Call-back controllable exchange and call-back control method...

Telephonic communications – Special services – Reserved call

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C379S219000, C379S229000, C379S114210, C379S115010

Reexamination Certificate

active

06307928

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a call-back controllable exchange whereby the communication rate is automatically charged not to the calling party but to the called party, and a call-back control method in the exchange.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the communication between a subscriber terminal X and a subscriber terminal Y in a switched network, when, for example, the subscriber terminal X calls the subscriber terminal Y, generally, the communication rate is controlled to be charged to the subscriber terminal X being the calling terminal (hereunder, referred to also as a sender) by the exchange containing the subscriber terminal X.
As typically shown in FIG.
58
(
a
), in an ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) exchange
100
that handles a fixed length data called an ATM cell, when, for example, the ATM exchange
100
receives a call setup request message (Setup signal) from a calling terminal X, first, the exchange
100
makes a charge data area
200
on the basis of a calling party number of the calling terminal X and a called party number of a called terminal Y contained in that message.
This charge data area
200
, as shown in FIG.
58
(
a
) is provided with a field
201
for recording the foregoing calling and called party numbers, and in addition a field
202
for recording the forward and backward passing cell numbers (initial value: 0). As shown in FIG.
58
(
b
), when a path (call) between the terminal X and Y is established to start the communication, the forward and backward cell numbers passing through the ATM exchange
100
are each counted, and the counted result is written in the foregoing field
202
at any time.
Incidentally, the actual counting is made by an interface unit (not illustrated) such as a concentrator that contains the terminal X and Y, and the writing in the field
202
is made by a central controller (CC: not illustrated) of the ATM exchange
100
that receives an information on the forward and backward passing cell numbers periodically from the interface unit.
And, when receiving a disconnection request (Release) signal from the terminal X or Y, the ATM exchange
100
disconnects the foregoing path, and makes the charge request information for the calling terminal X on the basis of the forward and backward cell numbers that are recorded at that time in the field
202
.
In this manner, the charge request is usually made to the calling party, however in some circumstances, the charge request is wanted to be made to the called party (called terminal Y). Services such as the so-called collect call and free dial are the ones that have realized the foregoing.
Here, the former collect call service is such that the calling party informs an operator of the exchange to use the service, the operator informs the called party of the collect call being requested, and sets up the call to the called party on the confirmation with the called party, and the charge is made to the called party. The latter free dial service is such that, when a user transmits a call number starting from a specific number such as “0120” as a destination, the communication rate is charged to the destination (called party). This service has been carried out by an exclusive intelligent network (IN) organized in a switched network.
However, the foregoing collect call service requires an operator (or, any alternative equipment) in the switched network, and in addition, even when the called party is known to invariably accept the collect call, the operator will have to confirm the called party of the collect call each time, which is a wasteful work, wasting a rather long time before starting the communication, which is a problem.
On the other hand, the free dial service does not contain the foregoing delay time before starting the communication, due to the operator intervening in the switched network. However, it is necessary to organize the exclusive intelligent network in the switched network, and therefore, a huge cost has been spent so far for that.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in view of the foregoing problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a call-back controllable exchange and a call-back control method in the exchange that automatically sets the called party as the calling party so as to be able to charge the called party for the communication rate, without positioning an operator in the switched network or without organizing a special system such as the foregoing intelligent network in the switched network.
In order to accomplish the foregoing object, the call-back controllable exchange of the invention, containing a plurality of subscriber terminals, is characterized by comprising a call controller for controlling, upon receiving a call setting request signal transmitted from a calling terminal to a called terminal, to set a call from the calling terminal to the called terminal on the basis of an identifier of the calling terminal and an identifier of the called terminal that are contained in the call setting request signal, and a call-back controller for executing a call-back control, wherein the call-back controller transmits a release request signal to the calling terminal to disconnect the call set by the call controller, and thereafter, the call-back controller transmits to the calling terminal a reverse call setting request signal transmitted from the called terminal to the calling terminal to set a reverse call to the foregoing call on the basis of the foregoing identifiers.
Further, the method for executing the call-back control in the exchange containing a plurality of subscriber terminals, according to the invention, is characterized by the following processes:
upon receiving a call setting request signal transmitted from a calling terminal to a called terminal, setting a call from the calling terminal to the called terminal on the basis of an identifier of the calling terminal and an identifier of the called terminal that are contained in the call setting request signal; and
transmitting a release request signal to the calling terminal to automatically disconnect the call, and thereafter, on the basis of the foregoing identifiers, transmitting to the calling terminal a reverse call setting request signal transmitted from the called terminal to the calling terminal to set a reverse call from the called terminal to the calling terminal.
Thus, according to the invention, it is automatically arranged that the sender becomes the called terminal and the destination becomes the calling terminal. Therefore, the service to charge the destination (called party) can be carried out very easily in a low cost, without positioning an operator in the switched network or without arranging a special system such as an intelligent network.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5027387 (1991-06-01), Moll
patent: 5309505 (1994-05-01), Szlam et al.
patent: 5436967 (1995-07-01), Hanson
patent: 5511112 (1996-04-01), Szlam
patent: 5661790 (1997-08-01), Hsu
patent: 5822411 (1998-10-01), Swale et al.
patent: 5825858 (1998-10-01), Shaffer et al.
patent: 5987112 (1999-11-01), Chakravarti et al.
patent: 6009155 (1999-12-01), Adachi
patent: 61159855 (1986-07-01), None
patent: 3080751 (1991-04-01), None

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