JPH0865298A - Data communication charge controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To imit the waste of a communication charge to the same party by performing transmission processing within the same connected call when the next data transmitting request is generated while disconnecting the call within the same charging time even after the end of data transmission. CONSTITUTION: When the data transmitting request is generated, first of all, a control part 10 refers to a charging table 11a and calculates basic charging time corresponding to the call originated number of the data transmitting request. Simultaneously with the start of data transmission, start is instructed to a cycle timer part 12 corresponding to the setting of this basic charging time. When the data transmission is finished, the call is connected until the interruption of the cycle timer part 12 is issued and when the data transmitting request is generated to the same party in this call connected state, that data transmission is immediately performed while connecting the call as it is. Thus, the next transmission processing can be executed by using the excess time of the same charging time and data can be transferred with the much lower tariff.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention In the present invention, a data communication device is an analog telephone network, ISDN (Integrated Service Digital Network).
The present invention relates to a data communication charge control device for controlling charging from the network side when transmitting via a public network such as.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when a data communication device or the like transmits data via a public network such as an analog telephone network or ISDN, these networks are used each time a data transmission request is made. That is, when a data transmission request is generated, the call is connected to the other data communication device at that time, and the use of the network is ended at the time when the data communication is ended, that is, the call is disconnected.

[0003]

In the data transmission control as described above, when data transmission requests are continuously generated at a certain interval, call connection / disconnection is repeated. Therefore, even if data transmission requests to the same partner data communication device occur continuously at a certain interval, call connection / disconnection is repeated.

However, the billing system in the case of using the above communication network assumes that the analog telephone network or the circuit switching service of ISDN is used, and that the billing is performed stepwise depending on the connection time of the call. Become. Therefore, originally, although multiple data can be transmitted at the same charge until the time when the charge is added, each time a data transmission request is made,
Since the call is connected, useless communication charges are required. From such a point, it has been desired to realize a data communication charge control device capable of eliminating waste of communication charges when data is transmitted to the same party.

[0005]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the data communication charge control device of the present invention is a charge indicating a correspondence relationship between a basic charge time and a calling number when a call is connected to a communication network. Provide a table. Then, when a data transmission request is generated, the charging basic time of the corresponding calling number is calculated from the charging table, and the start instruction is given to the cycle timer unit that generates the timer interrupt at the setting of the charging basic time, When this data transmission is completed, the call connection is made until the cycle timer interrupt occurs, while
When a data transmission request is issued to the same party during call connection, the control unit is provided for executing the data transmission with the call connection as it is.

[0006]

In the data communication charge control device of the present invention,
When a data transmission request is generated, the control unit first refers to the charging table and obtains the basic charging time corresponding to the calling number of the data transmission request. Then, at the same time when the data transmission is started, the cycle timer section is instructed to be activated by the setting of the basic charging time. When data transmission is completed, call connection is made until the cycle timer interrupt occurs,
When a data transmission request is issued to the same party in this call connection state, the data transmission is immediately performed with the call connection as it is.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of a data communication device to which a data communication charge control device of the present invention is applied. Prior to this description, a charging system in a communication network will be described.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a case where the data communication device performs data communication via the public network. As shown in the figure, the data communication device 1 (this is the transmission side) and the data communication devices 2, 3 and 4 (these are the reception sides) are connected to a public network 100 such as an analog telephone network or ISDN. If the data communication device 1 makes a call connection to any of the data communication devices 2 to 4, the public network 100
Makes a charge corresponding to the call connection partner.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of this charging system. In other words, the relationship of billing with respect to time is stepwise,
Call connection time is longer than 0 seconds, M yen until T seconds,
From T seconds to 2T seconds, it is configured such as 2M yen. Therefore, even if the total time for transmitting a plurality of data to the same partner is within T seconds, each time,
When the call is disconnected, the result is (number of data transmissions) ×
You will be charged M yen.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of such a case.
For example, because a data transmission request has occurred, make a call,
When this data transmission is completed, the call is disconnected. Since the call connection time in this case is within T seconds, the communication charge is M yen. Next, if a second data transmission request is issued to the same partner within T seconds from the time when the call connection is made by the first data transmission request, the same processing as the first data transmission is performed. Therefore, if the second data transmission time is within T seconds, the charge is M yen and the total charge is 2M.
It becomes a circle. However, in this case, the total of the two data transmission times is within T seconds, and if the call is not disconnected, the communication fee will be M yen.

The present invention focuses on such a point, and is characterized in that the call is not disconnected within the same charge. Hereinafter, the first embodiment of the present invention will be described. A description will be given according to 1.

