JP2008211437A - Optimal charge plan notification system, method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical charge plan notification system by which a user can know a charge plan in which usage charges become the most inexpensive from a charge calculation start day to the last day at an arbitrary point of time. <P>SOLUTION: An optimal plan calculation server 10 acquires usage result of a user in a prescribed period from a usage information accumulation server 20 for storing usage result information for every user. The optimal plan calculation server 10 calculates a call time per unit number of days from the usage result in the prescribed period, multiplies the call time by a call charge per unit time and the number of days during a charge calculation period, and calculates charges in the charge calculation period. Also, the user inquires of a subscriber contract management server 30 about the user's current contract plan to check whether or not the user's contract plan and a charge plan where calculated charges become the most inexpensive coincide with each other. When coincidence is not obtained, the optimal plan calculation server 10 notifies the user that there is a charge plan that charges can be more inexpensive. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an optimum rate plan notification system, method, and program, and more particularly, to an optimum rate plan notification system, method, and method for notifying a user who can select a plurality of rate plans to a rate plan with the lowest price. And related to the program.

  In the cellular phone, a service for displaying the user's fee in response to a request from the user is provided. A user of a cellular phone accesses a site of a cellular phone company from a cellular phone or a computer connected to a network, and confirms a usage status by confirming a charge displayed on the screen. In addition, a plurality of plans are prepared for mobile phones, and call charges per unit time are different for each plan. The user looks at the usage results within a certain period in the past, and determines whether or not the rate plan with which he / she has contracted is appropriate. In addition, when changing the contract plan, the procedure is carried out at the mobile phone company window or the mobile phone company site.

  Here, there is a technique described in Patent Document 1 as a technique for notifying the user of the optimum charge plan. In Patent Document 1, when the user's call is completed, the charge processing device calculates the call time in the current call and the accumulated call time from the calculation date of the charge calculation, and the call charge in the user's contract plan And calculate the total call charge. In addition, the charge processing device calculates a call charge and an accumulated call charge in each charge plan selectable by the user. The charge processing device compares the accumulated call charge calculated with the charge plan currently subscribed to by the user with the estimated call charge, and provides a charge plan that makes the accumulated call charge cheaper than the contracted charge plan. When found, the user is notified of the rate plan.

JP 2001-36673 A

  In Patent Document 1, it is possible to know the accumulated call charge from the date of calculation of the charge to the present in the contracted charge plan and the accumulated call charge up to the present calculated by each plan. However, what can be confirmed by the user in Patent Document 1 is the charge from the start date of charge calculation to the time of confirmation, and the charge calculation result during that period, and not the charge for every month. In Patent Document 1, in order to check the usage status up to the deadline of fee calculation, it is necessary to check the usage status on the deadline date, and the time from when the fee calculation result is obtained until the next month starts is short. As a result, the contract plan change period was sometimes missed. In addition, there are plans and various options that include packet communication charges, and the charge plans are complicated. Therefore, it is difficult for the user to select a plan or option that provides the lowest charge.

  The present invention solves the above-described problems of the prior art, and allows the user to know the rate plan that allows the user to know the rate plan with the lowest usage fee from the start date to the end of the fee calculation at any time. It is an object to provide a system, a method, and a program.

  In order to achieve the above object, the optimum rate plan notification system of the present invention is selected by a user based on a result acquisition unit that acquires use result information in a predetermined period of the user and the use result information of the user. For each possible price plan, the charge trial calculation unit that calculates the usage charge from the start date to the last day of the charge calculation and the use charge in each charge plan calculated by the charge calculation part are compared with each other, and each charge It comprises a comparison unit for determining a rate plan with the lowest usage fee among the usage fees in the plan, and a notification unit for notifying the user of the rate plan with the lowest usage fee.

  The optimal rate plan notification method of the present invention is an optimal rate plan notification method for notifying a user of a rate plan with the lowest price using a computer, and the computer uses the user for a predetermined period of time. Obtaining information, and calculating, based on the user's performance information, a usage charge for each charge plan selectable by the user from a charge calculation start date to the last day; The computer compares the calculated usage charges for each price plan with each other, calculates a price plan with the lowest usage charge among the usage charges for each price plan, and charges for the lowest usage charge And notifying the user of the plan.

