JP2000324273A - Mail transmitting method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce calling charges by setting a mail deciding time via a telephone set having an ACR function, calculating the charge of the mail deciding time from the accounting charge per unit time, that is decided for every charging circuit and selecting the most inexpensive charging circuit to transmit a mail. SOLUTION: An ACR operation state is set, and a mail message is produced and stored in a memory and then transmitted to the opposite party, after the telephone of the opposite party is inputted. Thus, a telephone device decides whether a mail is to be automatically transmitted. If the mail is transmitted automatically, the telephone set sets a mail deciding time, calculates the charge of the mail deciding time from the accounting charge per unit time, that is decided for every charging circuit and selects the most inexpensive charging circuit. Then the telephone set adds an accessory number to the telephone number of the mail transmitting destination to identify the selected accounting charge and transmits a mail. As a result, the calling charge can be reduced, not only when an ordinary mail is transmitted but when an automatic answering telephone message, etc., is transferred.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of transmitting a mail, and more particularly to transmitting a mail (including a text message and various data information) by using an ACR function-equipped telephone for selecting an optimal charging line and making a call. When sending emails.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a plurality of carriers (operators) are determined by judging a number, a day of the week, a time zone, etc., of a called party.
Of normal call rates, and determines the cheapest charging line from a plurality of types of lines, sends out the telephone number entered along with the line selection number data [predetermined access number] to the line, and automatically provides the operator to provide it. There is known a function of selecting and saving a telephone bill (hereinafter, referred to as an ACR function). This means that each operator's billing method for the line,
This is a function that differs depending on the time zone, and comes from the necessity of automatically selecting the cheapest billing fee for telephones that can use a plurality of operator lines.

[0003] A telephone line operator is provided with a number, called an access number, for specifying the service of the operator. For example, in the case of the second electric power, "0077" is used.
However, in the case of KDD, 001 is assigned as an access number. The user can use the line of the operator of the access number by sending the access number attached to the head of the telephone number of the destination. AC
The R function calculates call charges between operators by a predetermined method, selects an operator providing the cheapest call charges, automatically adds the access number of the operator, and automatically sets to perform the call. I have. So the user is
By using this function, there is no need to dial an access number, and the most appropriate billing line is selected and the call is made in the same operation as when making a call using a telephone line of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (hereinafter referred to as NTT). It can be carried out.

Normally, to use the ACR function, AC
After purchasing a telephone with an R function, it is necessary to perform a predetermined procedure for a specific operator. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure for using the ACR function. Needless to say, the registration method differs depending on the carrier (operator). First, a telephone with an ACR function is purchased (step 201), and a predetermined registration operation is performed (step 203) within 30 minutes after the power is turned on (step 202).

[0005] This registration operation is usually performed by selecting a data request on a menu screen of a telephone with an ACR function.

When such a registration operation is performed, the telephone automatically makes a first call to the operator (carrier) center one minute later (step 204). With this first call, the location registration of the telephone is performed for the operator. After another 30 minutes, the telephone makes a second call to the operator center (step 205). Thus, the location registration in the first transmission performed in step 204 is confirmed. Thus, the registration operation is always performed twice.

Then, predetermined data transmission for activating the ACR function is performed by the operator (step 20).
6). The period from the position registration to the data transmission differs depending on the operator and is undecided. In this manner, when the data is transmitted from the operator and stored in the telephone, an operator such as an ACR lamp indicating that the ACR function is enabled, or a predetermined operator access number (xxx) is specified. When the lamp is turned on, the ACR function can be used (step 207). The initial value of the ACR function on / off switch of the telephone with the ACR function is on, and when the switch is set to off, the registration of the ACR function cannot be performed. Further, when a telephone operation or an incoming call is received during communication with the operator center, the procedure shown in FIG. 2 may not be performed.

[0008]

The ACR function in such a call is applied not only to a normal call but also to transmission of an electronic mail. However, unlike a normal telephone call, a mail transmission call using a telephone is completed in about several tens of seconds. On the other hand, charging for call time employs different standards for each operator, and some operators charge on a minute basis and others on a second basis.

As described above, since the mail transmission is completed in about several tens of seconds, when the ACR function is operated in the same manner as in the case where it takes more than one minute as in a normal call, the call charge per minute is selected by the operator. In some cases.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a mail transmission method capable of automatically selecting an operator who performs charging in units of seconds in mail transmission and selecting an optimal charging line.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method of transmitting an e-mail using an ACR function-equipped telephone which selects and communicates with an optimal charging line. It is characterized in that a billing line is selected and mail is transmitted through the line.

Further, the present invention relates to a method for transmitting a mail using a telephone with an ACR function for selecting an optimal charging line and performing communication, wherein the determination time for the mail is set, and the time is determined for each charging line. Calculate the fee for the determination time from the charging fee per unit time, select the charging line with the lowest price, add an access number for identifying this charging line to the telephone number of the mail destination, and send the mail. Is performed. The determination time for the mail can be shorter than the determination time for normal dialing during automatic transmission of the mail. Further, the determination time for the mail can be arbitrarily set according to the determination condition for selecting the charging line.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. According to the present invention, in the case of sending an e-mail, an access number of an operator who provides an optimal charging line selected by a user setting using an ACR function set for a call is added to a telephone number and transmitted. To send email.

FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing the procedure of a mail transmission method according to the present invention.

In order to use the mail transmission method according to the present invention, the telephone must be set to the ACR operation state (step 101). Next, an e-mail message is created by a predetermined method and stored in a memory in the telephone. Next, the telephone number of the other party is input to make a call to the other party (step 102). Then, the telephone determines whether this transmission is automatic transmission of a mail or a normal telephone call (step 103).

If the transmission is not an automatic transmission of an e-mail, an ACR judgment is made based on a predetermined ACR judgment criterion (step 105), and an access number is added according to the judgment result, and dial transmission is performed to the line (step 106). ). Here, if the telephone call is an automatic transmission of a mail in step 103, a determination time for mail is set (step 104). The determination time for this mail is set shorter than the determination time for a normal call.

Then, the charge for the determination time for the mail is calculated from the charge per unit time determined for each charge line, and the charge line with the lowest charge is selected (step 105). Then, the access number for identifying the charging line is added to the telephone number of the mail destination, and the mail is transmitted (step 106).

Here, step 104 will be described in more detail. There are several types of determination time for selecting the optimal charging line, and this is selected based on the download data provided by the operator determined by the day of the week, the location time zone, and the like, which are the determination conditions for selecting the line. For example, assume that three determination times are set by the download data. 60 seconds for determination time 1 and 1 for determination time 2
It is assumed that 80 seconds and 30 seconds are set as the determination time 3. If NTT and KDD are taken as examples of operators, the charging fee data per unit time is 180 yen for 10 yen for NTT and 1.3 yen for 6 seconds for KDD (Hudson charging fee). .

If it is determined in step 103 that the transmission is a normal dial transmission, a determination time 1 is selected. If it is determined that the mail is automatically transmitted, the determination time 3 is selected. Therefore, at the time of normal dialing, this determination time 60
If you calculate the charge for the second with the NTT charge, 60 seconds ÷ 1
80 = 1/3
It is calculated as 0 = 10 yen. Also, when this determination time 60 seconds is calculated based on the KDD fee system, 60 seconds ÷ 6 = 1
0, which is 10 x 1.3 = 13 yen. Accordingly, the optimal charging line becomes the NTT line (step 105). In step 106, the NTT line is selected, its access number is added (in the case of the NTT line, the access number is not given), and the line is dialed out.

On the other hand, in the case of the automatic mail transmission, the judgment time 3 is selected as the judgment time for the mail. Therefore, when the NTT charge is calculated, 30 seconds ÷ 60 = １ ／. 10 = 10 yen. Also KD
In the D charge calculation, 30 seconds ÷ 6 = 5, and 5 × 1.3 =
It will be 6.5 yen. Therefore, in this case, the KDD line is selected as the optimal charging line (step 105), and the KD line is selected.
The access number 001 of the D line is added and dialed out to the line (step 106).

As described above, according to the present invention, the e-mail determination time is set at the time of e-mail transmission, the optimal charging line is selected based on this, and the access number of the optimal charging line is added to the telephone number of the e-mail destination. And send email. In addition, it is preferable that the determination time for such an e-mail is shorter than the determination time for a normal dial at the time of automatic transmission of an e-mail.

The present invention is not limited to the transmission of mail, but can be used in the same way, for example, when transferring an answering machine message or when the call duration is predetermined in seconds. That is, the present invention can be used for transferring an answering machine message to a PHS, a mobile phone, a pager, or the like.

[0022]

As described in detail based on the above embodiments, in the present invention, an e-mail is transmitted by adding an access number for identifying an optimal charging line to the e-mail destination telephone number at the time of e-mail transmission. This makes it possible to reduce call charges.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a transmission procedure of a mail transmission method according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a setting procedure of an ACR function.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI theme coat ゛ (reference) H04M 11/00 303 F term (reference) 5B089 GA25 GA26 GB04 HA01 JA31 JB22 KA15 KA16 KB06 KB12 KC23 5K025 AA08 BB02 CC01 EE04 EE05 EE09 KK08 5K030 GA20 HA06 HB08 JT01 LB05 5K101 KK02 LL01 NN21 NN48 PP03 QQ07 RR11 RR27

Claims (4)

[Claims] An AC for selecting an optimal charging line for communication.
A method of transmitting an e-mail using an R-function-equipped telephone, wherein the e-mail is transmitted by selecting an inexpensive charging line from a plurality of types of lines and transmitting the e-mail via the selected line. Method. 2. An AC for performing communication by selecting an optimal charging line.
In the method of transmitting an e-mail using a telephone with an R function, a determination time for the e-mail is set, and a fee for the determination time is calculated from a charging fee per unit time determined for each charging line. A mail transmission method comprising: selecting a billing line to be charged and adding an access number for identifying the billing line to a telephone number of a mail destination, and transmitting the mail. 3. The method of transmitting a mail according to claim 2, wherein the judgment time for the mail is set shorter than the judgment time at the time of normal dialing when the mail is automatically transmitted. 4. The method of transmitting a mail according to claim 2, wherein the determination time for the mail is arbitrarily set according to a determination condition for selecting a charging line.