JP2003309673A - Speech providing and accounting equipment, speech providing and accounting method, computer program, and recording medium recording the program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide speech providing and accounting equipment which can provide speech and enables accounting without depending on an originating ID. <P>SOLUTION: A speech portal system 1 is provided with a circuit switching part 12 and a speech synthesis part 14. The circuit switching part 12 originates calls from a telephone line installed for ISP in order to be used as a telephone line on an originating side of dial Q2 service, to a telephone line which is a telephone circuit on an incoming side of the dial Q2 service and installed for a contents provider. When the fee for the contents is so processed that deputy accounting collection is executed as dial Q2 service information fee, the speech synthesis part 14 synthesizes speech from the contents and makes a user terminal 21a regenerate the speech. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a voice providing and charging apparatus, a voice providing and charging method, a computer program for executing the method, and a recording medium having the program recorded therein.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the conventional voice portal service, each telecommunications carrier provides pay voice as voice content to a fixed telephone or the like.

[0003]

However, the collection of charges for each content by the telecommunications carrier has not been implemented due to the following problems.

That is, when the telecommunications carrier collects the usage charge together with the call charge related to the voice portal service, it is necessary to change the program for the call charge system of each telecommunications carrier.

[0007] Further, when the communication carrier collects the call charge related to the voice portal service as well as the use charge related to the paid voice contents, it is necessary to identify the user by the calling number ID (calling ID) of the user. However, in the voice portal service, the usage is mainly from outside (public phone or mobile phone) rather than from a specific fixed phone, so the fee should be collected for each calling ID of the user. It is difficult.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a voice and a voice providing / charging device capable of performing charging independent of the calling ID, and a voice. Is to provide a computer program and a recording medium recording the program.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, the present invention according to claim 1 provides a voice for reproducing a pay voice at a user terminal used by a user of a network service provider. From the telephone line provided by the network service provider so that it can be used as the telephone line on the originating side of the information fee charging / collecting agent service, the telephone line on the receiving side of the information fee charging / collecting agent service and the content The charge collection agency start control means for making a call to the telephone line provided as the provider of the content provider, and the case where the content fee is processed so as to be billed and collected as the information fee of the information fee charge collection agency service. And a sound providing and charging device for synthesizing a sound from the content and reproducing the sound on the user terminal. The stage.

[0008] According to the present invention of claim 1, when providing voice for reproducing a pay voice on the user terminal used by the user of the network service provider, it is used as a telephone line on the originating side of the information fee charging and collection agency service. Call from the telephone line provided by the network service provider to the telephone line provided by the provider of the content, which is the destination telephone line of the information fee charging and collection agency service so that it can be used. When the fee for the content is processed so that the fee for the content is collected and collected as the information fee of the information fee charging and collecting agency service, the sound is synthesized from the content and reproduced on the user terminal. Since the voice providing means is provided, it is possible to provide the voice and perform the charging independent of the calling ID.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in providing a voice for reproducing a pay voice on a user terminal used by a user of a network service provider, a content for synthesizing the voice is acquired through the network. From the telephone line provided by the network service provider so that it can be used as the content acquisition means and the telephone line on the originating side of the information fee charging / collecting agency service, Therefore, the charge collection agency start control means for transmitting to the telephone line provided as the provider of the content and the content fee acquired by the content acquisition means are charged as the information fee of the collection agency service. If it is processed to be collected,
A sound providing and billing device comprising a sound providing unit that synthesizes a sound from the content and reproduces the sound on the user terminal is a solution.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in providing a voice for playing a pay voice on the user terminal used by the user of the network service provider, the content for synthesizing the voice is provided via the network. From the telephone line provided by the network service provider so that it can be used as the content acquisition means to be acquired and the telephone line of the originating side of the information fee charging / collecting agency service, the telephone of the receiving side of the information fee charging / collecting agency service A charge collection agency start control means for making a call to a telephone line provided as a provider of the content, and a charge for the content acquired by the content acquisition means is an information fee of the charge collection agency service. Sound that is synthesized and synthesized by the user terminal and played back on the user terminal when the processing is performed as a charge collection agent. Because and a providing means allows billing does not depend on providing the caller ID of the voice.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the charge collection agency termination control means for disconnecting when the call from the charge collection agency start control means is received and the fee of the contents is charged as the information fee. A voice providing and billing device according to claim 1 or 2 is a solution means.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the billing collection agency operation is terminated when the call originating from the billing collection agency start control means is received and the fee for the contents comes to be collected as the information fee. Since it has control means,
It becomes possible to provide voice and to charge without depending on the calling ID.

