JPH114310A - Private branch of exchange system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow a data terminal with a MODEM contained in a private branch of exchange to directly make a dial to a public network in the case of connection to a trunk line without dialing a specific number. SOLUTION: A class exclusive to a personal computer (PC class) for dialing to a public network such as the Internet is set to a private branch of exchange 1. In the case of arrival of a dial request from a terminal 4 having the PC class, the private branch of exchange connects a channel of the public network directly to a port of the terminal (an extension circuit of an exchange) to send a dial tone. In this case, a public network number is dialed without providing a special number to identify an external dialing. That is, dialing is made without revising setting of the terminal. After the end of communication, the PC class is provided to charging information and the resulting information is transmitted to a charging device 5. The speech charge is calculated and also the preset additional charge or the like is calculated by the charging device depending on the PC class different from other classes.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a private branch exchange,
In particular, it relates to a private branch exchange having an Internet port function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, private branch exchanges accommodate terminals such as extension telephones, facsimile machines and personal computers and lines such as central office lines and dedicated lines, and manage the connections between these terminals and lines and the management of communication charges. And other terminal services that provide terminal services centered on telephones are known.

Conventionally, as this type of private branch exchange, for example, a call charge management system (private branch exchange system) described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-74857 is known.
In this system, a personal computer is connected to the private branch exchange,
Communication information including a calling extension number, a destination dial number, a call charge, a call start time, and a call end time is transmitted from a private branch exchange to a personal computer, and the call charge is managed by a magnetic disk of the personal computer.

In this private branch exchange system, when an outside line is transmitted from a terminal connected to the private branch exchange, an outside line transmission special number is always dialed, an outside line is connected, and then a call is made to the public network. Otherwise, the extension is connected to each other, and the call charge is calculated based on a common table in the system.

[0005]

In the private branch exchange system described above, the terminals (telephones, facsimile machines, personal computers with modems, etc.) connected to the private branch exchange are premised on the connection between these terminals (inter-line interconnection). When a call is transmitted from the private branch exchange to the outside (public network and leased line), whether the line is an outside line or an internal line is identified using a special number or the like. There is such a problem.

Generally, as a method of transmitting a message to a public network or the like using a personal computer or the like, for example, an automatic transmission procedure (v25bis
/ Haze modem procedure), the setting (public) when connecting directly to the public network (when using at home, etc.) and when connecting to the private branch exchange (when using at a company or hotel, etc.) Network transmission special number, DP / PB, tone type, etc.).

[0007] In general, there is no setting of additional charges for telephone charges by terminals such as telephones, facsimile machines and personal computers, so that there is a problem that users cannot be charged at hotels and the like.

An object of the present invention is to provide a public network transmission special number, DP / P
It is an object of the present invention to provide a private branch exchange system that does not need to change settings such as B and tone type.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a private branch exchange system capable of reliably charging a fee.

[0010]

In the private branch exchange system according to the present invention, a class (PC class) dedicated to a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a "personal computer") for making a call to a public network such as the Internet is set in the private branch exchange. Then, a class is divided from a general telephone and a facsimile. When a call request (call request) is received from a terminal having the PC class, a line of the public network is directly connected to a port (extension circuit of the exchange) of the terminal having the PC class, and Sends a dial tone. At this time, since the public network number can be dialed directly without giving a special number for identifying an outside line call, the call can be made without changing the settings on the terminal side. After the communication is completed, a PC class indicating call information from the PC class is added to the charging information, and the charging information is transmitted to the charging device. The billing device calculates a call charge and calculates a pre-set additional charge separately from the other classes according to the PC class.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

First, referring to FIG. 1, the private branch exchange system shown includes a private branch exchange (PBX) 1. At least one external line is connected to the private branch exchange 1 and, for example, an extension telephone. 2, a facsimile 3, and a personal computer (PC) 4 are connected as extension terminals. Then, as is well known, the private branch exchange 1 connects an outside line to an extension terminal installed on the premises.

As shown in the figure, the private branch exchange 1 is connected to a billing device 5, and as will be described later, the private branch exchange 1
This call information is sent to the billing device 5 from a memory (not shown, for example, built in the private branch exchange 1) storing the call information.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the main program of the private branch exchange at the personal computer port. FIG. 3 is a billing data format in the billing device.
5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the main program in the charging device.

