JP2001283295A - Rate managing device, rate managing system, communication system and rate managing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the convenience of a customer in the payment of a rate. SOLUTION: The subscriber A of a mobile machine 110, who has a prepaid card, receives rate types (basic rate, communication rate and the like) that can be charged, a present charged rate and an inclination rate. The subscriber A of the mobile machine 10 selects the way of charging and transmits a charge request to a rate system 150 through a card service controller 140. The rate system 150 charges the rate obtained by multiplying the inclination rate to a whole prepaid rate or a part of it by individual charged rate types. The subscriber A can perform charging by the individual rate types of the high inclination rate, for example.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a fee management device, a fee management system, and a charge management system for improving customer convenience in payment of fees.
The present invention relates to a communication system and a charge management method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a prepaid card service, a communication (call, etc.) fee is paid in advance (prepaid).
The communication is preliminarily subtracted from the prepaid communication fee according to the communication, and the communication is terminated when the prepaid communication fee runs out.

There is also a post-payment system in which a communication fee is calculated according to the communication time and the like, and the user (customer) is charged later.

[0004]

Here, it is convenient if the billing fee in the postpaid system can be settled with a prepaid card. However, billing fees in the post-payment method are diversifying, for example, basic fees, communications (calls)
Fees, information provision fees, additional service fees, etc. Therefore, it is convenient if the user can select the type of fee to be paid when paying with the prepaid card.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for charging a prepaid fee or the like to a billing fee in a postpaid system.
The purpose is to make it possible for the customer to select the type of charge to be charged, thereby improving customer convenience in paying the charge.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, an invention according to claim 1 is a charge management device,
A charge storage means for storing at least one type of charge for each customer; and a charge request including prepaid identification information and charge destination charge type information from the customer, the charge storage means is accessed and The charge destination charge type is provided with control means for charging all or a part of the prepaid amount corresponding to the prepaid identification information.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the fee management apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the control means multiplies the entire prepaid amount or a part of the prepaid amount corresponding to the prepaid identification information by a ramp rate. It is characterized by charging.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the charge management device according to the first or second aspect, the customer makes the charge request using a terminal.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the charge management device according to the third aspect, the terminal is a mobile station.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the charge management device according to the third or fourth aspect, wherein information on a charge type and / or a slope rate that can be charged by the customer is transmitted to the terminal. It is characterized by the following.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the charge management device according to the fifth aspect, wherein information on a charge type and / or a ramp rate that can be charged by the customer transmitted to the terminal is transmitted to the terminal. Display or voice guidance is provided.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fee management system, comprising: the fee management device according to any one of the first to sixth aspects; and a prepaid management system for managing prepaid identification information and a prepaid amount corresponding to the information. And a management device.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a communication system, wherein the fee management apparatus according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, and a prepaid management system for managing prepaid identification information and a prepaid amount corresponding to the information. An apparatus and a terminal for making the charge request are provided.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a charge management method using charge storage means for storing one or more types of charges for each customer, wherein the customer stores prepaid identification information and charge destination charge type information. When there is a charge request that includes the prepaid amount corresponding to the prepaid identification information, the charge storage unit is accessed to charge the charge destination charge type of the customer.

According to the above configuration, it is possible to improve customer convenience in paying a fee.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are diagrams showing a configuration example of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The communication system shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes mobile units 110 and 120 and a local exchange (MLS).
ocal Switch) 130, card service controller (MC)
SCP: Mobile Card Service Control Point) 14
0, prepaid database 145, fee system 15
0, a charge database 155 is provided. In the present embodiment, the card service control device 140, the fee system 150, and the like are separately configured. However, for example, the subscriber exchange 130, the card service control device 140, the prepaid database 145, the fee system 150, and the fee database 155 may be integrated.

A subscriber having a prepaid card can use the prepaid card to charge a fee to be paid later.

In the present embodiment, a prepaid card (hereinafter, a prepaid fee) is prepaid by purchasing a prepaid card in which a prepaid card number is described. However, as long as each prepaid can be identified, it is not always necessary to perform the prepaid through the prepaid card. Further, information (characters, etc.) other than the card number may be used to identify each prepaid. Further, the prepaid amount may be handled as a frequency, time, or the like other than the (prepaid) fee.

[0021] The prepaid card can be distributed. Further, for example, a scratch card in which the number is hidden by a sticker can be used, and the scratch card can be sold at a convenience store or the like. The user can peel off (scratch) the seal and obtain the number.
As a prepaid card, for example, 1000 yen, 300 yen
Types such as 0 yen and 5000 yen can be provided.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of information stored in the prepaid database 145. The prepaid database 145 stores prepaid identification information (prepaid card number) and a prepaid amount (prepaid fee) corresponding to the identification information. The card service control device 140 controls the prepaid database 145.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of information stored in the fee database 155. Charge database 15
5 stores one or more types of charges for each customer. In the example of FIG. 4, a basic fee, a communication (call) fee, an information providing fee, and an additional service fee are stored for a certain customer XXXX. The information provision fee is, for example, a fee for providing information such as a game, a local weather forecast, stocks, news, and the like. The additional service fee is, for example, a fee for services such as answering machine, call waiting, and three-party calling.

Further, in the example of FIG. 4, the inclination rate is also stored. The ramp rate is a rate by which the prepaid fee is multiplied when the prepaid fee is charged to the current billing fee.
For example, when charging a prepaid fee of 2,000 yen to a communication (call) fee, multiply 2,000 yen by 1.1 to 22
It is set to 00 yen and subtracted from the current billing fee of 3000 yen (800 yen remains as the current billing fee). The current billing fee is, for example, 1
Bill customers monthly. The charge database 150 is controlled by the charge system 150. If the same value is used by all customers for the inclination rate, it may be omitted as common management.

Here, for example, the subscriber A uses his / her own mobile device 110 and passes through the subscriber exchange 130 to the mobile device 1
It is assumed that communication (call) has been made with the subscriber B having the number 20 (FIG. 1).
(A)). When the communication ends, the local exchange 130
It requests the fee system 150 to increase the communication fee (gold) of the subscriber (customer) A according to the traffic ((b)).
This communication fee is later charged to the subscriber A, and the subscriber A pays.

Next, a subscriber A having a prepaid card
However, a case where the prepaid card is used to charge a fee to be paid later (current billing fee) will be described. First, the subscriber A uses the mobile device 110 to dial a special number for charging. Next, prepaid card identification information (here, a prepaid card number) is input. One or more prepaid card numbers may be input. Note that the prepaid card number can be input later. For example, an input can be made at the stage of selecting a charging method.

Thus, the card service control device 140
Receives a charge request from the mobile device 110 via the local exchange 130 (FIG. 2 (a)). At this time, in addition to the prepaid card number, identification information of the mobile device 110 (here, mobile device number) is also received.

The card service control device 140 authenticates whether the prepaid card is a valid card or not ((b)). If the prepaid card is a valid card, access to the prepaid database 145 is made,
A prepaid fee corresponding to the prepaid card number is obtained.

Next, the card service control device 140
The charge system 150 is inquired about the charge plan of the customer (subscriber A) ((c)). At that time, the mobile device number of the customer is transmitted. In the fee system 150, the card service control device 140 responds about the fee plan ((d)). The charge plan is a set of charges to be paid by the customer, and in the example of FIG. 4, includes a basic charge, a communication (call) charge, an information provision charge, and an additional service charge.

In the present embodiment, the card service control device 140 and the fee system 150 identify the customer based on the mobile device number, but other information (for example, a special number provided for charging). May be used to identify the customer.

Upon receiving the charge plan, the card service control device 140 transmits a charge charge (appropriate) menu guidance to the mobile device 110 ((e)). Mobile device 11
0 can receive, for example, information as shown in FIG. 4 (chargeable charge type, current billing fee, gradient rate, etc.) and transmit it to the subscriber A by voice. If the display function of the mobile device 110 is high, it can be displayed and transmitted using a browser, a menu, or the like. Subscriber A
For example, charging can be performed for a charge type having a high inclination rate.

The subscriber A of the mobile device 110 selects a charging method based on the guidance, and transmits a charging request to the card service control device 140 ((f)). The entire prepaid fee of the prepaid card may be charged, or a part thereof may be charged. In addition, one charge type may be charged, or a plurality of charge types may be charged.

Upon receiving the charge request, the card service control device 140 confirms that the charge to be charged is equal to or less than the prepaid fee, and then checks the charge system 150
Send a charge request to ((g)). When a part of the prepaid fee is charged, a process for managing the remaining fee is performed.

In accordance with the charging method selected by the subscriber A, the charging system 150 charges the charging destination charge type with a rate obtained by multiplying all or a part of the prepaid fee by a ramp rate ((h)). In the present embodiment, the charging is performed using the gradient, but the gradient may not be considered.

In the above description, the case where a mobile device is used as a terminal that issues a charge request has been described. However, other types of terminals (for example, fixed terminals (telephones), personal computers for mobile devices, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants)). , Etc.) may be used to make a charge request.

Further, the case where the present invention is applied to charge management relating to communication has been described, but the present invention can also be applied to other charge management.

[0037]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to improve customer convenience in paying a fee. Thus, it is considered that the use of the service can be promoted.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of information stored in a prepaid database 145.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of information stored in a fee database 155.

[Explanation of symbols]

 110, 120 Mobile unit 130 Subscriber exchange 140 Card service control unit 145 Prepaid database 150 Charge system 155 Charge database

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) H04M 15/00 G06K 19/00 U G07F 7/08 S

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A charge management device, comprising: charge storage means for storing at least one type of charge for each customer; and a charge request including prepaid identification information and charge destination charge type information from the customer. A charge management device, comprising: a control unit that accesses a charge storage unit and charges all or a part of a prepaid amount corresponding to the prepaid identification information to the charge destination charge type of the customer. 2. The charge management device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit charges the prepaid amount corresponding to the prepaid identification information by applying a ramp rate to all or a part of the prepaid amount. Charge management device. 3. The charge management device according to claim 1, wherein the customer makes the charge request using a terminal. 4. The charge management device according to claim 3, wherein the terminal is a mobile device. 5. The charge management device according to claim 3, wherein information on a charge type and / or a ramp rate that can be charged by the customer is transmitted to the terminal. apparatus. 6. The charge management device according to claim 5, wherein the information on the charge type and / or the inclination rate that can be charged by the customer transmitted to the terminal is displayed or voice-guided on the terminal. Characteristic fee management device. 7. A fee management system comprising: the fee management device according to claim 1; and a prepaid management device that manages prepaid identification information and a prepaid amount corresponding to the information. . 8. A charge management device according to claim 1, a prepaid management device for managing prepaid identification information and a prepaid amount corresponding to the information, and a terminal for making the charge request. A communication system comprising: 9. A charge management method using charge storage means for storing one or more types of charges for each customer, wherein the customer receives a charge request including prepaid identification information and charge destination charge type information. A charge management method comprising accessing the charge storage means and charging all or part of a prepaid amount corresponding to the prepaid identification information to the charge destination charge type of the customer.