KR20030065601A - Telephone system for allowing call using telephone card and method therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a telephone system, a billing system, a telephone card, and a method for making a call using a telephone card that has been paid in advance. Specifically, identification information unique to the telephone card stored in each telephone card and CLAIMS 1. A telephone system connected to a billing system storing a balance available for calling by phone card and allowing a call when the phone card is authenticated, the phone system comprising: phone card reading means for reading information stored in a phone card; Identification information transmitting means for connecting to a charging system according to a call request signal requesting permission of the call and transmitting identification information of the telephone card read out from the telephone card reading means to the charging system; And control means for permitting a call when receiving a call available signal indicating whether a call can be made based on the balance according to the calling card with identification information from the charging system.

According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent unauthorized use of a public telephone and to provide a cheaper and more convenient telephone.

Description

Telephony system for allowing call using telephone card and method therefor}

The present invention relates to a telephone system, a billing system, a telephone card, and a method for making a call using a telephone card that has been paid in advance.

In order to make a call using a public payphone or the like, a card in which coins or amounts are stored is inserted into a payphone and the call is made. In the case of making a call using a card, the public telephone checks the balance stored in the inserted card, and if the balance is enough to make a call, the user accesses the exchange system so that the user can make a call. .

The exchange system transmits the charging pulse to the public telephone at regular intervals so that the public telephone can be charged. When the call ends, the exchange system setstles the charge and stores the remaining balance on the telephone card.

However, the conventional public telephone has a problem in that the balance of the card is checked and charged in the public telephone, so that the function of the telephone is complicated and the production cost is high.

In addition, the subscriber card for the payphone in the switchboard has to send out a charging pulse every certain time in addition to the function of the subscriber card for the payphone, so that there is a problem that the function of the payphone is more complicated than that of the payphone.

In addition, even if a public payphone is connected to another phone, the telephone line is connected to another phone, the telephone is connected to the payphone and the telephone is not disconnected. There was a problem that can not be prevented when used as.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is to provide a telephone system including a terminal and a telephone card which can be used more conveniently and cheaper but also excellent security function.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for allowing a user to make a phone call using the telephone system.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for realizing the above method.

1 shows an example of use of the telephone system of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a block diagram showing a telephone card used in the present invention

3 is a flow chart showing the overall operation of the present invention.

Figure 4 is a view showing the appearance of the card telephone used in the present invention

5 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of a card telephone of the present invention.

Figure 6 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a card telephone of the present invention

7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the card telephone of the present invention.

8 is a block diagram showing a charging system of the present invention.

9 is a flowchart showing the operation of the charging system of the present invention.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is connected to a billing system that stores identification information unique to a calling card stored in each calling card and a balance available for calling by each calling card when the calling card is authenticated. A telephone system for allowing a call, comprising: telephone card reading means for reading information stored in the telephone card; Identification information transmitting means for connecting to the charging system according to a call request signal requesting permission of the call and transmitting identification information of the telephone card read by the telephone card reading means to the charging system; And control means for allowing a call when receiving a call enabled signal indicating whether a call can be made based on the balance of the calling card with the identification information from the charging system. Provides a telephone system used.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a telephone system capable of making a call using a telephone card storing unique identification information, comprising: telephone card reading means for reading information stored in the telephone card; Phone card information storage means for storing identification information unique to a phone card stored in each phone card and a balance remaining for each phone card identification information; The telephone card identification information read by the telephone card reading means is used for inquiring a call card identification information stored in the telephone card information storage means and a callable balance stored for each telephone card identification information to make a call to the telephone card. Call availability determining means for determining whether the call is possible; Control means for allowing a call when the call availability determining means determines that a call can be made using the read calling card; When the call is made by using the calling card, a check means for calculating the balance of the calling card to store the call card information storage means by checking the talk time; telephone system using a telephone card comprising a to provide.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an identification information storage memory for storing identification information unique to the telephone card; And a telephone number storage memory for storing a predetermined number of telephone numbers dialed using the telephone card.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is connected to a billing system that stores identification information unique to a calling card stored in each calling card and a balance available for calling by each identification information when the calling card is authenticated. CLAIMS 1. A method for allowing a telephone call using a telephone card in a telephone system that allows a telephone call, the method comprising: (a) reading information stored in the telephone card; (b) accessing the billing system according to a call request signal for requesting a call to the billing system and transmitting identification information of the phone card read by the phone card reading means to the billing system; (c) checking whether the call is available from the charging system using the calling card; And (d) allowing a call when it is determined that the call is possible in step (c).