The present invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that the telephone line of the network service provider, which is the originator of the transmission by the billing / collection surrogate start control means, is specified by an authentication process for the user terminal. The voice providing and billing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 is a solution.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the telephone line of the network service provider, which is the originator of the transmission by the billing / collection surrogate start control means, is specified by the authentication process for the user terminal. Therefore, it becomes possible to provide the voice and to charge without depending on the calling ID.

The present invention according to claim 5 is characterized in that the voice is recognized at the user terminal, and the content server from which the content is acquired is specified based on the recognition result. The voice providing and billing device according to any one of 4 is a solution.

According to the present invention of claim 5, the voice is provided at the user terminal and the content server from which the content is acquired is specified according to the recognition result. It is possible to charge without depending on the calling ID.

The present invention according to claim 6 can be used as a telephone line on the originating side of an information fee charging / collecting agent service when providing voice for reproducing paid voice on a user terminal used by a user of a network service provider. Starting from the telephone line provided as the network service provider, to the telephone line that is the receiving side of the information fee charging collection service and corresponds to the content provider A control step, and a voice providing step of synthesizing a voice from the content and reproducing the voice on the user terminal after the content charge is processed so as to be charged and collected as the information charge of the information charge / collection collection service. A solution is a voice providing and charging method characterized by being provided.

[0018] According to the present invention of claim 6, when providing voice for reproducing a pay voice on the user terminal used by the user of the network service provider, it is used as a telephone line on the originating side of the information fee charging and collection agency service. Collection of charges from the telephone line provided for the network service provider to the telephone line that is the receiving side of the information fee charging collection service and corresponds to the content provider Proxy start control step, and a voice providing step of synthesizing a voice from the content and reproducing the same on the user terminal after the fee of the content is processed so as to be charged and collected as the information fee of the information fee charging and collecting agency service Since it is provided with, it becomes possible to provide voice and to charge without depending on the calling ID.

According to the present invention of claim 7, in providing a voice for reproducing a pay voice in a user terminal used by a user of a network service provider, a content for synthesizing the voice is acquired through the network. From the telephone line provided by the network service provider so that it can be used as the telephone line of the originating side of the content fee collection and collection service, from the telephone line on the receiving side of the information fee collection and collection service There is a charge collection agency start control stage for transmitting to the telephone line corresponding to the provider of the content,
Providing audio for synthesizing audio from the content and reproducing the audio on the user terminal after the content acquired in the content acquisition step is processed so as to be collected and collected as the information charge of the information charge accounting and collection service. A solution is a voice providing and charging method characterized by including the following steps.

According to the present invention of claim 7, in providing a voice for reproducing a pay voice in a user terminal used by a user of a network service provider, a content for synthesizing the voice is acquired through the network. From the telephone line provided by the network service provider so that it can be used as the telephone line of the originating side of the content fee collection and collection service, from the telephone line on the receiving side of the information fee collection and collection service There is a charge collection agency start control stage for transmitting to the telephone line corresponding to the provider of the content,
Providing audio for synthesizing audio from the content and reproducing the audio on the user terminal after the content acquired in the content acquisition step is processed so as to be collected and collected as the information charge of the information charge accounting and collection service. Since the steps are provided, it becomes possible to provide the voice and perform the charging independent of the calling ID.

