JPH09172510A - Charging control system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve efficiency relating to a telephone job in a company by dividing and charging communication charges for respective plural job contents at a call termination destination relating to the charging control system of a communication network for which the call termination destination is informed of the telephone number of a caller. SOLUTION: An electronic exchange 1 is provided with a central controller 8 and a storage device 9. The central controller 8 is provided with a job kind registration reception part 13, a charging object job kind reception part 14, a caller number reception part 11 and a charging control part 12. The storage device 9 is provided with a job kind registration chart 15 corresponding to call termination numbers, the job kind registration chart 16 corresponding to subscriber buttons, a charging index registration chart 17, a charging information table 18 corresponding to communication calls and the charging information table 19 corresponding to job kinds. In the constitution, in the case of dividing the call termination numbers for every job content and executing the payment of the communication charge by call terminating persons, the used communication charge is calculated for every job from the informed number of the caller and communication time and charging is performed for every job content at the call termination destination.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a billing control system for a communication network in which a caller's telephone number is notified to a called party. In recent years, electronic exchange systems have also been adopted in PBXs (private branch exchanges) to provide various services to customers.

[0002] For example, an increasing number of companies are providing a call charge payee service in which the call charge is not burdened to the customer as part of the consideration and service to the customer. In addition, more and more companies are increasing the efficiency of their telephone operations by concentrating multiple tasks instead of performing them in each department, or by installing a toll-free call center that allows multiple tasks to be performed on the same call. There is.

In such an environment, conventionally, it is not possible to aggregate charges for each business content at the called party, or in the case of an operation form such as a call center, call charges are dividedly charged for each of a plurality of business content. It is not possible to do so, and the inefficiency that is not possible to analyze the communication cost and business performance for each business content is a problem. Therefore, there is a need to provide a system for charging the called party or the called party for each business content.

[0004]

2. Description of the Related Art The conventional call charge payee (collect call) is originally designed to allow the callee to pay the call charge if there is a connection by the collect call from the exchange like an international call. It is a service that charges the fee to be charged on the caller side on the callee side, and is provided as a charging service in a so-called public network.

In addition, the toll-free service, which has been rapidly increasing in recent years, receives an application for mail-order sales etc. from the receiving side by receiving an incoming call at a number set for each destination of 0120- ×××-○○○. The service is provided and the called party pays the call charge as a service.

However, as in the dial Q ² (registered trademark) service, by arriving at the number set for each recipient of 0990- ×××-○○○○, various information is provided from the called side. There is also a service to receive this service, but in this case the calling party pays the call charge. Both are based on a billing service in the public network.

[0007]

Therefore, when the call charge payee service is implemented, it is not possible to efficiently analyze the work cost such as the communication cost and the performance for each work content at the called party.
There may be problems such as hindering the efficiency of telephone business in a company, or if multiple tasks are carried out centrally rather than in each department, or if multiple tasks are performed on the same call. In such a case, the call charge cannot be accurately divided for each business content, and similarly, there arises a problem that the efficiency of the telephone business in a company is hindered.

According to the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a billing service that provides a charge sum for each business content and performs a plurality of businesses for each department at a call receiving party that implements a call charge payee service. Instead of focusing on it,
By providing a billing service that can accurately divide the call charge according to the business content at the sender or the recipient who are performing multiple business contents in the same call, it is possible to improve the efficiency of telephone business in companies. To aim.

[0009]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the principle of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is an electronic exchange, 2 is a public network,
3 is an extension callee A, 4 is an extension caller C, 5 is a public caller B, 6 is a public callee D, 7 is a call network, 8 is a central control unit, 9 is a storage device, 11 is a caller number. Reception unit, 12 is a charge control unit, 13 is a work type registration reception unit, 14 is a charge target work type reception unit, 15 is a call number corresponding work type registration table, 16 is a subscriber button corresponding work type registration table, and 17 is a charge An index registration table, 18 is a charge information table corresponding to telephone calls, and 19 is a charge information table corresponding to business types.

