JPH06217040A - Electronic switchboard provided with prepay control function - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To eliminate the need to prepare a dedicated terminal device as a communication terminal, thereby reducing the cost of the entire system and increasing the degree of freedom in selecting a communication terminal by the user. The central control circuit 20 is provided with a user identification means 20b by a dial signal, and the user identification means 20b detects a personal number composed of a dial signal sent from the extension telephones TEL1 to TELn after a request for an outside call is made. Thereafter, the call prepaid call control means 20a and the balance management control means 20b of the call management device execute call control in accordance with the prepaid call charge.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic exchange such as a digital private branch exchange or an electronic key telephone system used in, for example, a collective building or a company dormitory, and particularly has a function of managing a prepaid communication charge. Regarding electronic exchanges.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, digital private branch exchanges and electronic key telephone devices have been provided with various service functions.
As one of them, there is a prepayment management function for communication charges. This function is conventionally configured as follows, for example.

That is, a charge registration device is connected to the call management device attached to the private branch exchange, and the user pays the communication charges collectively in advance using this charge registration device. This payment operation is performed, for example, by the user first inserting his or her ID card into the card reader of the fee registration machine to read the ID number and then inserting cash into the fee registration machine. When the call charge is paid, the amount is sent to the call management device together with the ID number and stored in the call charge balance memory in association with the ID number.

When the user makes an outside call in this state, an extension telephone with a card reader is used. That is, after the user takes off the hook of the telephone, the user first inserts his or her ID card into the card reader to read the ID number, and then performs the dial operation. When the call partner responds, the call is started thereafter. At this time, in the private branch exchange, at the time when it is confirmed that the other party has answered,
The ID number is transferred from the central control unit to the call management device together with the outgoing dial number and the like. In the call management device,
Charge calculation is performed based on the dial number, and the balance stored in the corresponding area of the call charge balance memory is subtracted each time the charge is charged.

[0005]

However, the conventional electronic exchange equipped with such a prepaid charge management function has the following problems to be solved. That is, the exchange is
Every time a call is made from the extension telephone, the ID
It is configured to receive the ID number read from the card and manage the subsequent call charges based on this ID number. Therefore, a dedicated telephone with a card reader is required as an extension telephone, and as a result, the cost of the entire system increases. Further, even if the user desires to use a general-purpose telephone or an answering machine, there is a problem in that it cannot respond to this.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to eliminate the need for preparing a dedicated terminal device as a communication terminal, thereby reducing the cost of the entire system and An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic private branch exchange having a charge prepaid management function that can increase the degree of freedom in selecting a communication terminal by a user.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, an electronic exchange of the present invention receives user identification information, which is a dial signal sent from a communication terminal during communication, and uses this dial signal as a basis. In addition, a user recognition means for recognizing the user is provided, and prepaid communication charge management is performed according to the recognition result by the user recognition means.

Further, according to the present invention, the user recognition means is provided with a personal number storage means for storing a personal number of a digit smaller than the identification information in association with the identification information of the user, and a dial signal from a communication terminal is used during communication. When the personal number is sent by, the user is recognized based on the stored contents of the personal number storage means.

[0009]

As a result, according to the electronic exchange of the present invention, the user identification information, which is a dial signal sent from the communication terminal, is received and the user is recognized based on the dial signal. It is possible to input the user identification information by dial operation. Therefore, it is not necessary to prepare a dedicated terminal device such as a communication terminal device with a card reader as a communication terminal, which makes it possible to use an inexpensive general-purpose telephone and realize cost reduction of the entire system. it can. Further, it becomes possible to freely use various telephones desired by the user, such as a fashion telephone and an answering machine, as communication terminals.

Further, according to the present invention, since the user only has to dial the personal number of a small number of digits as the identification information, it is possible to perform the operation associated with the outside line transmission without feeling a heavy burden.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a circuit block diagram showing a configuration of a digital private branch exchange according to an embodiment of the present invention, and PBX is a main body of the digital private branch exchange.

