JPS6253064A - Communication network charging system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To apply charging at a sender exchange of a newly provided communication network without revamping an existing subscriber exchange by starting the charging to a calling subscriber when a voice or a data appearing in a channel is detected after the line setting. CONSTITUTION:A communication network 20 of a newly participating agent offering a detour is connected between exchanges 13, 14 to an existing communication network 10 provided with subscriber exchanges 11, 12 and a toll line between the relay exchanges 13, 14. A voice/data detector 21b of a calling exchange 21 in the newly provided communication network 20 supervises the signal level in the channel set between the subscribers A, B and when the 1st appearance of the voice or data is detected, it is informed to the charging means 21a. After the charging means 21a receives the notice, the charging of the toll chall to the outgoing subscriber A is started. Thus, the charging is started without revamping the existing exchange.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION OBJECT OF THE INVENTION Industrial Field of Application The present invention relates to a billing system in a newly established telecommunications network that provides bypass route services to toll lines within an existing public telecommunications network. .

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, with the liberalization of the public telecommunications industry, new entrants from various fields are being planned.

For new entrants, businesses that provide detour routes to long-distance lines within existing public telecommunications networks are seen as promising for the time being from both technical and economic perspectives.

That is, as shown in FIG.
A new addition to the existing communication network 10 is provided by providing a detour route for the toll line between the relay exchanges 13 and 14 for the existing communication y410, which has a toll line between the relay exchanges 13 and 13 and 14. The personal carrier's communication 'fJ420 is connected.

The terminal switches 21 and 22 in the new communication network 20 serve as subscribers and terminals X and Y in the existing communication network 10, respectively.
At the same time, it also corresponds to a relay exchange within the newly installed communication network 20. Subscriber terminal (hereinafter simply referred to as "subscriber")
A and B are subscriber exchanges 11 and 12, respectively.
It is possible to call the exchanges 21 and 22 via the switch 21 and communicate with them via a detour route via the relay exchange 23.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention In the new communication network 20 shown in FIG. 2, there is a problem in that billing cannot be performed using the same method as in the existing communication network.

That is, in the existing communication network 10 shown in FIG. 2, when subscriber The charging means 11a starts charging the calling subscriber A for local call charges. Subsequently, subscriber Y, who was called by subscriber A via subscriber X and newly established communication network 20, makes a call to subscriber B. When subscriber B goes off-hook in response to this, the subscriber exchange 12 that has detected this off-hook tells the billing means 12a to
The local call fee charging operation for calling subscriber Y is started.

In this way, local call charges within the existing communication network 10 are normally started.

Here, suppose that when the local exchange 12 detects the off-hook of the called subscriber B and starts charging the calling subscriber Y, it sends a response signal to the calling subscriber Y notifying the off-hook of the called subscriber B. If the response signal is to be returned to the originating exchange 20 by returning this response signal to the exchange 21 via the exchanges 22 and 23 on the newly established communication network 20 side,
It is possible to start charging the calling subscriber A for the amount equivalent to the long-distance call fee by activating the charging means installed within the terminal.

Incidentally, in the existing communication MLO, a response signal notifying the off-hook of the called subscriber B is returned from the called subscriber exchange 12 to the calling subscriber exchange 11 via the relay exchanges a14 and 13, and When the subscriber exchange 11 detects the response signal, it causes the charging means 11a to start charging the calling subscriber A for long-distance communication charges.

However, because the subscriber exchanges in existing telecommunications networks were developed and manufactured at a time when today's conditions could not have been anticipated, the subscriber exchanges 11.12 notify the originating subscriber that the terminating subscriber is off-hook. It has no functionality at all.

Therefore, within the newly established communication network, the timing to start billing cannot be determined at all.

If an attempt was made to add a function to an existing subscriber exchange that forwards the off-hook response signal of the incoming subscriber to the originating subscriber without absorbing it, it would require a huge amount of cost to improve the existing subscriber exchange, and new entrants would be required to do so. The problem is that it can become difficult in itself.

Structure of the Invention Means for Solving the Problems The communication network billing system of the present invention solves the problems of the prior art described above. Alternatively, by starting the charging operation to the originating subscriber at the time when data is detected, the present invention is configured to provide a reasonable timing for starting charging without requiring an expensive modification of the existing subscriber exchange.

Hereinafter, the operation of the present invention will be explained in detail together with examples.

