WO2000054489A2

WO2000054489A2 - Method for providing information concerning charges for subscribers of a telecommunications network by using a telefax service

Info

Publication number: WO2000054489A2
Application number: PCT/DE2000/000618
Authority: WO
Inventors: Robert Fritz; Christian Rudischer
Original assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
Priority date: 1999-03-11
Filing date: 2000-03-01
Publication date: 2000-09-14
Also published as: DE19910860A1; WO2000054489A3

Abstract

After completing an existing connection, whereby said connection has been specified beforehand to have information concerning charges immediately provided therefor, between subscribers of a telecommunications network and after transmitting the charge data necessary for providing the information concerning charges from a digital telephone home exchange (VK1) involved in the previous connection to a telefax transmitting device (FSRV) which is connected to the digital telephone home exchange or which is integrated in the same, the subscriber terminal (TLN1,...,TLN9) of one of the subscribers automatically receives, in telefax format, charge information about the previous connection from the telefax transmitting device.

Description

description

Procedure for information on charges for subscribers to a telecommunications network using the fax service

The invention relates to a method for charging information for subscribers to a telecommunications network using the fax service.

In some situations, a subscriber to a telecommunications network desires to receive information about the accrued call charges immediately after a call is ended.

Such a charge information is currently implemented as follows: An A subscriber calls an operator in a call control and administration center and informs the operator of the number of the desired B subscriber, the time of the connection establishment and the request for immediate charge information after the end of the connection. If the A-subscriber wanted to establish a connection immediately after the conversation with the operator, the operator establishes the desired connection to the B-subscriber and releases himself from the connection. After the connection has ended, the operator receives the charge data necessary for charge information from the charging telephone exchange, calls back the A subscriber and informs the A subscriber of the charges incurred for the previous connection. Instead of the operator, this task can also be performed by a computer for announcement and speech recognition.

Another form of immediate fee information is known in connection with a private branch exchange in the hotel industry. On page 21 of a customer brochure from Siemens AG entitled EWSD Turn your Operator Service System into a Multifunctional Profit Call Center: ADMOSS, published in Years 1998 (Order No. A50001-N2-P36-3-7600), Hofmannstr. 51, 81359 Munich, reference is made to the known procedure for fee information in the hotel industry. Accordingly, upon termination of a connection carried out by an A subscriber staying in a hotel, the fee data is immediately transmitted to a fee calculator intended for the hotel. The hotel staff can call up these fee data at any time and invoice the A-participant.

The process of immediate fee information by an operator or by a computer for announcement proves to be uncomfortable because the fee information is transmitted to the subscriber only orally. He must therefore write down the amount of the fee so that he can later compare the fee amount with the total fee bill.

The fee information used in the hotel industry is also costly since an additional fee calculator must be provided.

The object of the invention is therefore to design a method for immediate fee information as conveniently, flexibly and inexpensively as possible.

This object is achieved by the features specified in claim 1. Further refinements of the invention are characterized in m subclaims.

According to the invention, this is achieved in that the charge information is transmitted with the fax service after the termination of an existing connection previously determined for such charge information between at least two subscribers of a communication network. Thus, the subscriber end direction of such an A subscriber receives from one of the other after the termination of such a connection and after transmission of the fee data necessary for the charge information digital telephone exchange involved in the previous connection to a fax transmission device connected to or integrated in the digital speech exchange, this fax transmission device automatically issues a charge information in fax format about the previous connection. The fee information procedure according to the invention is thus convenient since the fees are communicated to the subscriber in writing. The method is additionally flexible since the fee information can be transmitted to the subscriber terminal at any time. Accordingly, the charge information can also be transmitted bundled in a single fax over possibly several connections established immediately one after the other. In addition, the subscriber terminals which are usually already available to the subscriber can be used for the fee information according to the invention.

