JPH06105021A - Collect call charging device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide collect call charging device while enables a caller to selecting register in advance callers whose calling charges will be accepted, and realizes a flexible charging system. CONSTITUTION:This device is comprised by providing a storage means 35 in which the identification information of the outgoing person is stored in advance by conforming to that of the incoming person, a sending means 31 which sends out the identification information of the outgoing person to a communication network, an identification means 37 which identifies whether or not the identification information of the outgoing person sent out from the sending means 31 is stored in the storage means 35 conforming to the identification information of a corresponding incoming person, and a charge processing means 39 which processes the identification information as incoming side charge when it is identified that the identification information is stored in the storage means 35 by the identification means 37.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an incoming call billing device for billing an incoming side of communication.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art First, a charging system in a current communication network will be described with reference to FIG. The communication network is composed of a communication line network 1 for performing communication such as a telephone call and a common line network 5 for exchanging control signals for controlling the exchanges 3 in the communication line network 1. Further, it is connected via a signal relay exchange 7 of the common line network 5 to a charge center 9 which collects charging information generated in the exchange 3 within a predetermined jurisdiction within the communication line network 1.

Now, communication from a caller A connected to the exchange 3 _S to a callee B connected to the exchange 3 _R will be described as an example. When the caller A calls the telephone number of the callee B,
The exchange 3 _S receives this telephone number. Exchange 3 _S
A control signal is transmitted to the exchange 3 _R to which the called party B is connected via the signal relay exchanges 7 _S and 7 _R in the common line network 5, and it is confirmed whether the called party B is free. Operates the exchanges 3 _S and 3 _R in a predetermined manner to enable the caller A and the callee B to communicate with each other through the communication line network 1.

In this case, the originating exchange 3 _S generates billing information based on the telephone number of the called party B, for example, according to the distance and the communication time, and manages the exchange 3 _S via the relay exchange 7 _S. The billing information is transferred to the charge center 9 _S.

The charge center 9 _S collects the charging information for a certain period for the communication transmitted by the caller A, calculates the communication charge, and charges the caller A.

As described above, the current charging system basically charges only the caller, and the exchange to which the caller is connected and the charge center under its jurisdiction are in one-to-one correspondence. Therefore, for example, when the calling party bears the call charge, there is no means for automatically transferring the billing information to the called party's exchange, which is either impossible or requires a very complicated human operation. It was

[0007]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION As described above,
Traditionally, communication charges have basically been charged to the sender. On the other hand, recently, as a call that is not charged to the caller, Toll Free (registered trademark of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation), which is a service borne by the receiver of unspecified telephone call charges,
Credit calls, which are cashless calls using credit cards, and collect calls, which are payments for incoming calls, have been provided.

[0008] However, in the free dial, since a call from an arbitrary partner is charged, it is not possible to perform fine control that charges only a call of a specific partner.

In addition, in a credit call, a specific caller who knows a personal identification number can make a call from anywhere.
Since the destination can not be specific, for example, by, etc. If you want to credit calls to children who are boarding, a usage fee collection agency services, unlimited to the so-called dial-Q ² (trademark registration pending by Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation) It is expected that there will be problems such as making outgoing calls.

Further, in the collect call, it takes a lot of trouble to call the guide board, which is troublesome.

As described above, in the conventional method, it is difficult for the called party who intends to bear the fee to bear the fee only for the communication from the specific caller, and the fee is charged. Could not be shared between the callee and the caller.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and makes it possible to selectively preliminarily register, in the network, a caller who allows the callee to bear the call charge.
An object of the present invention is to provide an incoming call billing device that can realize flexible billing.

[0013]

In order to achieve the above object, the first invention of the present application is a storage means for storing the identification information of the caller in advance corresponding to the identification information of the callee, and the caller in the communication network. Sending means for sending the identification information, and an identification means for identifying whether or not the identification information of the caller sent from the sending means is stored in the storage means in correspondence with the identification information of the corresponding called party. The gist is to have a billing processing unit that processes as billing on the receiving side when the identification unit identifies that the identification information is stored in the storage unit.

In the second invention of the present application, storage means for storing the identification information of the caller together with the billing ratio of the caller and the callee in advance corresponding to the identification information of the callee, and the caller in the communication network. Sending means for sending the identification information, identifying means for identifying whether or not the identification information of the sender sent from the sending means is stored in the storage means in correspondence with the identification information of the corresponding called party, and The gist is to have a billing processing unit that performs billing processing according to the billing ratio of the sender and the recipient stored in the storage unit when the identification unit identifies that the identification information is stored in the storage unit.

[0015]

In the incoming call billing device according to the first aspect of the present invention, the identification information of the caller sent to the communication network by the sending means is stored in correspondence with the identification information of the callee who is the communication destination of the caller. When it is stored in the means, it is processed as billing on the receiving side.

