JP2002232603A - Credit call system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a credit card system telephone service in which an operation in advance to speech communication is easy and security capability can be improved. SOLUTION: This credit card system is provided with a user information recording part 11 for preliminarily recording the caller number 111 and the credit card information 112 of a user 1 while making the caller number 111 correspond to the credit card information 112, a speech communication request receiving part 12 for receiving a speech communication request from the user, a caller number acquiring part 13 for acquiring the caller number from the speech communication request received by the speech communication receiving part, a speech communication authenticating part 14 for allowing the speech communication request from the user when the speech communication authenticating part retrieves the user information recording part on the basis of the caller number acquired by the caller number acquiring part and can confirm corresponding credit card information, and a speech communication connecting part 15 for connecting speech communication on the basis of the speech communication request allowed by the speech communication authenticating part.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a credit call system, and more particularly to a system for providing a telephone service by credit card settlement, particularly an international telephone service.

[0002]

BACKGROUND ART In recent years, many foreign workers have flowed into Japan from various countries, and globalization in Japan is progressing. At the same time, the use of calls to family members in their home countries has increased, and the demand for international telephone services using these foreigners as users has increased dramatically. To meet such demands, new international telephone services of various billing methods have been developed.

In the prepaid card system, which has been increasingly used in recent years, a prepaid card of a predetermined amount is purchased at a store.
This is an international telephone service that uses public phones and prepaid mobile phones with this card. However, there are many problems with the prepaid card type international telephone service, such as the necessity of purchasing a prepaid card at a store and complicated input of an ID number. Therefore, the credit card system has come to be used. The credit card method can solve the problems of the prepaid card method such as card purchase.

By the way, in the credit card charging system, in order to confirm a credit account set for settlement,
There are a method of inserting a credit card directly into a telephone and a method of inputting a credit card number from a key or the like.
However, the method of directly inserting a credit card has a problem that usable telephones are limited, and the use is restricted. On the other hand, in the method of inputting a credit card number from a key or the like, it is generally troublesome to input a card number of up to 16 digits one by one, and there is a problem that an input error or the like cannot be avoided.

On the other hand, there has been proposed a communication system for performing authentication using an alias (proxy name) of a credit card number (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 5-183658). In this method, a credit card number is registered in advance with an international telephone service company, an identification code (alias) with a unique and small number of digits corresponding to the credit card number is created, and this code is entered at the time of a telephone call to make the user himself / herself. This is a system that performs confirmation and authentication of credit settlement.

[0006]

However, the above-mentioned alias authentication communication system has the following problems. That is, (1) inputting the telephone number of the international telephone service company (the telephone number of the CTI server for the service), (2) inputting the alias code, (3) inputting the destination country code and telephone number,
You need to operate a number key that has a considerable number of digits. That is, even if the number of input digits of the credit card number is reduced, the number of key inputs for operations prior to the final call is large, and the problem of input error has not been sufficiently solved. Also, if there is an input error on the way, it must be repeated from the beginning.

[0007] Further, if the telephone number and alias code of the service company are known, other people besides the authorized user can freely use international calls. In other words, since these are merely a sequence of numbers, it is easy for others to steal the operation of the regular user by peeping or the like. For these reasons, security issues are unavoidable.

Furthermore, as described above, foreign workers use international calls exclusively for families in their home countries, and in most cases, the number of destinations is limited to one to several. is there. Nevertheless, in the above-mentioned alias authentication call method, a long-digit number as described above must be repeatedly input each time a call is made, and if there is an operation error, it is necessary to repeat the operation from the beginning, which is not efficient. .

[0009] On the other hand, it is conceivable to register as a shortened number in a telephone or the like. However, as mentioned above, when making a call, a guide announcement may be entered at each stage of entering a telephone number, an alias code, a destination country code and a telephone number, etc. There is a problem that can only be set.

[0010] It is an object of the present invention to provide a credit card type telephone service that allows easy operation prior to a call and high security performance.

[0011]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention uses a caller ID notifying function (a function used as a so-called number display or the like), which has become popular in recent years, and allows a user and a credit card to be settled based on the caller ID. The authentication is intended to solve the above-mentioned problems.

The present invention is a credit call system for providing a telephone service by credit card settlement,
A user information recording unit in which a caller number of the user and credit card information are recorded in advance, a call request receiving unit for receiving a call request from the user, and a caller number based on the call request received by the call request receiving unit. A caller number acquisition unit for acquiring the caller number, and a search from the user information recording unit based on the caller number acquired by the caller number acquisition unit to confirm that the corresponding credit card information is valid. A call authentication unit for permitting a call request and a call connection unit for making a call connection based on the call request permitted by the call authentication unit are provided.