In the figure, the incoming call number corresponding business type registration table 15 in the storage device 9 is a table having an area for recording the contents for managing the business type corresponding to the incoming number, and the subscriber button corresponding business type registration table 16 is There is an area for recording the contents for managing the business type corresponding to the button number of the subscriber's telephone, and the charging index registration table 17 has an area for recording the contents for managing the charging information for the suburbs and local area numbers. The billing information table 18 for call calls is a table having an area for recording the content for managing billing information for call calls, and the billing information table 19 for business classification manages billing information for business classification. It is a table having an area for recording contents.

The business type registration receiving unit 13 in the central control unit 8 receives the business type registration corresponding to the incoming number and the business type registration corresponding to the button number of the subscriber's telephone. Yes, the billing target business type receiving unit 14 receives a billing request from the calling subscriber and receives the input of the billing target business type from the calling subscriber, and the caller number receiving unit 11 Is for receiving the caller's number notified from the communication network to the called party. When the called party needs to charge, the billing control unit 12 notifies the called party's number and the measured call time. The call charge used from the call is calculated, and the call charge is divided according to the work type entered from the call answering party during the call, and the work type entered from the caller during the call. To divide the call charges according to business type Is performed.

By providing these, means for calculating and billing the call charge used for each business at the destination to which the call charge is charged, and input of a charging request from the subscriber during the call and the business to be charged There is a means to accept the type input and a means to charge by dividing the call charge according to the business type,
Rather than performing the callee or multiple services that perform the payee payment service for each department, the service is centralized, or even in a company that carries out multiple business contents in the same call Business analysis such as communication cost and business performance can be realized.

The charging control system of the present invention can be classified into the following four methods. . In the communication network where the caller's number is notified to the recipient, if the callee is paid by dividing the callee number according to the business content, the caller's number and call time will be used for each business. A method in which the used call charges are calculated and billed for each work content at the called party. . In the communication network in which the caller's number is notified to the callee, when the caller requests the callee to pay the call charge, the billing request entered by the call responder during the call and the business type were notified. A method in which the call charge used for each work is calculated from the caller's number and the call time, and the callee charges for each work. . In the communication network where the caller's number is notified to the called party, multiple business contents are carried out with the same called number, or multiple business contents are carried out with the same call. If there is a call, the call charge used for each work is calculated from the work type entered by the call answering party during the call, the caller's number notified and the call time. A method of charging separately for each. . When multiple business contents are carried out with the same incoming call number, or multiple business contents are carried out with the same call, it is used for each business from the business type entered from the caller in the call, the number sent and the call time. A method in which the call charge is calculated and the call charge is divided and charged by the caller for each of multiple business operations.

[0014]

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a system configuration diagram of the present invention. In the figure, the same numbers as in FIG. 1 indicate the same device names. Called Number Corresponding Business Type Registration Table 15 searches the business type by the called number, and Subscriber Button Corresponding Business Type Registration Table 16
Searches the business type by the subscriber button number, and the charge index registration table 17 searches the charge information (charge index, charge unit price, charge type, etc.) by the area / city code.

Further, the business type-specific billing table 19 retrieves billing information (call charge, number of calls, call duration, etc.) from the business type and billing type (call origination or incoming call), and the call / call corresponding billing information table 18 calls The number of the called party depending on the call identification number,
The next link is searched for the charge type, charge unit price, business type, call time, etc., and next link 20 is searched for the business type, call time, etc., and the next link.

An embodiment of the process flow chart of the present invention is shown in FIGS. FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the process of charging the callee for each business content in the case where the called number payer service is implemented by dividing the incoming call number for each business content, and FIG. FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 show an embodiment of a process of charging at the called party for each business content when there is a callee payment request for the call charge. FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 show a plurality of business contents of FIG. 7 and FIG. An example of a process of performing divided charging for each of a plurality of business contents at the transmission source when the same number or a plurality of business contents are carried out in the same call will be described.