The main program of the private branch exchange is selected by an outgoing request from a personal computer port. When the main program of the private branch exchange is started, if there is a call request for each terminal connected to the private branch exchange, the caller class is checked (step S1). The caller class is registered in advance as subscriber data of the private branch exchange, and a class dedicated to a personal computer (called a PC class) PC class is added to the subscriber data.
The caller class and the PC class are called extension classes.

Next, it is determined whether the call request is of the PC class (step S2). If the call request is not recognized as the PC class, the process returns to the normal process (step S3) (move to).

On the other hand, when it is recognized that the call request is of the PC class, a vacant outside line is selected and captured (step S).
4) A connection reservation is made between the outside line and a PC class terminal.

Next, a register for receiving destination dial information to be sent to the charging device 5 is prepared to connect the outside line to the calling terminal, and the dial tone of the public line network is transmitted to the calling terminal. Is transmitted (step S5).

After confirming the dial tone, the calling terminal dials the destination number. At this time, since a calling special number required for normal outside line calling is unnecessary, the calling terminal can dial without directly changing attribute data as in the case of calling directly from a public line.

The private branch exchange 1 confirms whether or not the other party number has been received (step S6). When the receiving of the other party number is completed, the private number, the call start time, and the PC class received by the above-described register are registered. It is set in the accounting memory inside the private branch exchange (step S7), and waits for the end of the communication.

When the communication is completed (step S8), the private branch exchange 1 sets the call end time and transfers the above-mentioned information (data of the charging memory) to the charging device 5. As shown in FIG. 3, the data in the charging memory includes an extension number, an extension class, a call start time, a call end time, and a destination dial number.

Referring to FIG. 4, when charging apparatus 5 receives the transmitted data of the charging memory, it checks the extension class (step SS1) and sets the extension class to PC.
It is determined whether or not the class is a class (step SS2).
As a result, if the extension class is other than the PC class, the process returns to the normal process (step SS3).

On the other hand, if the extension class is the PC class,
The billing device 5 calculates the communication fee by referring to the fee table for the PC class (step SS4).

At this time, the PC class fee table is newly prepared separately from the ordinary table so that the same one as the ordinary fee table can be registered exclusively for the PC class.

After calculating the call charge, the charging device 5 determines whether there is an additional charge (step SS5),
If there is an additional charge, the charging device 5 checks the presence / absence of the newly prepared additional charge based on data registered in the charging device in advance, and calculates the additional charge if the additional charge is present. Charge as a service charge (step SS6). The calculation of the additional charge can be arbitrarily set as a ratio to the call charge.

[0026]

As described above, according to the present invention, when a terminal (a data terminal with a modem, for example, a personal computer) connected to the private branch exchange connects to the office line, it does not need to dial a predetermined special number. There is an effect that transmission can be made directly to the public network, and that communication charges can be managed and additional charges can be set.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a private branch exchange system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the private branch exchange shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a data format of a billing device transfer billing memory in the private branch exchange system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the charging apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

[Description of Signs] 1 Private branch exchange (PBX) 2 Extension telephone 3 Facsimile 4 Personal computer (PC) 5 Billing device

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A private branch exchange system having at least one external line accommodated therein and a private branch exchange having at least an extension telephone and a data terminal accommodated as extension terminals as extension terminals, wherein the private branch exchange identifies the extension terminal. The extension class includes a PC class in the class of the data terminal and a caller class of a terminal other than the data terminal. The private branch exchange sends a call request from the extension terminal. If there is, it is checked whether or not the extension class is the PC class. If the call request is the PC class, the outside line and the calling extension terminal are connected to each other, and a dial tone is sent to the calling extension terminal. First means for transmitting the call destination extension number, receiving the destination number from the calling extension terminal, the call start time, and the calling extension terminal A private branch exchange system, comprising: a second means for setting an extension class of the third party; and a third means for setting a call end time and transferring billing information to a billing device when communication is completed. 2. The private branch exchange system according to claim 1, wherein the charging information includes an extension number, an extension class, a call start time, a call end time, and a destination dial number of the calling extension terminal. Private branch exchange system characterized by the above-mentioned. 3. The private branch exchange system according to claim 2, wherein the charging device receives the charging information, determines whether the extension class is the PC class, and determines that the extension class is the PC class. A private branch exchange system comprising: fourth means for calculating a call charge by referring to a charge table provided exclusively for a PC class. 4. The private branch exchange system according to claim 3, wherein the charging device determines whether or not there is an additional charge, and determines that there is an additional charge based on data registered in advance. Private branch exchange system, comprising: a fifth means for calculating the following equation: