WO2006061191A1

WO2006061191A1 - Controlling the direct communication between two communication partners

Info

Publication number: WO2006061191A1
Application number: PCT/EP2005/013068
Authority: WO
Inventors: Frank SCHÜLER
Original assignee: Combots Product Gmbh & Co. Kg
Priority date: 2004-12-11
Filing date: 2005-12-06
Publication date: 2006-06-15
Also published as: EP1820323A1

Abstract

The aim of the invention is to make it possible to communicate between a first and a second communication partner (A, B) in a communication environment which is controlled by a communication system (LC) and comprises at least one communication network (IP) and several terminal devices (PC.1, PC.2). Said aim is achieved by verifying at least one acceptance criterion that can be determined by the second communication partner (B) and is used for automatically accepting transmitted user data once the transmission of user data from the side of the first communication partner (A) to the side of the second communication partner (B) has been signaled. The user data is then immediately output by the second terminal device (PC.2) if the at least one acceptance criterion is met. The transmitting communication partner can thus immediately communicate according to the specifications of the potential recipient (B) while the recipient (B) cannot be unintentionally disturbed. In particular, the recipient (B) is able to determine the type and volume of user data as well as the time when said user data is to be output. The conditions for accepting the spontaneous communication can be varied in multiple manners and are defined by the recipient (B).

Description

CONTROL OF DIRECT COMMUNICATION BETWEEN TWO COMMUNICATION PARTNERS

The invention relates to a method and a communication system for controlling communication between at least two communication partners in a communication environment. In particular, the

Invention a method and a system for direct communication between two communication partners over any communication network, preferably over the Internet, by means of computers and a software that can be executed thereon to control the communication between these partners, wherein a spontaneous accessibility of the other partner is to be made possible with a connection immediate output of user data on his terminal. Direct and secure communication is provided between two partners using and integrating different media and communication types, in particular synchronous communication, such as Internet telephony (Voice Over IP), with asynchronous communication, such as email. Data, in particular files as part of a file exchange, can also be offered and / or made available to the other communication partner. The communication system secures the communication within a complex communication environment, the most diverse networks and terminal devices, in particular terminal devices such as PC, telephone, mobile phone or PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) as well as various peripheral devices such as eg headphones and camera. Securing the communication means inter alia the exclusion of disruptive influences by intruders (hackers), spam and the like.

The term communication here generally means any type of message or information exchange between communication partners, which are also referred to here as participants, users or contacts, i.e. understood between people or institutions who come into contact with each other via the communication system, where they are preferably registered as participants or users and can use different devices for communication. The communication networks described here are, in particular, packet-switched networks such as the Internet, but also circuit-switched networks such as PSTN, ISDN or mobile radio networks, and any combination thereof. The term communication partner is also understood very generally here and includes in particular the above. Participants, users of the communication system, who are also referred to here as contact partners or partners for short.

In conventional communication systems, such as telecommunications systems for fixed-line telephony or mobile telephony, the calling communication partner, the so-called calling party, establishes a communication connection to the called communication partner, the so-called called party . For this purpose, initially only the signaling to the calling subscriber takes place, ie call signaling is initiated on the terminal of the called subscriber via a signaling link, so that there you will hear a call sign, which indicates to the called subscriber that a telephone call is being received and asks him to accept this call. Only when the called subscriber answers the call is a user data connection (user channel) from the terminal of the calling subscriber to the terminal of the called subscriber switched through and the two subscribers (communication partners) can communicate directly with one another, i.e. user data in the form of voice data or multimedia data (video telephony) ) change. Communication takes place in the full

Duplex method, i.e. that there is at least one forward and one back channel that can be used side by side in parallel and simultaneously. However, the called party must first accept the call so that a communication connection can then be switched at all. Spontaneous communication that reaches the called party immediately from the calling party is not possible.

In newer communication systems, such as the system known from US Pat. No. 6,763,226-B1, there is the so-called push-to-talk function, or PTT function for short, in which, starting from the calling subscriber, user data is immediately transmitted to the called subscriber. This PTT function was taken over from the well-known walkie-talkie radios, that is, from simplex or half-duplex radios, in which the calling subscriber can spontaneously reach the calling subscriber and speak to him ("radio") because the radios are in permanent readiness to receive on a dedicated radio channel, so that incoming radio signals are immediately received and output on the loudspeaker of the called party. The calling party needs simply press the send button on his radio and can then immediately address the called party. The designation "Push-To-Talk" can also be traced back to this. Signaling does not necessarily have to take place, but the user data transmission can begin immediately. However, in the case of these PTT communication systems, the terminal devices are constantly ready to receive, which is higher Power consumption in the end devices means that they are usually mobile radio devices powered by an accumulator. At least one free reception channel must first be searched for and / or agreed by the two communication partners or their end devices. This can be done, for example, by channel assignment, in particular by automatic channel selection, In the known communication systems with PTT function, only the sending user determines whether and when the receiving user is addressed ("radioed"). The receiving user is therefore completely dependent on the behavior of the sending user.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a communication system and a method for communication in which the disadvantages of the prior art are avoided.

The object is achieved by a method having the features of claim 1 and by a

Communication system with the features of the secondary claim.

Accordingly, a method is proposed in which for communication between a first and a second Communication partners in a communication environment controlled by a communication system, which comprises at least one communication network and several terminal devices, the following steps are carried out:

Signaling for the transmission of user data from a first terminal device assigned to the first communication partner to a second terminal device assigned to the second communication partner; - Check at least one by the second

Communication partner definable acceptance criterion for automatic acceptance of the transmitted user data by the second terminal;

- Sending and receiving the user data via the at least one communication network; and

- Immediate output of the user data by the second terminal if the at least one acceptance criterion is met.