When it is desired to charge for each business content in FIG. 3, (1) the business type is registered in advance by a command from the maintenance console in correspondence with the incoming number, and (2) the incoming call in the incoming number corresponding business type registration table. The business type is recorded in the area corresponding to the number. (3) The caller B makes a toll-free call and the callee A answers. (4) Accept the caller's number notified from the communication network to the destination, (5) Extract the area / local number from the notified caller's number, and (6) charge the index in the charge index registration table. Extract the billing information corresponding to the outside / local number, (7) Extract the business type corresponding to the called telephone number in the called number corresponding business type registration table, and (8) Call the corresponding calling call in the billing information table In the area, the number of the call destination, the billing type: 1 (payment by payee), the billing unit price, and the business type are recorded. (9) Measure the talk time. (10) At the end of the call, calculate the call charge used from the billing unit price and the measured call time, and (11) Count up the number of calls in the area corresponding to the billing category of the business category in the business category corresponding billing table. Then, the call charge and the call time are added to the call charge and the call time, respectively.

When there is a callee's request for payment of the call charge from the caller side of FIG. 4, (1) In advance, a service type is registered by a command from the maintenance console for the button number of the subscriber's telephone, and (2) ) The business type is recorded in the area corresponding to the button number corresponding to the subscriber of the subscriber button corresponding business type registration table. (3) The called party A responds to the collect call from the calling party B. (4) Incoming call responder A presses the billing request button during a call, (5) Accepts a “billing request” from incoming call responder A during a call, and (6) Caller notified to the called party from the communication network. (7) Extract the local / local number from the notified caller's number, (8) Extract the billing information corresponding to the local / local number from the billing index registration table, ( 9) The call answering party A further presses the business type button to be charged during the call, and (10) The business type to be charged from the call answering party A during the call.
(11) Record the number of the call destination, the charge type: 1 (payment by the callee), the charge unit price, and the work type in the area corresponding to the charge type of the work type in the call information corresponding to the call call. (12) Measure the talk time. (13) At the end of the call, calculate the call charge used from the charge unit price and the measured call time. (14) The number of calls is counted up in the area corresponding to the billing category of the business category in the business category corresponding billing table, and the call fee and the call time are added to the call fee and the call time, respectively.

The plurality of business contents shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 are divided into the same incoming call number or the plurality of business contents by the same call at the called party who is implementing the call charge payee service. If you want to charge the fee, (1) Register the business type in advance by the command from the maintenance console in correspondence with the button number of the subscriber's telephone, and (2) the button number corresponding to the subscriber in the subscriber button corresponding business type registration table. Record the business type in the corresponding area. (3) The caller B makes a toll-free call and the callee A answers. (4) Accept the caller's number notified from the communication network to the destination, (5) Extract the area / local number from the notified caller's number, and (6) charge the index in the charge index registration table. The billing information of the outside / local number is extracted, and (7) the incoming call responder A presses the business type button to be billed during the call. (8) "Business type to be charged" from the answering party A during a call
(9) Record the number of the called party, the charge type: 1 (payment by the callee), the charge unit price, and the work type in the area corresponding to the call call identification number in the call information table (9). (10) Measure the talk time. (11) Check whether it is necessary to switch the work contents during the call. (12) If necessary, the answering party A presses the work type button to be charged during the call, and (13) From Responder A, "Business type to be charged"
(14) Stop measuring the call time for the previous business type, and (15) capture the next link from the area corresponding to the call identification number in the call information billing information table and record the business type. (16) Measure the call time and return to the check in (11) above. (17) In the check in (11) above, if switching is not necessary, at the end of the call, the call charge used is calculated from the charge unit price and the measured call time, and (18) the charge table corresponding to the business type Counting the number of calls to the area corresponding to the billing type of business, adding the call charge and the call time to the call charge and the call time, respectively (19) The call identification number of the call call corresponding billing information table Correspondingly, the next link is extracted, and (20) it is checked whether or not the next link exists. If it exists, the process returns to the step (17), and if the next link does not exist, the process ends.

