JPS5858864B2 - Public telephone billing device - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to a charging device for automatically collecting a predetermined usage fee in a public telephone, and in particular, a charging device that uses a magnetic card on which the fee value is magnetically recorded in place of coins. be.

The billing device of current public telephones automatically collects a predetermined amount of coins inserted in response to a billing pulse sent from the station at the start of a call and every unit time of a call.

Therefore, when calling from a public telephone to a telephone subscriber far away, the user must prepare a large number of coins in advance, and must also insert coins every few seconds during the call, which is inconvenient. There are many points.

In view of the above points, this invention was made to eliminate the inconvenience of inserting coins when making long-distance calls using public telephones. The present invention provides a billing device that allows the use of the magnetic card and updates the value recorded on the magnetic card by subtracting it according to the call fee.

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an external view of a public telephone equipped with a charging device and a magnetic card, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram of its circuit configuration.

In the figure, 1 is a public telephone connected to telephone lines L1 and L2, 2 is a billing device body integrally attached to the public telephone 1, and 3 is a magnetic card used in the billing device.

This magnetic card 3 is issued to the user by the telephone office, and for example, if the call charge from a public phone is 10 yen per call, the magnetic card 3 purchased for 1,000 yen indicates that it can be used for 100 calls. Number of possible calls signal “100”
is magnetically recorded in binary code.

Then, when using the public telephone 1, the magnetic card 3 is inserted into the card receiving slot 4.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 5 denotes a read head, and 6 a read amplifier, by which the recorded contents of the magnetic card 3 inserted into the card receiving slot 4 are read out and supplied to the reading circuit 7.

The reading circuit 7 determines whether or not the magnetic card 3 is valid based on the recorded content of the magnetic card 3 output from the reading amplifier 6, and also determines whether the magnetic card 3 is valid or not. be deciphered.

When the magnetic card 3 is valid, one pulse signal is supplied from the reading circuit 1 to the set input terminal of the flip-flop circuit FF1 (hereinafter simply referred to as FF1), thereby setting FF1.

Further, the allowable number of calls signal from the reading circuit 7 is supplied to a subtraction circuit 8 and preset therein.

Reference numeral 9 denotes a display circuit for converting the available call count signal (which will be subtracted as described later) set in the subtraction circuit 8 into a decimal number and displaying the result. The number of possible calls is displayed in 10.

11 is a relay driven by the set output of the above FF1,
A contact m1 of this relay 11 is connected to the middle of a telephone line L1 connected to the public telephone 1.

Further, m2 is a charging pulse detection contact, which is a contact of a normal charging pulse detection relay provided inside the public telephone 1.

This billing pulse detection contact m2 is instantaneously closed every time a billing pulse is supplied to the public telephone 1 from the station side, and the pulse signal generated thereby is supplied to the input end of the gate circuit 12.

H81 and H82 are hook switches attached to the handset holder of the public telephone 1, respectively.
When a is placed in a predetermined position on the phone body, the hook switch H81 (a contact) is closed, and
Hook switch H82 (b contact) is opened and handset 1
When a is picked up, hook switch H81 is opened and hook switch H82 is closed.

When the hook switch H81 is opened, the flip-flop circuit FF2 (hereinafter simply referred to as FF2) is set, and when the hook switch H82 is opened, the flip-flop circuit FF2 is reset.

The set output of the FF2 is supplied to the gate circuit 12 as a gate signal, and when the FF2 is set, the gate circuit 12 is opened.

The pulse signal generated by the charge pulse detection contact m2 described above is supplied to the subtraction circuit 8 through the gate circuit 12.

Each time the subtraction circuit 8 receives this pulse signal, it subtracts "1" from the number-of-calls signal read from the magnetic card 3 and set therein as described above.

Further, the subtracting circuit 8 supplies a reset signal to the FF1 when the number of possible calls signal set therein becomes zero and when the hook switch H82 is opened, and at the same time, the recording equalizer The remaining callable number signal (including zero) set in the subtraction circuit 8 is supplied to the port 3.

The recording equalizer 13 receives the above callable number signal and uses the recording head 14 to rewrite the recorded contents of the magnetic card 3 inserted into the card receiving slot.

Note that 15 is a sound generator for generating a predetermined oscillation sound every time a pulse signal that has passed through the gate circuit 12 is received.

The operation of the public telephone billing device configured as described above will be explained in order.

The user first picks up the handset 1a of the public telephone 1,
Insert the magnetic card 3 that you are carrying into the card slot 4.

Then, the hook switch H81 is opened, the hook switch H82 is closed, FF2 is set, the gate circuit 12 is opened, and the recorded contents of the magnetic card 3 are read by the reading head 5 and the reading amplifier 6, and the reading circuit 7 It is interpreted by

If the magnetic card 3 is normal, it is turned FF by a signal from the reading circuit 7.

is set and the contact m1 closes, which causes the public telephone 1 to connect to the telephone line L1. It is connected to L2 and becomes ready to make a call.