<Structure of Embodiment 1> In FIG. 1, the data communication device comprises a central processing unit (CPU) 5, a main memory (MM) 6, an upper bus 7, and a data communication control unit 8. The data communication device is composed of, for example, a microcomputer, and the central processing unit 5 is a processor that controls the data communication device. Also,
The main memory 6 is connected to the higher-order bus 7 together with the central processing unit 5, and is a RAM for storing transmission / reception data in the data communication device and forming a work area during a transmission operation.
It is a memory that consists of etc.

The data communication control unit 8 is a unit that is connected to the upper bus 7 and performs various communication controls when performing data communication. The upper bus interface unit 9 and the control unit 1 are provided.
0, an information storage unit 11, a cycle timer unit 12, a line interface unit 13, and an internal bus 14.
The upper bus interface unit 9 is connected to the upper bus 7 and has a function as an interface between the upper bus 7 and the internal bus 14. The control unit 10 controls communication in the data communication control unit 8, is connected to the internal bus 14, and performs data communication based on the information stored in the information storage unit 11 and the timer interrupt from the cycle timer unit 12. This is a processor that performs charge control processing.

The information storage unit 11 is composed of a RAM and the like, and is information on whether or not data transfer is currently being executed, information on whether or not a call is currently connected, and a partner device when data transfer is being executed. 1 which is provided with an area for storing the calling number of the
1a.

FIG. 5 shows the billing table 11a. That is,
The charging table 11a shows the relationship between the basic charging time and the calling number when a call is connected to the communication network.
It should be noted that this charging table 11a has a minimum charging unit of 1
It is a table of available time per 0 yen. The cycle timer unit 12 is composed of a hardware timer, a software timer, or the like, and is configured to give the timer interrupt signal 12a to the control unit 10 at the set time interval when the timer time is set by the control unit 10. There is. That is, the cycle timer unit 12 is used as a means for determining the charging increase timing for the call currently being connected. Also, the line interface unit 1
3 has a function as an interface between the communication network and the internal bus 14.

<Operation of First Embodiment> When the control unit 10 of the data communication control unit 8 receives a data transmission request from the central processing unit 5 via the host bus interface unit 9, it performs the following operation. FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the data communication charge control process. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the relationship between the data transmission request and the call connection state.

The control unit 10 waits for a data transmission request (step S1), and when a data transmission request occurs, first, the information storage unit 11 is accessed to determine whether or not data transfer is in progress (step S1). S2). If data transfer is in progress, the data transmission request is suspended.
That is, the process returns to step S1. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S2 that the data is not being transferred, then it is determined whether or not the call is currently connected from the information indicating whether or not the call is connected in the information storage unit 11 (step S3). In step S3, if the call is not connected, the calling number of the other party of the data transmission request is stored in the information storage unit 11.
After being stored in (step S4), the call number is used to connect the call through the line interface unit 13 (step S5).

Further, at this time, the control unit 10 refers to the billing table 11a in the information storage unit 11, and uses the corresponding billing basic time from the calling number to the cycle timer unit 12 from the billing table 11a. A timer activation instruction is given with the obtained time setting (step S6). After the cycle timer unit 12 is activated in step S6, the data transfer process is started (step S7). Since this data transfer process is a known process, its description is omitted here. The above operation is the data transmission operation from time t1 in FIG. Then, when the data transmission is completed, the control unit 10 sets the information in the information storage unit 11 during the data transfer as “not in the data transfer”.

Next, at the time t2, when a data transmission request is generated, the control unit 10 determines whether or not the call is being connected at the next step S3 because the data is not being transferred at the step S2. Then, in step S3, since the call is connected, according to the information in the information storage unit 11,
The calling number is compared with the calling number of the data transfer request this time (step S8). If the calling numbers are the same in step S8, the process directly proceeds to step S7, and the data transfer is immediately started. On the other hand, if the calling number is different in step S8, the control unit 10 disconnects the current call that is connected (step S8).
9) Further, the cycle timer unit 12 is stopped (step S10), and the process proceeds to step S4.

Then, at the time t3, when the data transmission request is generated, the control unit 10 starts the data transmission similarly to the data transmission at the time t2. On the other hand, when the timer interrupt signal 12a is input from the cycle timer unit 12 during this data transfer, the control unit 10 performs the following operation.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the timer interrupt. When the timer interrupt signal 12a is input, the control unit 10 first refers to the information storage unit 11 and determines whether or not data transfer is in progress (step S81).
If data transfer is in progress, nothing is done and the call connection is continued. This is the operation in the case of a timer interrupt during data transmission in FIG. On the other hand, in step S81,
If data transfer is not in progress, the connected call is disconnected (step S82) and the cycle timer unit 12 is stopped (step S83). This is the time t in FIG.
5 timer interrupt.

