FI111118B - Taxation procedure and data transmission network - Google Patents

Description

111118

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a charging method used in a communication link between a customer and a service provider.

Background of the Invention

Customers are increasingly offered a variety of premium rate phone numbers that allow customers to call for personalized service. The services may be provided, for example, by an information or entertainment service. In addition, the services may be either recorded or personal.

10 During peak hours, the service number may be busy for a while, so the caller will have to wait for the number to be released if he or she does not stop trying to connect and then try to connect again. When the customer waits for the connection to be established and the number to be released, the customer is said to be in queue-15.

Paid services should be charged according to the actual service time the customer receives. Therefore, queuing time is not included in service time. The charge for queuing time should be different from the charge for the actual service time. A queuing charge, which may be the same as, for example, a local network charge, may be a prime example for authorities. A local network charge is a basic charge for making calls to other networks, which is relatively small compared to the service number charges.

However, it is not without problem to build devices in the telephone network that determine the total cost of a connection to a queued connection from different rates used at different times. The problem, then, is that existing systems can start charging the customer for a service charge even if the customer is just in the queue. This problem could be resolved, for example, by preventing the network from sending a signal that activates the service charge override while the customer is in the queue.

30 However, the solution to the problem is not always straightforward, since the queuing time may, in some cases, be so long that the timeout used by the data transmission network interrupts the queuing client's connection to the service provider. Depending on the network, the timeout may interrupt the connection establishment, for example, two minutes to 35 minutes after the queue has started, if the so called 2111118 is not transmitted from the service provider end. Response characters. Therefore, the customer should be able to queue for as long as the customer wants without having to pay a service charge for queuing time or having the network timeout interrupt the queued customer's connection attempt.

5 Brief Description of the Invention

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus implementing the method so that the above problems can be solved. This is achieved by a method of the type described in the introduction, which is characterized in that when a customer establishes a call with a service provider, the monitoring for an incoming call response message from the service provider is turned on, a response message is sent from the service provider to the service provider and, when the service provider begins to serve the customer, transmitting said tone frequency signal or interrupt message without disconnecting the established connection to terminate the connection; -20 den until unloading in connection with the litter service charges.

The invention also relates to a communication network comprising a client and a service provider.

The communication network according to the invention is characterized in that the communication network comprises a switching means adapted to set up monitoring 25 for an incoming response message from the service provider, a transmission means adapted to transmit a response message when the customer contact has reached to turn on the re-reply monitoring when the response message is received, and the transmitting means y 30 is adapted to send a tone frequency tone or to send a hold message without disconnecting the established connection to temporarily disconnect the connection and send a resume message .

Preferred embodiments of the invention are claimed in the dependent claims.

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The invention is based on transmitting a response token from the service provider-side data transfer access point as soon as the customer's call is connected to a telephone exchange at the service provider's end. The communication network comprises a so-called. an intelligent network that sends a callback • sign to the caller, but the intelligent network does not immediately initiate a toll call.

The method and communication network according to the invention provide several advantages. The invention enables the customer to pay the service charge rate only for the actual service time he receives. Thus, method 10 allows no restriction on the client queue time, since the response token is transmitted before it is even known whether the client is queued or not. The invention can be implemented relatively quickly for existing networks, for example software.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described in greater detail in connection with preferred embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 illustrates a communication network, Fig. 2 illustrates a signal implementation illustrating a first embodiment of a charging method.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Figure 1 illustrates a communication network comprising a subscriber terminal device 100, a first telephone exchange 200, a control block 300, a second telephone exchange 400, a switch 500 and a server 600. In Figure 1, a subscriber terminal is coupled to a telephone exchange 200 via a control block The telephone exchange 400 is connected via a switch 500 to a server 600.

In the communication network shown, the user, i.e. the client 30 of the subscriber terminal 100, communicates via a first telephone exchange 200, a control block 300, a second telephone exchange 400 and a switch 500 to a server '600, which may be for example a telephone. The service provider answers the customer's call when the service provider is released from serving the previous customer.