[0021] According to the present invention of claim 8, the billing collection agency disconnects when the fee for the contents comes to be billed as the information fee after the call originating at the billing collection agency start control stage is received. 7. A termination control step is provided.
Alternatively, the method of providing voice and charging as described in 7 is used as a solution.

According to the present invention of claim 8, the charge is disconnected when the charge of the content is charged as the information charge after the call origination at the charge recovery proxy start control stage is received. Since the recovery proxy end control step is provided, it becomes possible to provide voice and to charge without depending on the calling ID.

The present invention according to claim 9 is characterized in that the telephone line of the network service provider, which is the originator of the call origination in the charge collection proxy start control step, is specified by an authentication process for the user terminal. A solution is provided by the voice providing and charging method described in any one of 6 to 8.

According to the present invention of claim 9, since the telephone line of the network service provider, which is the originator of the call origination at the charge collection proxy start control step, is specified by the authentication process for the user terminal, the provision of voice and the call origination are performed. Billing that does not depend on the ID is possible.

The present invention according to claim 10 is characterized in that the voice of the user terminal is recognized and the content server from which the content is acquired is specified based on the recognition result. The solution provided is the provision of voice and the charging method described above.

According to the tenth aspect of the present invention, the voice is recognized at the user terminal and the content server from which the content is acquired is specified based on the recognition result. Will be possible.

The present invention according to claim 11 relates to claims 6 to 1.
A computer program for executing the method described in any one of 0 is a solution.

According to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, it is possible to distribute a computer program, which enables the provision of voice and the charging independent of the calling ID, through a communication network or the like.

The present invention according to claim 12 relates to claims 6 to 1.
A recording medium having a computer program for executing the method described in any one of 0 is set as a solving means.

According to the twelfth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to circulate a computer program, which enables the provision of voice and the charging independent of the calling ID, through a recording medium.

[0031]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration and usage of a voice portal system 1 embodying the voice providing and charging device of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a business model for providing pay voice as voice contents. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the parties in.

First, with reference to FIG. 2, the relationship between the parties in the business model of providing pay voice as voice content will be described.

A user (ISP user) of each Internet connection provider (ISP) is provided with an Internet connection service, an electronic mail service, etc. by paying a monthly basic charge. The ISP corresponds to a network service provider.

Each content provider (CP) provides a service for providing character-based content (simply referred to as content) to the ISP user or the like via the Internet, and tries to provide this content also by voice via the telephone network. In this case, a so-called dial Q2 line, that is, a telephone line on the receiving side of the information fee charging / collecting surrogate service is contracted with a telecommunications carrier operating a telephone network (simply called a telecommunications carrier). Therefore, this CP pays the contract fee of the dial Q2 line to the communication carrier. The CP corresponds to the content provider. Also, a telephone line is abbreviated as "line" as appropriate.

On the other hand, each ISP wants to be able to provide the character-based content of the CP to the ISP user who has a contract with the ISP by voice through the telephone network. Contract a private line (payment adjustment line). Therefore, this ISP pays the communication carrier the basic charge and the call charge of the charge settlement line.

When the ISP user desires to provide the contents (voice reproduction) by voice through the telephone network, the ISP user makes a contract for the voice portal service with the ISP with which the ISP user has a contract. Therefore, in addition to the monthly basic charge for the Internet connection service, this ISP user pays the usage fee for the voice portal system 1, which is a device for the voice portal service.

[0038] The ISP is the IS to which the user has applied.
The ID (VPID) and password (VPPWD) for allowing the P user to use the voice portal system 1 is paid out to the user, and the number of the line accommodated in the voice portal system 1 (call number 100) is notified. By associating the VPID and VPPWD with the ID (ISPID) for the Internet service, it becomes possible to identify the user when using the voice portal service.

The telecommunications carrier uses the device called the voice portal system 1 to convert the CP contents into voice contents (voice contents) and provides them to the ISP user via the telephone network. Since the usage fee of the voice portal system 1 does not include the content fee, the ISP user pays the voice content fee to the ISP.