In addition, one working according to this procedure

Communication system proposed that includes at least one communication network and a first terminal of the first communication partner and a second terminal of the second communication partner. In addition, the system includes a control device that controls the establishment of a connection in the communication network that is immediately available when required for exclusive communication between the first and the second communication partner and the signaling for the transmission of user data from the first terminal device to the second terminal device, the control device controlling the Checking at least one acceptance that can be determined by the second communication partner. Criterion for the automatic acceptance of the transmitted user data by the second terminal device and the sending and receiving of the user data via the at least one communication network, and the control device promptly outputting the user data by the second terminal device if the at least one acceptance criterion is met.

These measures create a procedure and a system that are based on the requirements of the potential

Enables immediate communication for the sending communication partner. This has among other things the advantage that the recipient, that is the communication partner whom the sending communication partner wants to contact directly and to whom he wants to spontaneously send user data, cannot be accidentally disturbed. In particular, the recipient can determine the type, scope and time for spontaneous output of user data. He can also determine for which communication partners and / or services he wants to allow automatic acceptance at all. Likewise, he can determine to which of his end devices the respective user data are to be output and whether a data conversion to a preferred format should take place, if necessary. The acceptance conditions for spontaneous communication are defined by the recipient and can be varied in many ways.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention result from the subclaims:

The user data are preferably transmitted in the form of text data, audio data, video data and / or file data and in particular via at least one output device Loudspeaker, headphones, screen and / or display, which is integrated in the terminal and / or which is designed as a peripheral device connected to the terminal. All possible types of data are recorded here under the term user data, in particular any combinations thereof. The recipient can thus determine and / or select which data type (s) should (spontaneously) be output and, if applicable, also on which end devices.

The user data can also be file data, in particular document data, work data, music data, video data and / or voice data, these user data preferably being output by being immediately written into a data memory which is integrated in the second terminal device or which is connected to the latter and / or the second

Communication partner is assigned. Thus, even if the recipient cannot be reached spontaneously, the user data is temporarily stored and stored for later

Access provided. This is particularly advantageous if the user data transmission from the sending terminal to the system should already have taken place, but the terminal intended for reception should not be or only insufficiently suitable for the output of the user data. This occurs, for example, when the receiving terminal is a mobile radio device with a small storage space and / or low video resolution and the sending user sends a very extensive and high-quality multimedia file (HDTV film / video). Or that

Peripheral device (eg headset) is defective or possibly not connected to the receiving end device, so that the user data (audio data) cannot be output. A further advantageous embodiment results if the format of the user data is converted from a first format into a second format after receiving and before outputting the user data. In this context, it is particularly advantageous if the second format into which the user data are converted is determined by the second communication partner. For this purpose, the communication system comprises a converter device which, together with the control device and depending on the format specifications of the first and / or second communication partner, converts the user data from a first format into a second format for output by the second terminal device. This ensures a high level of willingness to receive and data compatibility and ensures that the user data reaches the recipient in a suitable format, regardless of the transmission format. The latter can even specify the data formats preferred by him or by his end devices and the software running on them.

It is also advantageous if the communication system comprises a time measuring device which, together with the control device and depending on the time specifications of the first and / or second communication partner, temporarily prevents the immediate output of the user data and causes the second terminal device to output the user data later. As an alternative or in addition to this, the timing device, together with the control device and depending on the time specifications of the first and / or second communication partner, can completely prevent the immediate output of the user data and instead store the user data in at least one cause a data memory assigned to the first communication partner and / or the second communication partner. The receiving communication partner can set any time for the automatic acceptance of user data and determine this according to his personal wishes and preferences. This results in a very high level of acceptance of the auto-acceptance function by users, in particular by potential recipients.

A particular advantage also arises in cases in which a duplex channel is provided for communication between the communication partners: If the acceptance criterion is met in such a case, only the forward channel for transmitting the user data from the first is used first

Communication partner to the second communication partner activated and the return channel is blocked until at least one release criterion is fulfilled. In this context, the release criterion is preferably specified by the second communication partner, wherein it includes at least one property that also relates to the acceptance criteria, in particular the type of communication service used. For example, a check is made as a release criterion as to whether the type of communication service used also includes video transmission, ie whether it is a video telephony service. If yes, then only the forward channel is switched and the called party is enabled for manual release. This means that the return channel remains blocked for as long as the person called wants it to. As an alternative or in addition to this, the release criterion is specified by the communication system itself, it comprising at least one property which also relates to the acceptance criteria, in particular the type of communication service used, the data coding, the data compression, the time and / or the duration of the data transmission. This has the advantage, among other things, that the receiving user cannot be surprised by spontaneous contacts and attempts to communicate. This is particularly advantageous in the field of video telephony because the recipient immediately receives the spontaneous message on the forward channel (i.e. output of the picture and sound of the transmitter), but the transmitter initially does not receive any user data on the return channel (neither picture nor sound Recipient). The recipient (e.g. an employee who temporarily sleeps at his workplace) cannot therefore be caught unexpectedly by the sender (his supervisor) in a situation that is uncomfortable for him. A certain protective function is therefore provided, which the receiver can switch on and off himself or which the system automatically carries out.

The return channel can also remain completely blocked if one of the subscribers, in particular the called subscriber, wants this. This means that no release criterion is checked. One-way communication remains. The return channel remains blocked. This permanent locking function can be set on the subscriber side as well as on the system side. The function can depend on the respective

Communication service or data type, etc. It can also always be set for all types of communication services and data. In this case, it is generally not possible for the sending subscriber to be on the return channel

Receives user data from the called subscriber. At most, the sending side receives signaling data on a signaling return channel, which gives it this “one-way Communication status ". Under no circumstances, however, can the sending user intercept and / or monitor the called user.

