JPH08223322A - Telephone exchange having call charge notice function and call charge notice method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a telephone exchange in which a call charge is recognized independently of kinds of a telephone set. CONSTITUTION: A private branch exchange 10 has a time division switch 11 and extension telephone sets 15, 17 and an external trunk line 13 are contained to a 64kb/s 4-wire digital multiplex channel 110 via an interface circuit. In the case of extension or external line call, the telephone exchange 10 sets a call channel between channels 110 to the time division switch 11. As to a call to an external line, a traffic unit is stored in a call memory 22. After the end of an external line call, when the telephone set 15 is used to dial a call charge notice special number, a central processing unit 21 accesses the call memory 22 in response to the channel number #200 of the telephone set to convert the call unit into call charge data, which are given to a variable voice guidance trunk 18. Then the variable voice guidance trunk 18 is connected to the telephone set 15 via the time division switch 11. The variable voice guidance trunk 18 sends a voice such as 'The call charge now is *** yen' or 'the telephone charge this month is *** yen.'.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a telephone exchange having a call charge notifying function of notifying a subscriber of a call charge from a telephone switch, and a call charge notifying method thereof.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Charge data indicating a call charge of a subscriber of a telephone exchange is stored in a storage device of an exchange system.
The billing amount is notified to the subscriber as a bill every fixed period. A digital private branch exchange (PBX) housed in a public communication network can provide services such as displaying the call charges from an extension phone to an outside line on the display of the digital phone and printing out monthly totals. it can.

[0003]

However, in the past, for telephones without a display such as analog telephones,
The subscriber could only know the call charges on a monthly basis. So on a phone without a display,
For example, it is difficult to accurately estimate the budget for telephone expenses, and it is not possible to immediately know the call charges for each call. Further, even with a digital telephone having a display function, there is an inconvenience that the fee display function cannot be used by a visually handicapped person.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, and provides a telephone exchange having a call charge notification function that allows a subscriber to know the call charge regardless of the model of the telephone, and a call charge notification method thereof. The purpose is to do.

[0005]

According to the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a call path means accommodating a plurality of voice telephone terminals, and a call path means for making a call originating from at least the voice telephone terminal. In the telephone exchange including the exchange processing means for performing exchange processing through the exchange processing means, the exchange processing means monitors the call for the voice telephone terminal and generates charge data regarding the call charge of the call, and the telephone exchange exchanges the generated charge data. The exchange processing means includes storage means for recording about the voice telephone terminal and voice signal output means for converting into an audible voice signal representing fee data and transmitting the audible voice signal. An audible voice signal transmitted from the voice signal output means by reading out the charge data for the voice telephone terminal, giving the read charge data to the voice signal output means. Exchange connected to the audio telephone terminal over a traffic channel means.

According to the present invention, a call charge notification method in a telephone exchange, which accommodates a plurality of voice telephone terminals and exchanges at least a call originating from the voice telephone terminals, comprises:
A step of monitoring a call for a voice telephone terminal and generating fee data relating to the call charge of this call, a step of recording the generated fee data in a storage means for the voice telephone terminal, and a request from the voice telephone terminal are generated. Steps, in response to the generated request, a step of reading charge data for the voice telephone terminal from the storage means, a step of converting the read charge data into an audible voice signal, and an exchange of the audible voice signal with the voice telephone terminal. And the step of connecting.

[0007]

According to the present invention, the exchange processing means monitors the call for the voice telephone terminal and generates the charge data regarding the call charge of this call. The generated charge data is recorded in the storage means corresponding to the voice telephone terminal. Upon receipt of the request from the voice telephone terminal, the exchange processing means reads the charge data for the voice telephone terminal from the storage means in response to the request, and gives the read charge data to the voice signal output means. The voice signal output means converts this charge data into a corresponding audible voice signal, and the audible voice signal is exchange-connected to the voice telephone terminal through the communication path means by the exchange processing means. As a result, the subscriber of the voice telephone terminal is informed by voice of the call charge for making an outside line call, for example, and can know the call charge even with an analog telephone having no call charge display function.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a call charge notification system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a relay system diagram of an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a digital private branch exchange (PBX). The telephone exchange 10 has a time divisional switch 11, which accommodates a large number of extension terminals 15 and 17 and a plurality of outside lines 13 and has an exchange function for setting connection between them and the extension terminal 15 It is a telephone exchange having a billing function for recording the call charge of a pay call to the outside line 13 and the like for 17 and 17.

