Telephonic communications – With check operated control – Other than coin
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-03
2001-03-27
Nguyen, Duc (Department: 2643)
Telephonic communications
With check operated control
Other than coin
C379S112030, C379S114030
Reexamination Certificate
active
06208722
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention begins with a method of accepting charges in individual connections of a telephone network, and with a telephone network and with terminals for use in a telephone network according to the type of the independent claims.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is known from the state of the art that a user can indicate his acceptance of the charges of a telephone call if an operator switches the call. In that case the acceptance of the charges of a telephone call to be established can be verbally agreed with the telephone network operator.
The acceptance of the charges by the called party in an ISDN telephone network is also known. The January 1994 DE-NA-10017 ETSI publication “Integrated Services Digital Network” explains the method when the ISDN telephone network is used. In that case the user can preselect permanent connections for which the cost acceptance has been agreed with the network operator. But it also possible to signal a cost acceptance when such a service has been requested by the caller. The user must then present his user identification to the network operator through a password which is entered into the telephone set in the form of a combination of numbers. This cost acceptance service must be designed for the individual user. In the fixed ISDN network the cost acceptance function is restricted to a predetermined subscriber line.
A telephone installation is known from DE-OS 42 22 235, where the terminals are operated by a chip card. The chip card contains a personal account number for the applicable fee, which is coordinated by comparing it to a data base in the telephone installation. The individual terminals can only be operated if the personal account number authorizes the respective user to establish a connection. To carry out the method, the telephone terminals contain a card reading unit which is able to read the information stored on a chip card.
Also known is the use of so-called SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) cards for use in GSM radio telephone networks. These cards contain a personal identification number, an algorithm and a personal subscriber code for producing an authentication information which is transmitted to a central station where it is checked for the user's authorization. The use of the known chip cards makes it possible to establish connections but not to accept the charges, which are only created by a call from a third party.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In contrast, the method of the invention with the characterizing features of the independent claim has the advantage that the binding cost acceptance can be signalled from any subscriber terminal, by reading an identification number stored on the chip card, which is transmitted to a central unit together with the willingness of accepting the charge.
The measures indicated in the subclaims make it possible to further develop and improve the method presented in the independent claim.
It is a special advantage that the identification signal of the chip card and not the identification of the subscriber's station is verified. This makes it possible to use the personalized chip card in different subscriber stations. The user can simply insert his personal chip card and in this way accept the charges for an incoming call. Verifying the identification number and recording the cost of the connection in an account that is assigned to the identification number takes place centrally. The numbers are centrally managed as well.
This simple method allows signalling the acceptance of the cost of an existing connection at any point and at any time during the connection. The distribution of the cost can then take place both before the cost acceptance is signalled and after the cost acceptance is signalled, or the full cost of a connection can be accepted as well.
To carry out the method, the telephone network of the invention requires suitable communication protocols and suitable evaluation possibilities for the binding cost acceptance signal, switch-off signal and authentication information being transmitted to the central station. Such a cost acceptance can take place both in a permanent as well as a radio telephone network.
The terminal that is used for the service according to the invention has a card reader for chip cards, so that a binding signal of the cost acceptance and switch-off of the cost acceptance can take place. As an alternative, the cost acceptance message can be produced by an acoustically coupled device in the terminal, into which a chip card can be inserted or which contains a corresponding built-in functionality.
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Sawatzki Roland
Stiefel Rolf
Alcatel
Nguyen Duc
Ware Fressola Van der Sluys & Adolphson LLP
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