It is also advantageous if with automatic acceptance of a communication (call etc.) only the return channel is activated first and the forward channel only when a release is given. The first subscriber could thus call the terminal of a second subscriber and would initially only receive useful data (sound and / or image) from there on the return channel. The second participant would not be disturbed at all. This configuration is particularly advantageous in areas where people (second participants) have to be observed, e.g. in babies or toddlers. The first participant would be one of the parents and would call the video telephone via the communication system, which is installed in the child's bedroom and could thus observe the child without disturbing them while sleeping. A comfortable "baby monitor function" is thus provided.

Another advantageous embodiment of the acceptance function results if not only the user data are output to the second user, but also such data

Signals and data that are generated on the side of the sending user A by his terminal device, in particular system signals such as the PC sound. This results in a function referred to here as "joint listening", by means of which the second user also removes all of the

Receives signals generated by the other user's end device, such as acoustic beeps or visual notices and error messages. This has the advantage, among other things, that the second user can remotely monitor the terminal of the first user, in particular when programs are running there and the first user is not in place to monitor these program runs and, if necessary, to react to system error messages. Then the second could

Users intervene and take measures such as Inform and alert the first user or another person who has access to the terminal device about the displayed error status. The "Joint Listening" function can be implemented on its own

Combined with the automatic acceptance function, there is the particular advantage that, based on the sending first user, remote monitoring of his end device is initiated by the other receiving user. In other words, the second user automatically accepts the job for remote monitoring of the first terminal.

It is also advantageous if the user data are stored in at least one data store if the at least one acceptance criterion is not met, the at least one data store being assigned to the first communication partner and / or the second communication partner. For this purpose, the control device provided in the communication system manages a first data memory and assigns it to the first communication partner, as well as a second data memory and assigns it to the second communication partner. The control device then temporarily stores the user data that the first communication partner for the second

Communication partner sends, in at least one of these data memories, if the at least one acceptance criterion is not met. One or more properties relating to the useful data, in particular data type, data type, data format and / or amount of data, are preferably used as the acceptance criterion. Properties of the communication between the communication partners can also be used, in particular the type of communication services used. Properties of the transmission of the user data can also be the acceptance criteria, in particular data rate, data coding, data compression, time and / or

Duration of data transfer. Properties of the sending and / or received communication partner can also be used, in particular its function and / or position within an organization, its nationality, national language and / or mother tongue. In connection with the checking of the acceptance criterion, it is particularly advantageous if a combination of at least two different acceptance criteria is checked, in particular a combination of acceptance criteria that relate to different types of properties. This means in particular that such acceptance criteria can be taken into account that relate less to the technical properties of the system and / or the terminal device, but to the personal, in particular sociological, properties of the respective one

Communication partner. These properties are available in the LC system because the users are registered there. The system LC has a connection, preferably via IP networks, with the users and manages the user profiles set up in databases. This results in a wide variety of possible uses for the acceptance function proposed here, especially for communication in an international environment. For example spontaneous messages from an Asian contact partner are not automatically accepted immediately by a European partner user, but are preferably buffered and / or converted into a suitable format, in particular translated before they are output.

The control device preferably controls the communication between the first and the second communication partner by means of a large number of different networks and media, in particular the communication according to several of the following types of communication: text, voice, in particular telephone, VoIP, streaming, in particular real-time audio or video transmission, data transfer, especially of image, text, music, video data, file sharing, instant messaging, chat, email and / or fax.

The invention and the advantages resulting therefrom are described in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments, reference being made to the following schematic drawings:

1 shows the schematic view of a communication system according to the invention, in which two communication partners can communicate with one another via video telephony via the Internet and / or the telephone network;

FIG. 2 illustrates the so-called auto acceptance function (AutoAccept), with which the user data sent by the first communication partner are immediately and spontaneously output on the terminal equipment of the second communication partner; Fig. 3 shows for the representation of a first simple user menu on the desktop of the second communication partner to activate the acceptance function;

4a shows a further user menu, which is more extensive and provides a first selection of acceptance criteria which relate to properties of the user data, in particular the type of data;

4a shows another user menu, the second one

Provides selection of acceptance criteria that relate to properties of the communication, in particular the services offered;

5 shows the technical structure of the communication system;

6 shows the logical structure of part of the

System that authenticates users (communication partners); and

7 shows the flowchart of a method according to the invention.

1 shows a schematic view of a communication system LC according to the invention, in which two communication partners A and B via different networks, such as the Internet IP or the public telephone network PSTN or cellular network UMTS, with one another in different ways, such as telephony (PSTN or VoIP), email, chat or file sharing. Appropriate end devices, ie suitable end devices and associated peripheral devices, are available for this purpose. So overall there is a complex one

Communication environment within which the communication is controlled or at least initiated centrally by the communication system LC. For this purpose, the system LC has devices which will be described in detail later with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. The LC system enables lively contact to the respective communication partner and equally lively communication. That is why the communication system is also called "Living Contacts".

One of the special features of the communication system LC are graphic communication elements, so-called ComBots, which are already shown here in FIG. 1 with reference symbols CB-B and CB-A. A ComBot represents the respective device on the end device, preferably on the PC desktop

Communication partner (e.g. user A) the contact to the other communication partner (user B). Accordingly, there is a ComBot CB-B on the desktop of user A, which represents the other user B. Conversely, User B has a ComBot CB-A on his desktop. Every user, preferably the represented user, can determine the appearance and appearance of the ComBot: In the example shown here, user A is represented by a smiley and user B is represented by a heart.

Behind these communication elements called ComBots there is also one User software, preferably a client software, which is connected to the communication system LC, preferably to a server installed there. The client is used to authenticate the respective user in the LC system. The user also operates certain functions via the ComBots and specifies parameters for them, which are preferably stored within the LC system in user profiles. In addition, at least the exchange of signaling data takes place by means of the client, so that the system LC can control or at least initiate the establishment of different transmission paths within the networks for the transmission of useful data. The client is operated primarily on the desktop by mouse movements and clicks on the ComBot, which offers various functions and selection menus. Of particular note here is the property of the ComBots that the user can initiate certain communication processes by simply dragging and dropping onto the ComBot of the desired partner, in particular the initialization of the communication to the partner and / or the transfer of file transfer and file sharing. These properties, services and functions are also described in more detail later with reference to the remaining FIGS. 6 and 7.