According to a development of the method according to the invention, a computer for fax management is interposed between the fax transmission device and the subscriber terminal device. The charge information is thus forwarded from the computer for fax administration to the subscriber terminal either automatically or on request. This makes it possible for the receipt of the fee information in the fax format to be implemented in software in a subscriber terminal. As a result, hardware expenditure in the form of at least one additional fax terminal device is saved.

Another advantageous embodiment of the invention provides two alternatives with regard to the detection of the connection intended for such charge information. In the first alternative, a subscriber dials an operator in a call control and administration center and notifies them of a connection request with subsequent charge information and leaves a number to which the charge information is to be sent in fax format after the connection has ended. The Operator enters the communicated data manually on an operator computer into an appropriate user interface. In the second alternative of the development of the invention, the subscriber can call a computer for announcement and voice recognition. Instead of the operator, the computer now captures the corresponding connection data. Such a computer is either connected to a digital telephone exchange involved in the desired connection or its function is integrated in this digital telephone exchange. By means of such a method, the subscriber can call several services z. B. automatic callback, serial call, conference call to several participants and the subsequent charge information and / or a so-called R call (ie B-subscriber pays the call fee) with such a subsequent charge information for the B-subscriber if necessary.

As an alternative to this, according to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the connection intended for such charge information can be recorded by selecting a service number. Neither additional personnel nor additional hardware has to be provided for this procedure.

An advantageous further development of the invention provides that if a connection has previously been made from a subscriber terminal via a private branch exchange, the charge information relating to this connection is transmitted by the fax transmission device to the private branch exchange for forwarding the charge information to the same subscriber terminal or to another subscriber terminal. This configuration takes place above all in the hotel sector, whose guests normally make calls via a private branch exchange and who immediately after termination of a binding the fees to be calculated, a practical application.

An embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to a drawing.

The figure shows an exemplary network constellation of a telecommunications network to which the method according to the invention can be applied.

Accordingly, three different sub-networks PSTN1, PSTN2 and PLMN of the telecommunication network are indicated, which are connected to one another, for example via switching nodes VK1, VK3 and VK4. In the PLMN subnet, which in the example represents a mobile communication network, a switching node VK4 is shown with a base station connected. Different subscribers of the mobile communication network, each with different subscriber terminals, can be connected to this base station. B. TLN7, TLN8 or TLN9 establish a connection to other participants.

The subnet PSTN2, which in the example represents a fixed network, exemplifies a switching node VK3 at which various subscriber terminals, for. B. TLN4, TLN5, TLN6 are connected.

The sub-network PSTN1 indicated in the figure, preferably also a landline network, provides as a switching node VK1 a digital telephone exchange with several connection options. At this digital telephone exchange, one or more subscriber terminals can be connected directly via a subscriber line or indirectly via a further switching node VK2. B. TLN1 or TLN3 can be connected. The direct or indirect connection of at least one private branch exchange is also possible. B. NA with subscriber terminals z. B. TLN2 imaginable to such a digital remote switching center. In addition, the digital telephone exchange VKl have a connection to a computer for fax management FR, on which, preferably via a local network, several workstation computers, e.g. B. are connected in the form of personal computers or workstations.

To implement the method according to the invention, further devices are provided which are connected to or integrated into the digital telephone exchange. Accordingly, at least one workstation computer OP for an operator is switched on in a call control and administration center, which in turn has a connection, preferably via a local area network LAN, to a fax transmission device, for example a fax server FSRV. The FSRV fax server is also directly connected to the digital telephone exchange. Software of a so-called virtual operator VOP with connection to a computer for announcement and speech recognition AS can also be integrated in the connection area of the digital telephone exchange. Within the digital telephone exchange parts, all connections between the different connections are switched via a switching network SN.

