JPH02159872A - Charging system for communication system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain concentrated control and the batch settlement of account at one place for a communication charge in close area connection by totally charging all the communication charges between the arbitrary terminals of the said group-shaped close area connection in the specified terminal of a terminal group to form the group-shaped close area connection. CONSTITUTION:In the arbitrary terminal of terminal groups 1031-103n to form group-shaped close area connection, the specified terminal in the said terminal group 1031-103n is designated and a batch charge request is outputted to an exchange network 101. In the exchange network 101, it is negitiated whether the batch charging is received with the designated specified terminal or not and when the batch charging is received, the address of the said terminal is stored as a batch charging terminal address. Thus, when communication is finished between the arbitrary terminals of the connection 104, in the exchange network 101, the communication charge of the said arbitrary terminals can be informed of the above mentioned specified terminal and the charging can be executed. Then, the specified terminal in the connection 104 can execute the the batch control and batch settlement of account to all the communication charges between the terminals in the said group.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a billing method for a communication system, and particularly to a billing method suitable for collective management and lump sum settlement of communication charges.

[Conventional technology]

Conventional billing methods include an originating billing method that charges the calling terminal, a terminating billing method that charges the called terminal,
Alternatively, a lump-sum charging method is known in which one terminal that communicates is charged regardless of whether the call is an outgoing call or an incoming call. Note that the conventional lump-sum billing method is described in, for example, the NTT technical reference material "Circuit Switching Service Interface."

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

Conventional billing methods are all based on the premise that communication charges are charged to either the calling terminal or the receiving terminal, and the communication charges between arbitrary terminals are charged to terminals other than those involved in the communication. No consideration has been given to charging. Therefore, even if a group of terminals connected to a switching network form a so-called group-type closed connection, each terminal that communicates must bear its own communication charges, and There was an issue where it was not possible to collectively manage communication charges or make bulk payments on these terminals.

An object of the present invention is to provide a communication system consisting of a switching network and a group of terminals forming a group-type closed connection, in which a specific terminal within the group can communicate between arbitrary terminals forming the group-type closed connection. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a billing method that allows communication charges to be managed and settled all at once.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides, in a communication system in which a group of terminals connected to a switching network form a group-type closed connection, a specific terminal in the group of terminals that accepts lump-sum billing (a lump-sum billing terminal). ), and the switching network is provided with a means for storing the address of the lump-sum charging terminal, and when the communication between any terminals in the terminal group ends, the switching network performs the corresponding lump-sum charging terminal address based on the stored lump-sum charging terminal address. This system is characterized by notifying billing information to billing terminals.

[For production]

Any terminal in the terminal group forming a group-type closed area connection is
A specific terminal within the terminal group is designated and a bulk billing request is issued to the switching network. The exchange network negotiates whether to accept lump-sum billing with a specified specific terminal, and if lump-sum billing is received,
The address of the terminal is stored as a lump-sum billing terminal address. As a result, when communication between arbitrary terminals in a group-type closed area connection ends, the switching network can notify and charge the communication fee between the arbitrary terminals to the specific terminal, and within the group-type closed area connection. specific terminal.

All communication charges between terminals within the group can be managed and settled at once.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an overall configuration diagram of an embodiment of a communication system to which the present invention is directed. This communication system includes a packet switching network 101 and a plurality of terminals (DTE) 103□ to 10 connected to the switching network LOL via subscriber lines 102, respectively.
Consists of 3n. Here, the terminals 103□ to 103n form a group-type closed connection 104, and the terminal 103□ is a terminal that collectively manages communication charges between any terminals in the terminal group 103□ to 103n and performs batch settlement (accepts lump-sum billing). terminal). The switching network 101 has terminals 1 connected thereto.
1 billing destination DTE storage area 10 for each 03□~1o3n
It has charging management tables 1051 to 105n including 6.

First, the registration sequence of lump-sum billing facility will be explained based on FIG.

Now, when the terminal 1031 desires to perform lump-sum billing, it sends a lump-sum billing terminal (a terminal that accepts lump-sum billing, in this example, the terminal 103
．． ) address to the switching network 101 using the designation button (■
). An example of the format of an FQ packet is shown in FIG. An example of the format of the FI packet is shown in FIG. 4(b). Note that when the switching network 101 cannot accept the lump-sum billing request from the terminal 1031, it transmits a lump-sum billing confirmation facility packet (hereinafter referred to as FC) in which rejection response information is set to the terminal 103□ (■). Figure 4(c)
shows an example of the FC packet format.

On the other hand, if the lump-sum charging terminal (bulk-billing request destination terminal) 103 bears the communication charges of the lump-sum charging requesting terminal 103 If it does not bear the burden, set rejection response information and send it to the switching network 101 (■). FIG. 4(Q) shows an example of the format of the FR packet.

