JPH0336871A - Talking charge display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To save the charge by setting a scheduled talking time and displaying in contrast a talking charge corresponding to the scheduled talking time and the talking charge corresponding to the actual talking time to recognize the difference. CONSTITUTION:A talking time input section 1 consists of a button switch 1a giving a talking time input command and a ten-key 1b entering a numeral signal specifying the talking time. The schedule talking time is set by the key entry of the input section 1 and sent to a talking time prediction means 52. When the talking is started, a talking time measuring means 55 measures the elapsed time and a talking charge index means 56 indexes the talking charge from a charge table 61 based on the entered talking distance, a talking time zone and the talking time. Then the talking charge corresponding to the scheduled talking time and the actual talking time respectively is displayed on a display section 3 by a talking charge display means 58. The user collates the display and attains the talking in matching with the set time.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] This invention is a method for displaying call charges for telephones and additional devices that use long-distance telephone service lines of type 1 telecommunications carriers (hereinafter referred to as NCC). The present invention relates to a display device.

[Prior Art] As shown in Figure 7, in a long distance call system that uses NCC's long distance telephone service line, when a subscriber makes a long distance call using his or her telephone, the call is connected to the long distance switch `rS. is,
In addition, Kanmon Chuo am (I) will be distributed to NCC companies.
GS) and relay exchange fiTLs, and are connected to the lines of each NCC company.

Call charges between each NCC company and NT'l' (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation) vary depending on the call area (distance and region), call time zone, and call time. Each call rate structure has its own characteristics and is complex, so if you want to make a long distance call to a certain party, you should choose the NCC carrier (call path) that will give you the lowest call rate, but please be sure to check the details. is not easy.

In view of the above-mentioned complex rate system, by storing the rate list of each NCC company in the telephone itself or an additional device of the telephone, and setting the call area, call time zone, and call duration, the line carrier with the lowest charge is automatically selected. Products equipped with a selective LCR (East Co5t Routing) function are emerging.

However, in the past, even if the call time was set in advance, there was no function to display the call charge commensurate with the call time, so the caller
Since the current call charge during the call is not known, the call ends up lasting longer than the set time, and the call charge is not reduced.

[Technical Problems to be Solved] In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention calculates the scheduled call time from a stored rate list by setting the telephone number and scheduled call time of the person to be called. In addition to calculating and displaying the call charge that corresponds to the scheduled call time, the system also calculates and displays the call charge corresponding to the scheduled call time from time to time based on the elapsed time from the start of the call to the current time (actual call time). The purpose of this invention is to contrastively display the call charge corresponding to the actual call time so that the caller during the call can understand the magnitude of the actual call charge.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the call charge display device according to the present invention includes: (a) call time setting means for setting the scheduled call time before 0 calls; and ■ from the start of the call. a call time measuring means for measuring the elapsed time; ■ a call charge calculating means for calculating a call charge from a charge table table based on the input call section, call time zone, and call time; (b) a call charge calculated by the call charge calculating means based on the output of the call time setting means; The present invention is characterized in that the call charge which is determined moment by moment by the call charge calculating means based on the output is displayed on the display device by the call charge display means.

[Function] When the call time setting means gives the scheduled call time data to the call rate calculation means, the call charge calculation means receives the scheduled call time data given by the call time setting means, the input call section data, and the call rate calculation means. A call charge corresponding to the scheduled call time is determined based on the call time zone data, and this is output to a call charge display means. Further, when the call time measuring means supplies the call elapsed time data to the call charge calculating means upon the start of a call, the call charge calculating means momentarily calculates the call charge corresponding to the elapsed time, and calculates the call charge according to the elapsed time. Output to display means. Therefore, the call charge display means causes the display device to display the call charge corresponding to the scheduled call time and the call charge corresponding to the actual call time.

[Example] Next, embodiments of the invention will be described based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a call charge display device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of a telephone incorporating an example of the call charge display device, and FIG. 3 mainly shows the control unit. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing function realizing means.

The call charge display device according to the present invention is constructed using a microcomputer, and as shown in FIG. 1, has a call time input section 1 and a switching section 2 as input sections, and a display section 3 as an output section. It also has a control section 5 connected to these via an interface 4, and a storage section 6 connected to the control section. The control unit 5 is composed of a CPU. The storage unit 6 includes a program memory (ROM) and a data memory (RAM). The interface 4 is further connected to an LCR device 8 built into the telephone 7 or an LCR adapter added to the telephone.

