JP2001156946A - Lcr device and lcr information transfer device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To automatically judge that the installation place of an LCR device 110 is moved and automatically download new LCR data with this movement. SOLUTION: When a power source is turned off longer than a fixed time, it is judged that there is a possibility that the installation place of the LCR device 110 is moved. A subscriber telephone number stored in a subscriber telephone number memory 112 is transmitted to an LCR information transfer device 120. In the case of this transmission, since a caller notice service is utilized, the LCR information transfer device 120 acquires a caller telephone number together with the subscriber number stored in the LCR device 110. When using these telephone number and subscriber information stored in a subscriber information memory 122, a movement detecting part 124 of the LCR information transfer device judges whether or not the install place of the LCR device 110 is moved, namely, whether or not it is necessary to update LCR data in the LCR device 110.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an LC for generating LCR information for selecting a communication route with a low call charge.
The present invention relates to an R information transfer device and an LCR device that selects a communication route using the LCR information.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, there have been a plurality of telecommunications carriers in Japan, and each of them has provided a unique telephone communication service.

[0003] Different charge systems are set for the communication services provided by the respective operators. Therefore, by subscribing to a plurality of types of telephone communication services, the user can select the cheapest telephone communication service each time and perform communication.

[0004] As an apparatus for selecting an inexpensive telephone communication service, an LCR (Least Cost Routing) apparatus is known. The LCR device previously stores the charge system data of a plurality of carriers as LCR data, and automatically selects the cheapest carrier based on information such as the telephone number of the other party.

[0005] Generally, during a toll call, the LCR device is
The access number (“0088” or “0
077 ”) is added to the telephone number and transmitted.

[0006] In addition, during a local call, the LCR device adds the access number of the selected business operator and the area code of the caller to the telephone number and transmits the telephone number. This area code is also L
It forms part of the CR data.

When it becomes necessary to update the LCR data, new LCR data is sent from the download center to each subscriber's LCR device via a telephone line.

[0008]

Conventionally, when a subscriber's telephone number is changed due to a relocation of an office or a move of a general household, invalidated LCR data is deleted,
It was necessary for the user or the constructor to manually download the LCR data corresponding to the new installation location by operating the LCR device.

[0009] However, when such an updating operation is left to an artificial operation, there is a possibility that the LCR data is not updated. For example, if the user or the like forgets to update the LCR data, or if the user operates the LCR device incorrectly, the LCR data is not updated, and the LCR data before the transfer may be used as it is.

When the LCR data before the transfer is used as it is, the cheapest telephone communication service is not selected at the time of a toll call, or the toll number at the time of the transfer is added to the wrong party during the local call. The problem of being connected occurs.

For this reason, there has been a demand for a technology capable of completely automatically determining whether an LCR device has been transferred and updating LCR data associated with the transfer.

[0012]

The above-mentioned problems are solved by the LCR apparatus and the LCR information transfer according to the present invention.

[0013] The first invention relates to an LCR device that selects a communication route with a low call charge using LCR information. Communication control means for communicating with the LCR information transfer device via a communication line; subscriber telephone number storage means for storing its own subscriber telephone number; Originating control means for causing the control means to transmit its own subscriber telephone number using the originator notification service to the LCR information transfer device.

[0014] The second invention relates to an LCR information transfer device for transferring LCR information for selecting a communication route with a low call charge to an LCR device. Subscriber information storing means for storing subscriber information including a subscriber telephone number for each subscriber; a caller telephone number obtained by a caller notification service; a subscriber telephone number transmitted from the LCR device; A communication control means for acquiring through a communication line,
Using the caller telephone number obtained by the caller notification service, the subscriber telephone number received from the LCR device, and the subscriber information stored in the subscriber information storage means,
A relocation detecting means for determining whether or not LCR information in the R device needs to be updated.

[0015] When the power supply is cut off for a certain period of time or longer, the LCR device judges that the installation location may have been moved, and the LCR information is stored in the subscriber telephone number storage means in the LCR information transfer device. Send subscriber telephone number. In this transmission, since the caller notification service is used, the LCR information transfer device acquires the caller telephone number together with the subscriber number stored in the LCR device. The relocation detection means of the LCR information transfer device determines whether it is necessary to update the LCR information in the LCR device using these telephone numbers and the subscriber information stored in the subscriber information storage means. I do.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the size, shape, and arrangement of each component are only schematically shown to an extent that the present invention can be understood, and numerical conditions described below are merely examples. .

FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing a configuration of an LCR device and an LCR information transfer device according to this embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 1, the LCR device 110
Is a communication control unit 111 and a subscriber telephone number memory 112
, LCR data memory 113, and operator selection unit 114
, A transmission control unit 115, a transmission button 116, and a control unit 117.

The communication control unit 111 is connected to the telephone line 130 and performs communication control when receiving data from the LCR information transfer device 120 or when communicating with another subscriber.

The subscriber telephone number memory 112 stores the LC
The subscriber telephone number of the telephone line using the R device is stored.

The LCR data memory 113 stores LCR data. The LCR data includes fee structure data of a plurality of operators and is used to select the cheapest operator.

The operator selection unit 114 uses the LCR data to select a telecommunications company with the lowest call rate. The destination station number is input, for example, via the control unit 117.

The transmission control unit 115 determines that there is a possibility that the installation location has been moved when the power supply is cut off for a certain period of time or more. Then, via the communication control unit 111, the LCR
The subscriber telephone number stored in the subscriber telephone number memory 112 is transmitted to the information transfer device 120. When transmitting the subscriber telephone number, a caller notification service provided by a telecommunications carrier is used. The caller notification service is a service for notifying the receiver of the caller's subscriber telephone number by a signal or the like. For example, a number display (trademark) provided by East Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation and Nishi Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation It has been known.

The call button 116 is used when the LCR information transfer device 120 forcibly makes a call. This transmission is also executed via the communication control unit 111. The call button 116 is used by the user (subscriber to the communication service)
It is manually operated by an installation worker or the like. This forced transmission is also performed using a caller notification service. As will be described later, the subscriber telephone number notified to the LCR information transfer device 120 by the caller notification service at the time of the forcible call is returned to the LCR device 110, and the communication control unit 1
11 is stored in the subscriber telephone number memory 112.

The control section 117 controls the entire LCR device 110.

On the other hand, the LCR information transfer device 120 includes a communication control unit 121, a subscriber information memory 122, an LCR data creation unit 123, and a transfer detection unit 124.

The communication control unit 121 is connected to the LCR device 110 via the telephone line 130. Communication control unit 12
1 controls transmission for transmitting the LCR data to the LCR device 110 and transmission / reception control (described later) of information for detecting the relocation of the LCR device 110.

The subscriber information memory 122 stores subscriber information for each subscriber telephone number. However, when the subscriber has assigned a plurality of subscriber telephone numbers to one LCR device, the subscriber information is stored for each representative number. The subscriber information includes information on a telecommunications carrier contracted by the subscriber and a caller telephone number notified by a caller notification service at the time of communication with the LCR device 110 (hereinafter referred to as “caller ID”). ), Subscriber telephone numbers other than the representative number.

The LCR data creation unit 123 determines the installation location of the LCR device 110 when the LCR device 110 is newly installed or relocated, or when the LCR data is changed due to a change in the fee system. Create LCR data of the subscriber according to.

The relocation detection unit 124 generates a caller ID (ie, a caller telephone number obtained by a caller notification service).
And the subscriber telephone number received from the LCR device 110;
Using the subscriber information stored in the subscriber information memory 122, it is determined whether or not LCR data in the LCR device 110 needs to be updated (details will be described later).

The control unit 125 controls the LCR information transfer device 12
0 overall control.

Next, the operation of the LCR device 110 and the LCR information transfer device 120 will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the LCR information transfer device 120 is usually installed at a download center of a telecommunications carrier.

First, the operation of the devices 110 and 120 when the LCR device 110 is newly installed will be described with reference to FIG.

Before the LCR device 110 is newly installed, the subscriber information memory 122 of the LCR information transfer device 120 stores its subscriber telephone number and subscriber information in advance. However, at this time, the calling party ID is not included in the subscriber information.

When the LCR device 110 is newly installed, an installer or the like manually operates the transmission button 116 in order to make a forced transmission. When the transmission control unit 115 detects this manual operation in step S201, the transmission control unit 115 proceeds to step S201.
In 202, the communication control unit 111 is started.

Next, in step S203, the communication control unit 1
11 makes a forcible call using the caller notification service, and the download center (LCR information transfer device 120)
Connect the line to. For example, when using the caller notification service of East Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation or West Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation, the caller telephone number is notified to the download center by adding "186" to the telephone number of the download center. can do.

Communication control unit 1 of LCR information transfer device 120
21 acquires this caller telephone number in step S211.

The relocation detection unit 124 determines in step S212
Then, it is determined how many times the forced transmission is the transmission from the LCR device 110. Then, when this forced transmission is the first transmission, the relocation detecting unit 124 uses the caller telephone number (see S211) notified by the caller notification service to read the corresponding subscriber from the subscriber information memory 122. Search for information. Then, in step S213,
This caller phone number is the calling ID of the searched subscriber information.
Is stored in the subscriber information memory 122. Here, if the LCR device 110 supports only one subscriber telephone number, the subscriber telephone number of the subscriber information and the calling ID match. On the other hand, when the LCR device 110 supports a plurality of subscriber telephone numbers, either the representative number of the subscriber information or another subscriber telephone number matches the calling ID.

In step S212, the number of forced transmissions is 2
In the case of the outgoing call, the relocation detection unit 124
Do not register D.

Next, in step S214, the LCR data creation unit 123 creates LCR data. In this processing, the area code included in the calling ID and the information of the telecommunications carrier contracted by the subscriber are stored in the subscriber information memory 12.
2 is used to create LCR data.

Subsequently, in step S 215, the passivity control unit 121 sends the LCR device 110 via the telephone line 130.
Then, the LCR data (see S214) and the caller telephone number (see S211) are downloaded.

In step S204, the communication control unit 111 of the LCR device 110
Receive data and caller phone number. Then, the communication control unit 111 stores the LCR data in the LCR data memory 1
13, the caller telephone number is stored in the subscriber telephone number memory 112.
Respectively.

Thereafter, the connection of the telephone line 130 is released, and the processing is terminated.

Next, the operation of the devices 110 and 120 when the power supply to the LCR device 110 is cut off for a certain period of time or more will be described with reference to FIG.

When the power of the LCR device 110 has been cut off for a certain period of time or more, and thereafter the power is restored, in step S301, the transmission control unit 115 detects the occurrence of the power cut. L
When the power supply of the CR device 110 is cut off for a certain period of time or more, the place where the LCR device 110 is installed may have been moved. Therefore, in step S302, the transmission control unit 115 activates the communication control unit 111 to perform processing at the time of relocating the installation location.

Next, in step S303, the communication control unit 1
11 makes a call using the caller notification service, so that the download center (LCR information transfer device 12
Connect the line to 0). As in the case described above, if the caller notification service of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone East Corporation or Nippon Telegraph and Telephone West Corporation is used, by adding "186" to the telephone number of the download center, the caller can be sent to the download center. The phone number can be notified. The communication control unit 121 of the LCR information transfer device 120
In step S311, this caller telephone number is
Obtained from 30.

Subsequently, in step S 304, the communication control section 111 reads out the subscriber telephone number from the subscriber telephone number memory 112 and sends it to the communication control section 121 of the LCR information transfer device 120. The communication control unit 121 determines in step S3
At 12, the subscriber telephone number is received.

Relocation detector 1 of LCR information transfer device 120
24 inputs the caller telephone number and the subscriber telephone number from the communication control unit 121. Then, a subscriber telephone number corresponding to the subscriber telephone number received from the LCR device (or a representative number and another subscriber telephone number when there are a plurality of subscriber numbers) is retrieved from the subscriber information memory 122. . Then, in step S313, the relocation detecting unit 124 extracts the calling ID from the subscriber information specified by this search.

Further, the relocation detection section 124 determines in step S
At 314, the caller ID (S313) extracted from the subscriber information
(See S311) and the caller telephone number (see S311) acquired by the communication control unit 111. If the two do not match, the LCR information transfer device 120 determines that the LCR device 110 has been relocated, and performs the processing of steps S315 to S317.

In step S315, the relocation detection unit 124
Output a request signal instructing clearing of the LCR data. This request signal is sent from the communication control unit 121 via the telephone line 130 to the communication control unit 111 of the LCR device 110.
Sent to The communication control unit 111 that has received this request signal
Clears the LCR data memory in step S305.

In step S316, the relocation detection section 124
Is the caller telephone number (S3
11) is stored in the subscriber information memory 122 as a new calling ID.

In step S317, the LCR data creation unit 123 creates LCR data. In this process,
The area code included in the new calling ID and the information of the telecommunications carrier contracted by the subscriber are stored in the subscriber information memory 1.
22 and is used to create LCR data.

In step S314, if the caller ID matches the caller telephone number, the LCR information transfer section 120
Does not perform the processing of steps S315 to S317.

