JPH04298150A - Method for preventing invalid charging - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent invalid charging in a network system to which plural terminal equipments are connected via a telephone network and a network system respectively. CONSTITUTION:Upon the receipt of an INC indication from a terminal equipment A1, a network unit 5 utilizing a DIC, CIC command to take synchronization between telephone network connection and connection of a network system 6 sends a DIC command so that a MODEM 4 is not hooked off till a reply of an opposite terminal equipment 8 is confirmed, stops the reply tentatively and when the network unit 5 receives an affirmative reply from the opposite terminal equipment B8, the unit 5 sends the CIC command to start reply and if the reply from the opposite terminal equipment B8 after transmission of the DIC command is negative, an ER signal is reset to interrupt the connection as the preventing method of the invalid charging. Thus, when connection is not applied due to the failed or busy opposite terminal equipment B8, it is not required to pay the telephone charge.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Industrial Field of Application] The present invention is useful for providing network services via a telephone network, particularly in a network system in which a plurality of terminals are connected to each other via a telephone network and a network system. This invention relates to technology for preventing invalid charges in system connections.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a network system receives calls from terminals accommodating a telephone network using V. 25bis interface. Said V. 25. bis is CCITT
It was recommended in V. This system uses the 24-100 series interface to perform automatic dialing and automatic incoming call response using character code control. Said V. 24 is a network unit (hereinafter referred to as N
This is a signal line between the NU and the DCE in this method.

The meaning of the signal lines necessary for explaining this method will be explained below.

CS (circuit 106): The DCE turns on this circuit to indicate that it is ready to receive data from the NU.

DR (circuit 107): The DCE turns on this circuit to indicate that it is ready to exchange control signals for data transfer with the NU.

ER (circuit 108/2): When the NU is ready to send and receive data, the ER must always be turned on. Moreover, by turning on this ER, the DCE prepares the circuit, and after connection, the state must be maintained. When the ER is OFF, the DCE releases the line.

CI (circuit 125): When ER is on, it indicates that a calling signal (Incoming Ring) is being received.

FIG. 7 shows a schematic configuration and sequence of a conventional network system. In the conventional method, Fig. 7
As shown in , when the CI (circuit 125) from the second DCE 4 is turned on, the NU 5 of the network system 6 receives a call from the terminal A (telephone network accommodating terminal) 1 accommodated via the telephone network 2. Incoming signal
Ring) and turns on ER (circuit 108/2) to notify that data transmission is ready. The second DCE 4 notifies the incoming call using an INC command. Upon receiving the call notification, NU5 calls terminal B (other party's terminal) 8.
Make a call to. After the second DCE 4 sends the INC command, the CI and CS are turned off, and after going off-hook (a response to the telephone network 102, which is the trigger for starting billing), the second DCE 4 responds to the first DCE 3 on the calling side with an answer tone, and then sends a DR (
circuit 107) to complete the connection. NU5 completes the connection upon acknowledgment from terminal B8.

[0009]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional technology, as shown in FIG. 8, when the network system 6 detects a paging signal caused by a call from terminal A1 and transmits a connection request to terminal B8 after going off-hook. , if the response from terminal B8 is negative, the connection is terminated and the terminal goes on-hook. There was a problem in that charges were incurred in the telephone network 2 even though no communication was performed during this time (invalid charges). Here, invalid charge means that even though the terminal is not performing the intended data communication,
This means that telephone charges will be charged.

[0010] To prevent invalid charging, it is necessary to synchronize with terminal B8 and then go off-hook. In the device that utilizes this, as shown in Figure 9, the ER is turned on (
There is a way to delay the ON).

[0011] This method has problems when calls collide. An example of this is shown in FIG. 10 (an explanatory diagram of a general method for prioritizing calls from terminal A1). In this example, the call from terminal B8 on the network system 5 side is first rejected, and then the call from terminal A1 is started, but the connection is made even though terminal B8 responds negatively. .

There is also a method of transmitting the DIC command in advance, and an example of this is shown in FIG. 10 (an explanatory diagram for explaining the method of transmitting the DIC command in advance). In this example, process A needs to be performed when the system is started up, and process B needs to be performed when the call is disconnected.

[0013] The problem with this method is that there is a timing when a call is made from terminal A1 during process B and the connection is made, and if the modem is initialized due to a momentary power outage or other reason. Process A must be performed on
It is difficult to judge that with NU5.

An object of the present invention is to provide a technique that can prevent invalid charges in a network system in which a plurality of terminals are respectively connected via a telephone network and a network system.

The above and other objects and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the description herein and the accompanying drawings.

[0016]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a network system in which a plurality of terminals are respectively connected via a telephone network and a network system based on V. 25b
When the NU (network unit) synchronizes the telephone network connection and the network system connection using is's DIC and CIC commands, when it receives an INC indication which is an incoming call notification from a terminal, it waits until it confirms the response from the other terminal. To prevent the DCE (modem) from going off-hook, send a DIC command and temporarily suspend response operation.
After that, if an acknowledgment is received from the other party's terminal, the CI
Send the C command and start the response operation, and if the response from the other terminal after sending the DIC command is negative, send the E
The most important feature is to interrupt the connection operation by turning off the R signal.