Telephone 7 is a telephone equipped with an NCC automatic selection function,
It may be any telephone that does not have the C automatic selection function.

The LCR device 8 stores call charges corresponding to various combinations of call section, call time zone, and call time in a charge list table for each NCC company, and allows the caller to dial manually or automatically for each call. The call area obtained by analyzing the area code, the scheduled call time entered by the caller,
This device has software that performs a process of comparing the charges of each company from the above-mentioned price list table based on the current time, selecting the cheapest company, and outputting the NCC identification number of that company. In addition, the LCR adapter has the same functions as the above-mentioned LCR device within a limited range,
Used by connecting to a telephone.

The call time input section 1 includes a button switch 1a for giving a call time input command, and a numeric keypad 1b for inputting a numerical signal defining the call time. When this device is installed in a telephone fi7, a button switch with an asterisk or a pound sign in the dialing key group of the telephone can be used for inputting a call time command, and a numeric keypad can be used for inputting numerical values. .

The switching section 2 is composed of an ON-OFF switch. The scheduled call time can be set in this device by key operations on the call time input section 1, and as one of the functions of the control section 5, as will be described later. Call time prediction means 52 for obtaining average call time
There is a method of setting the predicted call time obtained by.

The switching unit 2 specifies one of them, and when the switching unit 2 is turned on, the specified signal is given to the switching means 53 of the control unit 5 via the interface 4, and then the call time input unit 1, the input contents are given to the control section 5. Also, switch section 2 is turned OFF.
When set to F, the predicted call time output from the call time prediction means 52 is used, as will be described later.

As a means for realizing the functions of the present invention, the control section 5 includes a call section analysis means (hereinafter referred to as analysis means) 51 and the above-mentioned call time measurement means l (as shown in FIG. 3).
Hereinafter, this will be referred to as a prediction means. ) 52, switching means 53,
Call time setting means (hereinafter referred to as setting means) 54;
Call time measuring means (hereinafter referred to as time measuring means) 55;
Call charge calculation means (hereinafter referred to as calculation means) 56
, a calendar means 57, and a call rate display means (hereinafter referred to as
58 (referred to as display means).

The analysis means 51 analyzes the section in which the caller is currently trying to make a call based on the area code output by the LCR device 8 or the LCR adapter, and sends a signal indicating the call section to the prediction means 52 and the indexing means 56. Enter.

The prediction means 52 calculates the average call time for the call section based on the call section inputted from the analysis means 51 and the past call results for the same call section using this device. .

The setting means 54 inputs the call time set from the input section provided via the switching means 53 or the predicted call time from the prediction means 52 to the indexing means 56 as the scheduled call time.

When the timer 55 receives a call start detection signal from the LCR device 8 or LCR adapter, it measures the actual call time based on the tarok signal.

The indexing means 56 calculates data from the rate list table 61 stored in the storage section 6 based on the data from the analysis means 51, the setting means 54, and the calendar means 57, that is, the call section, scheduled call time, and time zone. The corresponding call charge is read out, and the charge data fa is outputted to the display means 58, and based on the data from the analysis means 51, the clock means 55, and the calendar means 57, that is, the call section, the actual call time, and the time zone. , reads the corresponding call charge from the charge table 61 and outputs the charge data fb to the display means 58. The call charge corresponding to the scheduled call time (hereinafter referred to as the "scheduled call charge") is read out repeatedly, or the actual call time changes from time to time, but the charge is calculated in units of time, that is, at the first 3 minutes, and thereafter. ■The call charge (hereinafter referred to as the actual call charge) corresponding to the elapsed time is determined every minute that passes.

The display means 58 receives the charge data fa,
When fb is input, these are displayed on the display section 3 based on a predetermined display pattern.

The display pattern of call charges is as shown in Figure 4.
The display pattern may be a bar graph. In this example, the lowest scale is the lowest unit charge (10 in the example shown).
6) For example, if the minimum charge for a 3-minute call between Tokyo and Osaka is 300 yen, the displayed content will be displayed on a logarithmic scale as the charge amount increases. The graph will look like Figure 4 (a), with the lowest charge (10 yen) ■ on the left side to (a) displayed.

The actual call charge is displayed in such a way that the color or pattern representing the scheduled call charge is removed by the excess of the actual call charge from the minimum charge system of the previously displayed scheduled call charge. Fourth
The actual call charges are shown from the left end of the figure (b) to (b).

If the actual call rate exceeds the scheduled call rate, it is displayed in a color or pattern different from the color or pattern used to display the latter, which can be distinguished at a glance.