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention uses a telephone card in a telephone system including a billing system that stores identification information unique to a telephone card stored in each telephone card and a balance available for each identification information. A method of allowing a telephone call, comprising the steps of: (a) reading identification information of the telephone card; (b) checking the balance of the billing system with respect to the telephone card having the read identification information and confirming that a call can be made using the telephone card; (c) allowing the call if the balance is determined in the step (b); (d) calculating a balance according to the call after the call is terminated and storing the remaining balance in the billing system.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a computer readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for realizing the above method.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

1 is a diagram showing an example of use of the telephone system of the present invention.

In the present invention, the telephone card 100 is inserted into the card telephone 110 and used as in the public payphone. The card telephone 110 is connected to the exchange system 130 through the telephone network 120 and to the charging system 140 through the exchange system 130. The billing system 140 is connected to the phone card issuing system 150.

The card telephone 110 may be directly connected to the telephone network 120 or may be connected to the telephone network 120 through the private exchange 113. The card telephones 110c and 110d may also be connected to a fax 111 or a PC / modem and used to send or communicate with a fax.

The calling card issuing system 150 issues a calling card in which unique identification information is stored. Only the unique identification information is stored in the calling card 100, and the balance which can be called using the calling card 100 is stored for each identification information in the billing system 140 connected to the calling card issuing system 150. .

The card phone 110 inserts the calling card 100 from the user, checks the identification information and the balance through the charging system 140, and allows the user to talk when the call is possible, and the charging system 140 calls When is finished, the remaining balance is charged and the final balance is stored again.

2 is a block diagram showing a calling card 100 used in the present invention.

The telephone card 100 of the present invention is composed of an IC card having an IC chip, and includes an identification information storage unit 201 that stores identification information (ID) unique to the IC card, and a telephone number at which the user has recently called. It includes a phone number storage unit 202 is stored.

The identification information (ID) stored in the identification information storage unit 201 is stored when the telephone card is issued in the prepaid card issuing system 150 and is protected by a secret key. In other words, even if the estimated identification information (ID) is inputted using an IC card made of a card having the same specifications as the telephone card, and there is no secret code of the identification information (ID) portion of the IC card, It is regarded as a fraudulent card and the card telephone 100 rejects the transmission of identification information.

The phone number storage unit 202 may store a certain number of phone numbers, and when the storage capacity for storing phone numbers is exceeded, the longest recorded phone number is erased and a new phone number is recorded.

IC circuits other than the identification information storage unit 201 and the telephone number storage unit 202 of the telephone card 100 are the same as those of the general IC card.

4 is a view showing the appearance of the card telephone 110 used in the present invention.

On the outside of the card phone 110 of the present invention, the card insertion unit 401 into which the card can be inserted, the phone number stored in the phone number storage unit 202 of the phone card 100 is displayed, or the current progress. A display unit 404 indicating a situation, a key 406 used to generate a call request signal, or to make a call, and a selection key 405 used to scroll and select one of the telephone numbers shown on the display unit 404 And a key 402 for inputting a telephone number, a telephone plug terminal 407, an external device connecting terminal 403, handset 408 and the like for connecting to a modem of a fax machine or a computer.

5 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the card telephone 110 of the present invention. In FIG. 5, the call unit 510 is the same as that of a conventional general telephone, and description thereof will be omitted.

The phone card insertion unit 501 receives the phone card 100 and fixes it. The telephone card reader 505 reads the inserted telephone card 100 to read the identification information recorded on the telephone card 100 and the telephone number with which the user has recently tried to call. Among the read information, the identification information of the telephone card 100 is transmitted to the identification information transmitter 506, and the telephone number is transmitted to the display unit 504.

The identification information transmitter 506 accesses the billing system 140 according to the call request signal requesting permission of the call and transmits the identification information of the phone card 100 read by the phone card reader 505 to the billing system 140. Send.

The call request signal is generated in the call detection unit 509. The call doctor detecting unit 509 detects a call intention of the user and generates a call request signal when a call doctor is detected. The call request signal may be generated when a change in current generated by the user lifting the handset 408 is detected as a call intention signal, and it is the call intention that the user inserts the phone card 100 into the card phone 110. The signal may be detected and generated, or a separate key may be detected and generated.

