JPH0761108B2 - Charge form change method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial field of application] The present invention enables a charging system to be changed based on a request from a calling side or a receiving side while various services are provided by a switching system. The present invention relates to a charging method changing method.

[Conventional technology]

Generally, various services such as voice call services using the exchange system are charged to the calling party in principle, but in recent years, various charging methods have been proposed due to the diversification of services. ing. This is because, depending on the service type, it may be desirable to charge only the receiving (receiving) side or both the calling and receiving sides. However, in any of the charging methods considered so far, the charging method is determined by a special number before the service starts. For example
According to 60-28360, when the called subscriber number information is transferred to the called station, the class of the called subscriber, that is, whether the called subscriber is an outgoing / incoming charging subscriber is identified. It is like this. If the subscriber is an outgoing / incoming charging subscriber, both the outgoing subscriber and the incoming subscriber are charged. By the way, in general, each time a service is provided to the calling subscriber, the charge for the service is cumulatively added to the charge up to that point, and the charge is collectively billed by the service provider, for example, every month. However, the billing fee at that time is calculated based on the cumulative addition frequency for the calling subscriber on the settlement date. The frequency is a quantitative basic unit for billing, and while the service is being performed, the value of the cumulative addition frequency up to that point is + updated (frequency registration) at every predetermined cycle according to the communication destination. Is calculated, the latest cumulative addition power for the calling subscriber is obtained. The update of the cumulative addition frequency during the service is called charging.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

As described above, various charging systems have been considered so far, however, the conventional systems have the following problems.

That is, pre-registration is required, and the registration is done by the called party. To change the charging mode during the service, the service is temporarily interrupted and the called party changes the registered content. It was necessary. In other words, the registered contents could not be changed by both parties during the service. Further, it is possible only with a registered called party, that is, a specific called party, and is not applicable to an unregistered called party. Further, various charging modes cannot be adopted, and the charging share ratio is not automatically notified to the calling side.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for changing a charging form that can change the charging form based on a request from a general calling party or a general called party during a service without requiring special pre-registration.

[Means for solving problems]

The above-mentioned object is that when the calling side exchange or the called side exchange detects a billing form change request from the calling side or the called side while the service is being performed, After the change of the charge form indicating the charge sharing allocation from the calling party or the called party as a response to the request from the exchange is identified, the end of the service is waited for, and the addition degree for the service is Based on the contents of the change, the caller and the callee are allotted a share, and the caller and the callee are charged separately. It is achieved by being transferred to the exchange or the exchange on the calling side and added to the frequency corresponding to the called party or the calling party before the start of the service.

[Action]

The service is started by dialing the called party number from the calling side. At that time, the exchange involved in the call detection detects the calling party number, called party number, service start time, and basic billing form ( As a general rule, caller charges are registered. If, for example, the calling side requests charging mode change due to hooking while the service is being performed, the exchange that is involved in the call detection notifies the calling side of the charging mode change content by voice. It will be announced at. The called side is notified by voice that the charging mode is changed. If the calling party inputs the billing form change content within a certain time period in response to this announcement, the exchange that is involved in the call detection recognizes the content and announces the recognition content to the calling party to make a call. It is supposed to let the side confirm the contents.
If the caller confirms the content, a response to that effect is sent from the caller to the exchange that detects the call, and based on this response, the billing form changes to the callee. And will ask for a response as to whether or not to approve this content. When there is a response from the called side to approve, the pre-registered basic billing form is updated to the billing form change content. After this, the service will be restarted again, but when the service end is detected due to the disconnection of the calling side, the exchange involved in the call detection requires the service from the service end time and the service start time described above. The time and the frequency according to this time are obtained, and are assigned to the calling side and the called side according to the sharing ratio indicated by the contents of change of the charging mode.

The frequency information assigned to the called side is transferred together with the called party number to the called side accommodation exchange by the common line signaling method, for example, and is added to the frequencies up to then, so that the calling side,
The called party is charged according to the contents of the change in charging form. Similar processing is performed in the called party accommodation switch even when there is a request for changing the charging mode from the called side.

〔Example〕

 The present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.

First, a calling (sending) side exchange and a called (receiving) side exchange according to the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 shows an example of the configuration. As shown in the figure, a calling terminal 1 is accommodated in a calling side exchange 3 via a subscriber trunk (subscriber circuit) 5, and a called terminal 2 is accommodated in a called side exchange 4 via a subscriber trunk 6. Are connected via an outgoing trunk 7, a relay exchange (not shown), and an incoming trunk 8. In this case, the exchanges 3 and 4 have the same configuration, but the configuration of the exchange 4 is partially omitted. The exchanges 3 and 4 are controlled by the processors 14 and 15, respectively, but various types of information are exchanged between the exchanges 3 and 4 as common line signals via the control processor 16, the interfaces 18 and 19, and the control processor 17. Has become.

