JP3372001B2 - Charge information notification method and device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention provides a public network usage fee for a public PHS (Personal Handyphone System) service used by a local wireless terminal in a public network area in response to an inquiry from a local communication network. The present invention relates to a charge information notifying method and apparatus for notifying the local communication network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A communication network installed independently of a public network, which provides communication using a wireless terminal (mobile phone) for a local area in a specific narrow area, is a local area network. is there. An example of such a communication network is a telephone network in a hotel. On the other hand, in the public network, a public PHS service is provided to telephone terminals located within the area of the public network.

Here, the conventional in-house wireless terminal is a mobile terminal that can be carried and moved by wirelessly converting a telephone terminal used only in a specific area such as an in-house communication network. Therefore, even if the in-house wireless terminal is brought into the public PHS service area, the public PHS service provided by the public network cannot be used. However, when communication using a wireless terminal on the premises is performed via the public network, communication with the wireless terminal on the premises can be performed from the public PHS service area by having the communication on the premises communication network side authenticate the communication. Becomes

[0004]

By the way, when the communication from the public PHS service area is enabled as described above, the communication charge used by the indoor wireless terminal in the service area is transferred from the public network side to the indoor system. There was no means for notifying the communication network system (hereinafter referred to as the local communication system). Therefore, regarding the communication performed in the public PHS service area, it is also impossible for the owner of the local communication system to inquire the communication fee to the public network.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide charge information relating to communication performed by a local radio terminal from a public PHS service area to a public in response to an inquiry of the local communication system. The purpose is to enable the owner of the local communication system to always know the communication charge of the local wireless terminal by allowing notification from the network side.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to claim 1 is such that, when a local radio terminal belonging to a local communication network moves to an area of a public network, the local radio. A method for notifying charge information in a telephone station of a public network, which provides communication using a terminal even in the area of the public network, when an inquiry of charge information regarding the private wireless terminal is received from the private communication network. The read / write response information set in advance in the first storage means for each of the in-house communication networks is read to determine whether or not the reply is possible. If the result of the determination is that the reply is possible, the in-house wireless terminal For the communication carried out in the area of the public network by acquiring charge information accumulated for each local radio terminal in the second storage means and notifying the charge information to the local communication network. It has a feature.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the local radio terminal belonging to the local communication network moves to the public network area, the communication using the local radio terminal is performed within the public network area. However, it is a charge information notification device installed in a telephone station of a public network provided, receiving means for receiving a charge information inquiry about the private wireless terminal from the private communication network, and whether or not the inquiry can be answered in advance. A first storage unit set for each local communication network, and a second storage in which charge information for communication performed by the local wireless terminal from the area of the public network is stored for each local wireless terminal. Means, a determination means for determining whether or not a response to the local communication network is read from the first storage means when the inquiry is made, and a determination result, and the determination result is information on the response. Place To, to obtain the charge information of the private branch system wireless terminal from said second storage means, in which the 該料 money information was composed of a control means for notifying the premises communication network.

[0008]

According to the present invention, a charge information inquiry about charge information relating to a premises radio terminal is received from a premises communication network, and the fare information accumulated for communications made in the area of the public network by the premises radio terminal. Is acquired, and this is notified to the local communication network. As a result, even if the owner of the premises communication network lends the premises radio terminal to a third party temporarily and the third party communicates in the area of the public network, Owners can collectively settle charges. In addition, whether or not to reply to the charge information is set in advance for each premises communication network, if there is an inquiry from the premises communication network, whether or not there is an inquiry is determined, and the charge information is notified only when the inquiry is permitted. To do. As a result, only the licensed specific premises communication network can inquire about the charge information, and the security for the charge information can be enhanced.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the charge information notification device according to the embodiment. In this figure, P
S.1 is a wireless terminal of a local communication system, and in reality, a large number of PS.1 are present in the area of the local communication network or public network. Here, a unique terminal number is assigned to PS.1.

In the wireless base station 2, PS.1 is the wireless base station 2
When it moves to the wireless area of PS.1, it communicates with PS.1, and mediates the communication between exchange 17 and PS.1, which will be described later. Further, the local area communication system 3 manages communication between the PS / 1 and the public network when the PS / 1 moves into the local area communication network.

The exchange 4 is an automatic exchange in a public network, and a plurality of local communication systems (not shown) are connected to the exchange 4 in addition to the private communication system 3 shown. Here, the signaling device 5 is an interface device that controls communication between the local communication system 3 and the exchange 4. Further, the exchange control unit 6 is a central part of the exchange 4, controls each device inside the exchange 4, and exchanges charge information and the like with a charge information management device 9 described below.

