JP3293776B2 - Authentication separation type communication system and method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a communication system for authenticating a billing destination, such as credit communication and center-type prepaid communication.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In credit communication, when a card is inserted into a communication terminal, a card number is notified to a center, a password is input, and when the validity is verified, the communication is made to a line which has been contracted in advance. Is charged.
As described above, in a conventional communication system that involves authentication of the validity of a user who uses communication and a billing destination of the communication, the authentication function and the communication function are integrated and incorporated into one terminal device.

Further, it is necessary to authenticate a billing destination immediately before starting communication. 1. Authentication of billing destination The communication procedure had to be performed by the correspondent at the place of communication at the time of communication.

[0004]

For this reason, in such communication for performing the billing destination authentication and the personal authentication, the communication terminal is limited to a specific terminal having an authentication function. It was not possible to communicate by changing from the predetermined billing destination. Furthermore, the person to be authenticated is also limited to the communication person, and communication cannot be performed by a third-party authentication operation.

According to the present invention, by separating an authentication terminal device having an authentication function and a communication terminal device having a communication function, a general communication terminal having no authentication function can be used.
It is an object of the present invention to enable the user to change the billing destination and to enable communication by a third party other than the communication party.

[0006]

According to the present invention, in an authentication terminal device not attached to a communication terminal device to be used, authentication for specifying a billing destination for communication from a specified communication terminal is performed, and the authentication is performed. When communication is performed from the communication terminal, charging is performed for the authenticated charging destination.

At the time of authentication, the authentication terminal device is connected to the authentication center device by communication or the like. According to one embodiment of the present invention, this connection connects the authentication terminal device to the authentication center device by connecting the authentication terminal device to a communication terminal including a communication terminal device that performs communication after authentication. The authentication terminal device is an “authentication device including a magnetic card”, an “authentication device including an IC card”, a “authentication device using fingerprint recognition”, or an “authentication device using a password input”. , "Authentication device based on signature recognition"
Other authentication terminal devices may be used.

The authentication terminal device inputs “ID (identification information) of the communication terminal to be used”, “usage conditions”, and the like. When the authentication terminal device is connected, the authentication center performs authentication of authentication data for authenticating a billing destination with the authentication terminal device. The billing destination is recorded in advance in the authentication terminal device or a device attached thereto, or is input from the authentication terminal device.

[0009] Further, data such as "ID of the communication terminal to be used" and "usage conditions" are received from the authentication terminal device, and the validity is confirmed. The “usage conditions” are “usage time zone”, “communication count”, “billing destination switching end method”, “call destination”, and other conditions relating to other communications. It does not matter.

[0010] When the confirmation is completed, the authentication center sends the "billing destination", "ID of the communication terminal to be used", "usage condition" to the communication center apparatus accommodating the communication terminal of "ID of the communication terminal to be used". Send and register data such as In the communication center device, when there is a call from the communication terminal device, the “charging destination” of the communication in the communication terminal having the “use requesting communication terminal ID” is determined according to the “usage condition” of the registration data for the communication terminal device ID. Switch. The switching of the "charging destination" is performed by sending charging information from the communication center device to the charge center device and adjusting the communication charge.

[0011] In the present invention for operation, and charging destination of the authentication terminal device, by separating the communication terminal apparatus, and charging destination authentication is performed independently communications. At this time, by designating a general communication terminal having no authentication function as a terminal to be used, it is possible to change the billing destination from the own terminal (line) to another terminal (line) even in the general terminal. .

[0012] In addition, a third party other than the communication party performs authentication using the authentication terminal device, so that a communication person at a location distant from the authentication location can communicate with the communication terminal device that needs to specify a billing destination. Communication becomes possible, and even a general communication terminal device can perform communication by changing the billing destination. Further, by carrying a portable authentication terminal device (claim 2), if there is a communication terminal device such as a telephone, authentication can be performed by attaching the communication terminal device, and communication with a changed billing destination can be performed.

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention provides an authentication terminal device that is not attached to a communication terminal device, performs authentication for specifying a billing destination for communication from the specified communication terminal, thereby enabling the specified communication terminal to perform authentication. When communication is performed, a fee is charged to an authenticated billing destination.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Embodiment 1 FIG. 1A is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, which comprises an authentication center device 1, a communication center device 2, an authentication terminal device 3, a plurality of communication terminal devices 4, and a charge center device 5. You. The authentication center device 1 is connected to each of the communication center device 2 and the authentication terminal device 3 by a communication line, and the communication center device 2 is connected to each of the communication terminal devices 4 and the charge center device 5 by a communication line.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the authentication center device 1 includes an authentication data verification unit 1-a, a validity verification unit 1-b, a first communication unit 1-c, a second communication unit 1-d, and an input / output control unit. 1-
e, a first communication line 1-f, a second communication line 1-g, an authentication database 1-h, and a terminal ID usage condition database 1-i. As shown in FIG. 2A, the communication center device 2 includes a setting data management unit 2-a, a control unit 2-b, a first communication unit 2-c, a first communication line 2-d, a second communication unit 2-e, Second communication line 2-f, communication service execution unit 2-
g, communication service line 2-h, charging change database 2
-I.