The communication network further comprises a first ISUP block 310 35 (ISUP = Integrated Services Digital Network User Part) and a second ISUP block 4111118 315. The first ISUP block is between the first telephone exchange and the control block. The second ISUP block is between the control block and the second telephone exchange 400. The ISUP blocks are adapted to form a signaling for call control of a public telecommunications network.

The control block 300 comprises an SSP block 320 (SSP = Service Switching Point), an INAP block 330 (Intelligent Network Application Part) and an SCP block 340 (SCP = Service Control Point). The control block can be used to create different services where the physical number and the logical number are different.

10 The INAP block 330 forms a signaling protocol to be used between the SCP and the SSP block. The SCP block 340 is adapted to control various services. The SCP block may, for example, be implemented on a computer. It is possible to store different databases in the SCP block.

The SSP block 320 is adapted to connect the call. The SSP block is capable of recognizing calls that require control of the intelligent network control unit, or SCP. In addition, the SSP block is able to retrieve information needed for the services, for example from the SCP block, using co-channel signaling. At least some of the control block blocks 320, 330, 340 may be located, for example, in a telephone exchange.

The communication network further comprises a DSS / R2 block 360 (DSS = Digital Subscriber Signaling) for establishing DSS and R2 subscriber signaling protocols between the exchange and the exchange. The DSS and R2 protocols handle call and service switching signals between the subscriber exchange and the subscriber line. Figure 1 shows that block 360 connects 25 telephone exchanges 400 and PBX 500 to each other.

The following describes two embodiments in which a response token is sent to each customer at each end of the service provider as soon as the customer's call is connected to the PBX at the service provider end. However, in either of the embodiments-30, the generation of the response token is not yet triggered based on the transmission of the response character. The embodiments will be described in more detail by means of signal diagrams.

In principle, in both embodiments, the client call is initially routed to the SSP block, which is in effect an SSP hub. The SSP block 320 then performs a service request, i.e. a so-called. triggering 5 to 111118 SCP Center. In the service request, a number conversion is performed and the call is routed from the SSP block to the PBX 500.

The service is implemented such that the service puts a predetermined response token monitoring in the SSP block in an active state, after which the * 5 SSP block knows to look for a response token in the received signal.

If there is any channel in PBX 500, the channel is allocated and the call is connected to the PBX. The switch 500 transmits a response token to the SSP block as soon as the call is connected to the switch. The PBX sends a response token immediately, regardless of whether there are any vacancies, service personnel or agents available at the PBX. The answer token is also sent immediately even if the call is transferred to a queued exchange. If, on the other hand, the gateway channels are full, the response token will not be transmitted.

Further, in both embodiments, the principle is that when the SSP block receives a response signal, i.e. a response-15 message, transmitted by the switch, monitoring of the response character, which has already been set to an active state, detects receipt of the character. Information is received on the receipt of the sign to the SCP block which, based on the information, transmits a message to prevent the generation of a service rate determining signal in the SSP block.

The structure and operation of the first embodiment are described below. The principle of the first embodiment is that the intelligent network switches on the response signal after receiving the tone signals, i.e. the Dual Tone Multifrequency (DTMF) signals, to the outgoing direction, i.e. to the switch 600. When a service provider or, for example, a so-called. the free agent answers the call, the switch 600 transmits one of the 25 characters on the basis of which the intelligent network turns on the rate generation. The signal sent by the switch 600 is practically some tone frequency signal. By doing so, the customer pays the service charge only for the time he / she receives the service.

Figure 2 is a signal diagram illustrating in more detail the first embodiment of the rating method. From the signal diagram, it is seen that when the client contacts the service provider, the ISUP block 310 generates an ΙΑΜ (IAM = Initial Address Message) message, which is used to perform the client call switching over the communication network. The IAM message includes, inter alia, the telephone numbers of A and B subscribers. The subscriber A operates in these 35 situations in a so-called. as an inviting subscription and subscriber B acts as a so-called. called the interface. The ISUP block sends its generated viest message to the SSP block 320.

111118 The SSP block 320 generates an ACM (Address Complete Message) after receiving the ΙΑΜ message if the, message received by the SSP block contains sufficient information to route the call forward. The SSP block sends an ACM message it generates to acknowledge the sufficiency of the content of the ISUP-loh-5 test message ΙΑΜ.