This digital private branch exchange body PBX is
Speech path switch (TS) 11, speech path switch control circuit (TSC) 12, and a plurality of line circuits LC1 to LCn
And a plurality of trunk circuits TRK1 to TRKm. Each of the line circuits LC1 to LCn has an extension S.
Extension telephones TEL1 to TELn are connected via L1 to SLn. The line circuits LC1 to LCn detect a dial signal sent from the extension telephones TEL1 to TELn and an interface function for connecting between the extension telephones TEL1 to TELn and the communication path switch 11 when a call is made and received. It has a function of notifying the control circuit 20. In addition, each trunk circuit TRK1 to TRKm
Are connected to a public communication network (not shown) via subscriber lines OL1 to OLm, respectively. Trunk circuit TRK1
..- TRKm have an interface function for connecting between the communication path switch 11 and the trunk lines OL1 to OLm as a call is made. Passage switch control circuit 12
Are extension telephones TEL1 to TELn and subscriber lines OL
Call control for 1 to OLm and control of the communication path switch 11 are performed.

The digital private branch exchange body PBX is
A central control circuit 20 for controlling the entire PBX is provided. The central control circuit 20 includes a main memory unit (MEM) 22 and external interface circuits (I / F) 23, 24 via a bus 21. It is connected. The main storage unit 22 stores control programs and various data tables necessary for controlling the central control circuit 20. A call management device 30 is connected to the external interface circuit 23, and a name charge registration device 40 is further connected to the call management device 30. A maintenance terminal device 50 is connected to the external interface circuit 24. The maintenance terminal device 50 is composed of, for example, a personal computer and is used for inputting various table data required for exchange control and data required for maintenance control.

By the way, the central control circuit 20 has, in addition to the usual control means relating to exchange control, a prepaid call origination control means 20a and a user recognition means 20b necessary for this control. Further, the main storage unit 22 is provided with an ID number storage memory and a personal number storage memory necessary for the user to recognize. FIG. 2 shows the configuration, and the ID numbers and personal numbers stored in these memories are associated with each other one-to-one via block numbers.

The user recognizing means 20b, when the extension telephones TEL1 to TELn make an outside call request,
Subsequently, the user's personal number dialed from the extension telephones TEL1 to TELn is used as line circuits LC1 to L.
Detect via Cn. Then, this personal number is inquired into the personal number storage memory of the main storage unit 22 to determine whether or not the corresponding personal number is registered, and if it is registered, the ID number storage memory is inquired. The processing for searching for the corresponding ID number is performed.

When the ID number of the user who has made a call is confirmed by the user recognition means 20b, the prepaid call control means 20a accesses the call management device 30 to determine whether or not the call charge balance of the user is present. Is confirmed, and predetermined exchange control is executed when there is a balance.

The call management device 30 is an extension telephone TEL1.
~ In addition to means for calculating the call charge each time a call is made by an outside line by TELn, as a function for prepaid call, charge delivery acceptance control means 30a
And a balance management control means 30b.

The charge delivery acceptance control means 30a executes acceptance control when the call charge is prepaid in the charge registration machine 40, and adds the deposit amount to the balance stored in the balance storage memory. And remember it. The charge registration device 40 is provided with a card reader, and when depositing money, the card reader reads the ID number recorded in the ID card of the user, and the call management device 3
It has the function of querying 0. The balance storage memory is, for example, a RAM and stores the balance of the call charge prepaid by the user in association with the user's ID number as shown in FIG.

The balance management control means 30b performs billing calculation based on the outgoing dial information transferred from the central control circuit 20 when an outside line outgoing call by the user whose call fee has been paid in advance is started. . Every time it is charged, a process of subtracting the corresponding call charge balance stored in the balance storage memory is executed.

