JP2002261986A - Charging method in public telephone system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a charging method in a public telephone system wherein residual call durations can be utilized effectively. SOLUTION: In a telephone switching system storing card public telephone sets, after completing a call, the residual call portion and the date and time of the call, or if necessary, the charging unit and the destination of the call are stored in a card. When a user use the card next time, by extracting the call time of the last call and its date and time, the residual call portion is so derived that no charging is performed for the duration corresponding to the residual call portion, if the card is used within an effective term. In this case, at needs, by confirming the charge unit or the destination of the last call, it is determined that no charging is billed only when the charging unit or the destination of the present call is the same as the one of the last call. By utilizing this charging method, since the cut-off of the call corresponding to the residual call duration portion is eliminated for the user, the utilization of the call rate of the user can be made effective, and the increase of the times of calls is expected for the telephone switching system, and further, the utilizations of telephone cards are promoted.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a telephone exchange system for accommodating telephones, and more particularly to a billing method for a public telephone system accommodating telephones using cards such as telephone cards and IC cards as a means for settlement of calls. is there.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional public telephone system, when a user inserts a card into a card-type public telephone or a card-type portable telephone, makes a call, and designates a destination number, the system sets a communication path with the destination number. Immediately after the connection is completed, the communicable frequency of the card is subtracted, and thereafter the communicable frequency is subtracted every time a time (communicable time per unit frequency) elapses according to the destination or the like. When the user hangs up the handset on the payphone to end the call, the system then disconnects the call path with the destination number. Here, the communicable time per unit frequency varies depending on the destination, the day of the week, the time zone, and the like.

[0003]

In a conventional public telephone system, as described above, when a call is terminated, even if there is remaining available call time for the call, the system does not communicate with the destination number at that time. It has been pointed out that since the call path is disconnected, the user loses the remaining call. Therefore, if the remaining call amount can be effectively used, a special benefit is given to the user.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a billing system in a public telephone system which can effectively use the remaining call.

[0005]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in a public telephone system according to the present invention, a user inserts a card into a card-type public telephone or a card-type portable telephone, makes a call, and ends the call. Then, the system stores, in the card, the remaining call charge for the call or, if necessary, the available time per unit, the destination number, and the use date and time for the call.
The next time the user uses the card-type public telephone,
The system uses the remaining call charges stored above. If necessary, the conditions under which the remaining call charges can be used are limited. For example, setting an expiration date.

Here, the call in the same billing unit is a call in which the communicable time per unit frequency is the same, and as described above, it differs depending on the destination, the day of the week in which the call is made, and the like. The call of the same destination includes not only a call of the same destination number but also a call of the same area code, for example.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an example of a network configuration of a public telephone system according to the present invention. It is assumed that the general telephones 2a to 2n, the public telephone 3, and the mobile telephone 4 are connected via the public telephone communication network 1. The present invention can be applied to card-type telephones such as telephone cards and IC cards among these telephones.

FIG. 2 shows a configuration example of a public telephone which realizes an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 11 denotes a display unit,
Is a display control section, 13 is a billing information management section, 14 is a handset, 15 is a handset control group, 16 is a connection control section, 17 is a card control section, 18 is a card pocket, 19 is a line control section, and 20 is a push button. A button (PB) input control group, 21 represents an operating system (OS), and 22 represents a push button.

In the first embodiment, when a user inserts a card into a card-type public telephone and makes a call, terminates and disconnects the call, the system stores the remaining call for the call and allows the user to store the remaining call for the next time. A description will be given of a case where a call is first used when the remaining call is used, and when the remaining call is completed, the call is continued using the possible call frequency of the card.