The line information storage unit 7 has a line information table 8 therein, and refers to / updates the line information table 8 under the instruction of the exchange control unit 6. The line information table 8 shows "whether or not a charge information inquiry request can be provided".
Information (hereinafter, referred to as charge information request allowance information) regarding the "premise communication system" is stored in advance. This information indicates whether or not it is possible to inquire about charge information to the public network for each local communication system, and is set by the maintenance operator of the public network inputting data from a control terminal (not shown) or the like. It is like this.

Next, the charge information management device 9 is a public PHS.
Performs various charge processing related to services. Here, the charge information control unit 10 is a control device that controls each device inside the charge information management device 9. Also, the contract information processing unit 11
The charge information storage unit 13 and the authentication information processing unit 15 internally have a contract information table 12, a charge information table 14,
It has the authentication information table 16, and the charge information control unit 1
According to the instruction of 0, the internal table is referenced and updated.

In the contract information table 12, information (service provision information) of "whether or not to provide a charge information inquiry request" is stored in advance for each "premise radio terminal (PS-1)". Further, the charge information is stored in the charge information table 14 for each PS / 1, and the charge information is accumulated in the storage area of the PS / 1 each time the PS / 1 communicates. Further, the authentication information table 16 stores in advance various kinds of authentication information transmitted from the public network side to the local communication system side when each local communication system performs authentication. Each local communication system performs authentication based on this authentication information. The service providing information is set by the maintenance worker of the public network inputting data from a control terminal (not shown) or the like.

The exchange 17 is an unspecified exchange installed in the public network. When the PS-1 communicates via the wireless base station 2, the exchange 17 creates charge information such as a call charge related to the call when the call ends. Then, various supplementary information is added to the charge information, and this is output as communication information.

Next, the operation of the fee information notifying device having the above-mentioned configuration will be described with reference to the drawings. Here, FIGS. 2 and 3 are flowcharts showing the operations of the exchange 4 and the charge information management device 9, respectively. Here, it is assumed that the PS.1 communicates from the wireless area under the exchange 17. First, the PS-1 moves to the wireless area of the exchange 17 and starts communication with another telephone terminal (communication partner) via the public network. Then, when the call with the communication partner ends, the exchange 17 creates communication information relating to this communication, and P
Transfer to the charge information control unit 10 together with the terminal number of S.1.

The charge information control unit 10 stores the charge information included in the received communication information in the storage area of the charge information table 14 assigned to the PS-1. After that, when the PS.1 moves to another wireless area of the public area, new charge information is sent from an exchange (not shown) covering the wireless area where the PS.1 is located, in the same manner as above. It will be stored sequentially behind the charge information stored earlier.

After that, the owner of the local communication system 3 inquires the public network side about the charge information as needed. Here, a case will be described in which charge information regarding PS.1 is requested. First, the local communication system 3 transmits a charge information request for PS.1 to the signaling device 5 and inquires about charge information (step SA1).
In response to this request, the signaling device 5 sends to the exchange control unit 6 information regarding the local area communication system 3 (for example, the line number of the local area communication system 3) and "the fact that a charge information inquiry request has been received".

Then, the exchange control unit 6 requests the line information storage unit 7 for "charge information request allowance information" regarding the local communication system 3. The line information storage unit 7 searches the line information table 8 to obtain the permission information corresponding to the local area communication system 3, and returns it to the exchange control unit 6 (step SA2). The exchange control unit 6 inspects the content of the allowance information and determines whether or not the public network provides the inquiry about the charge information to the "private communication system 3" (step SA3).

As a result of the inspection, if the inquiry is not permitted ("NG"), "the fact that the charge information notification is not provided" is transferred to the local communication system 3, and "charge information notification processing" is performed. Is finished (step SA4). On the other hand, if the inquiry is permitted (“OK”), the charge information control unit 1 sends a charge information request regarding PS.
It is sent to 0 (step SA5).

The charge information control unit 10 that has received this charge information request requests the contract information processing unit 11 for service provision information regarding PS-1 (step SB1). The contract information processing unit 11 searches the contract information table 14 for PS /
The service provision information of No. 1 is acquired and returned to the charge information control unit 10 (step SB2). Charge information control unit 1
0 checks the content of the service provision information and
It is determined whether the charge information can be provided for "1" (step SB3).

As a result of the inspection, if the provision of the charge information is not permitted (“NG”), “the fact that the charge information cannot be provided” is transferred to the local communication system 3 through the exchange 4, and the “charge” is displayed. "Information notification process" is terminated (step SB
4). On the other hand, the provision of fee information is permitted ("OK"
In this case, in order to confirm the validity of the local area communication system 3, the authentication information processing unit 15 is requested for necessary authentication information. The authentication information processing unit 15 refers to the authentication information table 16 according to the request, acquires the authentication information regarding the local communication system 3, and returns it to the charge information control unit 10 (step SB5).