  The program according to the present invention is a program for causing a computer to execute a process of notifying a user of a rate plan with the lowest price, and acquiring the usage record information of the user for a predetermined period from the computer. Processing, processing for calculating usage charges from the start date to the end of the charge calculation for each charge plan selectable by the user based on the user's performance information, and for each of the calculated charge plans Comparing the usage charges with each other, out of the usage charges in each price plan, determining the price plan with the lowest usage charge, and executing the process of notifying the user of the price plan with the lowest usage charge It is characterized by that.

  In the optimum charge plan notification system, method, and program of the present invention, the use from the charge calculation start date to the last day for each charge plan that can be selected by the user based on the use performance in the predetermined period of the user. Calculate the charge. By estimating the usage status between the current time and the last day of the charge calculation period based on past usage results, and calculating the charge based on that, users can wait until the last day of the charge calculation period. For each rate plan, you can know the usage fees during the rate calculation period. In addition, by notifying the user of the rate plan for which the calculated rate is the cheapest, the user can know the rate plan for which the usage rate is the lowest for each rate calculation period.

  The optimum rate plan notification system, method, and program of the present invention calculate the usage status per unit day from the usage record information, and use the calculated usage status per unit day. In addition, it is possible to adopt a configuration for calculating the usage fee for the fee calculation from the start date to the end date. For example, by calculating the call time per day based on the actual call time in the last week, and multiplying the call charge per unit time by the number of days from the charge calculation start date to the last day, For rate plans, calculate user usage fees during the rate calculation period. In this way, the user can know the estimated amount of the usage fee for the entire fee calculation period, not the usage fee from the start date of the fee calculation period to the current time.

  In the optimum rate plan notification system, method, and program of the present invention, it is possible to adopt a configuration in which the predetermined period can be changed by user settings. As the predetermined period, for example, the latest three days, one week, ten days, or the like can be considered.

  The optimum rate plan notification system, method, and program according to the present invention acquire usage record information for a predetermined period of time from a usage information storage server that stores usage record information for each user. Can be adopted. As usage record information, call time, data communication volume in data communication, and the like can be considered.

  The optimum rate plan notification system, method, and program according to the present invention inquire about a rate plan subscribed to by the user to a subscriber contract management server that manages the contract rate plan of the user, A configuration can be adopted in which it is determined whether or not the rate plan with which the user has a contract matches the rate plan with the lowest usage fee.

  In the optimum rate plan notification system, method and program of the present invention, as a result of comparison, if it is determined that the rate plan with which the user has a contract does not match the rate plan with the lowest usage fee, the user is notified. It is possible to adopt a configuration for notifying that there is a rate plan that can lower the usage fee than the current contract plan.

  In the optimum rate plan notification system, method and program of the present invention, if it is determined as a result of comparison that the rate plan with which the user has contracted and the rate plan with the lowest usage fee do not match, the subscriber contract A configuration may be employed in which the management server is instructed to change the user's contract plan to a rate plan with the lowest usage fee. In this case, the user can save the usage fee to be paid by automatically changing the contract plan.

  The optimum rate plan notification system, method, and program according to the present invention can be used for the notification from the rate calculation start date to the last day in the rate plan with the lowest usage fee in the notification of the rate plan with the lowest usage fee. A configuration for notifying the user of the charge can be adopted. In this case, the user can know the usage fee when the contract plan is changed.

  In the optimum rate plan notification system, method, and program of the present invention, it is possible to adopt a configuration that acquires the usage record information in response to a request from a user. In addition, the optimum charge plan notification system, method, and program of the present invention can employ a configuration for periodically acquiring the usage record information.

  In the optimum charge plan notification system, method, and program of the present invention, the use from the charge calculation start date to the last day for each charge plan that can be selected by the user based on the use performance in the predetermined period of the user. Calculate the charge. As described above, in the present invention, the usage fee in the fee calculation period is calculated based on the usage record of the user in the predetermined period. Therefore, the user can use each fee plan in the fee calculation period at an arbitrary time. You can know the price. In addition, by notifying the user of the rate plan for which the calculated rate is the cheapest, the user can know the rate plan for which the usage rate is the lowest for each rate calculation period.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows the configuration of an optimum rate plan notification system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The optimal charge plan notification system 100 includes an optimal plan calculation server 10, a usage information storage server 20, a subscriber contract management server 30, and a mail server 40. Each of these servers is configured by a computer that realizes a predetermined function by a program operation.

