JP3350927B2 - Call billing device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a telephone billing apparatus used in accommodation facilities such as hotels.

[0002]

In recent years, in accommodation facilities such as hotels, a card as a magnetic medium purchased by a user in advance for a fee such as a pay TV or a telephone used by a customer indoors at a predetermined amount is used. It is known that a billing device for automatically debiting from a guest room is provided for each guest room so as to simplify the front desk business. In this case, in particular, the call billing apparatus relating to the telephone dials from the calling side to the called side, and the called side answers (hookup) the call.
At this time, the calling side detects that the polarity of the communication path has been reversed, and starts charging the communication charge.

[0003] However, when individual telephone terminals are not directly connected to the communication path but are connected to the communication path via a common exchange, inexpensive exchanges that have become widespread, the exchanges are limited due to functional limitations due to cost reduction. The polarity inversion at the time of the above-described incoming call response is not performed on the line from the terminal to each telephone terminal. Therefore, replacement of the exchange with an expensive exchange having no such functional limitation has imposed a cost burden on the installer side.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problem, and even if an exchange in which the polarity is not inverted at the time of answering an incoming call is installed, the charge of the call charge is reliably started at each telephone terminal side. The called party
It is an object of the present invention to provide a call charge accounting apparatus capable of charging from a call charge based on a dial number .

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, a call charge accounting apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a polarity inversion detecting unit for detecting a polarity inversion of a communication channel; and a polarity inversion detection by the polarity inversion detection unit. A signal sound generating unit that receives and sends out a signal sound to the communication path, and a signal sound detection unit that detects the signal sound transmitted from the communication path through the exchange, along the line from the exchange to the telephone terminal, Operate with the phone terminal
A dial number detecting section for detecting the dialed number, and a charge for calling charges is started upon receiving the signal tone detection by the signal tone detecting section, and the dial number detected by the dial number detecting section.
From, charging while changing the charging speed for each area of the calling side
And a control unit for performing the control.

In this case, when the dialing is performed by the telephone terminal on the calling side and the receiving side inverts the polarity of the communication path in response to the dialing, the polarity inversion detecting unit detects the polarity inversion, and the signal tone generating unit causes To send out a signal tone. The signal tone is sent out from the communication channel to the line through the exchange, and detected by the signal tone detection unit. In response to this, the control unit starts charging the call fee, and the dial number detection unit
From the detected dial number, the billing speed for each calling area
Charge at different degrees. Therefore, even inexpensive exchanges in which polarity inversion is not performed when answering an incoming call to a line, even if each telephone terminal side reliably starts toll billing based on the signal tone sent to the line through the exchange , To the dial number detected by the dial number detector
The charge can be made from the call fee based on the call .

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The charging apparatus disclosed in this embodiment is used in accommodation facilities such as hotels, and charges a usage fee of a pay television in addition to a call charge.

Referring to FIG. 2 showing the overall configuration of the accounting apparatus, in FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a plurality of communication paths corresponding to communication lines (external lines), and 2 denotes an MDF corresponding to a collective wiring board. Reference numerals 1 are respectively connected to exchanges 3 installed in accommodation facilities on the subscriber side. In the communication path 1 between the MDF 2 and the exchange 3, there is provided a response detector 4 which forms a part of a call charge accounting device which is a feature of the present invention, which will be described later in detail.

As is well known, the exchange 3 is installed on the premises of the subscriber, connects the telephone terminals 5 corresponding to the extension, and connects the telephone terminals 5 to each other by using the communication path 1 to a telephone office (not shown). A connection is made with a receiving terminal (not shown). The telephone terminals 5 are installed in each guest room, and each of the plurality of telephone terminals 5 is connected to the exchange 3 by a line 6. Reference numeral 7 denotes a wall surface modular, which is provided at a location that is not exposed indoors so that the telephone terminal 5 cannot be replaced. In the middle of the line 6 extending from the exchange 3 to the telephone terminal 5 and near the telephone terminal 5 in the same room, a telephone billing machine 8 which is a part of a call billing device is provided. A display unit 9 for displaying a card frequency and the like is provided on the front side of the telephone billing machine 8. The internal configuration will be described later in detail.

On the other hand, reference numeral 11 denotes a TV monitor provided in the same guest room. The TV monitor 11 is provided with a CCTV (closed circuit television) terminal 12 also serving as a card insertion machine. The CCTV terminal 12 transmits video image information distributed from a center (not shown) through a coaxial cable 13,
Displayed on a TV monitor 11, a remote control light receiving unit 14 for receiving a signal from a remote control device (remote control) (not shown) and a card 15 as a storage medium are provided on the front side.
Is provided with a card insertion slot 16 into which a card can be inserted. Also, CC
A connection line 17 for transmitting mutual information is connected between the TV terminal 12 and the telephone billing machine 8. The card 15 is purchased in advance by a user of the accommodation facility by paying a predetermined amount. At first, data of a balance corresponding to the amount of payment is stored in the card 15 as a frequency. And card 15
Is inserted into the card slot 16 and a video of a specific pay channel is watched on the TV monitor 11 or a telephone call is made with the outside through the telephone terminal 5, the usage fee is charged and stored in the card 15. The frequency is rewritten by the CCTV terminal 12.