That is, the FR packet has the same format as the FC packet. When the switching network 101 receives the FR packet,
If the lump-sum billing terminal 1032 accepts the lump-sum billing, it sets the address of the lump-sum billing terminal 103□ in the billing destination DTE storage area 106 of the billing management table 105□ corresponding to the lump-sum billing request source terminal 103□, and then responds with an acceptance response. If the FC packet in which the information is set is rejected, the FC packet in which the rejection response information is set is transmitted to the lump-sum billing request source terminal 201 (■). This completes the registration of the lump-sum billing facility.

Next, the billing information notification sequence after the end of communication between terminals will be explained with reference to FIG.

For example, when the switching network 101 detects the end of communication between the terminal 103□ and the terminal 103n, the switching network 101 updates the billing management table 105. ．．
Check the contents of the billing destination DTE storage area 106 of 105n, and if there is a lump-sum billing destination terminal, set the address and communication fee of the terminal in the terminal registered as the lump-sum billing destination terminal (terminal 103□ in this example). A billing information packet (hereinafter referred to as IC) is transmitted (■). Note that if there is no lump-sum billing destination terminal, the switching network 101.

While communicating, an IC packet containing the address and communication fee of the terminal is sent to the terminal.

FIG. 4(d) shows an example of the format of an IC packet.

Next, the FQ packet reception process, FR packet reception process, and IC packet transmission process in the switching network 101 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7.

FIG. 5 is a processing flow of the switching network 101 when receiving an FQ packet. The switching network 101 is connected to F
When a Q packet is received, the lump-sum charging requesting terminal and the lump-sum charging requesting terminal connect to the same group type closed area connection (CUG).
) (step 201).

In the case of the same CUG, it is checked whether the lump-sum billing request destination terminal is in operation (step 202), and if it is in operation, an FI packet is sent to the lump-sum billing request destination terminal (lump-charge billing terminal) (step 203). .

In addition, if the lump-sum billing requesting terminal and the lump-sum billing request destination terminal are not in the same CUG, or even if they are the same CUG, but the lump-sum billing request destination terminal is not operating, the lump-sum billing requesting terminal will be refused. An FC packet with response information set is transmitted (step 204).

FIG. 6 is a processing flow of the switching network 101 when receiving an FR packet. The switching network 101 has terminals (
When an FR packet is received from a lump-sum billing terminal (ie, a lump-sum billing request destination terminal), it is checked whether the response information (R8P) is accepted or rejected (step 301). When the response information of the FR packet is acceptance.

The address of the lump-sum billing request destination terminal (collective billing terminal) is stored in the billing destination DTE storage area of the billing management table corresponding to the lump-sum billing requesting terminal (Step 302), and the FC that has set the acceptance response information to the lump-sum billing requesting terminal Send the packet (step 303). If the response information of the FR packet is rejection.

The FC packet in which the rejection response information is set is transmitted to the lump-sum billing requesting terminal (step 304).

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of billing information notification processing in the switching network 101 at the end of communication. When the communication between arbitrary terminals ends, the exchange 1IR 101 transmits an IC packet to the bulk billing destination terminal if there is a lump-sum billing destination terminal in the billing destination DTE storage area of the billing management table corresponding to the communicating terminal. (
Step 402).

If there is no lump-sum billing terminal, an IC packet is sent to one terminal that was communicating, that is, to the calling terminal in the case of outgoing billing, and to the called terminal in the case of incoming billing (step 403). .

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, a specific terminal in a group of terminals forming a group-type closed area connection can collectively bear all communication charges between arbitrary terminals in the group-type closed area connection. Each terminal communicating within a group-type closed area connection does not have to pay communication charges individually, and there is an effect that communication charges within a closed area connection can be centrally managed and settled in one place.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a communication system according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a registration sequence of lump-sum billing facility, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a sequence of billing information notification, and FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a packet FIGS. 5 to 7 are diagrams showing processing flows of a switching network. 101...Switching network, 102...Subscriber line. 1031-1037...Terminal, 104...Group type closed connection group, 105□-105n...Charging management table, 106...Charging destination terminal storage area. Ding YP: Hakeptide design 1), 4: 3 Mara'ρTE-end dress, collection 2 figures Ichirei 4! 4' 7 Ashide kobetsu brocade; - Keshi person 3rd figure Kenki + i Shakuren Oki^ Shishi person

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) Consists of a switching network and a group of terminals connected to the switching network,
In a communication system in which the terminal group forms a group-type closed area connection, a specific terminal in the terminal group is designated as a terminal that accepts lump-sum billing (hereinafter referred to as a lump-sum billing terminal), and the lump-sum billing terminal is identified to the switching network. A charging method characterized in that the switching network notifies the lump-sum charging terminal of charging information when communication between arbitrary terminals in the terminal group ends.