In FIG. 7, the data transmission request ~
Are all for the same opponent. As described above, in the first embodiment, even if the data transmission is completed, the call connection is continued until the timer interrupt occurs, and when the data transmission request to the same party is generated during the call connection, Since the data transmission is performed immediately, it is possible to reduce unnecessary communication charges. That is, in the first embodiment, a great effect can be obtained when data transmission requests to the same partner are successively generated.

<< Structure of Second Embodiment >> Next, a second embodiment having a hold timer section in addition to the structure of the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a data communication device to which the data communication charge control device of the second embodiment is applied. In the figure, the data communication control unit 8a is composed of an upper bus interface unit 9, a control unit 15, an information storage unit 11, a cycle timer unit 12, a line interface unit 13, an internal bus 14, and a hold timer unit 16. Here, the higher-order bus interface unit 9, the cycle timer unit 12 to the internal bus 14 are the same as those in the above-described first embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted here. The same applies to the configurations of the central processing unit 5 to the upper bus 7.

The billing table 11b stored in the information storage unit 11 shows the correspondence between the billing basic time and the calling number as in the first embodiment, and the other party of the calling number can suspend the transmission. It has information on whether or not. Figure 10
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of a billing table 11b according to the second embodiment. That is, the billing table 11b shows the billing basic unit time for the calling number and whether or not the calling number can be put on hold, indicating whether or not the calling number is a partner requiring real-time processing. For example, in mail transfer and the like, the real-time property of transmission is generally low. Therefore, for such a calling number, the data transfer can be temporarily suspended, and thus the information is provided in the billing table 11b.

Returning to FIG. 9, when the data transmission request for an arbitrary calling number is first suspended, the suspension timer unit 16 activates the timer from this timing and outputs the time-up signal 16a after a certain time. It has a function of sending to 15.

Further, the control unit 15 uses the holding number counter 15
When a data transmission request is generated, the billing table 11b is used to determine whether or not holding is possible corresponding to the calling number. If this transmission partner can be held, the data transmission is held and the transmission is performed. When the data transmission requests to the other party are accumulated up to a preset number of times, the data transmission is collectively performed, and when the time-up signal 16a of the on-hold timer section 16 for any transmission partner is input, the data is suspended. It has a function to collectively execute the data transmission requests that were required.

<< Operation of Embodiment 2 >> Data communication controller 8a
When the control unit 15 receives a data transmission request from the central processing unit 5 via the upper bus interface unit 9, the control unit 15 performs the following operation. FIG. 11 is a flowchart of the data communication charge control process. When a data transmission request is generated in step S1, the control unit 15 first accesses the information storage unit 11 and determines whether or not data transfer is in progress (step S2). If data transfer is not in progress, ,
It is determined whether the call is currently connected (step S3). Then, if the call is not connected, the calling number of the other party of the data transmission request is stored in the information storage unit 11 (step S4). The above operation is similar to that of the first embodiment.

In step S4, the calling number is stored in the information storage unit 11
After storing in, the control unit 15 refers to the charging table 11b and determines whether or not the other party of the calling number can be held (step S5). If it is possible to hold the data in step S5, the data transmission request is held and the hold number counter 15a is incremented (step S6). After that, it is determined whether or not the number of holdings has reached a preset value N (step S7), and if not, the process returns to step S1.

On the other hand, in the step S5, if the other party cannot hold the call, the operation is the same as that of the first embodiment. That is, the call is connected to the other party (step S8), the basic charge unit time is referenced from the calling number of the other party, and the cycle timer unit 12 is activated with this time setting (step S9). The data transfer process is performed (step S10). Also, in step S3, even when the call is being connected, the calling numbers are compared in the same manner as in the first embodiment (step S1).
1) If the calling numbers are the same, the process proceeds to step S10 and data transfer is immediately started. On the other hand, if the calling numbers are different, the call is disconnected (step S12) and the cycle timer unit 12 Stop (step S13),
It returns to step S4.

In step S6, as a result of the increment of the number of reservations, in the next step S7,
When the number of reservations = N, the data transmission requests that have been held until then are collectively executed. That is, the process proceeds to step S8 and the operation from the call connection is performed.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of the relationship between the data transmission request and the call connection state in the second embodiment. In this example, N
= 2 is shown. First, when a data transmission request (A1) is generated at time t1 and this can be held,
The cycle timer unit 12 and the hold timer unit 16 start operating, and the data transmission request is held.

