INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEM CAPABLE OF CALCULATING COMMUNICATION FEES CORRESPONDING TO COMMUNICATION UTILIZATION FORMS

• US 20080242263A1
• Filed: 03/28/2008
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: GOTO, YUKIKO
• Granted Patent: US 8,620,261 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 Billing software details

Abstract

An information processing system of the present invention comprises a storage apparatus for storing subscription information including information on a first subscription course which is one type of service for calculating a communication fee in the particular utilization form corresponding to an identifier of the information terminal and a date and time of starting the first subscription course and calculation equations for the first subscription course and a second subscription course which is different from the first subscription course, respectively, and an information processing apparatus connected to the storage apparatus through a network. Upon receipt of information on the second subscription course selected instead of the first subscription course and a date and time of starting the second subscription course from the information terminal through the network, the information processing apparatus stores received information in the storage device, records a communication amount by a communication in the particular utilization form performed by the information terminal and a communication date and time which indicates a date and time at which the communication has been performed in the storage device, determines whether or not the communication date and time is before the date and time of starting the second subscription course, calculates the communication fee by using the communication amount and a calculation equation for the first subscription course when the communication date and time is before the date and time of starting the second subscription course, or calculates the communication fee by using the communication amount and a calculation equation for the second subscription course when the communication date and time is at or after the date and time of starting the second subscription course.

Claims

1. An information processing system for calculating a communication fee in a particular utilization form among a plurality of utilization forms of an information terminal, said system comprising:

a storage apparatus for storing subscription information including information on a first subscription course which is one type of service for calculating said communication fee in said particular utilization form corresponding to an identifier of said information terminal and a date and time of starting said first subscription course and calculation equations for said first subscription course and a second subscription course which is different from said first subscription course, respectively; and

an information processing apparatus, connected to said storage apparatus through a network, upon receipt of information on said second subscription course selected instead of said first subscription course and a date and time of starting said second subscription course from said information terminal through said network, for storing information received in said storage apparatus, for recording a communication amount by a communication in said particular utilization form performed by said information terminal and a communication date and time which indicates a date and time at which said communication has been performed in said storage apparatus, for determining whether or not said communication date and time is before said date and time of starting said second subscription course, and for calculating said communication fee by using said communication amount and a calculation equation for said first subscription course when said communication date and time is before said date and time of starting said second subscription course, or for calculating said communication fee by using said communication amount and a calculation equation for said second subscription course when said communication date and time is at or after said date and time of starting said second subscription course.

2. An information processing system for calculating a communication fee in a particular utilization form among a plurality of utilization forms of an information terminal, said system comprising:

an information processing apparatus including a storage device for storing first subscription information including information on a first subscription course which is one type of service for calculating a communication fee in said particular utilization form corresponding to an identifier of said information terminal and a date and time of starting said first subscription course and calculation equations for said first subscription course and a second subscription course which is different from said first subscription course, respectively, and a control unit, upon receipt of second subscription information including information on said second subscription course selected instead of said first subscription course corresponding to said identifier of said information terminal and a date and time of starting said second subscription course from an outside, for storing said second subscription information in said storage device, for recording a communication amount by a communication in said particular utilization form performed by said information terminal and a communication date and time which indicates a date and time at which said communication has been performed in said storage device, for determining whether or not said communication date and time is before said date and time of starting said second subscription course, and for calculating said communication fee by using said communication amount and a calculation equation for said first subscription course when said communication date and time is before said date and time of starting said second subscription course, or for calculating said communication fee by using said communication amount and a calculation equation for said second subscription course when said communication date and time is at or after said date and time of starting said second subscription course; and

an information disclosure apparatus connected to said information processing apparatus through a network, including a storage device for storing said second subscription information and a control unit for transmitting said second subscription information to said information processing apparatus upon receipt of a notification that disclosure of said second subscription information is permitted from said information terminal through said network.

3. An information processing apparatus for calculating a communication fee in a particular utilization form among a plurality of utilization forms of an information terminal, said apparatus comprising:

a storage device for storing subscription information including information on a first subscription course which is one type of service for calculating said communication fee in said particular utilization form corresponding to an identifier of said information terminal and a date and time of starting said first subscription course and calculation equations for said first subscription course and a second subscription course which is different from said first subscription course, respectively; and

a control unit, upon receipt of information on said second subscription course selected instead of said first subscription course and a date and time of starting said second subscription course from said information terminal, for storing received information in said storage device, for recording a communication amount by a communication in said particular utilization form performed by said information terminal and a communication date and time which indicates a date and time at which said communication has been performed in said storage device, for determine whether or not said communication date and time is before said date and time of starting said second subscription course, and for calculating said communication fee by using said communication amount and a calculation equation for said first subscription course when said communication date and time is before said date and time of starting said second subscription course, or calculating said communication fee by using said communication amount and a calculation equation for said second subscription course when said communication date and time is at or after said date and time of starting said second subscription course.

