JP2994838B2 - Circuit switching method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a circuit switching method, and more particularly to a circuit switching method for performing various automatic selection functions for smoothly controlling communication in a private branch exchange.

A private branch exchange (PBX: Private Branch eXc)
Hange) has many functions, one of which is the Least Cost Routing (LCR) function. This LCR function is a function for automatically selecting a line having the lowest call charge from a call destination or a call time zone, and is installed in the PBX in the form of software. In a PBX having such an LCR function, it is desired that the application range of the automatic selection of the lowest charge line be widened.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of an example of a conventional circuit switching method. First, when the subscriber raises the handset of the telephone (step 201), a calling signal is transmitted from the telephone to the PBX. When the PBX receives this call signal, it sends out a dial tone to the calling side, so that the subscriber hears this dial tone (step 202) and dials the telephone number of the desired party (step 203). The PBX determines whether the dialed telephone number is a predetermined telephone number that activates the LCR function (this is previously registered in the PBX by a system engineer by a command) (step 20).
4). If the dialed telephone number is not the above-mentioned predetermined telephone number, the PBX determines that the telephone number is a normal dialed telephone number (step 205), and thereafter performs a conventionally well-known line connection operation.

[0004] On the other hand, if the dialed telephone number is the above-mentioned predetermined number, the PBX searches for a route with the lowest call charge from the destination or the call time zone (step 20).
6), it is determined whether or not the searched route is in a vacant state capable of receiving a call (step 207). If the searched route is not empty, it is determined whether or not the route is the last route (step 208). If not, a route with the next lowest call fee is searched again (step 206). Then, it is determined whether or not the route having the lowest call rate is vacant after the search (step 207). If vacant, a ringing tone is transmitted to the called side and the calling side, and the called side raises the handset to perform line connection (step 207). Step 20
9).

[0005] In this way, when the dialed telephone number is a telephone number registered as an LCR number, the PBX automatically selects an empty route in ascending order of call charges. If it is determined that there is no empty route (step 208), the PBX sends a busy tone to the calling side (step 210) and disconnects the line (step 211).

Thus, for example, when the calling telephone and the receiving telephone (the telephone numbers are registered in advance as LCR numbers) can be connected to the extension and the outside, respectively, the telephone number of the outside line is dialed. Even if the cheaper extension is available, the line route between the extensions is automatically selected and the line can be connected to the extension.

[0007]

By the way, as one of the services of the PBX, there has been known a force account service which calculates a call charge and prints out it. This service is a service for automatically calculating and outputting a call charge when a specific subscriber makes a call to any of a plurality of registered subscribers. Therefore, even when receiving this service, it is desirable to select the cheaper route by applying the above-mentioned LCR function.

However, conventionally, in order to activate the above service, the user raises the handset, listens to a dial tone, inputs a predetermined Forced Account Code, and continues to enter the telephone number of the other party. LCR transmission could not be performed because of dialing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems. The aim is to provide a method.

[0010]

FIG. 1 is a flow chart for explaining the principle of a circuit switching method according to the present invention. As shown in the drawing, the present invention relates to a line switching method for a private branch exchange which executes a function of automatically selecting a lowest-charge line by a registered special number dial.
Is included.

In a first step 11, it is determined whether or not the number dialed by the caller is an identification number for receiving a predetermined service. In a second step 12, when the identification number is determined in the first step 11, a request is made by the caller for dialing of a code and a call-in / out digit registered in advance in order to receive the predetermined service.

In the third step 13, the first step 1
When it is determined by step 1 that the number is not the identification number, it is determined whether or not the number dialed by the caller is the registered special number. The fourth step 14 is the step of: after the input of the code and the attending / receiving digits by the sender in the second step 12 or when it is determined in the third step 13 that the special number is the special number, Performs line connection based on the toll line automatic selection function.

[0013]

According to the present invention, it is determined whether or not the dialed number is the identification number (step 11). If it is determined that the dialed number is the identification number, the minimum charge is provided unless the code for receiving the predetermined service is input. Disable line connection to the line.

[0014]

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a system to which the present invention is applied. In the figure, a switch (SW) exchange unit 21,
Control unit 22 and storage unit 2 by central processing unit (CPU)
Reference numeral 3 denotes a PBX, which is connected to a central office (CO office) 25 of a public network via an office line trunk 24, and
Another exchange (PBX) 2 via E trunks 26 and 27
8 is connected. The CO station 25 and another exchange 28 can be connected via a DID office line trunk 29.