When it is desired to divide the plurality of business contents shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 into the same number or to divide the plurality of business contents by the caller who carries out the plurality of business contents by the same telephone call and charge the business contents, (1) In advance, use the maintenance console to register the business type corresponding to the button number of the subscriber's telephone with a command, and (2) record the business type in the area corresponding to the button number of the subscriber in the subscriber button corresponding business type registration table. To do. (3) The caller C makes a call and the callee D answers. (4) Extract the out-of-town / local number from the dialed number, (5) Extract the billing information corresponding to the out-of-town / local number from the billing index registration table, and (6) Caller C during a call. Press the charge type business type button. (7) Accept the "chargeable business type" from the caller C during a call, and (8) Call destination number and charge type: 0 (call origination in the area corresponding to the call identification number in the charge information table for call call). Record charge, unit price, and business type. (9) Measure the talk time. (10) Check whether it is necessary to switch the work content during the call, (11) If necessary, caller C presses the work type button to be charged during the call, (12) Caller during the call Accept the "business type to be charged" from C, (13) stop measuring the call time for the previous business type, and (14) click the next link in the area corresponding to the call identification number in the call information table. Capture and record the business type. (15) Measure the call time and return to the check in (10) above. (16) In the check of (10) above, if switching is not necessary, at the end of the call, the call charge used is calculated from the charge unit price and the measured call time, and (17) The number of calls is counted up in the area corresponding to the billing type of business, and the call charge and the call time are added to the call charge and the call time respectively. (18) The call identification number of the call call corresponding billing information table Correspondingly, the next link is extracted, (19) it is checked whether or not the next link exists, and if it exists, the process returns to step (16), and if the next link does not exist, the process ends.

Embodiments of connection sequence diagrams of the present invention are shown in FIGS. FIG. 9 shows an example of the process of charging the callee for each business content in the case where the call receiving party paying service is performed by dividing the incoming call number for each business content, and FIG. FIG. 11 shows an embodiment of a process of charging for each business content at the called party when there is a callee payment request for the call charge. FIG. 11 shows a plurality of business content of the same callee number or a plurality of business content of the same. FIG. 12 shows an embodiment of a process of dividing and charging for each of a plurality of business contents at the called party in the case where a call charge payee payment service is implemented in a call. An example of a process of dividing and charging for each of a plurality of business contents at a transmission source when the business contents are carried out in the same call will be shown.

In the figure, 21 is an enterprise system and 22 is an NT.
T public network, 23 NTT charging department, 24 public subscriber, 25 P
BX, 26 is an extension subscriber, 27 is a work content definition section, 28 is a PB
X-charging unit, 29 indicates a multifunction telephone button unit. Public subscribers 24
Is the caller B and the callee D, and the extension subscriber 26 is the callee A,
Caller C.

The NTT billing unit 23 shows the call charges charged by each company by NTT, the PBX billing unit 28 shows the call charges charged by each work by PBX, and the work content defining unit 27 has the work type corresponding to the called number in advance. And a storage section for defining business contents, and a multi-function telephone button section 29 indicates a button and a display section of the extension subscriber's multi-function telephone (MLDT).

When it is desired to charge for each business content at the called party in FIG. 9, the business content corresponding to the toll-free incoming number is designated in advance in the business content definition section of the PBX. When the public caller B dials the toll-free number 0120-XXX-XXX2, the call is answered to the extension callee A, the caller's number is used to identify the place of call, and from the call time, the call charge by business (product 1 Will be charged. At this time, the NTT charging unit is charged with a call charge for each company, but is not charged with a call charge for each business.

When the caller pays a call charge from the calling side in FIG. 10, the business content corresponding to the button number of the subscriber A is designated in the business content definition section of the PBX in advance. Public caller B collect call 044-XXX-XXX2
When the extension called party A answers the incoming call and accepts the collect call, and presses the billing request button and the button for each business content during the call, the caller's number is used to identify the place of origin,
From the call time, the call charge by business (complaint acceptance of product 1) will be charged. At this time, the NTT charging unit is charged with a call charge for each company, but is not charged with a call charge for each business.

The plurality of business contents shown in FIG. 11 are divided into a plurality of business contents at the destination when the call charge payee service is carried out for the same incoming call number or a plurality of business contents for the same call. When charging, P
The business type is defined for the button of the subscriber A of the BX. When the public caller B dials the toll-free number 0120-XXX-XXX2, the callee A judges the contents of the call and pushes the charge request button and the task type button.

