JPH0330348B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a public telephone set, and in particular to a public telephone set in which billing pulses are created using a call charge memory and a discount information memory provided in an internal storage section. Regarding.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems] In general, in public telephones, the user picks up the handset and operates the telephone switch, then inserts coins worth more than the unit call charge into the coin slot, and presses the pushbutton, for example. Using the dialing mechanism, key in the dial number of the telephone you are calling. This dialed number is entered into the central office exchange via the telephone line. Then, when the handset of the called party's telephone is picked up and the switch is operated, the communication circuit is connected and a call is started. When a call is started, a billing pulse is sent from the exchange at the central office to this public phone, with a period of time during which a call can be made at one call rate, which is determined by the type of dialed number of the destination, such as an area number. .

The public telephone that receives this charging pulse stores the coins inserted from the coin slot of the money storage mechanism one by one into the coin storage section in synchronization with the period of the charging pulse. When the call ends, the remaining coins are returned from the coin return slot.

However, in public telephones in which coins inserted into the coin slot of the money storage mechanism are stored in the coin storage section in accordance with the amount corresponding to the call charge by billing pulses sent from the telephone exchange, Unless pulses are supplied externally, it is not possible to automatically collect call charges. Therefore, in countries or regions where telephone exchanges do not have the function of sending billing pulses, in order to collect accurate call charges, it is necessary to go through the telephone exchange operator. I had the inconvenience of having to make a phone call and ask the operator for the charge.

[Object of the Invention] The present invention has been made based on the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a memory for call charges corresponding to the type of dialed number and a memory for call charges corresponding to the call time period in a public telephone. By providing discount information memories and creating billing pulses using the stored contents of these memories, call charges can be automatically charged even if billing pulses are not supplied from the telephone exchange. The purpose is to provide public telephones that can collect tolls.

[Summary of the Invention] The public telephone of the present invention includes a call charge memory that stores cycle data of charge pulses for each dial number type, a clock circuit that outputs time information representing the current time, and a call charge memory that stores charge pulse cycle data for each dial number type, a clock circuit that outputs time information representing the current time, and a call charge memory that stores charge pulse cycle data for each dial number type. A discount information memory storing a discount rate is provided, and periodic data corresponding to the dial number input to the dialing mechanism is read from the call charge memory, and the read periodic data is used to store the discount information corresponding to the current time. After correcting using the discount rate read from memory,
By inputting a billing pulse having the period of the corrected periodic data to the money storage mechanism, money corresponding to the call fee is automatically collected.

[Embodiment of the Invention] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a public telephone according to an embodiment. For convenience of explanation, a coin-operated public telephone will be described below, but the same applies to a card-operated public telephone. In the figure, 1 is a first control device consisting of a microprocessor, etc., which sends the dialed number input from the dialing mechanism to the telephone exchange and controls the telephone call.
It is CPU(A) (central processing unit). Reference numeral 2 in the figure indicates a CPU (B) as a second control device that generates a billing pulse in accordance with the type of dial number sent from the CPU (A) 1.

The CPU (A) 1 controls, via the input/output circuit 3, a push-button type dial mechanism 4 and a display device 5 for displaying dial numbers. When a handset (not shown) is picked up, a switch signal is input to the input/output circuit 3 when a switch 6 is operated. Further, the CPU (A) 1 has an input/output circuit 10 that controls a telephone call circuit 7 connected to an exchange 8 in a telephone office via a telephone line 9, and an input/output circuit 10 for exchanging information with the CPU (B) 2. It controls the output circuit 11, the ROM 12 that stores fixed data such as control programs, and the RAM 13 that temporarily stores variable data.

The CPU (B) 2 includes a first input/output circuit 11, a ROM 14 that stores fixed data such as control programs and call charge memory, and a RAM 15 that temporarily stores variable data such as dial numbers inputted via the input/output circuit 11. ,Month. Day. day of week. time. Clock circuit 1 that outputs time information representing the current time such as minutes
6. Controls the output circuit 18 for sending billing pulses to the money storage mechanism 17.