The authentication terminal device 3 includes, as shown in FIG. 2B, authentication data input means 3-a, various condition input means 3-b, communication means 3-c, input / output control section 3-d, communication line 3-e, It consists of an authentication medium 3-f. Charge center device 5 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1A, the charge settlement section 5-a, a charging destination database 5-b, a communication section 5-c, an input / output control section 5-d, and a communication line 5-e.

FIG. 4 shows a flow of processing according to an embodiment of the present invention. The authentication medium input (S1) is performed by the authentication terminal device 3. When the authentication medium 3-f is connected to the authentication data input means 3-a, the authentication terminal device 3 communicates with the communication means 3
-C and the communication line 3-e, communication with the authentication center device 1 is started, and the connection between the authentication terminal device 3 and the authentication center device 1 is established.

The authentication medium 3-f may be an IC card, a magnetic card, a fingerprint, a voice, a keyboard, or any other medium capable of exchanging data for performing authentication. And a billing destination ID. When the authentication medium 3-f does not record the billing destination ID, the authentication data input means 3- comprising a keyboard, for example.
Operate a to input the billing destination ID. The authentication data input means 3-a is an interface means for exchanging data with the authentication medium 3-f.

The communication line 3-e is a communication medium for connecting the authentication terminal device 3 to the authentication center device 1 and exchanging data, and includes an analog telephone line, a digital telephone line, a mobile telephone line, a dedicated line, and others. May be a communication medium,
Alternatively, the connection may be made only to the authentication center 1. When the connection between the authentication terminal device 3 and the authentication center device 1 is made, authentication data verification is performed between the authentication center device 1 and the authentication terminal device 3 (S2). In this authentication data verification, data is exchanged between the authentication medium 3-f connected to the authentication terminal device 3 and the authentication data verification unit 1-a in the authentication center device 1, and the data is stored in the authentication database 1-h . Based on
Authentication of the authentication medium 3-f and authentication of the billing destination ID are performed.

Here, the billing destination ID to be authenticated is the ID of a communication contractor, the ID of a credit contract, the ID of a center type prepaid system, or the ID of another system. Good. If the authentication fails, the reception is rejected (S3).
Notifies that the procedure for changing the billing destination failed.

If the authentication data verification (S2) succeeds, various conditions are input (S4). The use terminal ID, the use conditions, and the like are input from the various condition input means 3-b in the authentication terminal device 3, and are sent to the authentication center device 1. The various condition input means 3-b may be a keyboard, various buttons, or other interfaces, or may be a means for inputting from the authentication medium 3-f.

The used terminal ID is the ID of the communication terminal device 4 used by changing the billing destination from a normal billing destination, for example, the call terminal (line) to another billing destination by this registration process. For example, if it is a telephone, it may be a telephone number or another ID. Hereinafter, such a communication terminal device 4 is referred to as a chargeable destination changeable communication terminal device. The usage conditions indicate conditions when the chargeable destination changeable communication terminal device 4 is used, and the usage time zone, the usage time length, the number of times of use, the communication destination, and the usage fee payment to the terminal owner. Conditions,
Shows various conditions such as usage suspension conditions.

When the authentication center device 1 receives the used terminal ID and the usage conditions, it performs validity verification (S5).
In this validity verification, the validity verification unit 1-b refers to the database 1-i and determines whether the terminal ID and the use condition are valid or permitted, or whether the use condition is valid. Verify that is feasible. At this time, if necessary, the authentication center device 1 makes an inquiry to the communication center device 2 about the used terminal ID and the use conditions.

If the validity verification fails, the reception is rejected S3
Then, the authentication terminal device 3 notifies that the procedure for changing the billing destination has failed. If the validity verification is successful (S5), various conditions are registered (S6). The authentication center device 1 sends the billing destination ID, the used terminal ID, the usage conditions, and the like to the communication center device 2 that accommodates the communication terminal device 4 having the used terminal ID. The destination ID, the terminal ID used, the usage conditions, and the like are sent to the setting data management unit 2-a, and the setting data management unit 2-a registers the data in the charging change database 2-i.

If necessary, the communication center device 2 notifies the communication terminal device 4 having the used terminal ID of a change in accounting including usage conditions and the like. In the communication center device 2,
When the data is registered in the charging change database 2-i, communication is waited for (S7), and a communication request from the communication terminal device 4 having the registered used terminal ID is monitored.