Next, the operation of the digital private branch exchange configured as described above will be described. First, when the user pays the call charge in advance, the procedure is as follows. That is,
First, the user uses the card reader of the charge registration device 40 to display his own I
Slide the D card. Then, the ID number recorded in this ID card is read by the card reader and transferred to the call management device 30. The call management device 30 fetches the ID number transferred from the charge registration device 40 in step 4a as shown in FIG. 4, and determines in step 4b whether or not this ID number is registered in the balance storage memory. Then, when it is confirmed that the ID number is registered, the charge registration device 40 is instructed to deposit and displayed. If the ID number is not registered, the process proceeds to step 4f to output an error display instruction to the charge registration device 40, thereby causing the charge registration device 40 to display an error.

When the user who confirms the deposit permission display enters the amount of the call charge, the charge registration device 40 transfers the information of the inserted amount to the call management device 30. On the other hand, the call management device 30 fetches the information on the amount of money to be deposited in step 4c, adds the amount of money to be deposited to the balance stored in the corresponding area of the balance storage memory in step 4d, and after the addition. The amount is stored in the corresponding area of the balance storage memory. Then, in step 4e, the charge registration device 40 is instructed to issue a receipt, thereby issuing the receipt. Thus, the call fee is paid in advance.

Next, a description will be given of the operation in the case where the user who has paid the call charge in advance performs an outside line calling operation. For example, it is assumed that the user dials an outside line acquisition special number after off-hooking the extension telephone TEL1 to make an outside line. Digital private branch exchange PBX in standby mode
As shown in FIG. 5, the central control unit 20 monitors the arrival of the outside call request in step 5a. When the outside call request is notified from the line circuit LC1 in this state, the central controller 20 prompts the dial input of the personal number. Extension telephone TEL1
Send a service dial tone to l. The user who confirms this service dial tone is the extension telephone T
When the personal number of EL1 is dialed in at EL1, the central control circuit 20 fetches this personal number via the line circuit LC1 at step 5b. As the personal number, for example, a 4-digit number is used.

When the personal number is fetched, the central control circuit 20 searches the personal number storage memory of the main memory 22 in step 5c to determine whether or not the personal number is registered. If it is determined that the personal number is not registered, step 5
In step j, the extension telephone TEL1 is caused to output a connection restriction sound. On the other hand, if it is confirmed that the personal number is registered, the central control circuit 20 proceeds to step 5
In step d, the block number corresponding to the personal number is first read from the personal number storage memory, and the ID number storage memory is searched using this block number to find the ID number corresponding to the personal number. Read. Then, in step 5e, it is determined whether or not the user corresponding to this ID number has the balance of the call charge. This balance determination of the call charge is performed by accessing the balance storage memory of the call management device 30 from the central control circuit 20 and reading the stored contents to determine.
If it is determined by this determination that there is no remaining money, the central control circuit 20 proceeds to step 5j as in the case where the personal number is not registered, and sends a connection restriction sound to the extension telephone TEL1. Let

Now, suppose that the user who made the call has a balance of communication charges. Then, the central control circuit 20 moves to step 5f, where the trunk circuit T
An empty trunk circuit is captured from RK1 to TRKm, and this trunk circuit is connected to the line circuit LC1 corresponding to the extension telephone TEL1. Line circuit LC
When 1 is connected to the trunk circuit, a dial tone is sent from the public line network (not shown) to the extension telephone TEL1. When the user who confirms the dial tone dials the telephone number of the other party, the public telephone network calls the telephone of the other party. When the user of the calling party responds to this call, the telephone of the calling party is connected to the extension telephone TEL1 that has made the call, and thereafter the user can talk with the calling party.

When the central control circuit 20 confirms the response of the other party in step 5g, the central control circuit 20 proceeds to step 5h to transfer the ID number and the outgoing dial number of the user to the call management device 30. And step 5i
The call management device 30 is caused to execute the balance management control including the charging process until the end of call is detected at. Therefore, in the call management device 30, during the call of the extension telephone TEL1, the billing calculation is performed based on the calling dial number. Then, each time a charge is made, the unit amount of money is subtracted from the call charge balance corresponding to the ID number stored in the balance storage memory. Thus, the management processing of the prepaid call charge is performed.