In the ROM 14, as shown in FIG.
Control program area that stores control programs
In addition to RO1, a call charge memory RO2 and a discount information memory RO3 are formed.

The call charge memory RO2 stores billing pulse cycle data for each type of dial number. In other words, for toll-free dialing numbers such as directory assistance and emergency calls, the billing pulse cycle data is set to infinity, and for local numbers, the call time per call frequency is 3 minutes (180 seconds). In this case, 180 seconds of billing pulse cycle data is stored. Further, each time indicated in seconds during which a call can be made with one call rate is stored as cycle data of billing pulses corresponding to each area code. In the case of an international call, as well as the above-mentioned area code, each time indicated in seconds is stored as billing pulse periodic data corresponding to the dial number of the international call.

Further, the discount information memory RO3 stores a discount rate for charges corresponding to the time period of the call. In other words, the summer time storage area RO stores the period (month and day) in which summer time is adopted.
4.Holiday storage area RO that stores holidays for one year
5. Weekday discount time storage area RO6 that stores the nighttime discount time on weekdays excluding Sundays and holidays; Area RO that stores the discount rate of charges during this time period
7. A holiday discount time storage area RO8 for storing nighttime discount hours on holidays such as Sundays and public holidays, and an area RO9 for storing discount rates for charges during this time period are formed.

The RAM 15 includes a dial number area RA1 that temporarily stores the dial number input from the CPU (A) 1 via the input/output circuit 11, a dial counter RA2 that counts the number of digits of the input dial number, and a money storage area. A billing information area RA3 is formed to store periodic data of billing pulses sent to the mechanism 17.

When the power of this public telephone is turned on, the CPU (A) 1 transmits the dial number input from the dial mechanism 4 to the telephone exchange 8 and the CPU (B) 2 according to the flowchart shown in Fig. 3. The system is configured to perform the sending operations. That is, when the main routine starts in FIG. 3, the fourth routine starts at P1.
Execute the initial setting process (A) shown in the figure. Initial setting process (A)
First, each input/output circuit 3, 10, 11 is initialized, and the contents of the RAM 13 are cleared.
Next, the handset is picked up and switch 6 is pressed.
Wait until the telephone line is opened and the telephone line to the exchange is connected.

When the initial setting process (A) is completed in Fig. 3,
After confirming that the next dial operation is valid, such as that the elapsed time from the previous key operation in the dial mechanism 4 has not exceeded the limit time, the control input/output shown in Fig. 5 is performed at P2. Execute process (A). In the control input/output process (A), the operating state of the switch 6, the connection state of the telephone line, and the state of a telephone call (outgoing telephone call) made from one's own telephone are confirmed. Furthermore, when the receiver of the telephone set of the destination is picked up and the called party responds, a response flag is set. Further, when the handset is placed and the telephone switch 6 is restored or the telephone line is cut off, it is determined that the handset is placed before the telephone line is connected to the destination telephone and the process ends. In the case of an incoming call, there is no need to identify the dialed number and create a billing pulse, so the process ends in the same manner as above.

In FIG. 3, when the control input/output process (A) is completed, a key of the dial mechanism 4 is pressed down, and a one-digit dial number corresponding to the operated key is detected. Then, the key-input dial number is displayed on the display device 5 and sent to the CPU (B) 2 via the input/output circuit 11. In addition, the input/output circuit 10,
It is sent to the exchange 8 of the telephone office via the telephone call circuit 7 and the telephone line 9, and waits for the key to be released from the pressed state. This completes the process of sending the one-digit dial number input from the dial mechanism 4 to the CPU (B) 2 and the exchange 8.

Also, CPU (B) 2 operates according to the flowchart in Figure 6.
It is configured to execute billing pulse creation work based on the dial number input from the CPU (A) 1 via the input/output circuit 11. That is, the sixth
In the figure, when the main routine starts, the initial setting process (B) in FIG. 7 is executed at P3. In the initial setting process (B), the input/output circuit 11 and the output circuit 18
After initializing, the dial number area RA1, dial counter RA2, and billing information area RA3 in the RAM 15 are cleared. Then, the dial number input interrupt process shown in FIG. 8 is permitted.