Further, the incoming call billing device of the second invention of the present application is
The identification information of the caller is stored in advance together with the billing ratio of the caller and the callee in association with the identification information of the callee. When the caller is identified as the billing of the callee as in the first aspect of the invention, the caller of the caller is called. The billing process is performed according to the billing ratio of the recipients.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a main part of an incoming call accounting device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of a communication network including the incoming call accounting device shown in FIG.

First, the configuration of the entire communication network will be described with reference to FIG. The communication network in this embodiment is composed of a communication line network 1 for communication such as a telephone call, and a common line network 5 for exchanging control signals for controlling the exchanges 3 in the communication line network 1. Further, it is connected via a signal relay exchange 7 of the common line network 5 to a charge center 9 which collects charging information generated in the exchange 3 within a predetermined jurisdiction within the communication line network 1.

Further, the originating exchange 3 _S can notify the terminating exchange 3 _R of the originator, for example, the telephone number as an ID. The ID processing unit 30 shown in FIG. 1 is provided in the called side exchange 3 _R , and is used by the called party to register the ID of the calling party who bears the call charge. The charge center 9 performs charge calculation and the like. The ID is transferred from the originating exchange 3 _S to the terminating exchange 3 _R , and the billing information of the exchange 3 _S is transferred to the charge center 4 via the signaling network.

Next, with reference to FIG. 1, the structure of the main part of the incoming call billing device will be described. FIG. 1 is an embodiment showing a basic configuration of an exchange 3 for implementing the present invention in a current communication network, and functional blocks of exchange processing means and the like which are well known in the prior art are omitted.

In FIG. 1, the ID processing section 30 is composed of an ID sending means 31, an ID registration means 33, a storage means 35, an ID identification means 37 and a billing processing means 39.

When the user accommodated in the exchange 3 makes a call, the ID sending means 31 has a function of identifying the user and sending a corresponding ID, such as a telephone number, to the common line network 5. . For example, referring to FIG. 2, when the ID of the caller X is IDX and the ID of the caller Y is IDY, when the caller X sends a corresponding IDX, the caller Y sends a corresponding IDX. Sends the corresponding IDY to the common line network 5, and is transferred to the called side exchange 3 based on the called party IDs of the calling parties X and Y.

The ID registration means 33 performs a registration process of a caller ID, which is a communication partner who allows the user accommodated in the exchange 3 to bear the call charge when receiving a call in advance. The storage means 35 records the caller IDs registered by the ID registration means 33 in units of callee IDs, and various memories such as EEPROM and RA.
It is composed of M and the like.

The procedure for registering the sender ID will be described with reference to FIG. First, a user accommodated in the exchange 3, for example, a callee Y calls the exchange 3 with a terminal device, for example, a telephone (step S1), and after connecting (step S3), sends a specific number for ID registration ( Step S5). Upon receiving the ID registration specific number, the ID registration unit 33 identifies the ID registration specific number in step S7, and subsequently connects the terminal device and the ID registration unit 33 in step S9. In this state, an appropriate method, for example, a method such as PB (Push Button) signal, voice recognition, or the like, is used to register a single or a plurality of IDs of the caller X who may bear the communication charge when receiving a call.
In step S11, the ID registration means 33 receives and identifies these IDs, and identifies the ID of the user (receiver).
For each (IDY in this example) unit, the storage means 3 as shown in FIG.
The data is stored in the table No. 5 (step S13). Further, when the caller X registers the caller ID as a callee, the caller ID is stored in the table in units of ID (IDX).

The ID identifying means 37, as shown in FIG.
When a user accommodated in the exchange 3 receives an incoming call, first, in step S21, the called party is stored in the storage means 35 based on the called party ID and the sender ID transferred via the common line network 5. It is determined whether or not there is a table based on the ID and the called party ID. If the table does not exist, the process proceeds to step S23 and is processed as normal communication. If the table exists, the process proceeds to step S25 to determine whether or not the caller ID is in the table. If the caller ID is not found in this table, the process proceeds to step S25 to perform normal communication, that is, caller billing. If the caller ID is found in the table, the process proceeds to step S27 and the incoming call charge is processed.

The billing processing means 39 processes the outgoing billing or the incoming billing according to the discrimination result of the ID identifying means 37. For example, the ID identifying means 37 instructs the exchange 3 _S to directly process the caller billed as the caller billing. On the other hand, if it is determined that the call is charged to the called party, the common line network 5 is used to transfer a control signal to the exchange 3 _S and the charge center 9 _S accommodating the caller so as to stop the charging process. At the same time, the exchange 3 _R accommodating the called party is controlled so as to execute the charging process, and the charge center 9 _R under the jurisdiction is charged (incoming charge) via the signal relay exchange 7 _R of the common line network 5. Instruct.

In the above-described embodiment, the callee side bears the full communication fee, but the caller and the callee can also bear the communication fee at an appropriate ratio. In this case, when registering the caller ID, the burden ratio may be registered together with the caller ID. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the burden is associated with the caller ID in a table for each caller ID. Just record the percentage.

