DE19903156C2 - Routing procedures to minimize telecommunications charges - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for minimizing remote Registration fees, which one on a telecommunications network closed "Least Cost Router" depending on saved saved routing data and a call dialed by a caller number of a subscriber line to be called a transfer path between the subscriber connection of the "Least Cost Rou ters "and the subscriber line to be called.

It is known that due to the increasing number of telecommunications network operators and their increasingly confusing Fee structures the use of equipment to minimize Telecommunications fees, so-called "Least Cost Routers", always at becomes more tractive. "Least Cost Route" are capable of depending dialed telephone number, distance of the called party and time of day the cheapest network operator and the ge choose the most suitable transmission path. The connection is through routed the "least cost router". In practice, this happens in which the corresponding network code of the respective telecommunications university network operator through the "least cost router" in front of the egg provided the telephone number of the called subscriber becomes. The information about fees, clocks, tariff zones etc., the routing data are fed into the "least cost router" chert. The information required for this is derived from an ent remote database, mostly from the manufacturer of the "Least Cost Router "is operated, retrieved. Such a Sy is known stem, for example, from EP 0865215 A2. To transfer the A wide variety of methods are known for this information (see AU-A-34289/95 or GB 2 300 089 A), such as direct feed from the landline, via radio transmission, with modem from the Internet etc.

From US 58 62 203 a method is known in the fee be determined and compared with data from the least cost router  be compared. The user is then disagreed pointed out.

The disadvantage of all these options is that one It is dependent on the routing data in the data bank are complete, current and correct. Even with a hint if there are any discrepancies, the user must take the necessary measures themselves meet men.

The object of the invention is therefore a method for minimizing telecommunications fees through which the Disadvantages of the known "least cost router" can be avoided.

This task is characterized by the main claim in Connection with subclaims 2 or 3 solved.

The "Least Cost Router" evaluates charge signals that go through the Telecommunications network are transmitted from and calculated the Tariff information. These are compared to those in the internal data compare the stored tariff information of the routing data chen.

If the tariff information does not match, a external database selected in order to use the Rou ting data to update the internal database. This is be Particularly advantageous for participants who do not use the telephone as often due to the lower number of calls, the updates frequency of all routing data is too low. A verb However, an external database is only set up, and this causes costs if data can no longer be recognized are true. This will increase the number of connections to the external Database minimized.  

In a further advantageous embodiment, the "Least Cost Router "at definable time intervals, after the contract case principle or systematic (for example, a telecommunications university cation network operator after another), not the one for the Ver binding cheapest telecommunications network operator, son also the others, stored in its internal database This ensures that the database is not up to date such telecommunications network operators are also selected, who have already lowered their fees so that these are medium because the cheapest providers are. The Ak triggered thereby Update enables the "least cost router" to do this to be used for minimization.

Using examples in connection with the drawing, this is The method according to the invention explained in more detail.

It shows Fig. 1 a "Least Cost Router" 1, which may be present either as a standalone device inserted, as well as in telecommunications systems, ting data to a control unit 2, a memory 3 for Rou, and a memory 4 for tariff information. The control unit 2 is connected between the subscriber line 5 and the telecommunication terminal 6 . This can be, for example, an ISDN or an analog subscriber circuit. According to the type of connection, the Steuerein unit 2 is technically adapted. The control unit 2 comprises means for executing the usual "least cost router" functions (as described for example in EP 865 215 A2) and means for exchanging and comparing data from the memories 3 and 4 . In addition, the control unit 2 has a fee signal acquisition 21 in order to be able to collect tariff information. Over different telecommunication networks 9 a to 9 c of the telecommuni calls are routed to the subscriber terminal of the called subscriber 7 cation network operator. The control unit 2 can obtain routing data from the remote database 8 via the subscriber line 5 .

The control unit 2 evaluates the call number of the subscriber to be called when the user makes an outgoing call. The area code is used to determine the distance zone in which the called subscriber's line is located. The time of day, day of the week and date are also registered.

Based on the routing data stored in the memory 3 , the control unit 2 searches for the cheapest telecommunications network operator and routes the outgoing connection establishment via the telecommunications network of the telecommunications network operator. This means that he dials a corresponding network code before the actual phone number.

In the inventive method, the communication network 9 received from the telecommunication network operators from the telephoto to 9c charges supplied signals by the charge signal 21 is now detecting binding at each Ver. The charge signals can be, for example, the 16 kHz pulses of the analog network, or facility signals in the D channel on an ISDN connection. In the analog case, the fee signals per unit of time are measured, and from this the fee per unit of time, the tariff information, is determined. The charge per unit of time is delivered directly to the ISDN connection, either continuously during the connection or at the end of it as a total charge. From this, the tariff information can be calculated again. The tariff information obtained in this way is stored in memory 4 .

The tariff information from the memory 4 is compared immediately or after termination of the connection with the tariff information contained in the set of routing data belonging to the connection established in the memory 3 . The comparison is carried out by the control unit 2 . If the data are not identical, the routing data stored in memory 3 are updated, the tariff information contained is overwritten with the tariff information stored in memory 4 . As a result, at least the tariff information for the selected telecommunications network operator has now been updated at this time, date and distance. The remaining routing data remain in the old state.

Therefore, alternatively, if the tariff information is not the same, a connection to a remote database 8 can be established. In this case, the routing data in the memory 3 are partially or completely replaced by data from the database 8 .

In a further variant of the method according to the invention, the cheapest telecommunications network operator is not always chosen. Instead, a different telecommunications network operator than the cheapest from the routing data list of the memory 3 is selected ge, in a manner to be specified by the user (for example cyclically once a day), the control unit 2 temporarily suspends the principle of minimizing the telecommunications fees. A comparison of the tariff information is then carried out again, and if the data are not identical, either a direct update with the received tariff information or an update from a remote database 8 is triggered.

Reference list

1

Least Cost Router

2nd

Control unit

21

Charge signal acquisition

3rd

Routing data memory

4

Storage for tariff information

5

Subscriber connection

6

Telecommunications terminal of the user

7

Subscriber connection of the called subscriber

8th

Remote database with routing data

9

a,

9

b

9

c Telecommunications network of telecommunications network operators

Claims (3)

1. A method for minimizing telecommunications fees, in which a "Least Cost Router" connected to a telecommunications network, depending on stored routing data and a number dialed by a caller of a subscriber line to be called, a transmission path between the subscriber line of the "Least Cost Router" and the selects calling subscriber connection, a control unit ( 2 ) receiving charge signals from the telecommunications network by means of a charge signal detection ( 21 ), determining the charge per unit of time on the basis of the charge signals and storing this as tariff information in a memory ( 4 ), and storing it in the memory ( 4 ) Tariff information with tariff information which compares routing data stored in a memory ( 3 ), characterized in that
that the control unit ( 2 ) establishes a connection to a remote database ( 8 ) in the event of an inequality of the two tariff information,
that the control unit ( 2 ) retrieves new routing data from the database ( 8 ), and
that the new routing data completely or partially replace the routing data of the memory ( 3 ). 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that in the event of an inequality of the two tariff information, the tariff information stored in the memory ( 3 ) is replaced by the tariff information stored in the memory ( 4 ). 3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that
that the control unit ( 2 ) suspends the minimization of the telecommunications fees at fixed or random intervals, and
that the control unit ( 2 ) uses the routing data stored in the memory ( 3 ) to randomly control the transmission path or to select it in a manner specified by the user.