Further, the number of possible calls signal from the reading circuit 1 is transmitted to the subtraction circuit 8.
This number is displayed on the display 10.

Next, the user dials the dial number of the other party.

Then, the dial pulse of this number is transmitted to telephone line L1. L
2 to the central office, and the other party is called.

Then, when the other party answers, the first billing pulse is supplied from the central office to the public telephone 1.

Then, the charge pulse detection contact m2 closes instantaneously, and one pulse signal is supplied to the subtraction circuit 8 via the gate circuit 12.

Upon receiving this pulse signal, the subtraction circuit 8 subtracts "1" from the number of possible calls signal set therein, and also subtracts the number of times displayed on the display 10.

Note that when the charge pulse detection contact m2 closes, the sound generator 1
An instantaneous oscillation sound is generated from 5.

If the call continues in this state, charging pulses are supplied from the station to the public telephone set 1 at regular intervals, and each time the callable number signal set in the subtraction circuit 8 is subtracted.

This can be confirmed by the oscillation sound from the sound generator 15, and the remaining number of possible calls is displayed on the display 10.

When the call ends and the handset 1a is returned to the designated resting part,
Hook switch H8 is closed, hook switch H82 is opened, FF2 is reset, and gate circuit 12 is opened.
closes.

Then, a reset signal is supplied from the subtraction circuit 8 to FF1, FF1 is reset, contact m1 is opened, and public telephone 1 is connected to telephone line L1. Disconnected from L2.

At the same time, the remaining callable number signal subtracted from the subtraction circuit 8 is supplied to the recording equalizer 13, and the magnetic card 3
The recorded contents are rewritten by the recording head 14 to the remaining number of possible calls, and after the rewriting is completed, the magnetic card 3 is returned from the card receiving slot.

Furthermore, even if the number of possible calls signal set in the subtraction circuit 8 is subtracted and becomes zero during the continuation of the call, the subtraction circuit 8 operates in exactly the same manner as described above, and the contact m1 is opened and the public telephone 1 is telephone line L1. At the same time as being disconnected from L2, the magnetic card 3 is returned with its allowable call count signal rewritten to zero.

As is clear from the above explanation, according to the billing device for public telephones according to the present invention, public telephones can be used with a magnetic card that is convenient for carrying and has a predetermined charge value recorded magnetically. When making a call, there is no need to prepare a large number of coins as in the past, and the inconvenience of inserting coins during a call is also eliminated.

In addition, the above-mentioned display displays the charge value information recorded on the magnetic card, and this display content is depreciated according to the amount of calls, so the user can check the remaining charge value. You can make calls with peace of mind.

Furthermore, each time a billing pulse is supplied, the sound generator makes a sound that can be heard by the user of the public phone to prompt him or her to confirm the value of the charge, so that the user can use the phone appropriately.

It is particularly important to prompt the user to confirm the charge value with a sound at each charge pulse when using a public telephone with a magnetic card.

In other words, when using a public telephone with a magnetic card, the user cannot check the remaining value of the charge unless he or she looks at the display, and often gets absorbed in talking and forgets to check. If you end up spending more money than you planned, and you plan to call several more homes, you may end up not being able to call the last one. will no longer occur.

Then, after the call ends, the remaining charge value information is recorded on the magnetic card and returned, so as long as the charge value of the magnetic card remains, it can be used even if it is a card.

Furthermore, this billing device can be easily attached to existing public telephones, which is extremely advantageous in terms of implementation.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is an external view of a public telephone equipped with a billing device and a magnetic card, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the circuit configuration. 1...Public telephone, 2...Charging device body, 3...Magnetic card, 4...Card acceptance slot, 5...Reading Head, 6...Reading amplifier, 7...Reading circuit, 8...Subtraction circuit, 10...Display device, 11...Relay 13... Recording equalizer, 14...
... Recording head, 15... Sound generator, ml...
...Relay contact, m2...Charging pulse detection contact, Ll, L2...Telephone line.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a billing device of a public telephone that automatically collects call charges, there is a card slot that accepts a magnetic card with charge value information magnetically recorded thereon, and the charge value information recorded on the magnetic card inserted into the card slot. a subtraction circuit that temporarily stores the charge value information from the reader and devalues the stored charge value information each time a charging pulse corresponding to a call from the public telephone is supplied; a display for displaying charge value information that is sequentially depreciated by a subtraction circuit; a sound generator for generating a sound that can be heard by the user of the public telephone each time the charge pulse is supplied; and an output from the reader; a memory circuit that is initially set, but is reset by the termination of a call by the public telephone or when the charge value information stored in the subtraction circuit becomes zero; and while this memory circuit is set; A billing device for a public telephone, characterized in that it is provided with a switch that enables the public telephone to make a call, and a recorder that stores charge value information stored in the subtraction circuit on the magnetic card after the end of the call.