Whether the registered use condition is not satisfied,
The setting is canceled when the procedure for suspension of use is performed (S
13) The registration of the target data in the charging change database 2-i is deleted by the setting data management unit 2-a. If necessary, a notification of the end of use is sent to the communication terminal device 4 having the used terminal ID. When communication is requested from the communication terminal device 4 in which the used terminal ID is registered to the communication center device 2 (communication request (S8)), the setting data management unit 2-a of the communication center device 2 checks the use condition ( Usage condition inspection (S
9)) is performed, and it is checked whether the communication of the requested communication terminal device 4 satisfies or does not satisfy the use condition. Specifically, an inspection is performed to determine whether the time is within a set time zone, whether a communication destination satisfies a condition, and the like.

When the use condition is not satisfied, the normal charge, that is, the charge communication to the communication terminal device 4 is generally performed (S10). In some cases, based on the cause of not satisfying the usage conditions, communication based on normal billing (S10) is performed, or communication is disabled (communication rejected (S1
4)). When the usage conditions are satisfied, the communication charging destination is changed to the charging destination of the registered charging destination ID (charging destination change (S11)), and communication is started (communication (S12)).

At this time, charging at the time of communication is performed by specifying the charging destination ID and charging the charging center device 5. When the communication is completed, the communication waits again (S7), the communication terminal 4 having the registered used terminal ID enters a monitoring state for a communication request, and this operation is repeated. Embodiment 2 FIG. 3B shows another embodiment of the present invention. This system comprises an authentication center device 1, a communication center device 2, an authentication terminal device 3, a communication terminal device 4, and a charge center device 5, as in FIG. 1A. In this embodiment, the authentication terminal device 3 is an authentication center. The communication terminal 4 is connected to the communication terminal 4 via a line instead of the device 1.

As shown in FIG. 5A, parts corresponding to those in FIG. 1B are denoted by the same reference numerals, as shown in FIG. 5A, the first communication means 1-c with the authentication terminal apparatus 3 from FIG.
-F is omitted, and the other is the same as FIG. 1B. The authentication terminal device 3 is, as shown in FIG. 5B, a communication unit 3 shown in FIG. 2B.
-C and the connection line 3-e are omitted, and a connection means 3-g and a connection medium 3-h are provided instead.

FIG. 6 shows the flow of the process of the second embodiment, in which parts corresponding to those in FIG. Hereinafter, only differences from the first embodiment will be described. The authentication terminal device connection (S1-1) and the authentication medium insertion (S1-
2) is performed by the authentication terminal device 3. Authentication medium 3
-F is connected to the authentication data input means 3-a, and
When the authentication terminal device 3 is connected to the communication terminal device 4, an authentication communication connection S1-3 is performed, and the authentication terminal device 3 connects the communication terminal device 4 to the authentication medium 3-f through the connection means 3-g and the connection medium 3-h. Control and starts communication with the authentication center device 1.

The connection medium 3-h is an interface for connecting the authentication terminal device 3 to the communication terminal device 4 and exchanging data with the authentication center device 1 through the communication terminal device 4, and includes voice, PB sound, serial An interface, a parallel interface, an infrared ray, an analog telephone interface, a digital telephone interface, and other interfaces may be used.

Authentication data verification S2 and subsequent steps are the same as in the first embodiment.

[0033]

As described above, according to the present invention, by separating an authentication terminal device having an authentication function from a communication terminal device having a communication function, a general communication terminal having no authentication function can be provided. It is also possible to change the billing destination. In addition, since the communication terminal device and the authentication terminal device are separated from each other, it is possible to perform communication with a terminal that requires designation of a billing destination even by an authentication operation of a third party separated from the communication party.

In addition, since the portable authentication terminal device can be connected to the communication terminal device (the system of claim 2), it becomes possible to authenticate the billing destination anytime and anywhere where the communication terminal device exists. . Also, by designating various call conditions such as a talk time length, a talk time zone, the number of calls, a call destination, and the like, flexible third-party billing can be performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1A is a block diagram illustrating an example of a system configuration according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of an authentication center device 1;

2A is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration example of a communication center device 2 in FIG. 1A, and FIG. 2B is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration example of an authentication terminal device 3 in FIG. 1A.

3A is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration example of a charge center device 5 in FIG. 1A, and FIG. 3B is a block diagram illustrating a system configuration example of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a flow of a process according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5A is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration example of an authentication center device 1 according to a second embodiment, and FIG. 5B is an authentication terminal device 3 according to the second embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a flow of a process according to a second embodiment.