In the example shown here in FIG. 1, the first communication partner A has the following end devices and peripheral devices: a personal computer PCl connected to the Internet IP with connected speech dishes (headset) HS.l and camera CM.1, and one connected to the telephone network PSTN connected telephone T. The second communication partner B also has a computer PC.2 connected to the Internet IP Headset HS.2 and camera CM.2 as well as via a mobile terminal PDA connected to the UMTS mobile communication network, which is designed as a so-called personal digital assistant.

For the following description of the method according to the invention, reference is essentially made to the computers PC1 and PC.2 equipped with a headset and camera and to a scenario in which the two communication partners A and B communicate with one another via video telephony via the Internet IP. For this purpose, reference is made both to FIG. 1 and to FIG. 7, which shows a flow chart (flow chart) for the method according to the invention:

In the example described here, the first communication partner, ie user A, wants to contact the second communication partner, ie user B, in order to reach them immediately via video telephony and to address them spontaneously. User B has in her

User profile activates the automatic acceptance function so that all incoming video telephony calls from the first user A are automatically accepted by their end device, ie by their PC.2, and are output there according to their specifications. Specifically, this means that when an incoming call coming from user A is signaled, this incoming call is accepted immediately and a user data connection is established if the acceptance criteria are met. In the case described here, the service is “video telephony”, in which picture and sound signals, that is to say multimedia signals with video and audio data, are usually exchanged in a duplex process In terms of the invention, user B specified as acceptance criteria that when video calls are made to A, only the forward channels for picture and sound are initially activated and the return channels remain blocked until an activation criterion is met. Thus, the user data sent by A are initially output by user B, namely the image on the screen of the PC.2 and the sound via the headset HS.2. However, since the return channels have not yet been released, user A cannot receive any user data from B, in particular also no image that the camera CM.2 would take from user B and could possibly show them in an unpleasant situation. Instead, user A is merely signaled and displayed that the call on the receiving side has been automatically accepted and should be waited briefly until user B releases the return channel. So user B still has a little time to prepare for the video phone call and answer it.

The release of the return channel can be initiated manually by user B or automatically by the system LC, for example by means of time control. For this purpose, a time interval of, for example, 10 seconds can be predetermined or determined by the user B. The manual release is carried out, for example, by the user B actuating a switching button (button). This can then determine the point in time at which the duplex mode is activated and the user A receives the image and sound signals from her. The fact that the return channel is temporarily blocked initially creates a protective effect that affects the spontaneously contacted user B and his privacy, especially in connection with video Service, protects against unpleasant insights. Any eavesdropping attempts are also prevented. The sending user A can still reach the receiving user immediately and spontaneously. This function serves both communication partners equally.

FIG. 2 shows a slightly modified situation from FIG. 1, in which the first communication partner A spontaneously stores a file, here a file, for the second communication partner B.

Wants to transmit music file in MP3 format. This is done simply by drag & drop. This means that user A on his desktop moves the file symbol (icon) corresponding to the music file to the ComBot CB-B, which represents the contact to user B, and there to the

ComBot drops. The client software immediately recognizes the command to send the music file to user B via the LC communication system. Specifically, a file transfer is initiated in the system LC via a suitable network, preferably the Internet IP, so that the music file is immediately received by the terminal PC.2 of the user B and is treated there in accordance with the acceptance criteria. In this example, the user B specified the acceptance criteria so that the file symbol for the music file appears on the screen of the user B and that the music itself, that is to say the audio data discreetly via the loudspeaker of the speech harness (headset) HS .2 is output. For this purpose, user B has made certain specifications which, among other things, stipulate that the audio output is relatively quiet and, if necessary, is mixed into other currently running audio outputs. For this purpose, the audio card of the PC.2 computer is controlled accordingly. The optical The file symbol is also displayed according to the specifications of user B, but in this case not as discreet as the audio output. The system LC preferably controls the optical output in such a way that the name of the sending user A also appears on the screen of the PC.2 and, if appropriate, further data, such as, for example, nickname, personal greeting text that the user A has written. Special graphics and / or animation of the ComBot CB-A etc. can also appear. The design options are very versatile and are not specified by the LC system alone, but can be shaped and changed by both communication partners.

The users can also equip the ComBots with further functions by activating such functions offered by the system for the respective ComBot. This means, for example, for user A in FIG. 2 that he is equipping the ComBot CB-B with a signaling function which causes a call to user B to be signaled there with a certain melody that user A has selected or linked to the call function of the ComBot CB-B (by dragging and dropping a corresponding music file onto the ComBot within a configuration menu). This means that this melody always sounds at B when A calls there. User A can also define a callback function in such a way that B is called back at A with a signaling (melody) desired by A. Ringtones or ringback tones can thus be linked to the ComBots. The same also applies to visual signaling, especially for special animations of the ComBots for incoming calls or callbacks. This configuration of the ComBots can also be used and their functions can be used for any other services, especially email.

As shown in FIG. 2 by way of example using a selection menu, user A can contact user B in a wide variety of ways via communication system LC, for example by messaging, in particular instant messaging, chat and / or email. It can also use various audio and / or video services as well as classic telephony. File sharing and other services, not shown, are also possible.