Explaining the configuration around the exchange 3, the processor 14 includes a subscriber trunk 5, a PB signal receiver (for receiving the PB signal from the calling terminal 1) 9, and a PB signal receiver (the PB signal from the called terminal 2). (For receiving) 10, memory (for temporarily storing received codes from PB signal receivers 9 and 10) 20, code database (for searching the meaning of the received code) 21, service database (caller numbers and subscriber numbers for subscriber trunks) In addition to the caller number, service start time, service end time, billing form code storage 22, subscriber database (for recording frequency to each accommodation terminal) 23, senders 11 and 12 for voice transmission use announce machine 13. It is supposed to be accommodated through.
The voice signal generated by the announcement machine 13 is the sender 1
1, a link 32, a subscriber trunk 5, an announcement from the calling terminal 1, a sender 12, a link 33, an outgoing trunk 7,
An announcement is made from the called terminal 2 via the incoming trunk 8, the exchange 4, and the subscriber trunk 6.

Now, an outline of how the charging mode is changed according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 (a) to (d).
As shown in FIG. 3A, when the service is started, the calling number, the called number, the service start time, the charging mode code (usually the calling party) corresponding to the subscriber trunk 5 number are stored in the service database 22. A billing code (010) is stored. The calling party number is determined by the calling detection signal from the subscriber trunk 5 corresponding to the calling terminal 2,
The called party numbers are known from the received code from the PB signal receiver 9 and are stored by the processor 14 in the service database 22. FIG. 3 shows a data storage format on the service database 22. The service end time is stored when the service ends, and the billing mode is "01" at the initial stage.
Although it is 0 ", it may be changed during the service.

After the predetermined data is stored in the service database 22, the service will be provided. If it is assumed here that the calling terminal 1 requests the charging mode change,
The request is made by hooking. When the hooking is detected in the subscriber trunk 5, the processor 14 obtains the calling party number and the called party number from the service database 22 based on the subscriber trunk 5 number and, for the calling party, While requesting that the charging form change content be input, the called party is notified that the charging form change procedure will be performed. These requests and notifications are converted into voice signals by the announcement machine 13 and then announced by the calling terminal 1 and the called terminal 2 via the senders 11 and 12. If the service ends without any hooking being detected, the service end processing is performed, which will be described later.

By the way, link 31 is linked to link 3 due to hooking detection.
Although changed to 2,33, the PB signal receivers 9 and 10 are connected to the links 32 and 33, respectively, after the request or notification is announced. This is because the billing form change content is input from the calling terminal 1 in order to prepare for this, and since it is necessary to obtain confirmation of approval of the billing form change content from the called party, this is prepared. Is.

Now, when the code as the charging form change content is transmitted as the PB signal from the calling terminal 1 within a certain time after the input request is announced, the PB signal is the PB signal receiver 9
It is designed to be received and detected by. When the input end code "#" of the code is detected, the PB code received up to that point is temporarily stored in the memory 20. Here, the various PB codes input from the calling terminal 1 and the called terminal 2 and the meanings thereof will be described, for example, as shown in FIG. Therefore, when the PB code from the calling terminal 1 is “055”, this means that the shared charging ratio of the calling party and the called party is 5 to 5, that is, the charging is equally shared. It means to do. For example, the PB code is "055"
By searching the code database 21 based on this, the processor 14 can know that the charge sharing ratio is equal, but after that, the content is announced to the caller, The caller is required to confirm the contents. Based on the request, the calling terminal 1 confirms the PB code "00".
When "#" is sent, the called party is requested to approve the content next by an announcement. In response to this request, the called party receives a PB code indicating approval. When "00 #" is sent, the billing form in the service database 22 is updated from the caller billing code (010) to (055) for the first time at this point. After that, the billing form is changed. As a reconfirmation, it is announced to the calling party and the called party, and after the announcement, the links 32 and 33 are returned to the link 31 in order to return to the service state. It becomes a state.

By the way, when the service is terminated by disconnecting the caller,
As the service end processing, the processor 14 first stores the service end time for the calling party in the service database 22 based on the notification from the calling party corresponding subscriber trunk 5. From this service end time and the already stored service start time, the time required for the service can be known, and the processor 14 uses the calling number and the called number to determine the unit per minute or minutes according to the communication destination. The time is obtained, and the value of the frequency (initial value is 0) is updated by +1 for each unit time while the service is being performed, whereby the addition frequency for the service is obtained. The addition power obtained by the known charging calculation method is allocated to the calling party and the called party according to the charging mode content of the calling party stored in the service database 22.