Here, each of the user information recording unit or the call connection unit is connected to an existing CTI (Computer Telephony).
Integration) It can be appropriately realized by using a server and a computer system and using existing software technology and communication control technology.

In the present invention, the user registers in advance the caller ID of his or her telephone (either a fixed telephone or a mobile telephone) and credit card information (credit card number, expiration date, etc.) in the user information recording unit. Keep it. Then, the user makes a call (call request) to the call request receiving unit as needed. At this time, the key operation input by the user may be only the telephone number to the call request receiving unit. In response to this call request, the caller number is first taken out, the corresponding credit card information is read from the above-mentioned registration, and if the credit card is not valid, the call is rejected. Is done.

Therefore, according to the present invention, it is not necessary to operate a key input relating to a credit card number, an alias code and other payment information every time a call request is made, and the operation can be facilitated. In addition, since authentication is performed using the caller number, although limited to a specific fixed telephone or mobile phone, it is difficult to steal by peeping or the like due to physical restrictions, and security performance can be improved.

In the present invention, a caller number of the user and a predetermined destination number are recorded in advance in the user information recording section in correspondence with each other. It is desirable to read out the predetermined destination number recording unit from and execute a call connection to the destination number. By doing so, a predetermined destination number is automatically selected when the above-described call connection is executed,
The user is automatically connected to the other party only by the first call request (call to the call request reception unit). That is, it is possible to make a call to a predetermined destination in advance without separately inputting the destination telephone number, and it is possible to minimize key operations. Furthermore, since only a specific destination number can be called, misuse by others can be avoided.

In the present invention, a plurality of destination numbers are recorded in the user information recording section with respect to a caller number of the user, and the call connection section transmits a destination number from the user information recording section when a call is connected. It is desirable to read out any of the number recording units and execute a call connection to the destination number. Here, when any one of the other party number recording sections is read out by the call connection section, these other party telephone numbers are displayed on the screen of the telephone so that the user can designate any one by key operation. Good. Alternatively, a short code such as a three-digit number may be set for each destination number, and the code may be input following the call request to make the call connection unit recognize the code and specify one of the codes. Good.

According to this configuration, the user can arbitrarily select any one of the plurality of destinations by a simple operation of inputting the telephone number to the call request receiving section and selecting the destination. You can talk. In this case, the number of input operations is larger than in the case of the above-mentioned specific single destination, but the degree of freedom is high in that a plurality of destinations can be selected, which is practical and effective. Furthermore, even if there are a plurality of telephone numbers, only a limited number of destination numbers can be called, so that misuse by others can be avoided.

In the present invention, a plurality of systems from the user information recording unit to the call connection unit are provided, and the user information recording units of the respective systems are provided with a caller number of the user and a predetermined destination number in advance. The call connection unit of each system reads out the predetermined destination number recording unit from the user information recording unit of each system at the time of the call connection, and executes the call connection to the destination number. It is desirable. Here, installing a plurality of systems in one credit call system means, for example, installing a plurality of CTI servers in parallel, or a plurality of virtual systems in one CTI server may be installed in parallel, Each common part may be appropriately shared by each system.

In this way, the user can register different destination numbers for each system, and the telephone number of the call request receiving unit of each system can be treated as a proxy number for a plurality of destination numbers. Can be. In other words, just by selecting one of the systems and making a call, the call is connected to the destination set in the relevant system, and if it is desired to call another destination, it is sufficient to call another system. . Therefore, it is possible to input only a minimum telephone number to each system, and it is possible to select a plurality of destinations.

In the present invention, the plurality of call request receiving units are provided, and the user information recording unit stores a predetermined destination with a combination of a caller number of the user and an identification number of the call request receiving unit in advance. Preferably, a number is recorded correspondingly, and the call connection unit reads one of the destination number recording units from the user information recording unit at the time of the call connection, and executes a call connection to the destination number.

Here, the plurality of call request receiving units are CT
This is realized by installing a plurality of incoming ports on the I server, and each port number can be used as an identification number of the call request receiving unit. Then, in the user information recording section, if there is any number of identification numbers with respect to a specific caller number, the destination number and the like may be set. Then, if the call connection unit searches the user information storage unit with reference to the caller number that has made the call request and the identification number of the call request reception unit that has received the call request, a specific destination number can be obtained. it can. In this way, the system can be basically realized by one CTI server or the like, and the plurality of destinations can be selected by the above-mentioned proxy number system, that is, the selection of the call number, while the apparatus configuration is simple. , An efficient call can be realized.

[0023]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. (First Embodiment) In FIG. 1, a credit call system 10 of the present embodiment provides a telephone service by credit card settlement. That is, the credit call system 10 belongs to the telephone 2 of the user 1 (the telephone
(Provides connection service to 2) Telephone company 3
In addition to making a line connection to a telephone company 5 to which 4 belongs, a connection fee is settled from the account of the user 1 set in the credit card company 6.

Here, as the telephone 2 of the user 1, a mobile phone having a data communication function in a packet communication mode or the like (a so-called browser phone), a mobile phone without a data communication function, or a fixed telephone can be used. However, it is assumed that the telephone 2 has a caller ID notification function. The type of the telephone 4 of the other party is arbitrary as long as the number is fixed.

The telephone companies 3 and 5 may be any other network. For example, the present invention is particularly effective in the case where telephone companies in different countries make international calls in which a large fee is charged for the connection between them. The credit card company 6 can be appropriately used by various existing credit card companies such as a banking company and a credit sales company. At least the credit call system 10 specifies a credit card number and a predetermined information item such as an expiration date. What is necessary is just to be able to perform the credit card settlement of the call connection fee.

According to the present invention, the credit call system 10 performs settlement confirmation only with the caller number of the user 1 and connects to a predetermined destination telephone number. That is, the credit call system 10 is configured based on a so-called CTI server, has a telephone line relay function, and includes a user information recording unit 11, a call request reception unit 12, a caller number An acquisition unit 13, a call authentication unit 14, and a call connection unit 15 are provided.

In the user information recording section 11, a large number of records (accounts) concerning users are recorded for each user. Each record contains the caller ID 11 of user 2's phone 2.
1 and the credit card information 112 of the user 1 at the credit card company 6 are recorded on a one-to-one basis. The user information recording unit 11 records a password 113 and a destination number 114 (number of the destination telephone 4).

The call request receiving section 12 is a port that can be called from an external telephone, and receives a call request from the telephone 2 of the user 1. The caller number acquiring unit 13 receives the call request received by the call request
To obtain the caller ID.

The call authentication unit 14 searches the user information recording unit 11 based on the caller number acquired by the caller number acquisition unit 13, selects a record having the same caller number 111, and records the record. The credit card company 6 confirms whether the received credit card information 112 is valid. Then, when the validity is confirmed, the call request from the user 1 is permitted. In response to the call request from the user 1 permitted by the call authentication unit 14, the call connection unit 15 reads out the destination number 114 recorded in the record in which the caller number 111 matches first, and This is for making a call connection from the first telephone 2.

When the user 1 wants to use such a credit call system 10, the user 1 uses a user information recording unit.
Registration to 11 is required. In FIG. 2, a user 1 who wishes to register has a data communication from a PC (personal computer) or a browser phone (via the Web, the procedure s
1), IVR (Interactive Voic) from landline and mobile phones
e Response, key input method according to voice guidance, procedure s2), facsimile or mail application (procedure
s3).

In any of the procedures s1-s3, the following procedure is performed for registration. These include data communications and IVR
In the case of, the user 1 performs the operation, and in the case of facsimile or mail, the operator performs the operation. First, basic user information (name, address, etc.) and information necessary for credit card settlement (credit card number, expiration date, etc.) are registered (step s4).

When the credit card information is input, the credit call system 10 makes an inquiry (credit message processing, procedure s5) to a credit institution such as the credit card company 6, and when confirmation is obtained, the credit card information is transmitted to the user 1. The telephone number (caller number) of the telephone set 2 is recorded in the user information recording unit 11 and a password is issued (step s6).

The issued password is displayed on the operation screen or notified to the user 1 by a separate mail or mail (step s7). Further, as detailed user information, the operation mode settings such as a connection destination (a connection destination without operation as a destination number 114), necessity of password confirmation during a call, and an upper limit of a call charge are registered. Yes (processing
s8).

[0034] Regarding the necessity of confirming a password during a call, it is desirable to input a password for each call request from the viewpoint of security, but the operation is complicated. In particular, as in this embodiment, a single destination is required. In the case of automatic connection to a number, it can be omitted, and the presence or absence can be determined by the user's selection.

The upper limit of the fee can be set to an arbitrary upper limit for each user. When a charging upper limit is set by the user, the credit call system 10 counts the call time and the charge in real time or periodically, and disconnects the call when the upper limit is reached. Further, when making a call request, the user 1 can input an arbitrary destination telephone number from the telephone 2 by a specific key operation, and make a call to a telephone other than the destination number 114.