In this embodiment, the time division switch 11 has its
64 kb / s 4-wire digital multiplex communication channel 110 via interface circuits 14, 16 and 12 respectively for extension telephone 1
A call path circuit that accommodates 5, 17 and an outside line 13 that is a station line and sets a call channel for mutual extension calls and outside calls. The office line circuit 12 is a circuit that is accommodated in the public telephone network from the outside line 13 and converts the office-side signal on the network side and the signal on the exchange side.

An analog extension circuit 14 is provided as the above-mentioned interface circuit, which accommodates an analog telephone 15 and transfers a four-wire digital signal on the exchange side to the two on the telephone side.
It is a circuit that converts a line audio signal. Analog phone 15
Is a telephone terminal capable of ordinary voice communication, and is connected to the analog extension circuit 14 by an analog line. As an interface circuit, this embodiment also has a digital multi-function extension circuit 16, which in the present embodiment accommodates a digital multi-function telephone 17 with a display to transfer a 4-wire digital signal on the exchange side to the telephone side. It is a circuit for converting into a two-wire digital signal. The digital multi-function telephone 17 is connected to the digital multi-function extension circuit 16 by a digital line, and uses the signal channel and the control channel to transmit / receive a digital signal as a voice signal or visible character or image information. It is a terminal device. It may also have a display function to visually display characters or images.

The time division switch 11 also houses a variable voice guidance trunk 18. This is a voice synthesizing circuit holding audible sound data for variably synthesizing a voice message representing a call charge. The guidance trunk 18 is, as described later, under the control of the central processing unit 21 which responds to the dialing of the call charge notification special number from the extension subscriber, the call charge for each call, or the accumulation for a specific period, for example, monthly. It is a trunk circuit that creates a message indicating a call charge and outputs it as a voice signal. The time division switch 11 also houses an audible sound transmission circuit 19. this is,
This is a signal sound circuit that holds audible sound data representing various signal sounds such as a ringing tone, a dial tone, and a busy tone, and outputs data designated by a central processing unit 21 described later as a voice signal.

The central processing unit 21 is a control unit which has a processor and a memory (not shown) and controls the time divisional switch 11 by a call processing program stored in the memory to control the switching connection. A call memory 22 is provided therein, and the call memory 22 is a storage device that stores call data for each call corresponding to a channel number. More specifically, the central processing unit 21 detects an outgoing call from the extension telephones 15 and 17 and an incoming call from the external line 13 through the control bus 120, and detects the channel number of the communication path 110 of the time division switch 11. The time division switch 11 has a call processing function of setting a call channel for incoming and outgoing calls, receiving a called party number, and setting a call channel for a call in the time division switch 11.

The central processing unit 21 also records the call time and minutes in the call memory 22 according to the billing program for the call from the extension telephone 16 or 17 to the outside line 13, and after the call is finished, the call from the calling terminal is made. It has a billing data processing function of notifying the call charge of the outside line outgoing call in response to the dial of the charge notification special number. In addition to this, the present embodiment has a billing processing function of notifying data of a specific period, for example, monthly call charge. The call charge notification special number is an identification signal for which the caller of the extension telephone requests the charge notification, and two types of numbers are assigned to this signal in this embodiment. One of the special numbers is a special number (provisionally referred to as a first special number) for requesting notification of the call charge of the outgoing call every time, and the other is
It is a special number (provisionally referred to as a second special number) that requests notification of call charge data for a specific period, for example, monthly. Both special numbers may be the same number.

