JP2002325151A - Portable communication terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a portable communication terminal that calculates a communication charge so as to warn it to a possessor of the terminal when the communication charge exceeds a preset value thereby urging the possessor to reduce the communication charge. SOLUTION: The portable communication terminal is characterized in that it is provided with a base charge setting means 1 that sets a charge per unit consumed quantity in a charging system where the communication charge increases with the consumed quantity, a warning charge setting means 2 that sets a warning charge raising a warning when the communication charge exceeds a prescribed charge, an alarm type selection means 3 that selects a type of alarm, a charge measurement means 4 that measures the charge from the start of connection based on the setting by the base charge setting means 1, and a warning means 5 that raises warning by the alarm selected by the alarm type selection means 3 when the measured charge exceeds the warning charge set by the warning charge setting means 2. The warning charge setting means 2 sets a charge per unit time for a speech and sets a charge per unit data for data communication.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a portable communication terminal such as a portable telephone or a portable information terminal, and more particularly to a portable communication terminal having a function of warning a communication fee.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, the functions of portable communication terminals such as portable telephones and personal digital assistants have been improved, so that not only voice communication but also data communication can be performed, which leads to WWW (World Wide Web). Now you can browse the Internet homepage and exchange e-mail.

[0003] On the other hand, however, the communication charges charged by each communication carrier tend to increase significantly as the time of line connection increases.

[0004] Conventionally, as a portable communication terminal designed to reduce the communication fee as much as possible, for example, in the portable terminal described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-190845,
In a communication system in which mobile terminals with mobile communication functions are connected via multiple types of mobile communication networks, various types of filtering can be specified for data to be communicated, and based on the amount of data when the specified filtering is applied. A communication fee is calculated for each mobile communication network so that the cheapest mobile communication network can be automatically selected.

In the portable telephone described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 09-331409, the call rate can be determined by sounding the notification sound without looking at the LCD even during a call, and the rate transmitted from the base station can be reduced. The charge rate storing means for storing the data and the clock means for measuring the call time allow the user to be conscious of the call charge.

The mobile phone described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-7946 calculates and displays the remaining communication fee of the communication time and the fixed monthly charge. The communication time is measured by a timer during the communication, and the communication time is a predetermined time. Is exceeded, a sound notification is given, the time is converted into a communication time and a communication fee in a reference communication time zone, and displayed on the display when the communication is completed.

In the wireless communication device described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-340394, budget information and accumulated charge information are received and stored from a connection device, and the value of the stored accumulated charge information is stored. If the value is exceeded, restrict outgoing calls.

[0008] More recently, a service for publishing communication charges used by a mobile phone or a mobile terminal on the base station side on an Internet homepage established by the communication carrier or distributing the communication charges used for the mobile phone. Is provided, and there is also a technology to inform the owner.

[0009]

However, these prior arts have the following problems. The first problem is that
Even if the communication path is set to the cheapest, the communication fee changes depending on the communication time or data communication volume of the holder, and is not a direct means for promoting reduction of the fee.

[0010] The second problem is that the charge rate sent from the base station is often an optional service at the time of contract with the telecommunications carrier, and since the service is charged, the frequency of use is low. There are few at present.

A third problem is that even if the information is posted on an Internet homepage, it cannot be understood unless the owner himself / herself browses the homepage. In addition, the amount of communication at the time of browsing is added. It is the present situation.

The fourth problem is that the distribution of communication charges is often a paid optional service, and furthermore,
If the mobile phone is in use or the power is turned off at the time of distribution from the base station, there is a problem that the distribution is not performed.

[0013] The present invention solves the above problems, and calculates the communication fee on the portable communication terminal side to warn the holder when the communication fee exceeds a preset value, The purpose is to encourage reduction of fees.

