FORM-2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENTS RULES, 2003
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
(See section 10; rule 13)


SYSTEM FOR TRACKING VOICE CALLS
TATA CONSULTANCY SERVICES LTD.
an Indian Company of Nirmal Building, 9th floor, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021, Maharashtra, India

THE FOLLOWING SPECIFICATION DESCRIBES THE INVENTION


FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of mobile communication.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART
Now days, mobile phones are the preferred and the most widely used mode of communication. The popularity of mobile phones is due to its easy availability and economical price.
Typically, mobile phones enable customers to keep track of all the calls like Incoming, Outgoing and Missed. However, the phone limits the record of these calls typically, to last twenty incoming, outgoing and missed calls. Hence, when the limit of twenty is reached, the call records including number, timestamp and the like are overridden and the customers have no way of tracking the overridden calls.
The service providers give an itemized bill on request from customers. However, the itemized bill is available at the end of the billing cycle and at an additional cost. The itemized bill is only available to the postpaid customers, hence, there is no way for prepaid customers to track calls, except for the phone's inherent call records and they can only view the prevailing balance available from prepaid platform. Moreover, the itemized billing only captures outgoing calls, incoming calls (only when the user in roaming) and SMS (Short Messaging Service). Details of missed calls and rejected calls are not present in the itemized bill. If operator is changed, there is no way of getting call history.

Therefore, there is need for a system which will enable users to track and maintain the call history, retrieve the history on demand and without a limit on the number of calls.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a system which will track all voice calls like incoming, outgoing, missed and rejected.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a cost effective system for tracking voice calls.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a multi-lingual system for tracking voice calls.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a system for tracking voice calls for both prepaid and postpaid mobile subscribers.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a system which keeps track of the voice call history with no limit on the number of records.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a system which keeps track of the SMS and MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) history and data calls with no limit on the number of records.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention envisages a system for tracking voice and data calls and SMS and MMS interactions. In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the mobile phone users can track the history of the voice calls including incoming, outgoing, missed and rejected on their mobile phone at any point of time and in a language of their choice.
According to one aspect of the present invention, users can use the call information for blocking unwanted calls, checking unauthorized use of the mobile phone and keeping track of the lost address book contacts. The system can be accessed by postpaid and prepaid mobile users alike.
According to another aspect of the present invention, using the mobile number portability feature subscribers can switch to another mobile network operator keeping the mobile number unchanged. In this case, the first network operator may delete all the information like call history and messages of that customer and there will be no record of the lost information. However, using the present invention users will be able to see the call history even after switching the network operator.
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the system can be accessed on CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) and GSM (General System of Mobile communication) mobile phones using CDMA data channels or GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) facility.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the system accesses the address book of the mobile phone and provides users with the call history

mentioning the name associated with the number. Thereby, eliminating the need to look-up the address book to identify the number associated with the incoming, outgoing, missed, rejected or data calls and SMS/MMS interactions.
The system envisaged by the present invention typically includes a central web based application server and a client application downloaded on a mobile phone. For accessing the services provided by the system envisaged by the present invention, users need to register themselves with the central application server.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, registered users can download the client application from the application server and launch it anytime on the mobile phone by entering the UserName, Mobile Number and password.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, the client application runs in the background and whenever there is a voice or data call or SMS/MMS it writes the call information to a local file. The data captured in the file is transmitted to the application server for recording purposes on regular intervals.
In accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention, in addition to the client application running on the mobile phone, users can also access the call history from a desktop computer by logging on to the application server and authenticating themselves by providing UserName, Mobile Number and password.

Using the present invention, users can maintain, and, at any point in time retrieve the data from the application server. The invention is also useful for service providers and advertisers as it provides an advertisement platform for promoting their products and services.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
The invention will now be described in relation to the accompanying
drawings in which,
Figure 1 illustrates a setup of the voice call tracking system in accordance
with the present invention; and
Figure 2 illustrates a schematic of the application server in accordance with
the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which do not limit the scope and ambit of the invention. The description provided is purely by way of example and illustration.
The present invention envisages a system for tracking history of voice calls. Particularly, for tracking of incoming, outgoing, missed and rejected calls for a mobile phone. The system is accessible on CDMA as well as GSM mobile phones.
Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 illustrates a typical arrangement of the voice call tracking system. The setup includes a client application which runs on the mobile phone and a central application server. The application

server maintains the records and/or history of the call transactions performed by the users. The client application and application server communicate with each other using CDMA data channels or GPRS facility.
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the call history can be retrieved using the client application on the mobile phone. Alternatively, the call history can also be accessed by logging on to the application server through a desktop computer.
Figure 2 illustrates a block diagram showing the components of the
application server.
The Application Server, represented by block 10 of Figure 2 is the central web based server that controls the operations of the present invention. Users are provided with the provision of downloading the client application on the mobile phone from the application server 10 and registering themselves with the server 10. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, during registration users provide the application server 10 with their preferences i.e. choice of language, username, mobile number and a password.
The client application always runs in the background and whenever there is a voice or data call or SMS/MMS it writes the call details including the date, time, number, name, duration, call type and the like onto a local file. The client application automatically connects to the application server 10 to update the call data on regular intervals.

The call data is received by the Interface represented by block 12 of Figure 2. The interface recognizes the mobile number and records and maintains the history of calls made by users in the Call Repository represented by block 18 of Figure 2.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, if users wish to retrieve the call records they can launch the client application on the mobile phone. On invoking the client application users are prompted to authenticate themselves by entering the username, mobile number and password. These user credentials are received by the application server 10 which passes them on to the authentication engine, represented by block 14 of Figure 2. The authentication engine 14 compares the received credentials with the ones stored in the repository 18 and if found valid, authorizes the users to access the stored information.
The authorized users can request for the call history, on request, the client application sends the request to the application server. The interface 12 passes the request to the extraction engine, represented by block 16 of Figure 2. The extraction engine 16 based on the mobile number provided by the user fetches the call records from the call repository 18 and sends them to the client application via the interface 12. The interface retrieves the user preference from the repository 18 and compiles the call records in a tabular format and in the language of the user's choice and sends it to the client application. The client application receives the fetched call records in a tabular format and displays the same to the user.

Users can also retrieve the call history by logging on the application server and authenticating themselves with the server and then requesting for the required records.
The technical advancements of the present invention include:
• providing a system which will track all voice calls like incoming, outgoing, missed and rejected;
• providing a cost effective system for tracking voice calls;
• providing a multi-lingual system for tracking voice calls;
• providing a system for tracking voice calls for both prepaid and postpaid mobile connections;
• providing a system which keeps track of the voice call history with no limit on the number of records;
• providing a system for tracking voice calls and which can be used as a potential platform for advertisements;
• providing a system for tracking voice calls which can be accessed over the internet for retrieving the call history; and
• providing a system for tracking voice calls which will enable users to use call information for blocking unwanted calls, checking unauthorized use of mobile and for viewing lost address book contacts.
While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the particular features of this invention, it will be appreciated that various modifications can be made, and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the invention. These

and other modifications in the nature of the invention or the preferred embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the invention and not as a limitation.