Then, the voice portal system 1, when providing the voice content to the ISP user, uses this IS.
The call is made from the ISP's charge settlement line with which the P user has a contract, and the CP dial Q2 line is received. Therefore, the communication carrier can collect the fee for providing the audio content to the ISP user as the fee for using the dial Q2 line from the ISP. In addition, the telecommunications carrier dials the payment for the content provided from the CP by Q2.
It can be done as a line information fee, in other words, CP
Can collect the content fee collection as an information fee for the dial Q2 line.

The telecommunications carrier provides the ISP with a usage statement in which the dial Q2 line number for each CP and the dial Q2 usage fee for the general number are described.

Although the telecommunications carrier may provide ISP services in some cases, the IS of the telecommunications carrier is still used at that time.
Similar exchanges are made between the section corresponding to P and the section in charge of the communication business.

Next, the configuration and usage of the voice portal system 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

The voice portal system 1 includes a main controller 11
A line switching unit 12, a voice recognition unit 13, a voice synthesis unit 14, an authentication unit 15, a content conversion unit 16, and a dial Q2 response unit 17 are provided. These are composed of servers and can communicate with each other. The functions of these servers are realized by reading a computer program from a storage medium storing the program into the server and executing the computer program by the arithmetic processing unit (CPU) of the server.

The voice portal system 1 comprises a telephone network 51.
(PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) and V
Through an oIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) network), it is possible to talk with a user terminal of an ISP user having a call function. In FIG. 1, ISP
21 is attached to the user terminal of the user of 21 and ISP is attached.
The reference numeral 22a is attached to the user terminals of 22 users.
As the user terminal, a terminal capable of audio reproduction such as a fixed telephone or a mobile terminal can be used.

The voice portal system 1 also stores the contents server (CS) 31 storing the contents of the CPs 31, 32, ... Via the Internet 52.
, a, 32a, ... Note that the voice portal system 1 opens only the communication port of a specific protocol to the Internet 52 by a firewall (FW).

The voice portal system 1 includes various text data (guidance text) for voice guidance.
Is stored, and the main control unit 11 reads out these guidance texts and sends them to the voice synthesis unit 14. In addition,
The main control unit 11 can compose a voice menu with these guidance texts.

The main control unit 11 has CSs 31a, 32
URLs (Uniform Resource Identifier) of a, ... Are set. Further, the main control unit 11 makes a content request to the content conversion unit 16, and at this time, depending on the recognition result of the voice recognition performed by the voice recognition unit 13, any UR is detected.
L is specified as the search target URL, and this is notified to the content conversion unit 16.

Further, when the main control unit 11 receives the content acquisition completion notification from the content conversion unit 16, it issues a billing instruction to the circuit switching unit 12. At that time, the main controller 1
1 identifies the line number of the charge settlement line of the ISP by the authentication processing performed by the authentication unit 15 for the user terminal 2, and notifies the line exchange unit 12 of the line number.

In addition, the main control unit 11 gives a content payout instruction to the content conversion unit 16 by the content billing completion notification from the line switching unit 12, and the VxML (Voice XML) format paid out from the content conversion unit 16 is used. The text data in the content is transmitted to the voice synthesizer 14. Further, when the main control unit 11 receives the end notification from the circuit switching unit 12, the main control unit 11 generates and saves a user log.

The circuit switching section 12 is adapted to receive a call to the telephone number 100 for the voice portal service. Further, in the line switching unit 12, the numbers 311, 321, ... Of the dials Q2 lines of the CPs 31, 32 ,. Then, the line switching unit 12 determines whether each ISP
Lines for charge adjustment of 21, 22, ... (Line number 2 in Fig. 1)
, (Shown by 11, 221, ...) From the telephone network 51, and when there is a charging instruction from the main control unit 11, from the charge settlement line corresponding to the line number notified at that time to the content conversion unit 16 The call is sent to the CP dial Q2 line that provides the acquired content. Also,
When the line switching unit 12 receives the disconnection signal from the user terminal 2, the circuit switching unit 12 notifies the main control unit 11 of the end.