FIG. 4(c) shows the display screen when the call exceeds the scheduled time, and the overage charges are shown in (a) to (c).

In the same figure (d), the call is made far beyond the scheduled call time.
Shows the display state when scaled over. In other words, the display scale of this display unit is up to 10,000 yen,
If the amount exceeds that amount, the display means 58 processes the amount so that the amount that exceeds the amount is displayed from the left end.

The call charge display pattern may also be in the form of a pie chart, as shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 displays the same content as FIG. 4 (b).

Further, the scheduled call charge and the actual call charge may be displayed by numerically displaying each charge in separate display windows 3a and 3b, as shown in FIG.

The charge display operation when making a long distance call based on the above composition will be explained.

When setting the scheduled call time manually, after turning on the switching unit 2, input the time from the scheduled call time input unit 1. Next, when dialing the other party using the telephone 1117, the telephone number or the NCC output from the LCR device will be displayed.
Based on the area code included in the identification signal, the analysis means 51 provides call section data to the indexing means 56. Also, the data of the scheduled call time inputted from the call time input section 1 is now provided to the indexing means 56 from the setting means 54. Therefore, the indexing means 56 uses these data and the time zone data from the calendar means 57 to calculate the price list table 6.
1, the call charge corresponding to the input call section, scheduled call time, and time zone is calculated, and the charge data is provided to the display means 58. In order to provide the charge data to the display means 58, the screen shown in FIG. 4, FIG. 5, or FIG. 6 is displayed on the display unit 3. The scheduled call charges will be displayed as shown in .

For example, if you want to call someone you often talk to,
After turning off the switching unit 2, if you send a signal to the other party,
Since the call section data from the analysis means 51 is given to the prediction means 52, the prediction means obtains the average call time based on the past call record to the same call party, and calculates the average call time from the setting means 5.
Give to 4. Therefore, from now on, in the same way as when inputting the scheduled call time by key operation, the calculating means 56 uses the predicted call time by this prediction means, the call section, and the time zone as a basis.
calculates the scheduled call charge and provides it to the display means 58, so that
The scheduled call charge is displayed on the display section 3.

When a call is started, the timer 55 measures the elapsed call time based on the call start detection signal and provides the elapsed time data to the indexing means 56. The actual call charges corresponding to and the time period are calculated from the charge table and provided to the display means 58. Therefore, the actual call charge is displayed on the display section 3. The actual call charges displayed will change as the call time passes.

The call charge display device according to the present invention can also be applied to a telephone that does not have a built-in or added LCR1fi function, that is, a telephone that uses only one specific NCC line with a long-distance telephone service contract. In the price list table 61, only the price list of the one company concerned is stored.

Further, the format in which the call charge is displayed by the display unit 3 is not particularly limited.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the call charge display device according to the present invention displays the scheduled call time from the stored charge list when the telephone number and scheduled call time of the person to be called are set. The system calculates and displays the call charge that is commensurate with the actual call time, and also calculates and displays the call charge that is commensurate with the actual call time from time to time, allowing the caller to calculate and display the call charge that is commensurate with the actual call time. Since it is possible to compare and find out whether or not there is an excess, it is expected that a reduction in call charges will be achieved.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a telephone incorporating the device according to the invention, and Fig. 3 is a block diagram mainly showing the functions of the control section. 4 is a front view showing an example of the display pattern of the display section and each example of the display state, FIG. 5 is a front view of the main part showing the display pattern of the song on the display section, and FIG. FIG. 7 is a front view of main parts showing still another display pattern. Figure 7 is a diagram of the structure of the long distance telephone service.

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) In a call charge display device used on a telephone that uses a communication service network where communication charges are determined based on the call section, call time zone, and call duration, (a) [1] The scheduled call time is displayed before the call. [2] Call time measuring means for measuring the elapsed time from the start of the call; [3] Call time setting means for setting the call time from the charge table table based on the input call section, call time zone, and call time. [4] Call rate display means for displaying the determined call charge on a display device; (b) Based on the output of the call time setting means; The call charge calculated by the call charge calculating means and the call charge calculated from time to time by the call charge calculating means based on the output of the call time measuring means are displayed by the call charge display means. A call charge display device characterized by: displaying on the device. (2) The call charge display device according to claim (1), wherein the display device displays the call charge in numbers or graphs. (3) The call time setting means is connected via a switching means to an input setting means by key operation and a call time prediction means for outputting an average call time based on past results corresponding to the input call section. Claim (1) characterized in that
) Call charge display device.