A special feature here is a function referred to as “joint listening”, which, as an embodiment of the method according to the invention, outputs the user data on the

Reception side at user B expanded. With this new function, the receiving user B is also immediately given those signals and data which are spontaneously generated on the side of the sending user A by his terminal, in particular his computer PC1. These are, above all, system signals, in particular acoustic information signals, which the PCl generates for user A and which, according to the invention, are now also transmitted to user B for immediate output to his terminal device PC.2. As a result, user B also receives all signals generated by user A's terminal PCl, such as acoustic beeps or visual indications and error messages. This has the advantage, for example, that the user B can remotely monitor the terminal PCl of the other user A, in particular if, for example, programs are running on the PCl and the user A is not in place to monitor these program runs and possibly for error messages from the PCl to respond. Then the user B intervene and take measures, such as informing and alerting user A or another person who has access to the PCl about the displayed error status. The "joint listening" function can be implemented on its own. The combination with the automatic acceptance function has the particular advantage that, starting from the sending user A, remote monitoring of his end device PC1 is initiated by the other user B. In other words : User B automatically accepts the job for remote monitoring of the PCl.

The "Joint Listening" function can be activated in both directions, ie from PCl to PC2 and vice versa, so that the two communication partners A and B together receive all system signals, data and information from the other end device. The application is particularly advantageous This function during a common communication between the two users A and B, in particular in the case of common applications such as file sharing, window sharing or surfing the Internet, in which case both users A and B are always informed about the current state of the end devices PC1 and PC2 involved Likewise, each user also receives the application-related system information from the other user, such as acoustic and / or visual information about incoming messages, email, SMS, MMS or calls that are received, for example, on the telephone T or digital assistant PDA etc. Also here the "Joint Listening" function can be activated without or together with the acceptance function. FIGS. 3 and 4a and 4b show different menus that can be displayed on the desktop of user B for activating the acceptance function, wherein particularly advantageous criteria are shown here as examples of the variety of possible acceptance criteria.

FIG. 3 shows the ComBot CB-A, which appears on the desktop of user B and represents the contact to user A. By clicking the ComBot with the right mouse button and further clicking through various menus offered (not shown), the user B finally comes to the menu shown in FIG. 3, where she accepts the function with respect to the ComBot CB-A and thus with regard to the contact connection with the. User A can determine. This will be different

Criteria are offered that can be activated by clicking on the corresponding items in a particular menu.

The display shown appears at least the first time when user A receives a call from user B. Then she can accept the call by clicking the "Accept" button or reject it by clicking the "Reject" button. If the user generally wants to activate automatic acceptance, then click on the "AutoAccept" menu item. This activates the automatic acceptance for future calls and user B then no longer has to make a single manual acceptance. This means that at least the "Accept" and "Reject" buttons would no longer have to appear.

By clicking on "AutoAccept" the basic criterion, namely the acceptance function, is marked and basically activated. Other points determine whether additional criteria or parameters should be taken into account when checking the acceptance criteria. For example, the item "No spontaneous duplex" refers to the special function for duplex communication described above, in which initially only the uplink channel is switched, but the return channel remains blocked until it is released. This means that every duplex communication is initially switched into a simplex Mode shifted, in which the user data are only transmitted from user A to user B. The conditions under which the return channel is then to be activated is determined by user B on the basis of the further menu items "Timer 10 sec:" or "Duplex manually activated" The first point determines that a time interval of 10 seconds is waited until the return channel is then released. This function can be carried out by the LC system and / or the client program in the ComBot itself and automatically. The other menu point determines that the User B herself wants to manually activate the release of the return channel, so it is up to User B whether and when to use the return channel f rubs.

FIG. 4a shows a more extensive menu, in which the user can determine the acceptance criteria desired by the properties of the user data. It is therefore a "Auto Accept Settings" parameter set, which essentially relates to the different types of data or the data types ("TYPES"). For example, the following data types can be selected, whereby any combination is possible:

Text, audio and / or video. With a combination of text + audio, user B could determine that only communication attempts (calls etc.) with user data of this Types are automatically accepted and output, while video data or other data types are not automatically accepted.

For each of the above There are basic types of data

Sub-items relating to the use of the data and / or the format. By activating individual or several sub-items, user B can create a profile that is tailored specifically to her wishes, i.e. a parameter set with a combination of acceptance criteria that is optimal for her. For example, the data type text can be specified even further, namely as text for email, SMS (short message), documents with format DOC and / or PDF) etc. The audio data can be more precisely specified for voice data, in particular telephony data (Voice, PhoneCalls) and / or music data, in particular in MP3 and / or WAV format. The video data can also be defined more precisely, namely as image or photo data (pictures, photos), in particular in the JPG and / or GIF formats, and as film data (films, movies) in the MPG format or as MMS data (multimedia .SMS ). The selection menu shown thus results in numerous possible combinations for the combination of acceptance criteria to be determined by user B.

FIG. 4b shows an alternative selection menu, in which essentially properties of the communication services used, such as messaging services and / or

File transfer services (file sharing) and / or multi-participant and conference services (multiparty / conferencing) are taken into account. Again, this will be Submenu items offered, such as email or instant messaging with regard to messaging services). Or for file sharing, the following data types are offered for more precise selection: audio, MP3 and / or video, MPG and / or documents, DOC, PDF, PPT and / or photos, JPG. The "Multiparty / Conferencing" section also includes sub-items such as audio, phone and / or video etc.

The menus shown in FIGS. 4a and 4b are created by the system LC and / or the ComBot program (client) and offered to the second communication partner (here user B) in order to define optimal acceptance criteria. Figures 4a and 4b show only a small selection of options that are due to the

Invention can result. Many other criteria and any combination of criteria are possible, in particular also criteria that specifically take into account the properties of the first communication partner (i.e. user A here) or those of his environment, such as more current

Location (GPS, cell phone ...), local time, used device and / or used peripheral devices with regard to hardware properties (PC, MAC ...) and / or software properties (operating system: Linux, Windows ... or user software etc.). Even such can

Properties regarding the second partner (user B) are taken into account, in particular in comparison with the above properties regarding the first partner. This means, for example, that the first user A user data with his terminal PCl. created that are incompatible with the end device PC.2 of the other and / or with the software running on it. When checking the acceptance criteria, the system LC and / or the client of user B provides them Fixed incompatibility and causes a data conversion according to the specifications of user B and / or his end device. The user B thus receives the user data virtually unnoticed in the form that is optimal for him.