The voice recognition unit 13 recognizes the voice transmitted from the user terminal 2 and transmits the recognition result to the main control unit 11. The voice synthesizing unit 14 synthesizes voice based on the text data transmitted from the main control unit 11 and reproduces the voice on the user terminal 2.

The authentication section 15 uses the user terminal 2 I
Authenticate the SP user. Then, as the authentication result, the ISP contracted by the ISP user is the main control unit 11
To notify.

The content conversion section 16 requests the recognition result of the voice recognition notified from the main control section 11 when requesting the content to the CS corresponding to the search target URL notified from the main control section 11. And from the CS to HTML
The content of the format is acquired, converted into the VxML format and stored. Further, the content conversion section 16 pays out the stored content to the main control section 11 according to a content payout instruction from the main control section 11.

The dial Q2 responding section 17 includes the CP 31,
32, ... When the call to the dial Q2 line is received and the fee for the contents comes to be collected and collected as the information fee of the dial Q2, the call is disconnected.

In the existing system of the telecommunications carrier, the billing mechanism of the dial Q2 shown in FIG. 2 is constructed by a computer, etc.
Only by operating the voice portal system 1 having the above configuration, it is possible to charge the content of the CP provided to the ISP user who does not directly contract with the CP.

Now, the operation of the voice portal system 1 will be described.

FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram showing the operation of the voice portal system 1.

For example, when the user terminal 21a of the ISP user who has a contract with the ISP 21 for the voice portal service makes a call to the telephone number 100, this is switched to the line switching unit 12.
Is received. Then, the authentication unit 15 authenticates the user of the voice portal service (S1: authentication sequence).
Such personal authentication is performed using, for example, VPID and VPPWD. Further, more secure authentication may be performed by combining voiceprint authentication. If the voice portal service is provided by a lease contract with a telecommunications carrier, the telecommunications carrier needs to have an authentication unit. At this time, in addition to VPID, VPPWD, etc., ISPID, etc. are required.

When the authenticating unit 15 authenticates the user, the main control unit 11 notifies the user terminal 21a of a plurality of pay contents and a content provider that provides the pay contents by a voice menu. Here, it is assumed that the telephone number guide (number guide) provided by a certain CP is selected.
This number guide is a service that retrieves a telephone number from the address and name and notifies it by voice.

That is, when the user who hears the options on the top menu utters "number guidance" selected (S3: utterance "number guidance"), the voice recognition unit 13 recognizes this utterance content and outputs "number guidance" as the recognition result. Is sent to the main control unit 11 (S5: authentication result “number guide”), the main control unit 11 causes the main control unit 11 to perform text data for voice synthesis corresponding to the recognition result from the voice recognition unit 13 (for example, “check”). Please tell us your address and name. "
Is transmitted to the voice synthesizing unit 14 (S7: the text “The person to be inspected ...”).

Then, the voice synthesizing unit 14 synthesizes a voice based on the text data for voice synthesis from the main control unit 11 and sends it to the user terminal 21a. In other words, the voice "Please tell me the address and name of the person to be investigated." Is synthesized and transmitted (S9: voice "the person to be investigated ...").

This voice is reproduced on the user terminal 21a,
When the user utters the address and name as "○○ city ..., △△ Taro" (S11: utterance "○○ city ..., △△ Taro"), the voice recognition unit 13 recognizes and recognizes this utterance content. As a result, the main control unit 11 is notified of the data "City ... Taro" (S13: recognition result "Taro City, Taro").

Then, the main control section 11 notifies the content conversion section 16 of the recognition result and the URL to be searched, and makes a content request (S15: content request “XX city ..., ΔΔTaro”). The search target URL is specified by the main control unit 11 from the recognition result of the voice guidance of “Number Guidance” as indicating the content acquisition source CS (for example, CS32a).