The charging data processing function will be described in detail. In this embodiment, there are 100 extensions for accommodating the analog telephone 15 and the digital multi-function telephone 17, that is, the extensions with channel numbers # 200 to # 299 are provided. As shown in FIG. 22 is the communication path 110
Call data area corresponding to channel numbers # 200 to # 299 of
23 and total call frequency data area 24 are provided. The central processing unit 21 monitors the time when an external line is connected, and during a call, adds up the call frequency according to the call charge system of the public telephone network. In the call data area 23, these times and calculated frequencies are recorded. The central processing unit 21 also adds the call frequency recorded in the call data area 23 at the end of the call to the period cumulative value of the call frequency total data area 24. The recorded data is printed out on a printing device (not shown) and becomes the call charge information notified to the extension telephones 15 and 17 from the variable voice guidance trunk 18 as described later. The recorded data in the call memory 22 is partially or entirely cleared by the central processing unit 21 after a predetermined period elapses, for example, monthly.

In the operating state, when a call is made from, for example, the analog telephone 15, the central processing unit 21 sends the call to the control bus.
210, and the audible sound sending circuit 19 is connected to the telephone 15 via the time division switch 11 to send a dial tone to the telephone 15. When the called number is received from the telephone set 15 via the time division switch 11, the digit analysis is performed. When it is identified from this number that this call is, for example, a connection call to an outside line, the central processing unit 21 causes the time division switch between the station line circuit 12 and the analog extension circuit 14 on the calling telephone 15 side. 11
Set up a call path via. At that time, the channel number on the telephone 15 side, for example, # 200, is identified, and the call start time is recorded in the call data area 23 of the call memory 22 corresponding thereto. The central processing unit 21 uses the call data area 23 to add the call frequency to the called number according to the charge system of the public telephone network. When the central processing unit 21 detects the end of the outside line call from the control bus 120, it stops the addition of the call frequency and holds the frequency currently held in the call data area 23 in the call frequency total data area 24. Addition to the cumulative value of the period, and the control of the outside call is completed.

The operation of calling the outside line in the telephone exchange 10 has been described by taking an example of calling from the analog telephone 15. Such an outside line calling operation is the same for a call from the digital multifunction telephone 17.

In this embodiment, after the outside line call is completed, the telephone, for example, 15 is taken off-hook, and the first call charge notification special number is dialed. A charge notification message, for example, "current call charge is *** yen There is a call charge notification function that allows the telephone 15 to obtain ".
More specifically, when the central processing unit 21 identifies the first special number, the central processing unit 21 connects the variable voice guidance trunk 18 to the telephone 15 through the time division switch 11, and the channel number # on the telephone side of the call memory 22 The call data area 23 corresponding to 200 is identified and the call frequency is read. Next, this is converted into a call charge value and given to the variable voice guidance trunk 18. The variable voice guidance trunk 18 synthesizes and outputs a voice signal representing a message such as "current call charge is *** yen." This voice signal is transmitted to the telephone set 15 through the time division switch 11 so that the subscriber can hear it by voice. This charge notification function is the same for calls made from the digital multifunction telephone 17.

In this embodiment, when the telephone, for example, 15 is off-hook and the second call charge notification special number is dialed, a voice message notifying the charge for a specific period, for example, "This month's telephone charge is *** yen. There is also provided a call charge notification function for obtaining "." When the central processing unit 21 identifies the second special number, it identifies the channel number # 200 of the telephone 15 side, accesses the corresponding call frequency total data area 24 of the call memory 22, and records it. Read out the total frequency. The subsequent operation is the same as that described above, and the central processing unit 21 converts the total frequency into a call charge value and gives it to the variable voice guidance trunk 18. The variable voice guidance trunk 18 sends out a voice signal representing a message such as "The telephone charge for this month is *** yen." This voice signal is transmitted to the telephone 15 through the time divisional switch 11.

The system may be configured to specify a desired period and notify the period fee. For example, a plurality of areas are provided in the call frequency total data area 24 of the call memory 22 to accumulate the cumulative frequency in a unit of a predetermined period, for example, month, week or day, and after the second special number from the terminal, Alternatively, the central processing unit 21 may be configured to dial the period designation number designating a period, such as month, week or day, and notify the terminal of the cumulative frequency corresponding to the period designation number by a voice signal.

These charge notification operations are, of course, similarly performed for a special number request from the digital multifunction telephone 17. Additionally or alternatively, the digital multifunction telephone 17 may be configured to visually display the call charge as text information on the display.