The charge information control unit 10 sends an authentication request for the local communication system 3 and the returned authentication information to the exchange control unit 6. The exchange control unit 6 transfers these pieces of information to the local communication system 3 via the signaling device 5. Then, the local area communication system 3 performs an authentication process based on the authentication information, and sends the result back to the exchange control unit 6 (step SB6). The exchange control unit 6 transfers the authentication result returned via the signaling device 5 to the charge information control unit 10.

The charge information control unit 10 receives the authentication result (step SB7), and subsequently determines the authentication result (step SB8). Authentication was not done ("NG")
In this case, "notification was made" is transferred to the local communication system 3 through the exchange 4, and "charge information notification process" is performed.
Is finished (step SB9). On the other hand, if the authentication is successful (“OK”), the charge information control unit 10 determines that PS.
The charge information storage unit 13 is requested for charge information regarding the charge. The charge information storage unit 13 searches the charge information table 14 to acquire the charge information of PS / 1, and uses this to acquire the charge information of the PS / 1.
It is returned to 0 (step SB10).

Thereafter, the charge information control unit 10 instructs the charge information storage unit 13 to "delete the charge information sent to the local communication system 3 from the charge information table 14". This prevents the sent charge information from being erased and prevents the already sent charge information from being sent again to the local communication system 3.

Finally, the charge information control unit 10 requests the charge information previously sent from the exchange control unit 6 (step SA
5), the charge information of PS.1 is sent to the exchange control unit 6. The exchange control unit 6 notifies this to the local communication system 3 via the signaling device 5. The owner of the premises communication system 3 pays for the charge for PS. 1 based on this charge information.

In the above description, step SB10
It is assumed that the notified charge information is deleted from the charge information table 14 in the processing stage of. However, in reality, the charge information notified to the local communication system side is often required at a later date. Therefore, a flag indicating whether or not to notify the charge information corresponding to each charge information is provided with the charge information table 14
It is provided above and this flag is updated when the fee information is sent. Thereby, notification management of the charge information can be performed without erasing the substance of the charge information.

[0028]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the inquiry about the charge information about the indoor radio terminal is made from the local communication network, the communication performed by the local wireless terminal in the public network area. Since it is possible to notify the charge information to the local network, the owner of the local network temporarily lends the wireless terminal to the third party, and this third party communicates in the public network area. Even in the case of performing the above, there is an effect that the owner of the local communication network can collectively settle the charges. Further, since it is determined whether or not the charge information can be returned for each premises communication network, only the licensed specific premises communication network can make an inquiry about the charge information. The effect that can be strengthened is also obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a charge information notification device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation of the exchange 4 according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation of a charge information management device 9 according to the same embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... PS, 2 ... radio base station, 3 ... in-house communication system,
4 ... Exchange, 5 ... Signaling device, 6 ... Exchange control unit, 7 ... Line information storage unit, 8 ... Line information table, 9 ... Charge information management device, 10 ... Charge information control unit, 11 ... Contract information processing unit, 12 ... contract information table, 13 ... charge information storage unit,
14 ... Charge information table, 15 ... Authentication information processing unit, 16
… Authentication information table, 17… Exchange

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Shinya Ayukawa 1-1-6 Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Inside Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (56) Reference JP-A-5-227301 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04M 15/00-15/38 H04Q ^7/ 00-7/04

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A telephone station of a public network, which provides communication using the local wireless terminal even within the area of the public network when the local wireless terminal belonging to the local communication network moves to the area of the public network. A method of notifying charge information according to claim 1, wherein, when an inquiry about charge information about the local area wireless terminal is received from the local area communication network, a reply set in advance in the first storage means for each local area network. The availability information is read to determine whether the response is possible. If the result of the determination is that the response is possible, the local wireless terminal stores in the second storage means for communication performed in the public network area. A charge information notifying method, characterized in that charge information accumulated for each of the premises radio terminals is acquired and the charge information is notified to the premises communication network. 2. A public network telephone station that provides communication using the local area wireless terminal even within the public network area when the local area wireless terminal belonging to the local area communication network moves to the public network area. Is a charge information notification device installed in a receiving unit for receiving a charge information inquiry about the local wireless terminal from the local communication network, and whether or not to reply to the inquiry is set in advance for each local communication network. The first storage means, the second storage means in which the charge information of the communication performed by the local wireless terminal from the public network area is stored for each local wireless terminal, and the inquiry is made. In this case, a determination unit that reads the response availability to the local area communication network from the first storage unit and determines the response availability, and the second storage when the determination result is information that the response is available. means Obtains charging information et the premises-based wireless terminal,
A charge information notifying device comprising a control means for notifying the charge information to the local area communication network.