic response system (100 of FIG. 3) dials the selected group at step 706. After the receiver is authenticated using a message ("A certain party has left a message with the business team. If you want to listen, enter a member's number") at step 707, the automatic response system transfers the voice message to the receiver group at step 708.

It does not matter whether step 703 is executed after the step 705. That is, the process can progress in the sequence of steps 701,702, 704,705, 703,706, 707, and 708.

In the first or second embodiment, examples of the configuration of the user DB 120 and the member DB 122 are described with reference to FIG. 5.

The user DB 120 is comprised of fields for a phone number, a user ID, a secret number, a group ID, and a group name. The phone number is a user's phone number and is used to compare it with a detected caller's number. The user ID and the secret number are used to create/revise/delete a group ID or a group name,

and a member DB through the Internet or a wireless Internet. The group ID is related to the member DB, and the group name is a name used to inform the user of the group in a voice.

The member DB is comprised of fields for a group ID, a group name, a member name, a phone number and additional information. The group ID is connected to the user DB, the group name is attached so as to easily revise the member DB, and the member name is the name of a member. The phone number is the phone number of a member, and is called when a multi-party call is established or a message is multi-transferred. The additional information is a field for allowing the user to arbitrarily record any information.

Further, the user DB and the member DB may be integrated into a single database. However, for efficiency of databases, the user DB and the member DB are separately constructed.

Industrial Applicability As described above, the present invention provides a multi-party call system and message multi-transfer system using an automatic response system, which enables normal telephone users to make a multi-party call, such as TRS communication, using only an automatic response system without preparing additional equipment, and to make the multi-party call without pressing a secret number, etc. Further, the present invention is advantageous in that terminals which were not connected to a multi-party call can later listen to contents of a conversation of the multi-party call, thus enabling the contents of the conversation to be transferred to all persons the user desires.

Therefore, the present invention is advantageous in that it enables groups, <BR> <BR> such as enterprises, government and public offices, friendly societies, etc. , to immediately transfer urgent information to members, and quickly obtain responses, and it enables users desiring to initiate a multi-party call to reduce the costs required to purchase exclusive terminals for a multi-party call, and promptly make a multi-party call to specified persons.

Further, the present invention is advantageous in that it can multi-transfer a voice message using an automatic response system.