By thus creating the table in the storage means 35, when the ID identification means 37 identifies the sender ID in the table, the charge processing means 39 is instructed of the burden ratio in the table. Upon receipt of this, the billing processing means 39 sends the common line network 5 to the exchange, the originating exchange, and the charge centers 9 that control the respective exchanges.
A control signal is sent via the so as to perform the charging process according to each burden ratio.

In the above embodiments, the functional blocks for implementing the present invention are installed for each exchange, but they may be installed together in the communication network.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the operation in this embodiment.

First, in step S31, the telephone number of the caller who may receive the call charge is recorded as the ID in the storage means 35 of the ID processing unit 3 of the receiving side exchange 3 _R in advance. In step S37, when the caller housed in the call-side switch 3 _S makes a call, the caller's telephone number is transferred to the call-side switch 3 _R via the communication network.

In the exchange 3 _R on the receiving side, the transferred ID is collated with the ID registered in advance in the storage means 35 (steps S33, 35). If the IDs match in step S39, the process proceeds to step S41, the signal network. Then, the originating exchange 3 _S is instructed not to perform the billing calculation, and the terminating exchange 3 _R itself performs the billing calculation (step S43). The terminating exchange 3 _R sends to the toll center 9 via the signal network,
The call fee is charged and notified to the called side.

As a result, a call from a specific caller can be charged to the called party.

Next, another embodiment according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The configuration of the embodiment shown in FIG. 8 is substantially the same as that of the above-described embodiment, but for simplicity of explanation, the case where the charge centers on the calling side and the receiving side are the same is taken as an example.

First, in step S41, the telephone number of the caller who may receive the call charge is recorded as the ID in the storage means 35 of the ID processing unit 3 of the receiving side exchange 3 _R in advance. In step S47, when the caller accommodated in the call-side switch 3 _S makes a call, the caller's telephone number is transferred to the call-side switch 3 _R via the communication network.

At this time, in step S45, the processing is performed as a normal calling side billing, and the communication charge in the calling side exchange 3 _S is counted. Next, the ID transferred by the exchange 3 _R on the called side and the ID registered in the storage means 35 in advance.
Are compared with each other (step S49), and in step S51, I
If the D list and the sender's ID match, step S
In step 53, the originating exchange 1 is notified of the information that it is an incoming billing call, and the originating exchange 3 _S sends the information billing telephone number that is the incoming billing call to the charge center 9. It Further, after the communication is completed, the communication charge counted by the originating exchange 3 _S , that is, the billing information is transmitted, and the terminating side is billed in step S55.

If the charge center on the calling side and the charge center on the called side are different, "notify as charging on the called side" in step S53.
At the same time, the billing information is transmitted from the originating exchange 3 _S to the terminating charge center.

As described above, in the above embodiment, the caller's telephone number is registered in the network in advance as the ID of the other party who may receive the call charge, and the caller's telephone number is set by the exchange system. The main feature is to check the phone number registered in advance and process the billing.
It differs from the conventional technique in that the caller's telephone number is collated to determine the charging destination.

[0039]

As described above, the call from the other party who has been registered in advance can be charged on the called side, so that there is an effect that flexible charging is possible.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a main part of an incoming call billing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an entire communication network including the incoming call billing device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a caller ID in the incoming call billing device shown in FIG.
5 is a flowchart showing a procedure of registration of the.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart schematically showing a flow of a charging process in the incoming charging device shown in FIG.

5 is a diagram illustrating an incoming callee I in the incoming call billing device shown in FIG.
It is a figure which shows the table which registers a sender ID for every D.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an incoming callee I in the incoming call billing device shown in FIG.
It is a figure which shows the table which registers the originator ID with D for every D.

7 is a flowchart showing a flow of overall processing in the incoming call billing device shown in FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a flow of overall processing in an incoming charging device of another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 communication line network 3 exchange 5 common line network 7 signal relay exchange 9 charge center 30 ID processing unit 31 ID transmission means 33 ID registration means 35 storage means 37 ID identification means 39 billing processing means

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A storage means for storing the identification information of the caller in advance in association with the identification information of the called party, a sending means for sending the identification information of the caller to the communication network, and a sending means for sending out the sending means. Identification means for identifying whether or not the identification information of the caller is stored in the storage means corresponding to the identification information of the corresponding recipient, and the identification information is stored in the storage means by the identification means. An incoming call billing device comprising: a billing processing unit that processes the billing on the called side when identified. 2. Storage means for storing in advance the identification information of the caller together with the billing ratio of the caller and the callee, corresponding to the identification information of the callee, and a sending means for sending the identification information of the caller to the communication network. And an identification means for identifying whether or not the identification information of the caller sent from the sending means is stored in the storage means in correspondence with the identification information of the corresponding called party, and the identification means stores the information in the storage means. An incoming call billing device comprising: a billing processing unit that performs a billing process according to a billing ratio of a caller and a callee stored in a storage unit when it is identified that the identification information is stored.