The control unit 507 authenticates the identification information of the calling card 100 transmitted from the identification information transmitting unit 506 to the charging system 140, and the charging system 140 when the balance remains enough to make a call. If the call enable signal transmitted from the) is transmitted, the user is allowed a call, and the call is stopped when the call stop signal is transmitted from the billing system 140 due to insufficient balance during the call.

The display unit 504 receives the telephone number recorded on the telephone card 100 from the telephone card reader 505 and displays it on the screen. In addition, the display unit 504 may display the operation state of the current card telephone 110 on the screen.

The phone number recorder 508 records the phone number that the user has attempted to call in the phone number storage unit 202 of the phone card 100.

The key input unit 502 is used to receive a telephone number from a user, select one of the telephone numbers recorded on the telephone card 100 displayed on the display unit, or generate a call request signal.

The external device connection unit 503 is connected to a fax or a modem of a computer, and when a user operates a fax or a modem, a call intention signal is generated and the call request signal is transmitted to the charging system 140 by the call intention detection unit 509. Be sure to Since the billing of the telephone bill is made separately from the billing system 140, not from the public telephone itself, it is possible to prevent the problem that billing is not possible, like an existing card public telephone, even when an external device is connected to the card telephone 110.

6 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a card telephone 110 of the present invention. In FIG. 6, the call unit 510 has the same structure as a conventional general telephone.

The handset 613 is a portion that functions as a handset, and the hooks 616 and 617 open and close the switch by lifting or placing the handset to generate a change in current.

When the user picks up the handset to make a call, the current detector 609 detects a change in current and drives the relay 615 through the relay driver 617 to drive the talk 510.

The ring circuit 611 is a part for ringing a telephone ring, the call controller 612 is a part for controlling a call, and the phone plug 601 is a part for transmitting a voice signal and other information.

The tone detector 606 detects whether an identification information request signal for requesting identification information or a dial tone for allowing a call is received. When the identification information request signal is detected, the microcomputer 607 transmits the identification information read through the card reader 605, and permits the call using the call control unit when the dial tone is received.

The display unit 604 receives the telephone number recorded in the telephone card 100 from the telephone card reader 605 and displays it on the screen. In addition, the display unit 604 may display the current operating state of the card telephone 110 on the screen.

The external device connection unit 603 connects a fax or a modem of a computer to the card telephone 110 through the current sensing unit 609, and changes the current when the user changes the current by operating a fax or modem. Detect and generate call request signal tone.

7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the card telephone 110 of the present invention.

The card phone 110 detects when the user inputs a call signal, such as picking up the handset, pressing a key for requesting a call, or inserting a card (701), and transmits a call request signal to the charging system 140. (702).

When the card is inserted (703) and the identification information request signal is received from the charging system 140 (704), the card telephone 110 is recorded on the telephone card 100 using the telephone card reader 505. The information is read (705), and the identification information is transmitted to the charging system 140 using the identification information transmitter 506 (706).

If the balance remaining in the billing system 140 is enough to make a call and receives a signal indicating that the call is possible (707), the control unit 507 permits the call (708). At this time, the signal that the call is possible is received with a guide voice signal informing the current balance information, and the card phone 110 receives it and tells the user.

If there is not enough balance remaining to make a call to the billing system 140, the control unit 507 notifies the user of a voice prompting that the call is not allowed (710).

The user enters a phone number to make a call, or selects one of the phone numbers displayed on the display unit 504 to make a call (708), when the call is over, or when the user makes a call, a card phone ( 110 records the telephone number attempted to call using the telephone number recorder 508 on the telephone card 100.

8 is a block diagram showing the charging system 140 of the present invention.

The identification information request signal generation unit 811 detects whether a call request signal is received from the card phone 110 and transmits a signal for requesting identification information when the call request signal is received.

The calling card information storage unit 815 stores identification information of the calling card 100 issued by the calling card issuing system 150 and the remaining balance for each identification information.

Call availability determination unit 812 receives the identification information of the telephone card 100 from the card phone 110, retrieves the telephone card information storage unit 815 to authenticate the identification information, and whether the balance remains to the extent possible to call If it is determined that the remaining balance is available for communication, the communication signal is transmitted.

The calculation unit 813 calculates a time for making a call using the balance stored in the phone card information storage unit 815, and calculates the balance according to the call when the call is terminated, and then calls the card information storage unit 815. ).

The stop signal generator 814 transmits the stop signal to the card telephone 110 when the time for which the call is calculated from the calculator 813 is exceeded.