In the dial number interrupt input process, the one-digit dial number input from the input/output circuit 11 is
Store in dial number area RA1 of RAM15.
At the same time, the count value (D.CT) indicating the number of dial digits of the dial counter RA2 is increased by one. If the increased count value (number of digits) does not exceed, for example, 24, which indicates the limit value of the dial identification ability, the process returns to the main routine of FIG. 6 while maintaining the dial number input interrupt in the enabled state. Further, when the number of digits of the dial number stored in the dial number area RA1 exceeds 24, the dial number input interrupt is inhibited to prevent input of a new digit of the dial number.

When the initial setting process (B) in FIG. 6 is completed,
At P4, the discount rate reading process shown in FIG. 9 is executed. In the discount rate reading process, first, it is confirmed that the installer of this public telephone has previously set the public telephone so that various rate discounts can be executed. Next, the current month is input from the clock circuit 16. Day.
day of week. time. Read the minutes. Then, it is checked whether the read current time corresponds to a period (month/day) stored in the daylight saving time storage area RO4 of the ROM 14 in which daylight saving time is adopted. If applicable, the current time read from the clock circuit 16 is converted to daylight saving time. In other words, the time is advanced by a certain amount of time. Next, today is the holiday storage area of ROM14.
Check whether it is a holiday stored in RO5 or a holiday such as Sunday. If it is not a holiday, it is checked whether the current time corresponds to the nighttime discount time stored in the weekday discount time storage area RO6, and if the current time corresponds to the nighttime discount time stored in the weekday discount time storage area RO6, the area is
Read the discount rate of RO7. Meanwhile, today is Sunday. If it is a holiday, it is checked whether the current time corresponds to the nighttime discount time stored in the holiday discount time storage area RO8, and if so, the discount rate in the area RO9 is read out. Incidentally, if the current time does not correspond to a discount time on weekdays or holidays, there is no need for discounting and the process returns to the main routine of FIG. 6.

In FIG. 6, when the discount rate reading process at P4 is completed, the control input/output process B shown in FIG. 10 is executed at P5. In the control input/output processing B, the operating state of the switch 6, the incoming call, and the called party's response are confirmed via the input/output circuit 11 and the CPU (A) 1. If the switch 6 is turned on or an incoming call is detected, the CPU (B) 2 ends the process.
Conversely, if the switch 6 is off and there is no incoming call, the process moves on to detecting a response from the called party, and if there is a response from the called party, a response flag is set. Then, the process returns to the main routine shown in FIG.

In FIG. 6, if there is no response from the called party, the billing information calculation process of FIG. 11 is executed at P6. In the billing information calculation process, by interrupt input processing
Read the dial number stored in the dial number area RA1 of RAM15, and check the type of number, such as an area number, included in the read dial number.
Search from the number type in the call charge memory RO2 of the ROM14. If the dialed number indicates a free call such as directory assistance, there is no need to collect call charges, so infinite cycle data is stored in the billing information area RA3. Next, if the dialed number indicates a local call number, the billing information area RA
For example, 180 seconds indicating 3 minutes per call is stored in 3.
Furthermore, if the dialed number indicates a long-distance call or an international call, periodic data of one call frequency corresponding to the long-distance number or international call number is read out. Next, it is checked in the discount rate reading process shown in FIG. The divided value is stored in the billing information area RA3 as new periodic data. On the other hand, if the discount rate is not read out in the discount rate reading process, the above-mentioned periodic data read out from the call charge memory RO2 is directly transferred to the billing information area.
Store in RA3.

If the dial number required for identification is not stored in the dial number area RA1 or is in the middle of being stored, dial identification is performed up to the dial number that is being stored, and the billing information calculation process is exited and the control input/output of P5 is performed again. Return to process B and continue the same process.