  The usage information storage server 20 stores usage records of mobile phone users. More specifically, information such as the use date and time of each user call, the use date and time of data communication (packet communication), and the amount of communication packets is stored. The subscriber contract management server 30 manages the contract fee plan of the user. The optimal plan calculation server 10 obtains a usage record from the usage information storage server 20 in response to a request from the user or automatically, and for each rate plan that can be selected by the user, The estimated amount of usage fee is calculated, and a rate plan (hereinafter also referred to as an optimal rate plan) that gives the user the lowest price is determined. The mail server 40 notifies the user of the optimum charge plan and the expected amount of usage fee for one month by e-mail.

  FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the optimum plan calculation server 10. The optimal plan calculation server 10 includes a result acquisition unit 11, a charge trial calculation unit 12, a plan comparison unit 13, and a notification unit 14. The result acquisition unit 11 acquires the use result information of the user for a predetermined period from the use information storage server 20. This predetermined period can be arbitrarily set by the user. The fee calculation unit 12 calculates the expected amount of usage fee for one month of the user for each rate plan by using the usage result information for a predetermined period acquired by the result acquisition unit 11. At this time, if there is an option that can be selected by the user, the charge when the option is applied is also calculated.

  The plan comparison unit 13 compares the charges in the respective charge plans calculated by the charge calculation unit 12, and calculates a charge plan with the lowest charge. Further, the subscriber contract management server 30 is inquired about the current contract plan of the user, and it is determined whether or not the current contract plan matches the plan with the lowest charge. When the plan comparison unit 13 determines that the current contract plan and the plan with the lowest charge do not match, the notification unit 14 indicates that there is a charge plan with a lower usage charge than the current contract plan. The user is notified via the mail server 40.

  FIG. 3 shows an operation procedure of the optimum rate plan notification system 100. In response to the usage status confirmation request from the user, the performance acquisition unit 11 acquires the usage history information for a predetermined period from the usage information storage server 20 (step S1). In step S <b> 1, the result acquisition unit 11 acquires, for example, the user's call time and packet communication amount in the most recent week. The timing at which the performance acquisition unit 11 acquires the user's performance information may be arbitrary when the user's call ends or when a predetermined date is reached.

  Based on the usage record information acquired by the record acquisition unit 11 and the call charges per unit time and the data communication charges per unit data amount in each rate plan, the charge estimation unit 12 uses the usage status within a predetermined period. The usage fee for one month in each rate plan that is expected from is calculated (step S2). The fee calculation unit 12 calculates, for example, the call time per day from the user's call time results in the most recent week acquired by the result acquisition unit 11, and the call time per unit time in each plan is calculated as the call time. The charge per day is calculated by multiplying the call charge, and the call charge for one month is calculated by multiplying the charge per day by “30” from the start date to the end of the charge calculation period.

  Further, in the trial calculation of the usage fee in step S2, the expected usage fee is calculated in consideration of the presence of a family contract or the content material fee. If the price plan includes free calls, take that into account. Call charges per unit time for each plan are acquired from a storage device (not shown) that manages information that is the basis of charge calculation for each plan. Alternatively, such information may be stored in a storage device in the subscriber contract management server 30 and acquired from the subscriber contract management server 30.

  The plan comparison unit 13 compares the price trial calculation results of the respective price plans calculated by the price trial calculation unit 12, and calculates a plan (optimum price plan) with the lowest price (step S3). Further, the subscriber contract management server 30 is inquired about the current contract plan of the user, and it is determined whether or not the current contract plan matches the optimum charge plan (step S4). When the current contract plan and the optimum charge plan do not match, the notification unit 14 transmits an e-mail notifying that there is a charge plan that can lower the charge than the current contract plan via the mail server 40 (step S1). S5). The e-mail transmitted in step S5 includes, for example, the optimum charge plan, the expected amount of usage charges for the current month in the current contract plan, and the estimated amount of usage charges when changing to the optimum charge plan. If they match, an e-mail is sent to the user via the mail server 40 informing the user of the expected usage charge for the current month and that the current contract plan is the optimal charge plan (step S6).