9 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the charging system 140 of the present invention.

The identification information request signal generator 811 determines whether a call request signal is received (901), and if the call request signal is received, transmits the identification information request signal (902). The call availability determination unit 812 receives identification information from the card phone 110 (903), and checks the balance of the calling card with the received identification information to determine whether the call is possible (904).

If it is determined that the call is possible, a call enable signal is transmitted (905) so that the user can make a call using the card phone 110, and if the identification information is not authenticated or the balance is not sufficient to make the call, the call is made. The impossible signal is transmitted (911).

The stop signal generator 914 determines whether the time for making a call is exceeded using the balance of the phone card calculated by the calculator 813, and if the call time is exceeded, the call stop signal 912. send.

When the call ends (907), the calculator 813 recalculates the balance using the time of the call and stores the balance in the phone card information storage unit 815 (908).

3 is a flowchart showing the overall operation of the present invention.

The user transmits a call request signal to the exchange system 130 using the call detection detector 509 of the card telephone 110 (301). The call request signal is generated by the user hooking off the handset of the card telephone 110, or is generated by the user inserting the telephone card 100 into the card telephone 110, or the user is calling the card telephone 110. Is generated by pressing a separate key provided on the

When the call request signal is generated, the exchange system 130 connects to the charging system 140 and informs that the call request signal has been generated (302). The billing system 140 transmits the identification information request signal to the card telephone 110 in response to the call request signal (303).

The identification information transmitter 506 of the card telephone 110 reads the identification information from the identification information storage 201 of the telephone card 100 inserted in the card telephone 110 read by the telephone card reader 505. And transmits it to the charging system 140 (304).

The call availability determination unit 812 of the charging system 140 retrieves the received identification information from the identification information stored in the calling card information storage unit 815, and determines whether the calling card 100 has the received identification information. Check how much balance is left, and if the balance of the callable amount is left to authenticate the identification number (305).

The exchange system 130 receives the identification number authentication signal (callable signal) and transmits a dial tone to the card telephone 110 to notify that the call is possible (306).

The control unit 507 of the card phone 110 permits the user's call when a dial tone is received, and the user enters a phone number when the dial tone is heard, or the telephone number of any one of the phone numbers displayed on the display unit 504. Select to make a call (307).

The billing system 140 measures the talk time from the beginning of making a call (308), and transmits a call stop signal when the available time is exceeded by the balance according to the calling card 100, and if the call does not exceed, It remains possible (309).

When the user ends the call (310), the end time is transmitted to the billing system 140, the calculation unit 813 of the billing system 140 calculates the talk time to settle the billing (311), The balance is stored in the phone card information storage unit 815 to maintain the balance information for each identification number (312).

The method of the present invention can also be embodied as computer readable code on a computer readable recording medium. The computer-readable recording medium includes all kinds of recording devices in which data that can be read by a computer system is stored. Examples of computer-readable recording media include ROM, RAM, CD-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, optical data storage, and the like, and may also be implemented in the form of a carrier wave (for example, transmission over the Internet). Include. The computer readable recording medium can also be distributed over network coupled computer systems so that the computer readable code is stored and executed in a distributed fashion.

Representative preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed in the above description, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and any person skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains can easily invent from the above preferred embodiments. Include the scope. For example, in the above embodiments, the card telephone 110 and the charging system 140 are represented as separate devices, but may be configured to be included in one device. Therefore, the true technical protection scope of the present invention will be defined by the technical spirit of the appended claims.

According to the telephone system and method for allowing a call using the telephone card of the present invention as described above, since the balance is not stored in the telephone card but stored in a separate billing system, a general telephone is connected to a conventional general card public telephone. It can be used to prevent fraudulent use of public telephones, and it is possible to supply telephones at a low price that can be implemented by connecting only simple parts to ordinary telephones. There is an advantage that can be used in connection with the telephone of the invention.