In the above embodiment, two types of call charge notification special numbers are used as the first and second special numbers. However, these special numbers may be the same number. In a system using the same special code, for example, after finishing an outside line call, off-hooking is performed within a predetermined period of time, for example, 5 seconds, and a predetermined special code is dialed. It may be configured to be interpreted as a call charge prompt request request for an outside line call. Further, instead of the first special number, a prefix indicating a charge prompt notice request may be used. In that case, when a call is made from the extension telephone 15 or 17, this prefix is added after dialing the prefix for identifying the outside line, and when the central processing unit 21 identifies this prefix during call digit analysis, the outside call Can be configured to call back the calling terminal and notify the charge by voice after completion of the above.
Further, such a prefix is not provided separately from the outside line call identification prefix, but the outside line call identification prefix is configured to be divided into two types: a prefix including a charge prompt notice request and a prefix without a charge prompt notice request. Good.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the charge notification is made for the charge of the outgoing call from the extension terminal 15 or 17, but the present invention is not limited to this, and is effectively applied to the charge payee. It In that case, after the termination of the incoming call to the extension terminal 15 or 17 from the outside line, it may be configured to notify the telephone charge by voice by operating the extension telephone 15 or 17 in the same manner as described above. it can.

Although the present invention is applied to the digital private branch exchange in the above-mentioned embodiment, the call charge notification system of the present invention can be applied to the call charge notification of a pay call by the telephone switch in the public network. Needless to say.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the call charge for each call and the call charge for a predetermined period are notified to the terminal by voice, a call is not made even on a terminal having a function of visually displaying the charge, such as an analog telephone. You can know the price. This is also very effective for the blind, for example.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a relay system diagram of an embodiment of a call charge notification system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration example of a call memory in the embodiment shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Private branch exchange 11 Time division switch 12 Office line circuit 13 Outer line 14 Analog extension circuit 15 Analog telephone 16 Digital multi-function extension circuit 17 Digital multi-function telephone 18 Variable voice guidance trunk 19 Audible sound output circuit 21 Central processing unit 22 Call memory 110 Call Route 120 Control bus # 200 to # 299 Channel number

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A telephone exchange comprising: a call path means accommodating a plurality of voice telephone terminals; and an exchange processing means for exchanging at least a call originating from the voice telephone terminal through the call path means. The means monitors the call for the voice telephone terminal and generates charge data relating to the call charge of the call, the exchange stores the charge data for the voice telephone terminal, the storage means, and the charge data. Voice signal output means for converting the audible voice signal into a audible voice signal for transmission, and the exchange processing means reads charge data for the voice telephone terminal from the storage means in response to a request from the voice telephone terminal. The read charge data is given to the voice signal output means, and the audible voice signal sent from the voice signal output means is passed through the communication path means. A telephone exchange having a call charge notification function, which is connected to the voice telephone terminal through exchange. 2. The telephone exchange according to claim 1,
The request includes a predetermined identification signal, and the exchange processing means, upon receiving the identification signal from the voice telephone terminal, starts an operation of reading charge data for the voice telephone terminal from the storage means. Telephone exchange. 3. A call charge notification method in a telephone exchange which accommodates a plurality of voice telephone terminals and exchanges at least a call originating from the voice telephone terminals, the method monitoring a call for the voice telephone terminals. And generating charge data relating to the call charge of the call, recording the generated charge data in the storage means for the voice telephone terminal, generating a request from the voice telephone terminal, and generating the request. In response to the request, reading charge data for the voice telephone terminal from the storage means, converting the read charge data into an audible voice signal, and exchanging the audible voice signal with the voice telephone terminal. A call charge notification method in a telephone exchange, comprising the step of connecting. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the request includes a predetermined identification signal, the method receiving the identification signal from the voice telephone terminal after termination of a call for the voice telephone terminal. , A method of notifying a call charge, characterized by starting the step of reading the charge data for the completed call. 5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the request includes a predetermined identification signal, and the method reads the fee data for a predetermined period when the identification signal is received from the voice telephone terminal. A call charge notification method characterized by starting a call.