Next, with respect to the above configuration, a detailed description will be given of a part related to a call charge accounting apparatus with reference to FIG. The response detector 4 is provided in the communication path 1 in the accommodation facility and in front of the exchange 3. The response detector 4 detects the polarity inversion of the communication channel 1 in addition to the display unit 9 and receives a detection signal from the polarity inversion detection unit 21 that outputs the detection signal and a detection signal from the polarity inversion detection unit 21. A signal sound generator 22 for generating a signal sound of about 100 Hz (105 Hz in this embodiment) lower than the audible band of the telephone terminal 5 for a certain period of time and sending it out to the communication path 1, and a signal from the signal sound generator 22. A mixing unit 23 that superimposes a sound on a signal in the communication path 1 and a signal sound is generated from the communication path 1 to the central office by operating for a fixed time only when a signal sound is generated in conjunction with the signal sound generation unit 22. And a filter 24 for shutting off.

[0012] On the other hand, telephone billing machine is in the later stage of the exchange 3 8
Detects a signal tone transmitted from the communication line 1 through the exchange 3 in the middle of the line 6 and outputs a signal tone detection unit 31 for outputting the detection signal. A polarity reversal detector / hookup detector having a function of detecting a hookup and a hookdown of the telephone terminal 5 as well as a function of a polarity reversal detector for detecting the polarity reversal of the line 6 and outputting the detection signal. Unit 32, a dial number detecting unit 33 for detecting a dial number operated on the telephone terminal 5 side, and receiving a detection signal from the signal tone detecting unit 31 or the polarity reversal detecting unit / hookup detecting unit 32 to charge a call charge. From the dial number detected by the dial number detection unit 33, and inserted into the card insertion slot 16 as a processing CPU 34 as a control unit that performs charging while changing the charging speed for each area of the calling side. Card frequency display unit 35 for displaying the frequency of card 15, processing CPU 34, and CCTV terminal device
And a TV terminal communication unit 36 for communicating with the TV terminal 12.

The processing CPU 34 performs charging control relating to the telephone terminal 5. Charging control relating to pay television which can be viewed on the TV monitor 11 is performed by the CCTV terminal 12.
It is done in. Further, the dial number detection unit 33 receives a pulse signal from the telephone terminal 5 and a DTMF (Dial Tone
Multi-frequency (Multi Frequency) signal.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described with reference to the waveform diagram of FIG. When the user wants to make an outside line call using the telephone terminal 5 or view a pay TV using the TV monitor 11 in the guest room, the card 15 prepared in advance is inserted into the card insertion slot 16. The balance information is stored in the card 15 as a frequency, and the frequency is immediately read from the card information reading unit of the CCTV terminal 12 and sent to the processing CPU 34 via the connection line 17 and the TV terminal communication unit 36. The processing CPU 34 temporarily stores the frequency, and displays the frequency on the card frequency display unit 35, for example, in the form of a numeral. As a result, the user can know how many frequencies remain in the card 15.

When making an external call using the telephone terminal 5, a dial operation unit (not shown) of the telephone terminal 5 is used.
Operate to input and specify the dialed number of the called party. The dial number from the telephone terminal 5 is sent out from the line 6 to the telephone office via the exchange 3 and the communication path 1, and the called terminal (not shown) of the corresponding dial number is called.
At the same time, the telephone billing machine 8
Detects the dial number input and specified by the telephone terminal 5,
This is sent to the processing CPU. The processing CPU 34
The distance from the telephone terminal 5 to the called terminal is determined based on the dial number, and a call charge corresponding to the distance is calculated and temporarily stored.

When the receiving terminal responds, that is, hooks up, the polarity of the communication path 1 from the receiving terminal to the exchange 3 is reversed, but the line 6 from the exchange 3 to the telephone terminal 5 is reversed.
As described above, the polarity does not reverse due to the function limitation of the exchange 3 as described above. However, the polarity reversal detection unit 21 that forms a part of the response detector 4 detects that the polarity of the communication channel 1 has been reversed and sends out a detection signal to the signal tone generation unit 22, so that the signal tone generation unit 22 Upon receiving this detection signal, a signal sound of 105 Hz is immediately transmitted from the mixing unit 23 into the communication path 1. At this time, the signal sound is attenuated to some extent when passing through the exchange 3 due to the filter characteristics of the exchange 3, but is sent out to the line 6 from the exchange 3 to the calling telephone terminal 5,
This is detected by the signal tone detector 31 of the telephone billing machine 8. Therefore, the signal sound generator 22 outputs 105 Hz
It must have a function of outputting a relatively high-level signal sound so that the signal sound can be reliably detected. On the other hand, at the same time as the signal sound generating section 22 generates the signal sound, the filter 24 located closer to the central office than the mixing section 23 can effectively remove the signal of about 100 Hz (105 Hz in this embodiment) contained in the communication path 1. To shut off. As a result, the signal sound generator 22
Even in a situation where the signal tone from the terminal must be output to a high level to some extent due to the characteristics of the exchange 3, unnecessary signal tone can be prevented from being sent to the central office.