Thus, the registration of the user 1 in the credit call system 10 is completed. When the user 1 calls the other party using such a credit call system 10, the following operation is performed. First, in FIG.
User 1 makes a call from telephone 2 to credit call system 10 (step s11). The call from the telephone 2 is received by the call request receiving unit 12, and the caller ID is obtained by the caller ID obtaining unit 13 (step s12).

Next, the call authentication unit 14 confirms whether or not this caller number is a registered user (step s13).
Specifically, a record corresponding to the caller number 111 is searched from the record of the user information recording unit 11, and the credit card information 112 of the record is retrieved. Subsequently, the credit card information 112 is inquired of the credit card company 6, and its validity is confirmed (process s14). Further, if necessary, the user 1 is requested to input the password 113, and the validity is compared with the record of the user information recording unit 11 (step s15).
If the above steps are completed normally, the destination number 114 is read from the user information recording unit 11 (step s16), and the destination number 11
A telephone call is made from the call connection unit 15 to 4 (procedure s
17).

Therefore, according to the present embodiment, once a telephone number is input to the credit call system 10, a call is automatically made to the destination number registered in advance.
For this reason, it is not necessary to input a credit card number or other complicated keys every time a call request is made, and the operation during a call can be made extremely easy. In addition, since the authentication is performed using the caller number, the security is limited to a specific fixed telephone or mobile phone, but is difficult to be stolen by peeping or the like, and the security performance can be improved. Further, in the present embodiment, since the password is also protected, even if the telephone 2 is lost, it is possible to prevent a mischievous telephone call to the destination number by an operation of another person.

In the first embodiment, the password is used to enhance the security performance of the credit call system 10 and can be omitted. Furthermore, each setting may be arbitrarily set, and existing technology may be appropriately used to realize each function.

(Second Embodiment) In FIG. 4, a credit call system 20 according to the present embodiment is basically the same as the credit call system 10 according to the first embodiment described above. A plurality of destination numbers 114 can be set for each record. Also, call connection 1
In 5, when starting a call, multiple destination numbers 1
Either of 14 can be selected.

Here, the following method can be adopted when any one of the destination number recording sections is read by the call connection section. If the telephone 2 of the user 1 is a browser phone, a connection is made in the packet communication mode, a plurality of destination numbers 114 are displayed on the screen of the telephone 2 using the web browser function, and the user 1 operates the keys by operating keys. What is necessary is just to be able to specify either. For any of the designated destination numbers 114, an automatic calling function using a “Phone to” tag of a browser phone can be performed.

If the telephone 2 of the user 1 is not a browser phone, selection by IVR and abbreviated code can be used. In the case of the IVR, a number sequence of a plurality of destination numbers 114 is played back in sequence, and the user 1 performs operations such as starting a telephone call by pressing a specific key when the number of the destination to be called is reached while listening on the telephone 2. Can be. As the short code method, a short code such as a three-digit number is set for each destination number, and the user 1 inputs this short code following a call request, so that the call connection unit 15 Destination number
114 can be recognized.

Thus, in this embodiment, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained, and for example, the telephones 41 to 44 belonging to the telephone companies 51 to 54 can be registered. User 1 can easily operate each phone 4
You can make a call by selecting any of 1 to 44.

In this embodiment, a plurality of destination numbers are used.
One of 114 may be designated as a priority connection destination. In this way, if the destination number is not specified, the destination number 114 can be automatically set.
In this state, the function is the same as that of the first embodiment. Of course, the selection of another destination number 114 or the input of an arbitrary telephone number may be performed by a specific key operation. Also in the present embodiment, it is possible to set a charging upper limit. In particular, it is possible to set an arbitrary upper limit for each of a plurality of destination numbers 114. This makes it possible to set a lower upper limit value only for the other party who is likely to make a long call.

(Third Embodiment) In FIG. 5, a credit call system 30 according to the present embodiment is basically the same as the credit call system 10 according to the first embodiment described above. Each of 15 is installed in parallel with a plurality of systems, and the user 1 can set the destination number 114 for each system.

That is, each system of the credit call system 30 is equivalent to the credit call system 10 of the first embodiment, and one destination number 114 can be set for each system. On the other hand, each system has a different telephone number of the call request receiving unit 12, and the user 1 can select a system by selecting this telephone number.

Therefore, the user 1 makes a call from the telephone 2 to any of the systems, and thereby the destination number 114 registered in each system in advance, specifically, the destination belonging to each of the telephone companies 51 to 54. To the telephones 41 to 44 are obtained. In other words, the telephone numbers of the respective systems are as if they were the proxy numbers of the telephones 41 to 44 of the other party, and it is possible to reliably select the telephone calls to each of them. Since each system has the same configuration as that of the first embodiment, all the effects of the first embodiment can be obtained.