[0014]

As shown in FIG. 1, a portable communication terminal according to the present invention comprises a basic charge setting means 1 for setting a charge per unit usage in a charging system in which the communication charge increases with the usage. A warning fee setting means 2 for setting a warning fee for warning when a certain fee is exceeded,
Alarm type selection means 3 for selecting the type of alarm;
A charge measuring means 4 for measuring a charge from the start of connection based on the setting by the basic charge setting means 1 and an alarm type selecting means 3 when the measured charge exceeds the warning charge set by the warning charge setting means 2 And a warning means 5 for giving a warning by a set alarm.

The warning charge setting means 1 sets a charge per unit time in the case of a telephone call, and sets a charge per unit data amount in the case of data communication.

A circuit disconnecting means 6 for automatically disconnecting the circuit after the warning by the warning means 5 may be provided. In this case, the alarm type selecting means 3 can select whether or not to perform automatic disconnection by the circuit disconnecting means 6.

[0017]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a circuit configuration diagram for realizing the present invention. Radio waves are received / transmitted by the radio unit 201 connected to the antenna. This radio wave is generated as a digital signal by a modulation / demodulation circuit and an electric field detector 202 as a baseband signal, and is received / transmitted to the controller 216. The control unit 216 is executed by a program stored in the ROM 205, and performs location registration management, transmission / reception management, sequence management, and various man-machine operations in cooperation with the RAM 206. The charge control circuit 204 also manages the charge of the battery 208 jointly.

The control unit 216 to which the clock pulse is supplied from the clock generation unit 209 includes a power switch 215, an LED unit 214, a sounding unit 213, a vibrator operation unit 212, a keyboard 210, an LCD display unit 2 in addition to the above.
11 peripheral circuits are connected, and the contents set by the holder and the contents of the e-mail are stored in the FLASHROM 207.
Is stored in

Next, the operation will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 schematically illustrates the relationship between the mobile communication terminal and the network. A communication terminal 101 connecting a personal computer and a mobile phone, a mobile information terminal 102 having a mobile phone function, or a mobile phone 103 having a browser or mail function transmits and receives data to and from the base station 104. The base station 104 has a network configuration, and includes an e-mail server 105, a WEB server 106,
107 and the like.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the setting of the fee warning of the portable communication terminal. On the charge warning initial setting screen 301, “charge setting” and “warning type” are displayed as selection menus. If “charge setting” is selected here, the screen changes to the basic charge setting screen 302, and the communication service provider You can now enter the contracted billing system. On the basic charge setting screen 302, in the case of a telephone call (voice communication), it is possible to input a number of yen per second in a number of seconds. In this case, it is possible to input a unit byte number of one packet and a unit price of one packet.

On the other hand, when the "warning type" is selected, the screen changes to a warning content input screen 303, and a warning is displayed during a call, a warning during a call + packet communication, a warning during a packet communication,
Check boxes can be selected, and the price for each warning is set. When a warning method is selected for each check item, the screen changes to a warning method selection screen 304, where the sound of the warning and the volume at that time can be set, and it is also possible to select whether to operate with an LED or a vibrator. Further, a warning time can be set, and after the warning time elapses, the terminal can be set to a desired customization so that the terminal can automatically select an operation of disconnecting the line.

FIG. 5 is an operation flowchart showing a communication operation during a call according to the present invention. The owner performs a calling operation from the standby state (step 401), and when the connection with the other party is completed, starts the charge measurement timer and enters the call state (steps 402 to 405). When the value of the charge measurement timer elapses after the unit time of the call set on the basic charge setting screen 302 in FIG. 4 has elapsed, the value obtained by adding the unit price to the previous call integrated charge is stored as the current call integrated charge ( Steps 406 to 408). Thereafter, it is determined whether or not the accumulated call charge this time is equal to or greater than the value of the warning charge set on the warning content input screen 303 of FIG. 4 (step 409). The sound, LED and vibrator set in 304 are started, and a warning operation timer is started (step 4).
10, 411).