Incidentally, it is preferable that the signal sound from the signal sound generating section 22 is generated for a fixed time, that is, preferably for 800 mSec to 1 Sec. Signal tone detector at this time
Waveform of line 6 detected at 31 (signal component is 105 Hz)
Is as shown in FIG. When the voltage level in the band around the signal sound exceeds the threshold value L, the signal sound detection unit 31 activates a built-in timer. It is determined that the signal sound is from the signal sound generation unit 22 representing the polarity inversion, and the detection signal is sent to the processing CPU. On the other hand, the human voice sent out from the telephone terminal 5 to the track 6 is
In a normal case, it is extremely difficult to continuously output a sound of about 100 Hz for about 800 mSec to 1 Sec, and the voltage level temporarily falls below the threshold L during the predetermined time T. Therefore, in this case, it is not determined that the signal sound is from the signal sound generation unit 22, and the detection signal is not sent to the processing CPU. As a result, it is possible to reliably prevent the signal detection unit 31 from erroneously detecting a human voice sent from the telephone terminal 5. In addition,
The predetermined time T is set in consideration of the generation time of the signal sound from the signal sound generation unit 22, and is set to be equal to or slightly shorter than the generation time of the signal sound. In any case, the generation time of the signal sound and the predetermined time T are set to be longer than the time during which a human voice can continuously emit a sound at around 100 Hz. Further, the signal sound from the signal sound generation unit 22 may be at a frequency other than that of the embodiment, but at a frequency of about 3 kHz, the signal sound is audible from the telephone terminal 5 and is unpleasant.
Hz is most preferable.

When the generation of the signal sound by the signal sound generation unit 22 ends, the operation of the filter 24 also stops. As described above, by synchronizing the operation of the filter 24 with the signal sound generating unit 22, unnecessary filters other than when a signal sound is generated are provided.
24 can be prevented from intervening in the communication path 1.

When the signal tone detector 31 detects the signal tone in the line 6, the processing CPU 34 receives the detection signal from the signal tone detector 31 and starts charging the telephone charge. Then, during a call, the frequency is subtracted at regular intervals from the call charge based on the dialed number of the called party already stored,
This is displayed on the card frequency display section 35. When the telephone terminal 5 hangs up the receiver and the call ends, the information is sent to the processing CPU 34 by the hook-up detecting unit 32,
The charging of the telephone fee ends. At the same time, the data of the new frequency, after deducting the call charge, is sent from the processing CPU 34 to the CCTV terminal 12 via the TV terminal communication unit 36 and the connection line 17, and the card inserted into the card insertion slot 16
The data of this new frequency is rewritten and stored in 15.

Separately, the card 15 is inserted into the card slot 16.
When the pay TV is viewed on the TV monitor 11 in a state where is inserted, the CCTV terminal 12 performs the charging control until the viewing of the pay TV is completed. When the viewing of the pay television is finished, a new frequency in consideration of the usage fee up to now is rewritten and stored in the card 15 inserted into the card insertion slot 16.

In this embodiment, the telephone billing machine 8
Since the line 6 is provided with the hookup detecting unit / polarity reversing detecting unit 32, if the exchange 3 has a function of inverting the polarity of each line 6 or if the exchange 3 itself does not exist, the hook Up detector / Polarity reversal detector 32
The polarity inversion function can be directly detected by using the polarity inversion function. And in this case, when the called party hangs up,
Since the polarity of the line 6 returns to its original state and the timing of the end of charging can be detected here, not only the function as the hook-up detection unit becomes unnecessary, but also the hook-up response detector 4 becomes unnecessary. As described above, the telephone billing machine 8 is provided with the hook-up detection unit / polarity reversal detection unit 32 and the response detector 4 separately. The charging control can be performed by detecting the polarity inversion by the device 8 alone.