(Fourth Embodiment) In FIG. 6, a credit call system 40 according to the present embodiment is basically the same as the credit call system 10 according to the first embodiment described above. In the information recording section 11, a plurality of destination numbers 114 can be set for each user 1, and a plurality of call request receiving sections 12 are set corresponding to the destination numbers 114.

That is, the call request receiving section 12 and the destination number 114 are provided in a plurality of systems, and when a call request is made to any of the call request receiving sections 12, the corresponding destination number 114 is automatically set. Is selected. Note that the other part of the user information recording unit 11, the caller number acquisition unit
There is only one system from 13 to the call connection unit 15, respectively, which is the same as in the first embodiment.

According to the present embodiment, the user 1
By selecting the telephone number to be called from the telephone 2 to the credit call system 40, the destination number 114 can be arbitrarily selected. In this respect, the same effect as in the third embodiment can be obtained. On the other hand, only the call request receiving unit 12 and the destination number 114 have a plurality of systems, and the structure can be simplified as compared with the third embodiment in which the entire system has a plurality of systems.

(Modification) The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, but includes the following modifications. That is, the specific device configuration of the credit call systems 10 to 40 is arbitrary, and may be appropriately implemented using existing communication technology or computer technology.
Further, the data structure of the user information recording unit 11, the respective configurations or sections of the call request receiving unit 12 or the call connection unit 15 may be appropriately changed, and may be further subdivided according to the function, and may be appropriately integrated. Is also good.

[0052]

According to the present invention, it is not necessary to operate a key input related to a credit card number, an alias code, and other payment information every time a call request is made, so that the operation can be easily performed. In addition, since authentication is performed using the caller number, although limited to a specific fixed telephone or mobile phone, it is difficult to steal by peeping or the like due to physical restrictions, and security performance can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing user registration according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a call operation of the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 User 2 Telephone 4,41-44 Destination phone 6 Credit card company 10-40 Credit call system 11 User information recording section 111 Caller ID 112 Credit card information 113 Password 114 Destination number 12 Call request receiving section 13 Caller Number acquisition unit 14 Call authentication unit 15 Call connection unit

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A credit call system for providing a telephone service by credit card settlement, comprising: a user information recording unit which records a user's caller ID and credit card information in advance in correspondence with each other; A call request accepting unit to be accepted, a caller number acquiring unit that acquires a caller number from the call request accepted by the call request accepting unit, and the user information based on the caller number acquired by the caller number acquiring unit. A call authentication unit for permitting a call request from the user if the corresponding credit card information is confirmed to be valid by searching the recording unit; and a call connection unit for making a call connection based on the call request permitted by the call authentication unit And a credit call system comprising: 2. The credit call system according to claim 1, wherein a caller number of the user and a predetermined destination number are previously recorded in the user information recording section in correspondence with each other, and the call connection section is connected to the call connection section. A credit call system for reading out the predetermined destination number recording unit from the user information recording unit and establishing a call connection to the destination number at the time of connection; 3. The credit call system according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of destination numbers are recorded in the user information recording section with respect to a caller number of the user, and the call connection section is connected when the call is connected. A credit call system, wherein one of the destination number recording sections is read from the user information recording section and a call connection to the destination number is executed. 4. The credit call system according to claim 3, wherein when the call connection unit reads out any of the destination number recording units, the destination telephone numbers are displayed on a screen of a telephone, A credit call system characterized in that any one can be designated by a key operation. 5. The credit call system according to claim 3, wherein a short code such as a three-digit number is set for each destination number, and the code is entered following the call request to establish a call connection. A credit call system, wherein the credit call system is made to recognize and designate one of them. 6. The credit call system according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of systems extending from the user information recording unit to the call connection unit are provided, and the user information recording unit of each system transmits a call from the user in advance. The user number and the predetermined destination number are recorded in correspondence with each other, and the call connection unit of each system reads out the predetermined destination number recording unit from the user information recording unit of each system during the call connection, and A credit call system for making a call connection to a destination number. 7. The credit call system according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the call request receiving units are provided,
A predetermined destination number is recorded in advance in the user information recording unit in correspondence with a combination of the caller number of the user and the identification number of the call request receiving unit, and the call connection unit is connected when the call is connected. A credit call system, wherein one of the destination number recording sections is read from the user information recording section and a call connection to the destination number is executed.