As described above, in the digital private branch exchange of the present embodiment, the central control circuit 20 is provided with the user identifying means 20b by the dial signal, and the extension telephone set TE is made after the outside line transmission request is made.
The user identification means 20b detects a personal number made up of a dial signal sent from L1 to TELn, and thereafter executes call control according to the prepaid call charge. Therefore, the user can
It becomes possible to input a personal number using the dials of EL1 to TELn. Therefore, the extension telephone seat TE
It is not necessary to prepare a telephone with a card reader as L1 to TLn, which makes it possible to use an inexpensive general-purpose telephone and realize cost reduction of the entire system. In addition, extension telephones TEL1 to T
As ELn, various telephones desired by the user, such as a fashion telephone and an answering machine, can be freely used.

Further, in the present embodiment, in addition to the ID number, a personal number associated with this ID number is set as the user's identification information, and the user uses this personal number as the identification information when making an outside line call. Since the dial input is used, the identification information can be input by the dial input operation of a few digits. Therefore, the operational burden on the user when making an outside line can be reduced.

Further, in the present embodiment, in the ID number storage memory and the personal number storage memory, the correspondence between the ID number and the personal number is made by the block number having a smaller number of digits than the personal number. Therefore, it is possible to perform high-speed access as compared with the case of directly accessing the personal number or the ID number, thereby reducing the processing load on the central control circuit 20 and performing high-speed transmission connection processing. it can.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, in the above embodiment, the personal number is input as the user identification information. However, if the ID number is composed of a relatively small number of digits, this ID number may be directly dialed. Good.

In addition, the present invention also relates to control procedures and control contents of call charge delivery acceptance control, balance management control, prepaid call origination control, user identification control, types of exchanges and communication terminals, configuration of exchanges, and the like. Various modifications can be implemented without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0031]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, user identification information, which is a dial signal sent from a communication terminal during communication, is received, and the user is recognized based on this dial signal. By providing the user recognizing means and managing the prepayment of the communication charge according to the recognition result by the user recognizing means, it is not necessary to prepare a dedicated terminal device as a communication terminal. It is possible to provide an electronic private branch exchange equipped with a charge prepaid management function that can increase the price and increase the degree of freedom in selecting a communication terminal by the user.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a circuit block diagram showing a configuration of a digital private branch exchange according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration of an ID number storage memory and a personal number storage memory provided in a main storage unit of the exchange shown in FIG.

3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a balance storage memory provided in the call management device of the exchange shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a procedure and control contents of charge delivery acceptance control by the call management device.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a procedure and control contents of prepaid route transmission control and user recognition control by a central control circuit.

[Explanation of symbols]

PBX ... Digital private branch exchange body TEL1 to TEL
n ... extension telephones LC1 to LCn ... line circuits TRK1 to TRK
m ... Trunk circuit 11 ... Call path switch 12 ... Call path switch control circuit 20 ... Central control circuit 20a ... Prepaid call origination control means 20b ... User recognition control means 21 ... Bus 22 ... Main memory 23, 24 ... External interface circuit 30 ... Call management device 30a ... Charge delivery acceptance control means 30b ... Balance management control means 40 ... Charge registration machine 50 ... Maintenance terminal

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An electronic exchange that accommodates a plurality of telephone lines to which communication terminals are respectively connected and has a charge prepayment management function, and associates the balance of the communication charge paid in advance with user identification information. And a user recognition for recognizing the user based on the received dial signal. Means, a charging means for calculating a communication charge incurred by communication by the user recognized by the user recognition means, and the charging from the communication charge balance of the user stored in the balance storage means. An electronic exchange having a charge prepayment management function, comprising: a balance management means for subtracting the communication charge calculated by the means. 2. The user recognizing means has a personal number storing means for storing a personal number of a digit smaller than the identification information in association with the identification information of the user, and the personal number is personalized by a dial signal from a communication terminal during communication. 2. An electronic exchange having a prepaid management function according to claim 1, wherein the user is recognized based on the stored contents of the personal number storage means when a number is sent.