Continuation of front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04M 15/00

Claims (8)

(57) [Claims] An authentication separation type communication system comprising an authentication terminal device, an authentication center device, a communication center device, and a communication terminal device, wherein an interface with an authentication medium storing an authentication medium ID and a billing destination ID is provided. Authentication data input means for taking, condition input means for inputting a use terminal ID and use conditions from a user, data exchange between the authentication medium and the authentication center device,
The authentication terminal device having communication means for transmitting the use terminal ID and a use condition input by a user to the authentication center device; and authentication of the validity of the authentication medium by the data exchange and the billing destination. Authentication data verification means for authenticating an ID; validity verification means for verifying the validity of the use terminal ID and the use conditions based on the received use terminal ID and use conditions; the use terminal ID and the accounting destination An authentication center device having means for transmitting an ID and the use condition to the communication center device accommodating a communication terminal device corresponding to the use terminal ID; and the charging destination ID sent from the authentication center device And a charge change database storing the use terminal ID and the use condition; and a data setting management unit for managing the charge change database. And the communication center apparatus are accommodated in the communication center apparatus, the authentication separated communication system for a user, characterized in that it consists, and the communication terminal device used for communication. 2. The authentication-separated communication system according to claim 1, wherein the authentication terminal device is portable and has means for connecting to the communication terminal device. . 3. The authentication separation type communication system according to claim 1, wherein the communication center device is registered in the charging change database when a communication request is received from the communication terminal device. A setting data management unit for retrieving the used terminal ID and checking whether the communication request satisfies the usage condition of the charging change database; and performing a normal charging if the usage condition is not satisfied. A means for notifying the charge center device of a designation for changing the communication billing destination to the registered billing destination ID at the time of communication. 4. An authentication separation type communication system comprising an authentication terminal device, an authentication center device, a communication center device, and a communication terminal device, wherein the authentication center device authenticates the validity of an authentication medium by data exchange and bills. Destination ID
Authentication data verifying means for performing the authentication of the user terminal I and the use terminal ID and the use condition received.
D, a validity verification unit for verifying the validity of the use condition, and the communication center device accommodating a communication terminal device corresponding to the use terminal ID, the charging destination ID, and the use condition. The communication center device, upon receiving a communication request from the communication terminal device, searches for the use terminal ID registered in the charging change database, and transmits the communication request to the charging change database A setting data management unit for checking whether or not the use condition is satisfied; and a specification for performing a normal charge when the use condition is not satisfied, and changing a communication charge destination to the registered charge destination ID when the use condition is satisfied. Means for notifying the charge center apparatus of the authentication center apparatus and the communication center apparatus of the authentication separation type communication system. 5. An authentication separation type communication method in an authentication separation type communication system comprising an authentication terminal device, an authentication center device, a communication center device, and a communication terminal device, wherein the authentication terminal device stores a billing destination ID. Installing a medium, connecting the authentication terminal device to the authentication center, and authenticating the authentication medium and the billing destination ID between the authentication medium and the authentication center device. And, after passing the authentication, a step of inputting the use terminal ID and the use condition to the authentication terminal device, and the input use terminal ID and the use condition,
A process of transmitting from the authentication terminal device to the authentication center device; a process of verifying the validity of the use terminal ID and the use condition transmitted by the authentication center device; Transmitting the charging destination ID, the used terminal ID, and the use condition from the authentication center device to a communication center device that accommodates the communication terminal device of the used terminal ID; The above-mentioned billing destination ID
And storing the use terminal ID and the use condition. 6. The authentication separation type communication method according to claim 5, wherein the communication center device receives a communication request from the communication terminal device, and the communication center device uses the communication request condition. A step of checking whether or not the use condition registered in the above-mentioned use condition is satisfied. If the above-mentioned use condition is satisfied in the above-mentioned check, communication based on the communication request is performed in the billing destination ID registered with the use condition. And performing a normal charge if the use condition is not satisfied. 7. A method in an authentication center device and a communication center device in an authentication separation type communication system including an authentication terminal device, an authentication center device, a communication center device, and a communication terminal device, wherein the authentication center device performs data exchange. Authentication of authentication medium and accounting destination ID
Authentication process, and using the used terminal I based on the received used terminal ID and the use condition.
D, a step of verifying the validity of the use condition, and a step of transmitting the use terminal ID, the billing destination ID, and the use condition to the communication center device accommodating the communication terminal device corresponding to the use terminal ID. When the communication center device receives a communication request from the communication terminal device, the communication center device searches for the use terminal ID registered in the charging change database, and the communication request determines a use condition of the charging change database. A process of checking whether or not the charge condition is satisfied, and when the above use condition is not satisfied, a normal charge is performed, and when the use condition is satisfied, a designation for changing a communication charge destination to the registered charge destination ID is notified to the charge center device. Performing the authentication separation type communication method. 8. The authentication-separated communication method according to claim 7, wherein if it is determined in the inspection that the use condition is not satisfied, the communication terminal device is charged normally. An authentication-separated communication method, comprising the step of rejecting communication.