The SSP block 320 then generates an IN message (IN = Initiate), which is transmitted to the SCP block 340. Receiving the IN message initiates the operation of the intelligent network service in the SCP block. The IN message includes, inter alia, the telephone numbers of A and B subscribers.

After generating the IN message, the SCP block 340 generates a Con message (Con = Connect) by which the SCP block commands the SSP block 320 to switch the call forward. The SSP block switches the call forward only after the final Destination number to which the call is to be connected is determined.

After the Con message has been generated, the SCP block 340 generates an MA signal (MA = Monitor Answer) to command the SSP block 320 to set up call monitoring. At the same time, the monitoring is set to an active state, whereby it is possible for the SCP block to know when the actual destination interface has answered the customer's call. The SSP block 320, i.e. the switch-20 means, is adapted to override monitoring for the incoming response message from the service provider. Further, the switching means 320 is adapted to override the monitoring of a predetermined character when said response message is received. The command to override the above monitoring comes from the SSP block from the SCP block.

After the ACM, IN, and Con messages are generated, the ΙΑΜ message is transmitted from the SSP block 320 to the exchange 400. When the ΙΑΜ message reaches the exchange 400, the exchange 400 generates a so-called. A CS message (CS = Call Setup) is sent to the exchange 500. After the exchange has received the CS message, the exchange generates a so-called. An SOK message (SOK = Setup Ok), which is sent to the central station 400, which upon receiving the message generates an ACM message which is transmitted through SCP block 340 to the SSP block 320. After the SOK and ACM messages are generated, the switch 500 generates ns. An Ans message (Ans = Answer) which is sent from the exchange to the exchange 400. Ans message is generated when a customer is queued.

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The switch 500, i.e. the transmitting means, is thus arranged to send a response message through the switch 400 to the SSP block when the customer contact has arrived at the service provider's handover end.

CS, SOK and Ans messages are used to transmit signaling information, which may be for example DSS and R2 signaling. On the basis of said signaling, e.g. call connections from one place to another.

After the Ans message has arrived at the exchange 400, the exchange 400 generates an ANM (ANM = Answer Message). the reply message. Ans message and ANM message are basically the same message. The ANM message is first transmitted to the SSP block 320, from where it is further transmitted to the exchange 200. In principle, the CS, SOK and Ans messages correspond to the above IAM, ACM and ANM messages.

The SSP block 320 generates an EA (EA = Event Answer) message when the ANM generated by the switch 400 arrives at the SSP block. The SSP block sends 15 EA messages to the SCP block 340, which is notified by an EA message that a message has been received in the SSP block for which monitoring has been set.

The SCP block 340 generates an HC message (HC = Hold Charging) which is transmitted from the SCP block to the SSP block when the EA message has arrived in the SCP block. The HC message transfers information and instructions to the SSP block, including how to perform billing. More specifically, the HC message is used to prevent billing. The rate, i.e. billing, may be based, for example, on the calculation of pulses or billing pulses.

After generating the HC message, the SCP block 340 generates a Monitor Dual Tone Multifrequency (MDTMF) message and an ADTMF message. 25 (ADTMF = Activate Dual Tone Multifrequency) sent from the SCP block to the SSP block 320. Messages are sent to command the SSP block to monitor the DTMF characters.

When a service provider, service person or, for example, a so-called. the free agent answers the client call, step 500 generates a DTMF token which is transmitted over the speech channel to the SSP block 320, from which the token is forwarded to the exchange 200. Generating a DTMF token means that the client is queued. ends. From now on, the customer will pay the price according to the service charge. The SSP block then generates an Event DTMF Received (EDTMFR) message to inform the SCP block that the SSP block has received a DTMF token. Thus, the switch 500 is adapted to transmit a tone of frequency from which it is detected until a call is disconnected.

The DTMF character generated by the switch 500 may be, for example, a number from 0 to 9, or it may be a character or symbol. If necessary, the gear 500 can automatically generate a character-5 character. In addition, the service provider may enter the token directly from their telephone or other terminal. After generating the DTMF token, the call will be charged according to the service charge. When the customer is queued, the speech channel between the customer and the exchange is kept open, whereby the customer can hear, for example, the waiting tone of the exchange 10, various announcements or music, for example.