Next, at time t2, a data transmission request (B) is sent to a partner different from the data transmission request (A1).
It is assumed that 1) occurs and that the other party cannot hold the call. Therefore, the data transmission request is made immediately, and the cycle timer unit 12 is stopped and then restarted. After that, at time t3, when a data transmission request (A2) is issued to the same party as the data transmission request (A1), in this example, N = 2, so the data transmission (A1) that has been suspended is
1) and the current data transmission (A2) are collectively executed. Further, at this point, the pending data transmission is executed, so the pending timer unit 16 is stopped. Furthermore,
Since the other party is different from the data transmission (B1), the cycle timer unit 12 is stopped and restarted.

Thereafter, when a data transmission request (A3) to the same party occurs at time t4 during call connection, the data transmission (A3) is immediately performed. Then, after the data transmission, when a timer interrupt is generated by the cycle timer unit 12 at time t5, the connected call is disconnected.

As described above, the example shown in FIG. 12 shows the case where the data transmissions A1, A2 and A3 are executed within the same charging time. So in such a case,
Since the charges for data transmissions A1, A2, and A3 are processed in the same call connection, data transmission at a charge of 1/3 is possible. Thus, Example 2
Then, as shown in FIG. 12, when a data transmission request to a different party (calling number that cannot be held) is generated during a data transmission request to the same party, a particularly great effect is exhibited. ..

As described above, in the first embodiment, the call is not disconnected even if the data transmission is completed within the same billing time, and when the next data transmission request is generated, it is transmitted in the same connection call. Since the processing is executed, the next transmission processing can be executed by using the remaining time of the same charging time, so that the data transfer at a lower charge can be realized.

In the second embodiment, in addition to the first embodiment,
By storing multiple data transmission requests to the same party and executing them collectively, it is possible to realize data transfer at a lower charge even if data transmission requests to the same party do not occur consecutively. it can.

In each of the above embodiments, the case of the data communication device has been described as an application example of the data communication charge control device of the present invention, but the invention is not limited to this.
Even when applied to a communication control device having a configuration in which a plurality of terminals are accommodated and data transmission from these terminals is performed to the same partner (server or the like), the same effect as the above embodiment can be obtained. .

[0038]

As described above, according to the data communication charge control device of the present invention, even if the data transmission is completed within the same billing time, the call is not disconnected and the next data transmission request is generated. Since the transmission process is executed in the same connection call, when transmitting data to the same party,
Waste of communication charges can be eliminated.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a data communication device to which a data communication charge control device according to a first embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram when data communication is performed.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a charging system.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of charging for the same party.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a billing table in the first embodiment of the data communication charge control device of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of data communication charge control processing in the first embodiment of the data communication charge control device of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a relationship between a data transmission request and a call connection state in the first embodiment of the data communication charge control device of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a timer interrupt in the first embodiment of the data communication charge control device of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram of a data communication device to which a data communication charge control device according to a second embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 10 is a second embodiment of the data communication charge control device of the present invention.
6 is an explanatory diagram of a charging table in FIG.

FIG. 11 is a second embodiment of the data communication charge control device of the present invention.
5 is a flowchart of a data communication charge control process in FIG.

FIG. 12 is a second embodiment of the data communication charge control device of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the data transmission request and the call connection state in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10, 15 Control unit 11a, 11b Charging table 12 Cycle timer unit 16 Hold timer unit

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A billing table showing a correspondence relationship between a billing basic time and a calling number when a call is connected to a communication network, a cycle timer unit for generating a timer interrupt at a set time interval, and a data transmission request. If it occurs, the charging basic time of the corresponding calling number is obtained from the charging table, and the cycle timer unit is instructed to be activated by setting the charging basic time, and when the data transmission is completed, The call connection is made until the interrupt of the cycle timer unit occurs. On the other hand, when a data transmission request is made to the same party during the call connection, the control unit which executes the data transmission with the call connection as it is. A data communication charge control device comprising: 2. The data communication charge control device according to claim 1, wherein, for a calling number, a billing table indicating whether or not the partner of the calling number can hold the transmission, and a data transmission. When a request is generated, whether or not the holding corresponding to the calling number is held is requested from the billing table. If this transmission partner can be held, data transmission is suspended and a data transmission request to the transmission partner is issued. A data communication charge control device, comprising: a control unit that collectively executes data transmission when the data is accumulated up to a preset number of times. 3. The data communication charge control device according to claim 1, wherein, for a calling number, a billing table indicating whether or not the other party of the calling number can suspend the transmission, and an arbitrary table. When the data transmission request for the calling number is first suspended, the hold timer part that expires after a certain time from this timing, and when the data transmission request occurs, the suspension table corresponding to the calling number is displayed from the billing table. If this transmission partner can be held, the data transmission is held, and when the holding timer section for the transmission partner times out, the held data transmission requests are collectively executed. And a data communication charge control device.