Embodiment FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a mixed old and new communication network to which a communication network charging system according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

In FIG. 2, the components given the same reference numerals as in FIG. 1 are the same as the components already explained with respect to FIG. 1, and redundant explanation of these components will be omitted.

In this embodiment, the terminal switch 21 in the new communication y420 includes a billing means 21a and a voice/data detection device 21b.
It is equipped with Similarly, the terminal switch 22 also includes a billing means 22a and a voice/data detection device ff122b.

When subscriber A of the existing communication network 10 attempts to communicate with subscriber B of the existing communication network using the newly established communication M420,
First, subscriber X, that is, the exchange 21 in the newly installed communication network 20, is called via the subscriber exchange 11. Subscriber exchange 2
1 responds, the subscriber exchange 11 that detects this responds,
The charging means 11a is caused to start charging the calling subscriber A for local calls.

When subscriber A detects a response from subscriber exchange 21, such as by receiving a predetermined dial tone, subscriber A dials the subscriber number of subscriber B within the existing communication network. The exchange 21 that received this
selects the outgoing route to the transit exchange 23, and a line to the destination exchange 22 is set up. Based on the local number of subscriber B received from the originating exchange 21, the destination exchange 22 makes a call to subscriber B as the accommodated subscriber Y of the local exchange 12.

When subscriber B goes off-hook in response to this call, the local exchange 12 detects this and charges the local call fee to the calling subscriber Y, that is, to the new entrant who owns the newly established communication network 20. The means 12a is started. At the same time, subscriber B goes off-hook, allowing a call between subscribers A and B, and a voice or data call is started.

In the originating exchange 21, the voice/data detection device 21a monitors the signal level in the communication path established between subscribers A and B, and when the first appearance of voice or data is detected, the billing means 21a of the detection. Upon receiving this detection notification, the charging means 21a starts charging the calling subscriber A the equivalent of a long-distance call fee.

When the originating subscriber A wants to end the call, he sends a predetermined call end signal to the exchange 21 to notify the disconnection of the line and the end of billing. This end signal is
If it is a push-button dial phone, M such as "#" or "#0"
F signal sound 1 If it is a dial electric machine, it will be "1" or "11".
”, and for data terminal devices, MFF sounds such as “#” and “#0” similar to push-button dial telephones.

When the voice/data detection device 21b of the subscriber exchange 21 detects the call termination signal, it terminates the charging operation of the charging means 21a. When the exchange 21 detects the end call tone, it disconnects the line between subscribers A and B.

Conversely, when subscriber B calls subscriber A via the newly established communication network 20, the voice/data detection device 22b of the originating exchange 22 calls the communication path established between subscribers A and B. When the voice or data that first appears in the call is detected, the charging means 22a starts charging the originating subscriber B equivalent to the long-distance call fee. Furthermore, when the originating subscriber B sends a call termination signal, the exchange 22 disconnects the line and the billing means 22a terminates the billing operation.

Instead of disconnecting the line and terminating the billing operation in exchanges 21 and 22 with a call termination signal from the originating subscriber, after subscribers A and B go on-hook, subscriber exchanges 11 and 12 send a signal to subscribers X and Y, respectively. This may be done by detecting intermittent call end signals.

Effects of the Invention As explained in detail above, the communication network billing system of the present invention allows the originating exchange in the newly established communication network to start calling from the time when it detects the first voice or data that appears in the communication path after setting up the line. Since the system is configured to start charging the subscriber, a remarkable effect is achieved in that a reasonable timing for starting charging can be provided without requiring an enormous amount of expense to improve the existing subscriber exchange.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a mixed old and new communication network to which the communication network charging system of an embodiment of the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is a mixed communication network of old and new technology shown to explain problems in the conventional technology FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a network configuration. 10... Existing communication 4LL1.12... Subscriber exchange,
13.14...Relay exchange, 20...New communication network, 21
, 22.23...Switching machine, 21a. 22a--charging means, 21b, 22b... voice/data detection device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] The existing public telecommunications network is equipped with a switch housed in a subscriber exchange that is installed within the existing public telecommunications network, receives and absorbs the response signal of the incoming subscriber, and starts billing operations for the outgoing subscriber. In a newly installed communication network that provides a detour route to a toll line within the network, the originating exchange in the new communication network will notify the originating subscriber of the A communication network charging method characterized by starting a charging operation.