Subsequently, in step S 318, the communication control unit 121 sends the LCR device 110 via the telephone line 130.
Then, the LCR data (see S317) and the caller telephone number (see S311) are downloaded.

In step S306, the communication control unit 111 of the LCR device 110
Receive data and caller phone number. Then, the communication control unit 111 stores the LCR data in the LCR data memory 1
In step 13, the caller telephone number is stored in the subscriber telephone number memory.

Thereafter, the connection of the telephone line 130 is released, and the LCR data updating process ends. LC after update
The R data is used from the next time the carrier selection unit 114 selects a telecommunications carrier.

FIGS. 4A and 4B show an LCR device 1.
1 is a block diagram conceptually showing a configuration example of a system using an LCR information transfer device 120 and an LCR information transfer device 120.

FIG. 4A shows an example in which the LCR device 110 is externally attached to a device 410 such as a telephone, a facsimile, an exchange, or a key telephone. In this example, device 410 is connected to analog telephone network 400 via LCR device 110.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4B, the LCR device 110 can be built in a device 410 such as a telephone or a switching device.

When this embodiment is applied to a telephone, a facsimile, or the like, forcible transmission may be performed by executing a command using a function button or the like instead of transmission button 116.

As described above, in this embodiment, the LCR
The determination that the installation location of the device 110 has been moved and the download of new LCR data associated with the transfer can be automatically performed without manual operation. Therefore, according to this embodiment, there is no possibility that the LCR data before the transfer is used as it is after the installation location of the LCR device 110 is moved. For this reason, it is possible to avoid a trouble that the cheapest telephone communication service is not selected at the time of an inter-city call, or that the area code before the relocation is added and the erroneous partner is connected at the time of a local call. .

[0062]

As described above in detail, according to the LCR device and the LCR information transfer device according to the present invention,
The determination that the CR device has been transferred and the download of new LCR data accompanying this transfer can be performed automatically without manual operation.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing a configuration of an LCR device and an LCR information transfer device according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of an operation of the LCR device and the LCR information transfer device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an operation explanatory diagram of the LCR device and the LCR information transfer device according to the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram conceptually showing a configuration example of a system using an LCR information generation device and an LCR device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 110 LCR device 111, 121 Communication control unit 112 Subscriber telephone number memory 113 LCR data memory 114 Operator selection unit 115 Transmission control unit 116 Transmission button 117, 125 Control unit 120 LCR information transfer device 122 Subscriber information memory 123 LCR data creation Unit 124 Relocation detection unit

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Takashi Shimura 1-7-12 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo Oki Communication System Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yasuo Mizutori 1-6-1, Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo d (72) Inventor Tomohiro Makoto 1-6 Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo F-term (reference) in NTT Communications Inc. 5K025 BB06 EE16 FF17 FF27 GG12 KK08 5K030 HC02 JA07 JL08 JT01 KA05 KA23 LB05

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An LCR device for selecting a communication route with a low call charge using LCR information, a communication control means for communicating with an LCR information transfer device via a communication line, and storing its own subscriber telephone number. The subscriber telephone number storage means, and after the power is cut off for a predetermined time or more, the communication control means transmits the own subscriber telephone number to the LCR information transfer device using a caller notification service. An LCR device, comprising: transmission control means. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: manual operation means for forcing the communication control means to make a call to the LCR information transfer device using a caller notification service. LCR device. 3. The subscriber telephone number stored in the subscriber telephone number storage unit, wherein the communication control unit stores the subscriber telephone number received from the LCR information transfer device.
Or the LCR device according to 2. 4. An LCR information transfer device for transferring LCR information for selecting a communication route with a low call charge to an LCR device, wherein the subscriber information including a subscriber telephone number is stored for each subscriber. Information storage means, a caller telephone number obtained by a caller notification service, a communication control means for acquiring a subscriber telephone number transmitted from the LCR device via a communication line, Using the obtained caller telephone number, the subscriber telephone number received from the LCR device, and the subscriber information stored in the subscriber information storage means, the LCR information in the LCR device An LCR information transfer device, comprising: relocation detection means for determining whether or not it is necessary to update the LCR information. 5. The communication control means stores the caller telephone number obtained by the caller notification service into the L
The LCR information transfer device according to claim 4, wherein the LCR information transfer device transmits the information to a CR device. 6. When the relocation detecting means determines that the LCR information in the LCR device needs to be updated,
The communication control means transmits the LCR information for updating to the LC
The LCR information transfer device according to claim 4, wherein the transfer is performed to an R device.