Then, the contents conversion section 16 adds the main control section 1 to the CS 32a corresponding to the notified search target URL.
The recognition result notified from 1 is requested to request the content, and the content stored in the CS is acquired from the CS 32a (S17: Content acquisition (H
TML)). Since this content is usually in HTML format, it is converted into VxML format as needed (S1
9: Converted to VxML format). Then, the content acquisition completion notification is sent to the main control unit 11 (S21: content acquisition completion notification).

Then, the main control unit 11 causes the circuit switching unit 12 to
To the user (S23: content charging instruction). At this time, the main control unit 11 performs the authentication processing performed by the authentication unit 15 on the user terminal 21a, and thus the ISP contracted by the ISP using the user terminal 21a, that is, the line number 211 of the charge settlement line of the ISP 21. Is notified to the circuit switching unit 12.

Then, the line switching unit 12 selects the Q2 number of the CP, which is the provider of the acquired content, that is, Q2 from the charge settlement line of the notified line number 211.
A call is made to the Q2 line with the number 321 (S25: Call the Q2 number). Then, the dial Q2 response unit 17 receives the call, and disconnects when the fee for the content comes to be collected as an information fee. Then, the dial Q2 response unit 17 notifies the circuit switching unit 12 of the completion of dial Q2 billing (S27: notification of Q2 billing completion). Note that the line switching unit 12 disconnects the line by this notification. In addition, the line switching unit 12 notifies the main control unit 11 of the content charging completion by the dial Q2 charging completion notification from the dial Q2 responding unit 17 (S29: content charging completion notification).

The main control section 11 gives a content payout instruction to the content conversion section 16 by the content billing completion notification from the circuit switching section 12 (S31: content payout instruction).

The content conversion section 16 pays out the content converted into the VxML format to the main control section 11 according to the content payout instruction from the main control section 11 (S33:
Content (VxML)).

The main control section 11 transmits the text data in the VxML format content from the content conversion section 16, for example, the data "the telephone number you are looking for ..." to the voice synthesis section 14 (S35: The text "The phone number you are looking for is ...").

The voice synthesizing unit 14 voice-synthesizes the text data from the main control unit 11 and sends it to the user terminal 21a (S37: voice "the telephone number you are looking for ...").

It should be noted that the line switching unit 12 is the user terminal 21a.
When the disconnection signal is received from (S39: disconnection signal), the main controller 11 is notified of the end (S41: end notification). Then, the main control unit 11 generates and stores the user log (S43: user log). This user log contains ISP
The date and time when the pay audio content was used, VPID, and VPPWD as data for collecting charges from the user.
The ISPID and the like corresponding to are included, and the usage details are created by the user log.

As described above, the voice portal system 1 of the present embodiment embodies a voice providing and charging device, and executes the voice providing and charging method.

Then, the voice portal system 1 can be used as a telephone line on the originating side of the information fee charging / collecting agent service when providing voice for reproducing a pay voice on the user terminal used by the user of the network service provider. Charges sent from the telephone line provided by the network service provider to the telephone line provided by the content provider as the destination telephone line of the collection / collection service for information charges When the content exchange fee is processed so that the fee for the content is charged and collected as the information fee of the information fee charge and collection agency service, the voice is synthesized from the content and the Since the voice synthesizing unit 14 is provided as a voice providing means to be reproduced on the user terminal, it is possible to provide the voice and to charge regardless of the calling ID. To become.

Further, the voice portal system 1 obtains the content for synthesizing the voice through the network when providing the voice for reproducing the pay voice on the user terminal used by the user of the network service provider. From the content conversion unit 16 as a content acquisition unit and the telephone line provided by the network service provider so as to be used as the telephone line on the originating side of the information fee charging / collecting agent service, A line switching unit 12 as a charge collection proxy start control means for making a call to a telephone line on the receiving side, which is provided as a provider of the content, and a charge for the content acquired by the content acquisition means. Is processed as an information fee for the information fee charge collection service, Since synthesized speech from content comprising a speech synthesis unit 14 as a sound providing means for reproducing by the user terminal allows billing does not depend on providing the caller ID of the voice.