[0017]

[Operation] According to the above-mentioned means, when the NU receives an INC indication, which is an incoming call notification, from a terminal, the DCE goes off-hook until it confirms the response from the other terminal (the response to the telephone network is the trigger for starting billing). To avoid this, send a DIC command and pause the response operation,
After that, if an acknowledgment is received from the other party's terminal, the CI
Send the C command and start the response operation, and if the response from the other terminal after sending the DIC command is negative, send the E
Since the R signal is turned off and the connection operation is interrupted, invalid charges in connection with the telephone network and network system can be prevented.

[0018]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

In all the figures, parts having the same functions are designated by the same reference numerals, and repeated explanations thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a network service in which a terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention and a counterpart terminal use a telephone network and a network system. ), 2 is a telephone line network, and 3 is a first DCE (modem) that connects the terminal A1 and the telephone line network 2.
, 4 constitutes a second DCE (modem) that connects the telephone line network 2 and NU (network unit), 5 constitutes NU (network unit), 6 constitutes a network system, and 7 constitutes a network system other than the second DCE 4 and NU 5. Other equipment (e.g. exchanger, etc.), 8 is terminal B (
(the other party's terminal). The network system 6 includes:
It is composed of a second DCE 4, NU 5, and other equipment 7.

FIG. 2 is a call connection sequence for explaining the invalid charging prevention operation of this embodiment.

Next, the operation for preventing invalid charges in the network service system of this embodiment will be explained based on FIG. 2.

First, the connection conditions are V.V. when a terminal connected to the network system 6 via the telephone network makes a call. 25bis command is used.

[0024] The network system 6 also has a terminal A.
When receiving the connection request from Terminal B1, it notifies terminal B8 that there is a connection request. Then, based on the response from terminal B8, it is determined whether or not to connect.

[0025] V.C. recommended by CCITT. When the NU5, which uses the DIC and CIC commands of 25bis to synchronize the connection of the telephone network 2 and the connection of the network system 6, receives the INC indication, which is an incoming call notification from the terminal A1, it confirms the response of the terminal B8. until the 2nd DC
To prevent E4 from going off-hook (a response to the telephone network, which triggers billing), E4 sends a DIC command and pauses the response operation, and then, upon receiving an acknowledgment from terminal B8, sends a CIC command. If the response from terminal B8 after sending the DIC command is negative, the ER signal is turned off and the connection operation is interrupted.

Next, another solution that applies the method for preventing invalid charges of this embodiment will be explained. Currently, there are no general modems that start from DIC mode (non-responsive mode). Therefore, when considering the operation of the method for preventing invalid charging according to the present embodiment shown in FIG. 2, it becomes possible by modifying the DCE (modem).

That is, in FIG. 2, there is a period of several seconds after INC transmission until off-hook, and if a DIC command is received during that time, the mode changes to DIC mode and off-hook operation is temporarily stopped. In FIG. 3, this can be achieved by modifying the modem so that the initial state can start from the DIC mode.

Commands and indications in this embodiment are composed of three alphabetic characters and parameters, as shown in FIG. There are also commands/indications to which no parameters are attached. An example of the command is shown in Figure 5, and an example of the indication is shown in Figure 6.
Shown below.

As can be seen from the above explanation, according to this embodiment, NU5 receives IN which is an incoming call notification from terminal A1.
Upon receiving the C indication, the DI is set so that the second modem 4 does not go off-hook (a response to the telephone network 2, which triggers the start of billing) until the response from the terminal B8 is confirmed.
After sending the C command and temporarily stopping the response operation, and then receiving an acknowledgment from terminal B8, transmitting the CIC command and starting the response operation, and if the response from terminal B8 after sending the DIC command is If negative, the ER signal is turned off and the connection operation is interrupted, making it possible to prevent invalid charges in the connection between the telephone network 2 and the network system 6.

Although the present invention has been specifically explained above based on examples, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned examples and can be modified in various ways without departing from the gist thereof. .

[0031]

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent invalid charges in connection between a telephone network and a network system. If this is not possible, there is no need to pay telephone charges, and the service can be improved.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a network system in which a terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention and a counterpart terminal are connected via a telephone network and a network system.

FIG. 2 is a call connection sequence for explaining the invalid charging prevention operation of this embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining another solution to which the method for preventing invalid charges according to the present embodiment is applied.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of commands and indications.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a command.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of an indication.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining problems in billing in connection with a conventional telephone network and network system.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining problems in billing in connection with a conventional telephone network and network system.

FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining problems in billing in connection with a conventional telephone network and network system.

FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining problems in billing in a conventional telephone network and network system connection.

FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining problems in billing in a conventional telephone network and network system connection.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Terminal A, 2... Telephone line network, 3... 1st DCE, 4... 2nd DCE, 5... NU, 6... Network system, 7...
Other devices, 8...Terminal B.

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claim 1: In a network system in which a plurality of terminals are connected via a telephone network and a network system, V. When the network unit synchronizes the telephone network connection and the network system connection using the DIC and CIC commands of 25bis, when it receives an INC indication which is an incoming call notification from a terminal, the modem goes off-hook until it confirms the response from the other terminal. To avoid this, send a DIC command and temporarily stop the response operation, and then, if you receive a positive response from the other terminal, send a CIC command and start the response operation, and if the other terminal after sending the DIC command A method for preventing invalid charging characterized by turning off an ER signal and interrupting a connection operation if the response from the terminal is negative.