In the main routine of FIG. 6, when the billing information calculation process is completed and a called party response is detected, P
At step 7, control input/output processing C in FIG. 12 is executed.
In control input/output processing C, after detecting the state of the switch 6, the circuit 1 outputs a charging pulse having a period equal to the data stored in the charging information area RA3.
8 to the money storage mechanism 17. The money storage mechanism 17 stores the coins inserted from the coin slot one by one into the storage section in synchronization with the cycle of the input billing pulse. Incidentally, when the telephone call ends and the switch 6 is restored, the transmission of charging pulses is stopped.

In the main routine of FIG. 6, after one billing pulse is issued by the control input/output process C at P7, the discount rate reading process shown in FIG. 9, which is the same as P4, is executed at P8. If the discount rate changes while the public telephone is in use, the control input/output process C of P7 is executed again.

In the public telephone configured as described above, the user picks up the handset, inserts several coins into the coin slot of the money storage mechanism 17, and then inputs the dial number of the destination telephone from the dial mechanism 4 using the keypad. Then, the dialed number is sent by the CPU (A) 1 to the exchange 8 of the central office via the telephone line 9, and is also sent via the input/output circuit 11.
Sent to CPU(B)2. When the handset of the called party's telephone is picked up and a call is started, the CPU (B) 2 stores periodic data indicating the call time of one call frequency corresponding to the input dial number in the call charge memory.
Read from RO2. Then, the read cycle data is corrected with the discount rate read from the discount information memory 3, and a billing pulse of the corrected cycle is sent to the money storage mechanism 17. Therefore, the coins corresponding to the call charges are stored in the coin storage section.
Call charges can be automatically collected.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, there is a call charge memory in a public telephone that stores call charges for each type of dialed number after being converted into billing pulse cycles, and a call charge memory corresponding to the call time period. A discount information memory storing a discount rate is provided, and a billing pulse corresponding to a regularly discounted call fee is created using the stored contents of each memory and is input to the money storage mechanism. Therefore, even if the central office exchange does not provide charging pulses,
Accurate call charges can be collected automatically without involving an operator.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The figures show a public telephone set according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration, Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the main memory of the storage section, and Figs. 3 to 5 are A flowchart showing the operation of the CPU (A), and FIGS. 6 to 12 are flowcharts showing the operation of the CPU (B). 1...CPU(A), 2...CPU(B), 3,10,1
1...Input/output circuit, 4...Dial mechanism, 8...
Exchange, 12, 14...ROM, 13, 15...
RAM, 16...Clock circuit, 17...Money storage mechanism, RO2...Call charge memory, RO3...Discount information memory, RA1...Dial number area,
RA3...Billing information area.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A dialing mechanism 4 for inputting a dialed number corresponding to the telephone number of the called party, and a dialing mechanism 4 for transmitting the dialed number inputted from this dialing mechanism to the telephone exchange at the telephone office and controlling the telephone call. 1 control device 1, a second control device 2 that generates a billing pulse corresponding to the type of dial number sent from the first control device, and a second control device 2 that generates a billing pulse corresponding to the type of dial number sent from the first control device; A public telephone having a money storage mechanism 17 for storing call charges, which includes dial number data indicating the type of dial number and billing time that defines the time during which a call can be made with one call frequency determined in accordance with this dial number data. A call charge memory RO2 that stores the relationship with cycle data indicating the pulse cycle, a clock circuit 16 that outputs time information indicating the current time, time zone data indicating the time zone in which the call charge is discounted, and this time zone data. Discount information memory RO3 that stores the relationship with data on the discount rate of call charges determined in accordance with
and the second control device includes a periodic data retrieval means for reading out periodic data corresponding to the dial number inputted from the first control device from the call charge memory; and the periodic data retrieval means. periodic data correction means for correcting the periodic data read out by the discount rate read out from the discount information memory corresponding to the current time specified by the clock circuit; and the periodicity corrected by the periodic data correction means. 1. A public telephone set comprising billing pulse sending means for sending a billing pulse having a data cycle to the money storage mechanism via an output circuit.