  In the present embodiment, the optimum plan calculation server 10 acquires the usage status of the user from the usage information storage server 20, and calculates the expected usage fee for one month using the acquired usage status. In this way, the user can know the approximate amount of the usage fee for the current month without having to wait until the last day for the mobile phone company to calculate the fee. In addition, the optimum rate plan can be known without waiting until the last day, the plan change procedure can be performed quickly, and unnecessary expenses can be suppressed. Furthermore, from the standpoint of a mobile phone company, providing such a service can improve customer satisfaction and increase the number of subscribers.

  In the above, in step S2, the usage fee per day was calculated based on the usage results for a predetermined period, and the estimated amount of the usage fee for one month was calculated by multiplying the number of days for one month. In some cases, the fee for the changed plan or the like is applied only to the changed call or the like. In such a case, in step S2, the fee calculated with the current contract plan is calculated for the day, and after that date, the estimated usage fee is calculated with the changed rate plan, Together, they can be used as the expected usage charges for the current month.

  In step S5, the contract plan may be automatically changed in addition to notifying the user of the optimum charge plan. Depending on the mobile phone company, it is possible to change the rate plan from the time of change setting, and when there is a rate plan that can lower the price than the current contract plan, by changing to that rate plan, the user can Unnecessary expenses can be reduced. In this case, it is considered that the mobile phone company will reduce the fee revenue, so in order to provide such a contract plan automatic change service, for example, set a monthly usage fee, etc. Provide it.

  As described above, the present invention has been described based on the preferred embodiment. However, the optimum rate plan notification system, method, and program of the present invention are not limited to the above embodiment, and the configuration of the above embodiment. To which various modifications and changes are made within the scope of the present invention.

1 is a block diagram showing an optimal rate plan notification system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The block diagram which shows the structure of an optimal plan calculation server. The flowchart which shows the operation | movement procedure of an optimal charge plan notification system.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100: Optimal charge plan notification system 10: Optimal plan calculation server 11: Results acquisition part 12: Charge trial calculation part 13: Plan comparison part 14: Notification part 20: Usage information storage server 30: Subscriber contract management server 40: Mail server

Claims (28)