After receiving the EDTMFR message, the SCP block generates a Resume Charging (RC) message comprising CHARCHG parameter to be sent to the SSP block. The HC message is used to initiate billing. The arrival of the parameter in the SSP block triggers the service charge in the generator-15 nin SSP block. The SSP block then generates a CT message (TC = Continue) which stops the SCP block being routed. After generating a DTMF token, the price of the service charge will be charged for the customer's call until the customer or service provider terminates the connection.

Further, signal diagram 2 shows that information is transmitted between the SSP block and the exchange 20 200 by means of MPM = Metering Pulse Message. The measurement messages may comprise, for example, information on the number of billing pulses determining the call cost.

If, for some reason, the gateway is not able to automatically generate a DTMF token, the speech path opening time could be postponed until the *: 25 DTMF token is generated. In the above-mentioned situation, for example, the customer who is in a queue would not be able to transmit the switching queue itself. The queuing tone, announcements etc. would be transferred from the intelligent network in the above situation.

In the following, the structure and operation of the second embodiment will be described. The principle in the second embodiment is that after receiving the response token, the intelligent network turns on the monitoring, which is used to monitor the so-called subscriber B. reanswer. When a service provider or, for example, a so-called. the free agent answers the call, the switch 500 transmits a signal to temporarily interrupt the call. The signal that interrupts the call temporarily 35 corresponds in principle to, for example, the lowering of the handset of the telephone. an on-hook signal to be generated in an on-hook situation.

111118 9

When a signal that temporarily interrupts a call has been sent, a signal is sent immediately after the call, which in principle corresponds to the so-called hang-up of the handset. off-hook signal to be generated in an off-hook situation. Receiving a call resuming signal suppresses the effect of said interrupting signal, whereby the call interruption in practice remains very short-lived.

However, transmitting or receiving a signal that temporarily interrupts a call and a call that resumes a call does not result in actual call termination, even though the signals are sent to the counting point of said signals, such as the SSP block in this situation. However, the counting point cannot be located between block 320 and switch 500 because then the re-response cannot be reacted as desired.

Figure 3 is a signal diagram illustrating in more detail another embodiment of the charging method. In the implementation step 15, the SSP block 320, i.e., the switching means, is adapted to enable monitoring for an incoming response message from the service provider.

Another embodiment is described below, starting with the situation where an Ans message is generated for the exchange to indicate that 400 customers are waiting in a call queue. When the exchange receives the Ans message, the exchange 400 generates a response message, or ANM message, which is transmitted through the SSP block 320 to the exchange 200.

The SSP block 320 generates an EA message when the ANM generated by the exchange 400 arrives at the SSP block which forwards the received EA message to the SCP block 340. The SCP block 340 generates an HC message which is transmitted by the SCP. from block to SSP block when the EA message has arrived at SCP block.

After generating the HC message, the SCP block 340 generates a message initiating monitoring of the re-resistance message, or MReans message. The SSP block 320, i.e. the switching means, is further adapted to turn on the monitoring for the incoming response from the service provider.

Figure 3 shows that at some point the customer's call is answered and the call is dropped from the queue. Answering a call causes the SusC message (SusC = Suspend Call) to be generated at the switch 500, which transfers the message it generates to the exchange 400. The exchange 400 converts the received SusC message into a Sus message (Sus = Suspend), command to temporarily interrupt the call, which 10 111118 ten Sus message does not end the client call. The exchange sends a Sus message to the SSP block 320.

The Sus message can be sent, for example, when the handset is lowered from the called subscriber line. In this case too, the call can be resumed by lifting the handset within a certain time limit.

Further, answering the call causes the ResC call (ResC = Resume Call) to be generated at the switch 500, which transfers the message it has formed to the exchange 400. The ResC message, or call resume message, is generated after the SusC-10 message. The exchange 400 converts the received ResC message into a Res message (Res = Resume) which includes a command to return the call to an active state. For example, if the agent is unable to automatically generate a Res message, the voice path between the client and the exchange can only be opened after the system has detected a re-reply message. The ResC message, which is sent to block 320, terminates the temporary call termination. However, the call may be dropped if the ResC message is not received within a predetermined time. This time may be, for example, three minutes.