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the operation at the time of packet communication for charging based on the data transmission / reception amount according to the present invention. The owner is in a waiting state (step 50)
The transmission operation is performed from 1), and when the connection with the other party is completed, the packet communication and the measurement of the amount of transmitted / received data are started (steps 502 to 504). When the owner sends and receives data such as sending and receiving e-mails and browsing the Internet homepage, the amount of data sent and received is reduced to the basic charge setting screen 3 shown in
If the unit byte number of one packet set in 02 is exceeded (step 505), the sum of the previous packet integration fee and the packet unit fee is stored as the current packet integration fee (step 506). Thereafter, it is determined whether or not the current packet integration charge is equal to or greater than the value of the warning charge set on the warning content input screen 303 in FIG. 4 (step 507). The sound, LED, and vibrator operations set in 304 are started, and a warning operation timer is started (step 50).
8, 509).

FIG. 7 shows an operation flowchart after the warning operation timer described in FIGS. 5 and 6 is started. When the warning operation timer times out (step 601), the operating sound, LED, and vibrator are stopped (step 602), and the line is automatically disconnected after the warning time set on the warning method selection screen 304 in FIG. The condition for setting whether or not to perform is determined (step 603), and if the setting is not to disconnect the line, the processing is terminated as it is (step 605). If the line is to be disconnected, the current communication state is checked (step 604). If the communication content is a telephone call, the line of the telephone call is disconnected and the processing is terminated (steps 607 and 611). If it is not a call, it is in a packet communication state, so it is first checked whether it is in a connection established state with the server (step 608). If it is in a connection established state, it performs a disconnection process with the server (step 609). A line disconnection process is performed, and the process ends (steps 610 and 611).

As another embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to set whether or not to notify the other party of the charge alarm, so that when the charge alarm occurs, the other party can be notified by voice. Thus, a warning can be prompted to the other party.

Further, the current communication charge is displayed at the time of making a call, and if the current integrated charge is equal to or greater than the set warning charge, the current charge is provided to the holder, such as sounding, LED, and vibrating. There may be an embodiment in which the user is conscious to promote the charge reduction.

[0028]

The first effect of the present invention is that the owner knows his / her own usage fee earlier than the fee charged by the telecommunications carrier on a monthly basis, so that the owner is encouraged to reduce the fee. be able to. The second effect is that the terminal can calculate the usage fee and warn the user regardless of whether the communication carrier's charge type is the communication time or the data communication amount. A third effect is that, by having a function of automatically disconnecting the line after the elapse of the warning operation, the holder can be encouraged to reduce the fee.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a circuit configuration diagram for realizing the configuration of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram schematically illustrating a relationship between a mobile communication terminal and a network.

FIG. 4 is a transition diagram of a charge warning initial setting screen, a basic charge setting screen, a warning content input screen, and a warning method selection screen.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a communication operation during a call.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a packet communication operation.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a warning operation timer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Basic charge setting means 2 Warning charge setting means 3 Alarm type selection means 4 Charge measurement means 5 Warning means 6 Circuit disconnection means 201 Radio section 202 Modulation / demodulation circuit and electric field detection section 204 Charge control circuit 205 ROM 206 RAM 207 FLASHROM 208 Battery 209 Clock generation unit 210 Keyboard 211 LCD display unit 212 Vibrator operation unit 213 Sound unit 214 LED unit 215 Power switch 216 Control unit 301 Charge warning initial setting screen 302 Basic charge setting screen 303 Warning contents input screen 304 Warning method selection screen

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Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A basic charge setting means for setting a charge per unit usage in a charging method in which a communication charge increases with usage, and a warning charge for setting a warning charge for warning when a certain fixed charge is exceeded. Setting means, alarm type selecting means for selecting the type of alarm, charge measuring means for measuring a charge from the start of connection based on the setting by the basic charge setting means, and the measured charge set by the warning charge setting means And a warning means for giving a warning by the alarm selected by the alarm type selection means when the warning fee is exceeded. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the warning charge setting means sets a charge per unit time in the case of a telephone call, and sets a charge per unit data amount in the case of a data communication. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 1. 3. The portable communication terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a circuit disconnecting means for automatically disconnecting the circuit after the warning by the warning means. 4. The portable communication terminal according to claim 3, wherein the alarm type selecting means can select whether or not to perform automatic disconnection by the circuit disconnecting means.