A result acquisition unit for acquiring the use result information in a predetermined period of the user;
Based on the usage history information of the user, for each price plan that can be selected by the user, a charge trial calculation unit that calculates a usage charge for the charge calculation from the start date to the last day;
A comparison unit that compares the usage charges in each rate plan calculated by the rate calculation unit and calculates a rate plan with the lowest usage rate among the usage rates in each rate plan;
An optimal rate plan notification system, comprising: a notification unit that notifies a user of a rate plan with the lowest usage fee.   The charge trial calculation unit calculates a usage situation per unit day from the usage record information, and uses the calculated usage situation per unit day to calculate a usage charge for the period from the start date to the last day of the charge calculation. The optimal rate plan notification system according to claim 1, wherein the system is calculated.   The optimal rate plan notification system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined period can be changed by a user setting.   The optimal rate plan according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the result acquisition unit acquires a use result of the user in a predetermined period from a use information storage server that stores use result information for each user. Notification system.   The comparison unit inquires a subscriber contract management server that manages a user's contracted charge plan about the charge plan that the user has contracted, and the charge plan that the user has contracted and the use charge are The optimal rate plan notification system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein it is determined whether or not a rate plan that is the cheapest matches.   6. The optimal rate plan according to claim 5, wherein when the comparing unit determines that they do not match, the notifying unit notifies the user that there is a rate plan that can lower a usage fee than a current contract plan. Notification system.   If the comparison unit determines that they do not match, the notification unit instructs the subscriber contract management server to change the contract plan of the user to a rate plan with the lowest usage fee. Item 6. The optimum rate plan notification system according to item 5.   The notification unit according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the user is notified of a usage fee for a period from a start date of the fee calculation to a last day in a fee plan with the lowest usage fee. Optimal rate plan notification system.   The optimal rate plan notification system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the result acquisition unit acquires the use result information in response to a request from a user.   The optimal rate plan notification system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the result acquisition unit periodically acquires the use result information. An optimal rate plan notification method that uses a computer to notify the user of the rate plan with the lowest price,
The computer acquiring usage record information for a predetermined period of time;
The computer calculates, based on the user's performance information, for each charge plan selectable by the user, a usage charge for the minutes from the charge calculation start date to the last day;
The computer compares the calculated usage charges for each price plan with each other, calculates a price plan with the lowest usage charge among the usage charges for each price plan, and charges for the lowest usage charge And a step of notifying the user of the plan.   In the step of calculating the usage fee, the computer calculates a usage status per unit day from the usage history information, and uses the calculated usage status per unit day, from the start date of the fee calculation to the end date. The method for notifying the optimum rate plan according to claim 11, wherein a usage fee for up to 10 minutes is calculated.   The optimal charge plan notification method according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the computer acquires usage history information of the user for a predetermined period from a usage information storage server that stores usage history information for each user.   The computer inquires the subscriber contract management server that manages the contracted charge plan of the user about the charge plan subscribed to by the user, and the charge plan subscribed by the user and the usage charge are the most. The optimal price plan notification method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, further comprising a step of determining whether or not the price plan to be reduced matches.   If the computer determines that the charge plan with which the user has a contract does not match the charge plan with which the use charge is the cheapest, the charge plan allows the user to make the use charge cheaper than the current contract plan. The optimal rate plan notification method according to claim 14, wherein notification that there is   When the computer determines that the charge plan subscribed to by the user and the charge plan with the lowest use charge do not coincide with each other, the user's contract plan is stored in the subscriber contract management server. The optimal rate plan notification method according to claim 14, wherein the rate plan is instructed to be changed to a rate plan with the lowest price.   The optimal computer according to any one of claims 11 to 16, wherein the computer notifies the user of a usage fee for a period from the start date to the end of the fee calculation in a rate plan with the lowest usage fee. Price plan notification method.   The optimal price plan notification method according to any one of claims 11 to 17, wherein the computer acquires the usage record information in response to a request from a user.   The optimal charge plan notification method according to any one of claims 11 to 18, wherein the computer periodically acquires the usage record information. A program for causing a computer to execute a process for notifying a user of a price plan with the lowest charge,
A process of obtaining usage record information for a predetermined period of the user;
Based on the results information of the user, for each charge plan that can be selected by the user, a process of calculating the usage fee for the charge calculation from the start date to the end date,
Comparing the calculated usage fees for each rate plan with each other, and calculating the rate plan with the lowest usage fee among the usage fees for each rate plan, and the user with the rate plan with the lowest usage fee A program that causes a process to be notified to be executed.   In the processing for calculating the usage fee, the usage status per unit day is calculated from the usage record information, and the usage status per unit day is used to calculate the minutes from the start date to the end date of the fee calculation. The program according to claim 20, which calculates a usage fee.   The program according to claim 20 or 21, wherein in the process of acquiring the usage record information, the usage record information of the user for a predetermined period is acquired from a usage information storage server that stores the usage record information for each user.   The computer inquires the subscriber contract management server that manages the user's contracted charge plan about the charge plan subscribed to by the user, and the charge plan subscribed by the user and the use charge are the most. The program according to any one of claims 20 to 22, further executing a process of determining whether or not a cheaper price plan matches.   In the process of determining whether or not the rate plan with which the user has a contract and the rate plan with which the usage fee is the lowest match, if it is determined that they do not match, the computer, the user, 24. The program according to claim 23, wherein a program for notifying that there is a charge plan that allows a lower usage charge than the current contract plan is executed.   In the process of determining whether or not the rate plan with which the user has a contract matches the rate plan with which the usage fee is the cheapest, if it is determined that the two do not match, the subscriber contract management is stored in the computer. 24. The program according to claim 23, wherein a program is executed to instruct a server to change the contract plan of the user to a price plan with the lowest usage charge.   In the process of notifying the user of the rate plan with the lowest usage fee, the user is notified of the usage fee from the fee calculation start date to the last day of the fee plan with the lowest usage fee. The program according to any one of claims 20 to 25.   The program according to any one of claims 20 to 26, wherein the processing for acquiring the usage record information is executed in response to a request from a user.   The program according to any one of claims 20 to 26, wherein the process of acquiring the usage record information is periodically executed.

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