The user lifts the handset 4 of the public telephone, inserts the telephone card into the card pocket 8, and
If you press 2 and enter the desired destination number,
In the public telephone, the card control unit 7 reads the number of possible calls and the last remaining call charge from the card usage information of the card inserted in the card pocket 8 and notifies the connection control unit 6. Here, FIG. 3 shows a configuration example of the card usage information. The card control unit 7 notifies the connection control unit 6 of the number of possible calls and the last remaining call charge. Further, the PB input control unit 10 notifies the connection control unit 6 of the destination number.
If both the possible number of calls and the last remaining call charge are not 0, the connection control unit 6 requests the exchange to connect to the destination number via the line control unit 9 and charges the destination number. Notify the information management unit 3. The charging information management unit 3 extracts the corresponding communicable time (hereinafter referred to as “communicable time”) per unit frequency from the charging time management information by referring to the destination number, and controls the communicable time by connection control. Notify section 6. Here, FIG. 4 shows a configuration example of the charging time management information. Further, for example, it is assumed that the number of times is 10 yen, and the time during which a call can be made in one time differs depending on the destination. The connection control unit 6 calculates the destination number, the remaining call time / the unit charge = the last remaining call time,
The call frequency, the call time and the last remaining call time are stored in the connection management information. Here, a configuration example of the connection management information is shown in FIG.

When the connection with the destination number is completed, the line controller 9 notifies the connection controller 6 of the completion of the connection. The connection control unit 6 refers to the connection management information, and requests the card controller 7 to delete the last remaining call charge if the last remaining call time is not 0. The card control unit 7 deletes the last remaining call charge from the card usage information stored in the card inserted in the card pocket 8. When the last remaining call time has elapsed, the connection control unit 6 subtracts the number of possible calls in the connection management information and requests the card controller 7 to reduce the number of possible calls. The card control group 7 subtracts the communicable frequency from the card usage information stored in the card inserted in the card pocket 8.

The connection control unit 6 subtracts the number of possible calls in the connection management information each time the interval between callable legs stored in the inconsistency management information elapses from the subtraction time, and the card control unit 7. Is requested to reduce the number of possible calls. The card control unit 7 subtracts the number of possible calls from the card usage information stored in the card inserted in the card pocket 8. The user puts the handset 4 on the public telephone and ends the call.

In the public telephone, the handset control unit 5 notifies the connection control unit 6 of the disconnection of the call. Connection control unit 6
Obtains the current time from the OS11 and requests the card control unit 7 to store the remaining call charge as (1-((current time minus previous time subtracted time) / communicable time) = remaining call charge). The card control unit 7 stores the remaining call charge in the card usage information stored in the card inserted in the card pocket 8 as the last call charge.

FIG. 6 shows an example of a flowchart relating to the billing process in the public telephone according to the first embodiment.

In the above embodiment, the last remaining call charge is used for the next call. However, if the next call is less than the remaining call time corresponding to the last remaining call charge, the connection is terminated. The control unit 6 obtains the current time from the OSll, and sets the current time to the card control unit 7 as (previous remaining call fee− (current call time / current call time)) = remaining call fee. Request storage of remaining call charges. The card control unit 7 stores the remaining call charge as the last call charge in the card usage information stored in the card inserted in the card pocket 8. With this configuration, all of the remaining call time can be effectively used. In addition, it is possible to use the number of possible calls prior to the remaining call charge.

The above embodiment is an embodiment in which the public telephone determines the charging. However, when charging is performed by the public telephone according to the charging instruction from the exchange, the public telephone sets The connection control unit 6 can be realized by subtracting the number of possible calls from the connection management information after the elapse of the last remaining call time and requesting the card control unit 7 to reduce the number of possible calls. In addition, in the case where the exchange carries out charging while maintaining the number of possible calls, it can be realized by performing the same billing processing as in the above-described example implemented by a public telephone.

In the second embodiment, the case where the method described in the first embodiment is applied to the case where the previous call is a call in the same billing unit will be described below. In the first embodiment, when the call is disconnected, the public telephone stores the talk time of the call as the last talk time of the card use information of the card, and the user can make the next call at the next call. This can be realized by comparing the time with the last available call time and, if they match, using the last remaining call charge of the card. If they do not match, a call is made using the possible call frequency of the card. Further, in the above-mentioned call, the same processing can be realized not only for the next call but also for the subsequent calls.