Figures 5 and 6 show schematically the structure of the communication system LC or a logical substructure thereof. The following description illustrates in more detail the processes running in the LC system for carrying out the invention:

The system LC shown in FIG. 5 for communication between the first and second communication partners A and B comprises, among others, the following

Components: A communication network NW, preferably the Internet, a first terminal 30.1 of the first communication partner A comprising a first communication application 10.1, and a second terminal 30.2 of the second communication partner B comprising a second communication application 10.2. The terminals 30.1 and 30.2 correspond here to the computers PC1 and PC.2 already described with reference to FIG. 1. However, it could also be used to refer to other end devices, in particular any type of multimedia end device for stationary or mobile operation in various communication networks.

The communication system LC shown in FIG. 5 also contains a control device 20 and a converter device 21 and a time measuring device 22, both of which are preferably integrated in the control device 20. With the control device 20 are both the terminals

30.1 and 30.2. connected (preferably via the network NW) and a first data store 15.1, which comprises a plurality of storage units 15.1a-c for storing first data of the first communication partner A. With the

Control device 20 is also a second data store

15.2 connected for storing second data of the second communication partner A.

By means of the controller 20, the

Communication applications 10.1 and 10.2 an exclusive connection in the communication network NW, which is immediately available if required, for exclusive communication between the first and the second communication partners A and B. The individual communication partner can make a first selection of the first data (from the memory 15.1) and a second selection of the second data (from the memory 15.2) via the communication application 10.1 or 10.2, preferably on the desktop of the respective terminal 30.1 or 30.2, displayed and made available. For this purpose, each user is provided with a communication element, namely a ComBot CB-B or CB-A, so that communication between the two communication partners A and B via the communication applications 10.1. or 10.2, preferably by mouse click and drag & drop on the respective ComBot. The

Communication applications 10.1 and 10.2 are preferably clients that cooperate with a web server integrated in the system LC (not shown), which is also connected to the controller 20. The control device 20 has access to the memories 15.1a, 15.1b and 15.1c and 15.2, the specific storage location being able to be distributed over any storage media and over different locations. For example, the memory 15.1a is located on a server

(Webspace), the memory 15.1b is a memory on a peripheral device (memory stick) of the first communication partner A and the memory 15.1c is the local memory on its computer 30.1. The memory 15.2 is a memory area assigned to the user B on a server that can be reached via the Internet. Between the local communication applications 10.1 and 10.2 it is shown schematically how a graphical operating view with areas for the selection of the data 17.1 and 17.2 is displayed in a double window. Furthermore, this control panel comprises a communication element in the form of an interaction window 11. These components, the function of which will be described in more detail below, are essentially realized on a website TCW which is accessible to both communication partners and which each communication partner can access via his client. The TCW website is therefore a private website secured against access by third parties. Alternatively or in addition, access via a browser could also be conceivable, the address of the website being an encrypted URL.

If communication from the first communication partner A is now initiated to the second communication partner B, the local one

Communication application 10.1 on the computer 30.1 of the first communication partner A, sending a request to the control device 20, the connection from A to B to release. The control device 20 authenticates the connection from A to B by checking whether both partners A and B are registered or authenticated and that this exclusive connection can be established. The control device 20 then selects the selection of the first communication partner A, ie the data, files and / or data areas predetermined by it, in the memories 15.1a and 15.1b and 15.1c, which are to be displayed in the left half of the double window 12.1. Likewise, the data, files and data areas selected by the second communication partner B are represented in the memory 15.2 in the right half of the window 12.2 as data for the communication partner B. The area 12.1 thus contains the data which the communication partner A makes available to the communication partner B and in the area 12.2 the data which the communication partner B makes available to the communication partner A in this exclusive connection. In these double window halves 12.1 and 12.2, only aliases (links) are preferably displayed which refer to the actual data in the memories 15.

In this way, starting from the first communication partner A, the system has now been able to set up a communication channel (wormhole) to the communication partner B, the partners being offered the double window and the interaction window 11 on the TCW website as an input and control element. The communication partner A can now exclusively communicate with the communication partner B via the corresponding local communication application 10.1 or 10.2 and exchange data and vice versa. In the interaction window 11, inputs can be made in any form (text, figures, images, etc.) by both partners. This means that it is no longer necessary to distinguish in a conventional manner between an asynchronous form of communication, such as email, and a synchronous form of communication, such as chat. In particular, no independent software applications, that is to say email client and chat client, have to be used, but all forms of communication preferably go through this one interaction window 11. It is therefore possible for A and B in the interaction window 11 to make inputs which the can see other communication partners immediately. As a result of the fact that the two communication partners A and B can intervene in the interaction window and leave messages at the same time, they can communicate with one another in real time. A parallel voice connection (in particular VoIP) can particularly preferably be set up via a corresponding function, so that in addition to the visual possibilities in the interaction window, parallel voice messages can also be transmitted. A video image of the other communication partner in each case can particularly preferably be faded in via this interaction window 11, so that corresponding video communication is also possible.

Communication is initiated by the local client and this is also the program that the two communication partners use exclusively for themselves - technically it is preferably implemented in such a way that this application with the data or services you offer is sent to a server center of the LC system (Living Contact), on which the data can be located, a trust center that is responsible for authentication is operated, other resources can be offered, such as the connection for making calls, Voice-over-IP, etc. The data of communication partner A can be stored on the corresponding Living Contact server as well as on the cell phone or on the PC. The communication in this communication channel (wormhole) preferably takes place with a very high encryption (min 128 bit SSL, possibly 4096 bit encryption) and thus represents one of the safest communication channels at all.