Further, the voice portal system 1 disconnects when the call collection by the charge collection agency start control means is received and the fee of the contents comes to be collected as the information fee. It is possible to provide voice with the dial Q2 response unit 17 as described above and to perform charging independent of the calling ID.

Further, the voice portal system 1 is configured to identify the telephone line of the network service provider, which is the source of the transmission by the billing / collection surrogate start control means, by the authentication processing for the user terminal performed by the authentication section 15. Since it is provided, it becomes possible to provide voice and to charge without depending on the calling ID.

In addition, the voice portal system 1 is configured so that the voice recognition unit 13 recognizes the voice of the user terminal and identifies the content server from which the content is acquired based on the recognition result. It becomes possible to provide a charge and charge regardless of the calling ID.

The voice providing and billing method executed by the voice portal system 1 is such that, when providing voice for playing a pay voice on a user terminal used by a user of a network service provider, an information fee billing collection service From the telephone line provided for the network service provider so that it can be used as the telephone line on the originating side, the telephone line on the receiving side of the information fee charging and collection agency service that corresponds to the provider of the content. S25 as a charge collection agency start control step for transmitting to the line, and after the content fee is processed so as to be collected and billed as the information fee of the information fee bill collection agency service, the voice is synthesized from the content. S37 as a voice providing stage to be reproduced by the user terminal as described above.
It becomes possible to charge without depending on.

The voice providing and billing method executed by the voice portal system 1 is for synthesizing the voice for reproducing the pay voice in the user terminal used by the user of the network service provider. S1 as a content acquisition stage for acquiring the content of the user via the network
7 and the telephone line provided by the network service provider so that it can be used as the telephone line of the originating side of the information fee charging / collecting agent service, S25 as a charge collection agency start control step for transmitting to the telephone line corresponding to the content provider, and the charge of the content acquired in the content acquisition step as the information fee of the information fee charge collection agency service. After the processing is performed as described above, S37 is provided as a voice providing step of synthesizing a voice from the content and reproducing the content on the user terminal, so that it is possible to provide the voice and perform charging independent of the calling ID.

Further, the voice providing and charging method executed by the voice portal system 1 is such that the fee of the contents is charged and collected as an information fee after receiving the call at the charging and collection agency start control stage. Since S27 is provided as the charge collection proxy termination control step of disconnecting when the time becomes, it is possible to provide the voice and perform the charge independent of the calling ID.

The voice providing and billing method executed by the voice portal system 1 is performed by authenticating the telephone line of the network service provider, which is the originator of the call origination at the billing collection agency start control stage, to the user terminal. Since it is specified, it is possible to provide the voice and to charge without depending on the calling ID.

In addition, since the voice providing and charging method executed by the voice portal system 1 recognizes the voice at the user terminal and identifies the content server from which the content is acquired based on the recognition result, the voice is provided. Therefore, it is possible to charge regardless of the calling ID.

The computer program for causing the voice portal system 1 described above to execute the voice providing and billing method is recorded in a computer-readable recording medium such as a semiconductor memory, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, or a magnetic tape. It can be distributed widely by transmitting it via a communication network such as the Internet.

Further, the present invention can be applied to not only number guidance but also voice provision and billing in, for example, forecasting of horse races and stock prices, and purchase.

[0086]

As described above, according to the present invention,
It is provided by the network service provider so that it can be used as the telephone line of the originator of the information fee charging / collecting agent service when providing the voice for playing the paid voice on the user terminal used by the user of the network service provider. From the telephone line that was set up as the recipient of the information fee collection service, and the content fee is the information fee collection service information. When the processing is performed so that the fee is collected and collected as a fee, the voice is synthesized from the content and reproduced by the user terminal, so that the voice can be provided and the fee can be charged without depending on the calling ID.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration and a usage form of a voice portal system 1 embodying a voice providing and charging device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a relationship between parties in a business model for providing pay voice as voice content.

FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram showing an operation of the voice portal system 1.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 voice portal system 11 main control unit 12 circuit switching unit 13 voice recognition unit 14 voice synthesis unit 15 authentication unit 16 content conversion unit 17 dial Q2 response unit 51 telephone network 52 Internet 21, 22, ... ISP (Internet service provider) 21a , 22a, ... User terminals 31, 32, ... CP (content provider) 31a, 32a, ... Content server (CP) 100 Call line numbers 211, 221, of the voice portal system 1 ... Line numbers of the ISP charge settlement line 311, 321, ... CP dial Q2 line number

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. When providing a voice for playing a pay voice on a user terminal used by a user of a network service provider, the network service is provided so that it can be used as a telephone line on the originating side of an information fee charging and collection agency service. A charge collection agency start control means for making a call from a telephone line provided for the content fee collection agency service to the telephone line provided for the information fee collection agency service and provided as the provider of the content. A voice providing means for synthesizing a voice from the content and reproducing the synthesized voice on the user terminal when the fee of the content is processed to be charged and collected as the information fee of the information fee charging and collecting agency service. A voice providing and charging device characterized by the following. 2. A content acquisition means for acquiring content for synthesizing a voice through a network when providing a voice for playing a pay voice on a user terminal used by a user of a network service provider, and information. From the telephone line provided by the network service provider so that it can be used as the originating telephone line of the charge / billing collection agency service, the telephone line of the receiving side of the information fee / billing collection agency service, which provides the relevant content Charge collection agency start control means for making a call to a telephone line provided as a person's telephone line, and the fee of the content acquired by the content acquisition means is charged and collected as the information fee of the information fee charge collection agency service. Audio processing means for synthesizing audio from the content and reproducing the audio on the user terminal when processed. Audio providing and billing device according to claim. 3. A charge collection agency termination control means for disconnecting when a call originated by the charge collection agency start control means is received and the fee of the content is charged as an information fee. 2. The voice providing and charging device according to 2. 4. The telephone line of the network service provider, which is the origin of the transmission by the billing / collection surrogate start control means, is specified by an authentication process for the user terminal. 3. The voice providing and charging device according to any one of 3 above. 5. The configuration according to claim 2, wherein the user terminal is configured to recognize a voice at the user terminal and identify a content server from which the content is acquired based on a recognition result. Voice providing and billing device. 6. The provision of the network service so that it can be used as a telephone line on the originating side of an information fee charging / collecting surrogate service when providing a voice for playing a pay voice on a user terminal used by a user of the network service provider. A charge collection agency start control step for making a call from a telephone line provided for the person who is the receiving party of the information fee billing collection agency service to a telephone line corresponding to the provider of the content; And a voice providing step of synthesizing a voice from the content and reproducing the voice on the user terminal after the fee is processed so as to be charged and collected as the information fee of the information fee charging and collecting agency service. Voice provision and billing method. 7. A content acquisition step of acquiring content for synthesizing a voice via a network when providing a voice for playing a pay voice on a user terminal used by a user of a network service provider, and information. From the telephone line provided as the one of the network service provider so that it can be used as the telephone line of the calling side of the charge collection service
Information fee charge collection service, the charge collection agency start control stage for making a call to the telephone line on the receiving side of the service, which corresponds to the provider of the content, and the charge of the content acquired at the content acquisition stage is information. A voice providing step of synthesizing a voice from the content and reproducing the voice on the user terminal after being processed so as to perform the bill collection and collection as an information charge of the charge / billing collection agency service, and Billing method. 8. A charge collection agency termination control step of disconnecting when the fee of the content is charged as an information fee after receiving the call at the charge collection agency start control step. A method for providing and charging a voice according to item 6 or 7. 9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the telephone line of the network service provider, which is the originator of the call origination in the charge collection proxy start control step, is specified by an authentication process for the user terminal. The method for providing and charging the voice described in. 10. The provision of voice according to claim 7, wherein the voice is recognized on the user terminal and the content server from which the content is acquired is specified based on the recognition result. Billing method. 11. A computer program for executing the method according to claim 6. 12. A recording medium on which a computer program for executing the method according to claim 6 is recorded.