By the way, on the subscriber database 23 in the calling side exchange 3, the accumulative addition frequency corresponding to the accommodated subscriber is 4th.
Although stored as shown in the figure, the addition frequency allocated to the calling party is added to the frequency corresponding to the calling party on the subscriber database 23, while the addition frequency to the calling party is added. When the sharing distribution addition power is present, it is transferred together with the called party number to the called side exchange 4 by the common line signaling method. Called side exchange 4
Also, as shown in FIG. 5, a similar subscriber database 24
Is provided, but the divisional distribution addition power to the called party is to be added to the cumulative addition frequency corresponding to the called party up to that point. When the common line signaling system is used, it becomes possible to immediately put the subscriber trunk 5 relating to the service termination into a service waiting state from the calling party.

By the way, the above description is about the case where the calling party makes a request for changing the charging mode, but it is of course possible to issue the request from the called party. When the called party requests it, the called side exchange 4 operates in the same manner as the calling side exchange 3.

The present invention is as described above, but various other embodiments are conceivable. (1) For example, immediately after the start of the service, it is determined whether or not the caller is a registered subscriber related to the charging form change request, and if it is determined as a non-registered user, the caller number is displayed on the service database. It is possible not to allow the change of the billing form during the service by not storing the called party number, the called number, the service start time, etc. Therefore, even if there is a billing form change request, it is ignored. It is possible. If you accept the billing form change request only if you are a registered subscriber,
The capacity of the service database is enough for the registered subscribers. (2) It is also possible to use a known voice confirmation device instead of the PB signal receiver. Instead of sending a PB signal from the terminal, a similar function can be achieved by sending a corresponding voice. (3) When the service corresponding to the subscriber trunk relating to the service termination is read out from the service database at the time of the service termination and is stored in the memory 20 and is used as necessary thereafter, the service acceptance by the subscriber trunk is accepted. It will be restarted early. (4) If the caller or called party is requested to input the PB signal but there is no predetermined input within a certain period of time, an announcement to that effect is made and the charging mode change processing is terminated midway. It is also possible. (5) The code indicating the charge sharing ratio is not limited to the code shown in FIG. 6, and can be set arbitrarily, and various charge sharing ratios can be freely set. (6) If the calling party number is stored in the service database in the calling exchange and then this information is transferred and stored in the service database in the called exchange, as described above, It is also possible to make a billing form change request. (7) When the addition power allocated to the called party is stored in the calling exchange and then transferred to the called exchange as needed, the addition power to the called party need not be processed immediately. It will be. (8) Information transfer to the called exchange is not limited to the common line signaling system. For example, when the voice line (data line) is available,
The necessary information can be transferred to the called exchange by the line without using the common signaling system. (9) When a signal line is also provided between the exchange and the terminal, various inputs relating to the change of the charging mode are input to the exchange through the line even when the voice line is in service.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, there is an effect that special pre-registration is not required and the charging mode can be changed during the service based on a request from the general calling party or the general called party.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an example of a calling side and a called side exchange according to the present invention, and FIGS. 2 (a) to (d) are examples of a charging mode changing process according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a flow, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a data storage format on the service database, and FIGS. 4 and 5 are frequency storage formats on the subscriber database in the calling side and called side exchanges, respectively. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing various PB codes input from a calling terminal or a called terminal and their contents. 1 ... Calling terminal, 2 ... Called terminal, 3 ... Calling side exchange, 4 ... Called side exchange, 9,10 ... PB signal receiver, 1
1,12 …… Sender, 13 …… Announcement machine, 14,15 ……
Processor, 20 ... Memory, 21 ... Code database, 22 ... Service database, 23,24 ... Subscriber database.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A service based on a request from a calling party to change a charging mode from a calling side exchange or a request from a called party to a called side exchange to change the service while the service is currently being performed. Is a charging mode changing method in which the charging mode is changed at the calling side exchange or the called side exchange, and a charging mode change request from the calling party or the called party is made while the service is being performed. When it is detected by the calling side exchange or the called side exchange, in the exchange, as a response to the request from the exchange, the charging form change indicating the charge sharing distribution from the calling party or the called party After the contents have been identified, after waiting for the end of the service, the addition frequency for the service is distributed to the calling party and the called party based on the changed contents, and then the calling party and the called party respectively. Be charged , The called party, or on sharing allocations addition power for the calling party is transferred to the called party exchange, or calling exchange, the called party before the service start,
Alternatively, a billing form changing method that is added to the frequency corresponding to the calling party. 2. Confirmation from the calling party or called party with respect to the result of identification of the charging form change content from the calling party or called party announced by the calling side called party or the called side called party exchange. The charging form changing method according to claim 1, wherein the contents of changing the charging form are finally confirmed and identified after waiting for a response. 3. The calling side exchange or the called side exchange announces to the calling party and the called party that the billing will be carried out when the billing type change content is identified. The method for changing the charging mode according to claim 1 or 2 thus configured. 4. When the calling side exchange or the called side exchange announces the changed billing form to the calling party or the called party, the called party or the calling party approves it. 4. The method for changing the charging mode according to claim 3, wherein the charging mode held until then is updated after waiting for a response.