Exch block 400 generates a Res message, which reception in the SSP block causes the ge-20 to be generated in the SSP block, which transmits the generated EReans message to SCP block 340. When the EReans message has arrived at the SCP block, the SCP block 340 generates an RC message which is transmitted to the SSP block. The RC message transfers the billing information to the SSP block in the same manner as in the previous signal diagram.

/ 25 After the RC message generated by the SCP block, the SSP block generates a CT message (CT = Continue) which terminates control of the SCP block. Thereafter, the price of the service charge will be charged for the customer's call as long as there is a connection between the customer and the service provider. Further, Figure 3 shows that MPM measurement 30 messages are transmitted between the SSP block and the exchange 200.

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Although the invention has been described above with reference to the example of the accompanying drawings, it is clear that the invention is not limited thereto, but that it can be modified in many ways within the scope of the inventive idea set forth in the appended claims.

Claims (16)

1. A taxation method used on a data transmission connection intermediate between customer and service operator, characterized by when the customer forms a connection with the service operator, a monitoring for a response message is switched on the connection message, which arrives from the customer operator when the service operator arrives, when the service operator arrives, arriving at the service operator's transmission connection end, on the basis of the receipt of the response message, monitoring of an audio frequency signal or a message of continued connection arriving from the service operator, and when the service operator initiates the customer service transmitting or transmitting the signal, the said signal is transmitted. is interrupted to temporarily interrupt the connection, after which the interrupt message sends a continuation message about continued connection, is applied to the connection from the reception of the audio frequency signal or the continuation message until the connection is interrupted. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the reply message is sent immediately when the customer's connection arrival arrives at the service operator's transmission connection end. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the receipt of the response message for a predetermined time makes it possible to keep the customer in line as long as the connection is removed from the queue or that: · the customer interrupts the connection. 25 Method according to claim 1, characterized in that detection of said signal in the monitoring starts the service tariff recovery from the time when the signal is detected until the connection is interrupted. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the response message is sent regardless of whether the customer is moved to the queue or not. ·; 30 Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the method is used when the customer is moved in line to receive service. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the connection interrupt message corresponds to its contents a signal which is generated when the telephone handset is switched off. 111118 8. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the continuation message corresponds to its contents a signal generated when the telephone handset is lifted. 9. A data transmission network having a data transmission connection between the customer and service operator, characterized by the data transmission network comprises a connector (320) adapted to couple on a monitoring message for a response message arriving from the service operator, a transmitter's transmitter (500) When the customer's connection has arrived at the transmission connection end on the service operator's side, and the connector (320) is adapted to copy on the monitoring of an audio frequency signal or a response when the response message has been received and the transmitter signal (500) is adapted to transmit the signal. or sending an interrupt message without interrupting the established connection to temporarily interrupt the connection and send a continuation message on continued connection, whereby service tariff is applied to the connection from the audio frequency signal or the the sealing message is detected until the connection is interrupted. 10. A data transmission network according to claim 9, characterized in that the transmitter (500) is a telephone exchange, wherein the telephone exchange, when the service operator is connected to it, is adapted to send a reply message as soon as the customer's connection has arrived at the telephone exchange. 11. A data transmission network according to claim 9, characterized in that when the response message has been received for a predetermined time, the customer is queued for as long as the service operator has removed the customer's connection from the queue or the customer has interrupted the connection itself. 12. A data transmission network according to claim 9, characterized in that the predetermined signal is automatically generated by the transmitter * (500) or the signal is manually provided by the service operator. »1 The data transmission network of claim 9, characterized in that the transmitter (500) is adapted to transmit a response message immediately, regardless of the time difference between the time the response message was received and the service started. 111118 The data transmission network according to claim 9, characterized in that the message of continued connection sent by the transmitter (500) is a so-called. response message, the reception thereof being arranged to initiate the service tax collection. The data transmission network according to claim 9, characterized in that the interrupt message corresponds to its contents a signal which is generated when the telephone handset is switched off. 16. The data transmission network according to claim 9, characterized in that the continuation message corresponds to its contents a signal which is generated when the telephone handset is lifted. 1 «(« ·