Many other data and information are provided and managed on the TCW website described above, in particular the contact details (names, addresses, email addresses, telephone numbers etc.) themselves and communication data (date, time, history, type of communication, name of the exchanged Files, etc.). The TCW website is therefore particularly used to manage and carry out communication between contacts. The TCW website is therefore also known as the Telecommunications Website.

FIG. 6 shows a logical partial structure of the system which illustrates how the data can be exchanged securely between user A and user B:

User A has a computer with a local one

Hard disk A local. This computer is in the local network LAN-A of user A. Via a DSL connection, the computer of A can connect to Build the Internet. There, the program running on the computer can access a register, the so-called “Living Contacts User Home”, or LUH-A for short. Information about the corresponding user is stored on the LUH-A in current profiles, preferably in a database PA. To this extent, this database PA acts as a buffer, and a central authentication device, a so-called Central Identity Directory, CID, is provided, the profiles of the individual users within the communication system (LC see

5) manages, i.e. also managed the profiles of users A and B. In CID, i.a. the physical locations managed by all users in the communication system. As a mirror image of user A, user B also has a local presence in user B's LAN-B, such as his computer B local, the profile of B being stored in a LUH-B within a database P-B.

If the first user A now establishes a connection with the second user B, a connection to the LUH-A is established locally by the first computer A. There the profile of B is read from the database PA and the corresponding address of LUH-B is determined. Thereupon, LUH-B is contacted and there it is checked whether user B can currently be reached spontaneously, ie is online, and which end device, that is to say the second computer B, is to be addressed locally. If user B is online, a direct connection to B local is established and the user data sent by user A are immediately output there. If B is not online, there is the possibility of temporarily storing the user data in the LUH-B so that user B can store them user data left behind will be found there the next time you log in

If the user A now wants to transmit a file to the user B by dragging and dropping, then various

Differentiated levels of availability. In a first stage, user A can release a file from his own hard disk A local for user B, who in a first step only receives information that this file is released for him. All that would be transmitted to the LUH-A would be an alias that specifies the position (storage location / address) of this file on the computer A local. This alias would be passed on to LUH-B and - insofar as user B is online - would be announced locally to computer B. In a next step, user B can then download this file from A's computer onto A local's hard disk. However, if user A is no longer online at the moment, user B cannot currently access the file. This making the file available from A to B is a level of lowest availability.

In a second level of availability, the file can already be completely transferred from A local to LUH-A, ie uploaded. The file would then be in LUH-A in a buffer. As usual, user B would be informed that this file is available for him. If B now accesses this file, he can do so via LUH-B on LUH-A even if user A is not online. However, if user A decides at a later point in time that he wants to delete this file, he could do so by directly accessing LUH-A do - in such a case the file would then no longer be available for user B.

At an even higher level of availability, user B could decide to transfer the file that he found on LUH-A or A local to his own LUH-B. By transferring the file to LUH-B, he increases the availability of this file for himself. Because even if user A later decides to delete this file on LUH-A, user B would still open it his LUH-B are available.

At the highest level of availability, user B could decide to even transfer the file from LUH-B to his local computer B local. In this case, the file would still be available at B local even after the application was closed. He could even use the file if he was no longer online.

In the event that a user home has to "move", ie the address of LUH-A changes for user A, this change is logged at CID. If user B now wanted to access LUH-A, a first would be done Inquiry result that LUH-A is no longer available. The LUH-B could then contact CID and inquire about the new current LUH-A address of user A. With the new LUH-A address, the LUH-B in can then save his profile for A in the database PB, LUH-B can now establish contact with the current address of LUH-A and thus re-establish the connection between B and A. With this logical structure shown in FIG. 6, a communication environment has been created which allows files and other communication events in different states of the individual communication partners A and B to be created in different states

Make availability levels accessible to the other partner. In this way, the file or communication information to be transmitted can be used by the receiver B in different stages and thus become available for B. For files for which he only needs to know that they exist, the alias may be enough for him and he does not want to upload the file to LUH-B or even to his local computer at all. With other files, he has the option of doing this on his local computer. This reduces the so-called traffic, i.e. the useful data transmission and the data volume to be transmitted, since it is only through the decision of the potential recipient, i.e. here from B, that a corresponding provision, i.e. an upload that file must take place. As a result, the structure enables uploading on request by the potential recipient, a so-called “upload on demand”.

The functions described here using two individual contacts and their ComBots can also be applied to contact groups in the form of GroupComBots. These GroupComBots correspond to any combination of individual ComBots and / or smaller GroupComBots. Like the normal ComBots, the GroupComBots are not only status indicators, but also direct access to the contact partner in order to send him messages and / or files of any kind. As described above, the preferred area of application of the invention is in more complex communication environments which are multimedia and also include iP networks, in particular in internet-based communication environments. However, this does not rule out that the invention can also be used advantageously in individual networks and for non-multimedia services. Many variants are conceivable and are also covered by the invention.