As described above, in the above embodiment, the polarity inversion detecting section 21 for detecting the polarity inversion of the communication path 1 and the signal for transmitting the signal tone to the communication path 1 in response to the polarity inversion detection by the polarity inversion detection section 21. The sound generator 22 and the signal sound transmitted from the communication path 1 through the exchange 3 are transmitted from the exchange 3 to the telephone terminal 5.
A tone detection unit 31 for detecting in the middle of the line 6 leading to a telephone
Dial number for detecting the dial number operated on terminal 5
In response to the detection of the signal tone by the detection unit 33 and the signal tone detection unit 31, the call charge is started and detected by the dial number detection unit 33.
From the dialed number
It has a processing CPU 34 as a control unit that performs billing while changing .

In this case, when the dialing is performed by the telephone terminal 5 on the calling side and the receiving side inverts the polarity of the communication channel 1 in response to the dialing, the polarity inversion detecting unit 21 receives the polarity inversion detection, and
The signal tone generator 22 sends out a signal tone to the communication path 1. The signal sound is sent out from the communication line 1 to the line 6 through the exchange 3, and is detected by the signal sound detection unit 31. In response to this, the processing CPU 34 starts charging a call charge and detects a dial number. Is the dial number detected by part 33
Billing while changing the billing rate for each area of the calling party.
Now. Therefore, even for an inexpensive exchange 3 in which the polarity is not inverted when answering an incoming call to the line 6, it is ensured that each telephone terminal side charges a call charge based on the signal sound sent to the line 6 through the exchange 3. Let the start
Call charges based on the dialed number detected by the phone number detector
Can be charged .

Further, in this embodiment, since the filter 24 for blocking the leakage of the signal sound from the communication path 1 to the telephone station is interposed in the communication path 1, an unnecessary signal sound is generated on the telephone station side. It can be prevented from being sent out. Moreover, this filter 24
Operates in conjunction with the signal sound generator 22, so that the filter 24 does not operate except when a signal sound is generated, and the filter 24 can effectively obtain a signal sound blocking effect only when necessary. In addition, the signal sound generating unit 22 of the present embodiment generates a signal sound for a certain period of time, and the signal sound detecting unit 31 continues for a predetermined time T or more in a state where the voltage level in the band around the signal sound exceeds the threshold L. When this is done, it is configured that this is determined to be the signal sound from the signal sound generation unit 22 for the first time. In this case, especially when the signal sound is set to around 100 Hz, and the time period during which the human voice can continuously emit a sound at around 100 Hz is set, and the generation time of the signal sound and the predetermined time T are set, the telephone terminal 5 may cause annoying sound. It is possible to reliably prevent the signal detection unit 31 from erroneously detecting a signal transmitted from the telephone terminal 5 without being transmitted.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made. In this embodiment, a combination with a billing device for pay television is shown, but it is also possible to combine with other billing devices or use it alone. In addition to the charging method using the card 15 as in the present embodiment, various forms of storage media may be used, or coins and bills may be directly inserted.

[0026]

According to the present invention, there is provided a telephone billing apparatus for detecting a polarity inversion of a communication channel, and a signal tone for transmitting a signal tone to the communication channel upon detection of the polarity inversion by the polarity inversion detection unit. A generator, a signal tone detector that detects the signal tone sent from the communication path through the switch in the middle of a line from the switch to a telephone terminal, and a telephone terminal.
Dial number detection to detect the dial number operated at the end
And parts, receives the tone detection according to the tone detecting unit starts charging for the call charge, and detected by the dial number detector da
Do not change the billing rate for each calling area from the
And a control unit for performing billing. Even if an exchange is installed that does not perform polarity reversal when answering an incoming call, it is ensured that individual telephone terminals will start billing for call charges, and that they are already stored. Based on the called party's dialed number
Billing can be performed based on the following call charges .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a billing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory diagram of the charging device according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a waveform diagram of a line detected by the signal sound detection unit according to the first embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Call path 3 Exchange 5 Telephone terminal 6 Line 21 Polarity reversal detection part 22 Signal tone generation part 31 Signal tone detection part33 Dial number detector  34processingCPU (control unit)

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-5-300275 (JP, A) JP-A-6-30238 (JP, A) JP-A-5-191534 (JP, A) 116652 (JP, A) JP-A-7-143255 (JP, A) JP-A-5-68163 (JP, U) JP-A-5-68162 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04M 15/00 H04M 1/00 H04M 15/16

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A polarity inversion detecting unit for detecting polarity inversion of a communication channel, a signal sound generating unit for receiving a signal of the polarity inversion detected by the polarity inversion detection unit and transmitting a signal tone to the communication channel, Said signal tone sent through the exchange,
A signal tone detection unit for detecting a signal tone along the line from the exchange to the telephone terminal, and a dial number operated by the telephone terminal;
A dial number detecting unit for issuing a call, and starting to charge a call charge upon receiving a signal tone detection by the signal tone detecting unit.
From the dialed number detected by the number detector,
And a control unit that performs charging while changing the charging speed for each area .