4. An information processing apparatus for calculating a communication fee in a particular utilization form among a plurality of utilization forms of an information terminal, said apparatus comprising:

first means for storing subscription information including information on a first subscription course which is one type of service for calculating said communication fee in said particular utilization form corresponding to an identifier of said information terminal and a date and time of starting said first subscription course and calculation equations for said first subscription course and a second subscription course which is different from said first subscription course, respectively; and

second means, upon receipt of information on said second subscription course selected instead of said first subscription course and a date and time of starting said second subscription course from said information terminal, for storing received information in said first means, for recording a communication amount by a communication in said particular utilization form performed by said information terminal and a communication date and time which indicates a date and time at which said communication has been performed in said first means, for determine whether or not said communication date and time is before said date and time of starting said second subscription course, and for calculating said communication fee by using said communication amount and a calculation equation for said first subscription course when said communication date and time is before said date and time of starting said second subscription course, or calculating said communication fee by using said communication amount and a calculation equation for said second subscription course when said communication date and time is at or after said date and time of starting said second subscription course.

5. A method of calculating a communication fee in a particular utilization form among a plurality of utilization forms of an information terminal, said method comprising:

storing subscription information including information on a first subscription course which is one type of service for calculating said communication fee in said particular utilization form corresponding to an identifier of said information terminal and a date and time of starting said first subscription course and calculation equations for said first subscription course and a second subscription course which is different from said first subscription course, respectively, in a storage device;

upon receipt of information on said second subscription course selected instead of said first subscription course and a date and time of starting said second subscription course from said information terminal, storing received information in said storage device;

recording a communication amount by a communication in said particular utilization form performed by said information terminal and a communication date and time which indicates a date and time at which said communication has been performed in said storage device; and

determining whether or not said communication date and time is before said date and time of starting said second subscription course, calculating said communication fee by using said communication amount and a calculation equation for said first subscription course when said communication date and time is before said date and time of starting said second subscription course, or calculating said communication fee by using said communication amount and a calculation equation for said second subscription course when said communication date and time is at or after said date and time of starting said second subscription course.

6. A method by an information processing apparatus for calculating a communication fee in a particular utilization form among a plurality of utilization forms of an information terminal and an information disclosure apparatus connected to said information processing apparatus through a network, said method comprising:

said information processing apparatus storing first subscription information including information on a first subscription course which is one type of service for calculating said communication fee in said particular utilization form corresponding to an identifier of said information terminal and a date and time of starting said first subscription course and calculation equations for said first subscription course and a second subscription course which is different from said first subscription course, respectively, in a first storage device;

said information disclosure apparatus storing second subscription information including information on said second subscription course selected instead of said first subscription course corresponding to an identifier of said information terminal and a date and time of starting said second subscription course in a second storage device;

said information disclosure apparatus transmitting said second subscription information to said information processing apparatus upon receipt of a notification that disclosure of said second subscription information is permitted from said information terminal through said network;

said information processing apparatus, upon receipt of said second subscription information from said information disclosure apparatus, storing said second subscription information in said first storage device;

said information processing apparatus recording a communication amount by a communication in said particular utilization form performed by said information terminal and a communication date which indicates a date and time at which said communication has been performed in said first storage device; and

said information processing apparatus determining whether or not said communication date and time is before said date and time of starting said second subscription course, calculating said communication fee by using said communication amount and a calculation equation for said first subscription course when said communication date and time is before said date and time of starting said second subscription course, or calculating said communication fee by using said communication amount and a calculation equation for said second subscription course when said communication date and time is at or after said date and time of starting said second subscription course.

7. A computer program product for causing a computer to execute processing for calculating a communication fee in a particular utilization form among a plurality of utilization forms of an information terminal, said computer program product causing the computer to execute the processing of:

storing subscription information including information on a first subscription course which is one type of service for calculating said communication fee in said particular utilization form corresponding to an identifier of said information terminal and a date and time of starting said first subscription course and calculation equations for said first subscription course and a second subscription course which is different from said first subscription course, respectively, in a storage device;

upon receipt of information on said second subscription course selected instead of said first subscription course and a date and time of starting said second subscription course from said information terminal, storing received information in said storage device;

recording a communication amount by a communication in said particular utilization form performed by said information terminal and a communication date and time which indicates a date and time at which said communication has been made in said storage device; and

determining whether or not said communication date and time is before said date and time of starting said second subscription course, calculating said communication fee by using said communication amount and a calculation equation for said first subscription course when said communication date and time is before said date and time of starting said second subscription course, or calculating said communication fee by using said communication amount and a calculation equation for said second subscription course when said communication date and time is at or after said date and time of starting said second subscription course.