Reference symbol list

A First communication partner

B Second communication partner

LC communication system

CB-A, CB-B Graphic communication elements (Com.Bots)

IP Internet

PSTN telephone network

UMTS mobile communication network

PC Personal Computer (PC)

T telephone

PD mobile terminal (Personal Digital

Assistant)

NW communication network in general

HS speech harness (headset) for PC

CM camera for PC

TCW telecommunications website

10.1, 10.2 Local communication application

TCW telecommunications website

11, 12.1, communication zones

12.2 (interaction window, data window)

20 control device in particular for authentication and memory management

21 conversion device

22 Timing device 30.1, 30.2 end devices

CID Central authentication facility

(central communication application)

LUH-A, LUH-B Register (LC User Home)

P-A, P-B database

LAN-A, LAN-B Local area network A local, B local terminal local

Claims

1. A method (100) for communication between a first communication partner (A) and a second communication partner (B) in a communication environment controlled by a communication system (LC), the at least one communication network (IP, PSTN, UMTS) and several terminal devices (PC, T, PD) includes the following steps:

- Step 110: signaling for the transmission of user data from a first terminal device (PC1) assigned to the first communication partner (A) to a second terminal device (PC.2) assigned to the second communication partner (B);

- Step 120: checking at least one acceptance criterion which can be determined by the second communication partner (B) for the automatic acceptance of the transmitted user data by the second terminal (PC.2);

- Step 130: Send and receive the user data via the at least one communication network (IP) Step 140: immediate output of the user data by the second terminal (PC.2) if the at least one acceptance criterion is met.

2. The method (100) according to claim 1, in which the user data are output in the form of text data, audio data, video data and / or file data.

3. The method (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the user data via at least one output device, in particular loudspeakers, headphones (HS.2), Screen and / or display are output, which is integrated in the terminal device (PC.2) and / or is designed as a peripheral device connected to the terminal device (PC.2).

4. The method (100) according to claim 1, wherein the user data file data, in particular document file data, work file data, music file data, video file data and / or voice file data, and in which the user data are output by the user data being written into a data memory (15.2) which is integrated in the second terminal (PC.2) or is connected to it and / or is assigned to the second communication partner (B).

5. The method (100) according to claim 1, in which after the reception of the user data (step 120) and before the output of the user data (step 140), the format of the user data is converted from a first format (DOC) to a second format (PDF) becomes.

6. The method (100) according to claim 5, in which the second format into which the user data is converted is determined by the second communication partner (B).

7. The method (100) according to claim 1, in which the user data are stored in at least one data store (15.1, 15.2) if the at least one acceptance criterion is not met, the at least one data store (15.1, 15.2) being the first communication partner (A) and / or the second Communication partner (B) is assigned.

8. The method (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one acceptance criterion

Properties of the user data relates, in particular data type, data type, data format and / or amount of data.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one acceptance criterion relates to properties of the communication between the communication partners (A, B), in particular the type of communication services used.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one acceptance criterion relates to properties of the transmission of the user data, in particular data rate, data coding,

Data compression, time and / or duration of the data transmission.

11. The method (100) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one acceptance criterion relates to properties of at least the sending communication partner (A), in particular its function and / or position within an organization, its nationality, national language and / or mother tongue.

12. The method (100) according to one of the preceding claims, in which a combination of at least two different acceptance criteria is checked, in particular a combination of acceptance criteria that relate to different types of properties.

13. The method (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which for the communication between the

A duplex channel is provided to communication partners (A, B), and if the acceptance criterion is met, only the forward channel for transmitting the user data from the first communication partner (A) to the second communication partner (B) and the return channel are activated is blocked until at least one release criterion is met.

14. The method (100) according to claim 13, wherein the release criterion by the second

Communication partner (B) is specified and includes at least one property also relating to the acceptance criteria, in particular the type of communication service used.

15. The method (100) according to claim 13, wherein the

Release criterion is specified by the communication system (LC) and includes at least one property also relating to the acceptance criteria, in particular the type of communication service used, the data coding, the data compression, the time and / or the duration the data transmission.

16. Communication system (LC) to control the

Communication between a first communication partner (A) and a second communication partner (B) within a communication environment comprising: at least one communication network (NW), a first terminal (30.1) of the first communication partner (A) and a second terminal (30.2) of the second communication partner ( B) and a control device (20) that establish the connection, if required, immediately available in the communication network (NW) for exclusive communication between the first and the second communication partner (A, B) and the signaling for the transmission of user data from the first terminal device (PCl) to the second terminal (PC.2), the control device (20) checking at least one acceptance criterion that can be determined by the second communication partner (B) for the automatic acceptance of the transmitted user data by the second terminal (PC.2) as well as sending and receiving the user data via the minimum s initiates a communication network (IP), the control device promptly outputting the user data by the second terminal device (PC.2) if the at least one acceptance criterion is met.

17. A communication system (LC) according to claim 16, in which the control device (20) manages a first data memory (15.1) and assigns it to the first communication partner (A), and manages a second data memory (15.2) and assigns it to the second communication partner (B), and in which the control device (20) temporarily stores the user data which the first communication partner (A) sends for the second communication partner (B) in at least one of the data memories (15.1, 15.2) if the at least one acceptance criterion is not met is.

18. Communication system (LC) according to claim 16 or 17, in which the control device (20) controls the communication between the first and the second communication partner (A, B) by means of a multiplicity of different networks (NW) and media, in particular the communication after several of the following types of communication: text, voice, in particular telephone, VoIP, streaming, in particular real-time audio or video transmission, data transfer, in particular image, text, music, video data, file sharing, instant messaging, chat, email and / or fax .

19. Communication system (LC) according to claim 16, wherein the communication system comprises a converter device (21) which, together with the control device (20) and depending on format specifications of the first and / or second communication partner (A, B)

User data from a first format (DOC) to a second format (PDF) for output by the second Terminal equipment (PC.2) converted.

20. KoπununikationsSystem (LC) according to claim 16, wherein the communication system (LC) comprises a time measuring device (22), which together with the control device (20) and depending on the timing of the first and / or second communication partner (A, B) immediate output of the user data is temporarily prevented and a later output of the user data is initiated by the second terminal (PC.2).

21. Communication system (LC) according to claim 16, wherein the communication system (LC) comprises a time measuring device (22), which together with the control device (20) and depending on the time specifications of the first and / or second communication partner (A, B) immediate output of the user data is completely prevented and instead storage of the user data is initiated in at least one data memory (15.1, 15.2) assigned to the first communication partner (A) and / or the second communication partner (B).