Claims (18)

A telephone system connected to a billing system that stores identification information unique to a telephone card stored in each telephone card and a balance available for each telephone card, and permits a call when the telephone card is authenticated. Telephone card reading means for reading information stored in the telephone card; Identification information transmitting means for connecting to the charging system according to a call request signal requesting permission of the call and transmitting identification information of the telephone card read by the telephone card reading means to the charging system; And And control means for allowing a call when receiving a call enabled signal indicating whether a call can be made based on the balance of the calling card with the identification information from the charging system. Telephone system. The telephone system according to claim 1, wherein the telephone system further comprises telephone number recording means for recording a telephone number on which the user has attempted to make a call to the telephone card. The system of claim 1, wherein the telephone system is Display means for informing a user of a telephone number stored in said telephone card read by said telephone card reading means; And And a input means for receiving one of the telephone numbers displayed on the display means from the user. According to claim 1, The telephone system further comprises a call doctor detecting means for receiving a call will signal from the user and transmits the call request signal to the billing system, The identification information transmitting means identifies the telephone card when an identification information request signal for requesting transmission of the identification information of the telephone card is received in response to a call request signal of the call intention detecting means received from the charging system. Telephone system using a telephone card, characterized in that for transmitting information. The telephone system according to claim 4, wherein the telephone system further comprises an external device connection means for connecting the telephone system and an external device, and receiving a call intention signal from the external device and transmitting the call intention signal to the call intention detecting means. And a sensing means receives a call intention signal from the external device and transmits the call request signal to the charging system. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control means does not allow the call until the callable signal indicating whether the call can be made from the charging system on the basis of the balance according to the calling card with the identification information. Telephone system using a calling card. In a telephone system that can make a call using a calling card that stores unique identification information, Telephone card reading means for reading information stored in the telephone card; Phone card information storage means for storing identification information unique to a phone card stored in each phone card and a balance available for each phone card identification information; The telephone card identification information read by the telephone card reading means is used for inquiring a call card identification information stored in the telephone card information storage means and a callable balance stored for each telephone card identification information to make a call to the telephone card. Call availability determining means for determining whether the call is possible; Control means for allowing a call when the call availability determining means determines that a call can be made using the read calling card; And a calculation means for checking a call time, calculating a balance of the calling card, and storing it in the calling card information storage means when a call is made using the calling card. 8. The telephone system according to claim 7, wherein the telephone system exceeds a time when a telephone call is made using the telephone card, using a balance corresponding to the telephone call request telephone card stored in the telephone card information storage means. And a stop signal generating means for generating a stop signal for stopping a call when the call is continued. 8. The telephone system according to claim 7, wherein the telephone system further comprises telephone number recording means for recording a telephone number on which the user attempts to make a call to the telephone card. 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the telephone system is Display means for informing a user of a telephone number stored in said telephone card read by said telephone card reading means; And And an input means for receiving one of the telephone numbers displayed on the display means from the user. An identification information storage memory for storing identification information unique to the telephone card; And And a telephone number storage memory for storing a predetermined number of telephone numbers dialed using the telephone card. Telephone card in the telephone system which is connected to the billing system that stores the identification information unique to the telephone card stored in each telephone card and the balance available for each identification information, and permits the call when the telephone card is authenticated. In the method for allowing a telephone call using (a) reading information stored in the telephone card; (b) accessing the billing system according to a call request signal requesting a call to the billing system and transmitting identification information of the phone card read by the phone card reading means to the billing system; (c) checking whether the call is available from the charging system using the calling card; And (d) allowing a call when it is determined that the call is possible in step (c). The method of claim 12, wherein the method for allowing a telephone call is performed before step (a). (d) receiving a call intention from a user and transmitting a call request signal to the billing system; wherein step (a) comprises identifying identification information of the calling card in response to the call request signal from the billing system; And transmitting identification information of the calling card when an identification information request signal for requesting transmission of the data is received. The method of claim 12, wherein the method for allowing a phone call (e) storing the telephone number at which the telephone card is attempted to make a call. The method of claim 12, wherein the method for allowing a phone call (f) informing a user of a telephone number recorded on the telephone card and receiving a selection from among telephone numbers recorded on the telephone card. Claims [1] A method for allowing a telephone call using a telephone card in a telephone system including a billing system that stores identification information unique to a telephone card stored in each telephone card and a balance available for each identification information. (a) reading identification information of the calling card; (b) checking the balance of the billing system with respect to the telephone card having the read identification information and confirming that a call can be made using the telephone card; (c) allowing the call if the balance is determined in the step (b); (d) calculating a balance according to the call after the call is ended and storing it in the billing system. The method of claim 16, wherein the method for allowing a phone call is (e) calculating a time for talking on the phone card and generating a stop signal for stopping the call when the call time exceeds the time for talking on the phone card; How to allow. A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for realizing the method according to any one of claims 12 to 17.