If the content of the call with the caller B changes, the callee A determines the content of the call and presses the corresponding business type button.
Thereafter, the called party A operates the button every time the content of the call changes.
The originator is identified by the number of the sender B, and the call charge is divided according to the business from the call time and charged. (Divided billing is possible for each of a plurality of business contents in one call.) When a plurality of business contents in FIG. 12 are carried out by the same number or a plurality of business contents are carried out by the same call, a plurality of calling sources are provided. In case of divided charge for each work content,
The business type is defined in advance for the button of the subscriber C of the PBX. When the caller C dials 03-XXXX-XXXX to the public network, the caller C determines the content of the call and presses the charge request button and the task type button while the callee D is responding to the call.

If the content of the call with the called party D changes, the caller C judges the content of the call and presses the corresponding business type button.
Thereafter, the caller C operates the button each time the content of the call changes.
The destination is identified by the dialed number, and the call charge is divided according to the business from the call time and billed. (In one call, divided charges can be made for each work content.)

[0029]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is not necessary to charge for each work content at the called party who is implementing the call charge receiver service, or to carry out a plurality of works for each department. , Call originators or call recipients who are centrally carrying out, or multiple callees who are carrying out multiple business tasks in the same call, can be divided into different call charges for each business task and charged The effect is that it will be possible to contribute to improving the efficiency of the telephone business in companies.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the principle configuration of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an embodiment of a system configuration diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an example of a processing flowchart of the method.

FIG. 4 is an example of a processing flowchart of the method.

FIG. 5 is an example (part 1) of a processing flowchart of the method.

FIG. 6 is an embodiment (No. 2) of a processing flowchart of the method.

FIG. 7 is an example (part 1) of a processing flowchart of the method.

FIG. 8 is an embodiment (No. 2) of a processing flowchart of the method.

FIG. 9 is an embodiment of a connection configuration sequence diagram of the method.

FIG. 10 is an embodiment of a connection configuration sequence diagram of the method.

FIG. 11: Example of connection sequence diagram of system

FIG. 12: Example of connection sequence diagram of system

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 electronic exchange 2 public network 3 extension callee A 4 extension caller C 5 public caller B 6 public callee D 7 call path network 8 central control device 9 storage device 11 caller number acceptance part 12 billing control part 13 service type Registration reception part 14 Charged business type reception part 15 Called number-corresponding business type registration table 16 Subscriber button-corresponding business type registration table 17 Charging index registration table 18 Call call-corresponding charging information table 19 Business type-corresponding charging information table 20 Next link 21 Enterprise system 22 NTT public network 23 NTT billing unit 24 Public subscriber 25 PBX 26 Extension subscriber 27 Business definition unit 28 PBX billing unit 29 Multi-function telephone button unit

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. In a communication network in which the caller's number is notified to the callee, when the call charge is paid by dividing the caller's number according to the business content, the notified caller's number and the call are sent. A billing control system characterized in that a call charge used for each business is calculated from time and billed for each business at the called party. 2. In the communication network in which the caller's number is notified to the callee, when the caller requests the callee to pay the call charge,
To calculate the call charge used for each business from the billing request input from the incoming call responder during the call, the business type, the notified caller's number, and the call time, and to charge for each business content at the destination. A charging control system characterized by. 3. In a communication network in which a caller's number is notified to a called party, a plurality of business contents are carried out in the same called number or a plurality of business contents are carried out in the same call, and a call charge is applied to the called party. If you are charged by, the call charge used for each work is calculated from the work type entered from the call answerer during the call, the caller's number notified and the call time, and the call charge at the destination A billing control system characterized in that billing is divided for each of a plurality of business contents. 4. When a plurality of business contents are carried out by the same number or a plurality of business contents are carried out by the same telephone call, the business is carried out based on the business type inputted by the caller in the call, the number sent and the call time. A billing control system characterized in that a call charge used for each is calculated, and the call charge is dividedly billed by a caller for each of a plurality of business contents.