In the third embodiment, a case where the method described in the first embodiment is applied to a case where the previous call is a call of the same destination will be described below. In the first embodiment, when the call is disconnected, the public telephone stores the destination number of the call as the previous destination number in the card usage information of the card, and when the user next makes a call, the next destination number and the aforementioned destination number are stored. This can be realized by collating the previous destination number and, if they match, using the last remaining call charge of the card. In addition,
If they do not match, a call is made using the possible call frequency of the card. In addition, in the above-mentioned call, the same processing can be performed not only for the next call but also for the subsequent calls.

In the fourth embodiment, a case will be described below in which the method described in the first embodiment is applied to a call having the same billing unit and the same destination as the previous call. In the first embodiment, when the call is disconnected, the public telephone stores the talk time and the destination number of the call as the last talk time and the last destination number of the card use information of the card, and the user makes the next call. At the time of a call, the next callable time and the destination number are compared with the previous callable time and the destination number, and when both match, it can be realized by using the previous detention call charge of the card. In other cases, a call is made using the number of possible calls of the card. Further, in the above-described call, the same processing can be realized not only for the next call but also for the subsequent calls.

In the fifth embodiment, an embodiment in which an expiration date is provided for the use of the remaining call in the first to fourth embodiments will be described below. In the first to fourth embodiments, when the call is disconnected, the public telephone stores the date and time of the call as the last use date and time of the card use information of the card, and when the user next calls, the date and time and the last time are used. If the difference from the use date is within a certain value, this can be realized by using the last remaining call charge of the card. In addition,
If the difference between the date and time and the previous use date and time exceeds a certain value, a call is made using the number of possible calls of the card.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and various modifications and changes are possible. For example, it goes without saying that the first to fifth embodiments can be applied to a card-type mobile phone. In this case, it can be realized with the same configuration and function as the first to fifth embodiments.

[0022]

As described above, according to the present invention,
In the public telephone system, the user does not have to cut off the call for the remaining time, so it is possible to effectively use the available call frequency of the card, and the system sets the conditions regarding the use of the remaining call fee as described above. As a result, the use of a public telephone or a mobile phone can be promoted by the use of a card by the user, and as a result, an increase in revenue due to an increase in the number of calls can be expected, and the use of the public telephone by cash decreases. The simplicity of the card-coin-operated public telephone is reduced, and the cost for collecting the call charges stored in the card-coin-operated or coin-only public telephone can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a network configuration for realizing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a public telephone for realizing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of card usage information.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration example of charging time management information.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of connection management information.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flowchart relating to charging processing in a public telephone.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Public telephone communication network 2 General telephone 3 Public telephone 4 Mobile telephone 11 Display unit 12 Display control unit 13 Billing information management unit 14 Handset 15 Handset control group 16 Connection control unit 17 Card control unit 18 Card pocket 19 Line control unit 20 Push button (PB) input control unit 21 Operating system (OS) 22 Push button

Claims (7)

[Claims] In a telephone exchange system accommodating a card-type public telephone, when a user inserts a card into the card-type public telephone, makes a call with a destination party, and ends the call,
This system is a billing method in a public telephone system in which the remaining call amount is stored for the call and the user uses the remaining call amount when making the next and subsequent calls. 2. A billing method in a public telephone system according to claim 1, wherein when the remaining call is completed, said call is continued using the number of possible calls of said card. 3. A billing method in a public telephone system to which the method according to claim 1 or 2 is applied in the case of a call in the same billing unit as a previous call. 4. In the case of a call having the same destination as the previous call,
A billing method in a public telephone system to which the method according to claim 1 is applied. 5. A billing method in a public telephone system to which the method according to claim 1 or 2 is applied in the case of the same billing unit and the same destination as the previous call. 6. A billing method in a public telephone system, wherein the method according to any one of claims 1 to -5 is applied to a card-type mobile phone in a telephone exchange system accommodating the card-type mobile phone. 7. A charging method in a public telephone system according to claim 1, wherein an expiration date is set for use of a remaining call.