The following sequence of the method according to the invention is conceivable as an example:

An A-participant with z. B. the subscriber terminal TLN1 calls an operator located at the workstation computer OP in a call control and administration center by dialing a number. It notifies the operator of a connection establishment request to a B subscriber, for example using the subscriber terminal TLN9, and announces the B subscriber's number. In addition, the A-subscriber directs the operator to request immediate information about the fee via fax after the connection is terminated. To do this, he gives the operator the fax number to which the fee information is to be sent. The operator then the entered data manually on his workstation. The operator then establishes the desired connection to the B subscriber and switches himself off the connection.

Instead of an operator, the A-subscriber can also be connected to a so-called virtual operator with a connected computer for announcement and voice recognition. The virtual operator uses a voice dialog to record the wishes of the A subscriber as already described above.

Another variant for recording the data for the connection desired by the A subscriber is that the A subscriber dials the corresponding service numbers.

When the connection between the A and B subscriber is terminated, the fee data necessary for the fee information are, for. B. Connection duration, start and end time, as well as charge impulses etc. transmitted to an operator's workstation. Using software on the workstation, the fee for the previous connection is calculated and the fee data with the fee amount is forwarded to the fax server via a local network. The fax server then uses the fax number provided by the A subscriber to set up a connection to a computer for fax management, e.g. B. FR or to a subscriber terminal corresponding to the fax number, prepares the fee data received and the fee amount for a fax format and sends this in fax format to the computer for fax management FR or the corresponding

Subscriber terminal equipment. In the event that the A subscriber has made several connections in succession, the fee data and fee amounts belonging to the connections can be collected in a single fee information in fax format on the fax server. Instead of the charge being calculated at the operator's workplace, this function can also be performed by the virtual operator's software. This then transmits the fee data and the fee amount not to the fax server via a local network but via a switched connection through the switching network SN. Likewise, the software of the virtual operator, the computer for announcement and speech recognition and the fax server can be integrated together in the connection area of the digital telephone exchange.

In the event that the fee information due to an error such. B. Errors in the calculation of fees, the fax server cannot be reached or fax reception on the subscriber side is not possible, the operator or the virtual operator can call the A-subscriber back for oral fee information.

It is also possible that the fee information in fax format is not sent to the A subscriber but to the B subscriber if the A subscriber had requested a so-called R call with charge calculation for the B subscriber.

The method according to the invention can be used particularly expediently in the hotel industry. A hotel usually has its own private branch exchange. In the event that a guest of a hotel establishes a connection to another subscriber in the telecommunications network, such an immediate fee information is automatically transmitted to the private branch exchange by fax after the end of the connection, which forwards the fee information in fax format to a subscriber terminal intended for outputting the fee information. In this way, the hotel staff can either charge the guest for the charges for all connections made by them immediately after the end of the connection or collectively settle them with the hotel bill.

Claims

claims

1. Procedure for information on charges for subscribers of a telecommunication network with the help of the fax service, - the subscriber terminal (TLN1, ..., T1N9) of such a subscriber - after termination of an existing connection previously determined for such charge information between the subscriber and at least one further subscribers - and after transmission of the charge data necessary for the charge information from a digital telephone exchange (VKl) involved in the previous connection to a fax transmission device (FSRV) connected to or integrated into the digital telephone exchange (FSRV), automatic charge information about the previous connection in fax format from the fax transmission device receives.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that a computer for fax management (FR) is interposed between the fax transmission device and the subscriber terminal, which forwards the charge information to the subscriber terminal (TLN3) automatically or on request.

3. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the detection of the connection intended for such charge information manually by means of an operator previously selected by the subscriber in a call control and management center or by means of a computer previously selected by the subscriber for announcement and voice recognition ( AS) is carried out, which is connected to a digital telephone exchange involved in the connection or whose function is integrated into the same.

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the connection intended for such fee information is detected by dialing a service number.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fee information with respect to the previous one from a subscriber terminal

(TLN2) is transmitted via a private branch exchange (NA) through the fax transmission device to the private branch exchange for forwarding the charge information to the same subscriber terminal or to another subscriber terminal.