In this system, based on the program control operation of the control unit 22 of the PBX, in this embodiment, FIG.
The operation according to the flowchart shown in FIG. First, when the subscriber raises the handset of the telephone (step 101), a calling signal is transmitted from the telephone to the PBX. When the PBX receives this call signal, it sends out a dial tone to the calling side, so that the subscriber hears this dial tone (step 102) and then dials the telephone number of the desired partner (step 103). continue,
The PBX determines whether the dialed number is an LCR ID (step 104). The ID of this LCR is an LCR Future Access Code (LCR Feature Access Code).
This is an identification number for enabling R transmission, and is stored in the storage unit 23 in FIG. 2 in advance. This step 104
Corresponds to the first step 11 described above, and the present embodiment is characterized in that the processing of this step 104 and steps 113 and 114 described later are performed.

If it is determined in step 104 that the dial number is not an LCR ID, it is determined whether the number is a telephone number (special number) for activating the LCR function (step 105). This telephone number is stored in advance in the storage unit 23 of FIG. This step 105 corresponds to the third step 13 described above. If the dialed telephone number is not the special number, it is determined that the dialing is a normal dial (step 106). On the other hand, the dialed telephone number matches the special number. Sometimes LC by steps 107-110
The line connection by R (corresponding to the fourth step 14) is performed.

That is, if the dialed telephone number is the above-mentioned special number, the PBX searches for a route with the lowest call rate from the destination or the call time zone (step 1).
07), it is determined whether or not the searched route is in a vacant state capable of receiving a call (step 108). If the searched route is not empty, it is determined whether or not the route is the last route (step 109). If not, the next lowest route is searched for (step 107).
Then, it is determined whether or not the route having the lowest call rate is available after the search (step 108). If the route is available, a ringing tone is transmitted to the called side and the calling side, and the called side raises the handset to make a line connection (step 108). Step 11
0).

As described above, when the dialed telephone number is a special number for LCR, the PBX automatically selects an empty route in ascending order of the call charge. If it is determined that there is no empty route (step 1
09), the PBX sends a busy tone to the calling side (step 111) and disconnects the line (step 112). On the other hand, when it is determined in step 104 that the dialed number is the ID of the LCR, the PBX is
The caller is requested to input an account code (FACCT), and based on the request, the caller inputs the FACCT (step 113), and further dials the telephone number of the destination (step 114). ), Step 1
Line connection based on LCR by 07 to 110 is performed. That is, the above steps 113 and 114 correspond to the second step 12. Therefore, according to this embodiment, by inputting the ID of the LCR and the FACCT, and then dialing the outgoing and incoming digits, the line connection to the lowest-cost line can be performed by the LCR function even in the case of the fourth account service. In addition, I of LCR
By simply dialing the LCR special number without inputting D, line connection to the lowest-cost line by the LCR function can be performed as in the conventional case.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described more specifically with reference to FIG. First, for example, "5" is used as the LCR ID, and "37" is used as the LCR special number.
52-9087 "are stored in advance in the storage unit 23. When the subscriber's telephone A first dials" 5 "as shown in Fig. 2, the control unit 22 determines the dial number based on the data stored in the storage unit 23. Recognizing "5" as the ID of the LCR, it requests the subscriber telephone set A to enter the FACCT and the incoming and outgoing digits.

As a result, the caller of the subscriber telephone set A receives the FA
The user inputs the CCT, and then dials the telephone number of the subscriber telephone set B. Then, the steps 107-
At 110, the connection between the subscriber's telephones A and B is connected by the SW exchange unit 21 to the line having the lowest charge among the lines having an empty state.

The cheapest line between the subscriber telephone sets A and B is a line via the TIE trunks 26 and 27 and another exchange 28 shown in FIG. 2, that is, an extension, and when this extension is busy, Line trunks 24, 2 indicated by
9 and the CO station 25, the next cheapest line is used. In this way, the subscriber telephone set A can receive both the LCR function and the force account service at the same time.

[0022]

As described above, according to the present invention, when an identification number is input, a line connection to a lowest-price line cannot be made unless a code for receiving a predetermined service is input. By dialing the number and the code in order, the predetermined service and the line connection service to the lowest-priced line can be simultaneously received.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart for explaining the principle of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an example of a system to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining an operation of an example of a conventional method.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 1st step 12 2nd step 13 3rd step 14 4th step 21 SW exchange part 22 control part 23 storage part

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] In a circuit switching method for a private branch exchange which executes a function of automatically selecting a lowest-charge line by dialing a registered special number, whether a number dialed by a caller is an identification number for receiving a predetermined service. A first step (11) of determining whether or not the identification number is determined by the first step (11). A second step (12) for requesting dialing by the caller; and if it is determined that the identification number is not the identification number in the first step (11), the number dialed by the caller is registered in the registered special number. In the third step (13) for determining whether or not the caller and the second step (12), the input of the code and the attendance / discharge number by the sender is performed. After, or third
And a fourth step (14) of performing a line connection based on the lowest-price line automatic selection function when the special number is determined in step (13). 2. The circuit switching method according to claim 1, wherein said code requested to be dialed in said second step (12) is a force account code.