Method and system for accounting communication charges
First Claim
1. An accounting method of communication charges for communications between a plurality of terminals connected to each other via a communications network, the accounting method comprising the steps of:
- transmitting a first information indicating that an accounting sharing rate between respective terminals with respect to the communication charges is changed from a first sharing rate corresponding to an accounting sharing rate used for accounting the communication charges between the respective terminals prior to said transmitting step, to a second arbitrary sharing rate, from one terminal of said respective terminals to said communications network, at arbitrary timing in the middle of the communication;
detecting the transmission of the first information; and
imposing the communication charges for a communication after detecting the transmission of the first information, on at least one of said one terminal and another terminal of said respective terminals in accordance with the second sharing rate.
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Accused Products
Abstract
During an execution of communications between an originating terminal and a receiving terminal which are connected through an ISDN, when an item of information saying that a rate at which charges for the communications are shared between these terminals is changed to a given rate is transmitted from either the originating terminal or the receiving terminal to the ISDN, the communication charges after transmitting this item of information are imposed on the originating terminal and/or the receiving terminal in accordance with this rate presented. If an agreement of the other terminal is not obtained on this occasion, the charges are imposed on the originating terminal and/or the receiving terminal in accordance with an original accounting rate or the rate presented from the other terminal.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. An accounting method of communication charges for communications between a plurality of terminals connected to each other via a communications network, the accounting method comprising the steps of:
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transmitting a first information indicating that an accounting sharing rate between respective terminals with respect to the communication charges is changed from a first sharing rate corresponding to an accounting sharing rate used for accounting the communication charges between the respective terminals prior to said transmitting step, to a second arbitrary sharing rate, from one terminal of said respective terminals to said communications network, at arbitrary timing in the middle of the communication; detecting the transmission of the first information; and imposing the communication charges for a communication after detecting the transmission of the first information, on at least one of said one terminal and another terminal of said respective terminals in accordance with the second sharing rate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 8)
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5. An accounting method of communication charges for communications between a plurality of terminals connected to each other via a communications network, the accounting method comprising the steps of:
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detecting that information indicating a hold of a communication with a connection through said communications network maintained, is transmitted from one of said terminals to said communications network, in the middle of the communication; and imposing all the communication charges after detecting the transmission of the information on said one of said terminals. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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9. A communications system comprising:
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a communications network; and a terminal, said terminal including; (a) setting means for setting a sharing rate at which charges for communication with other terminal are shared; and (b) first transmitting means for transmitting a first information about a charge sharing rate set by said setting means to said communications network at arbitrary timing in the middle of the communications, said charge sharing rate being arbitrary; said communications network relaying the communication between said terminal and said other terminal, imposing the charges for the communication between said terminal and said other terminal on at least one of said terminal and said other terminal and, upon receiving said first information about the charge sharing rate from said terminal, imposing the charges for the communication on the basis of the received charge sharing rate. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A terminal station, connected to a communications network and comprising:
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(a) setting means for setting a sharing rate at which charges for communication of one terminal with another terminal are shared; and (b) transmitting means for transmitting information about the charge sharing rate set by said setting means to said communications network at arbitrary timing in the middle of the communication; said terminal station imposing charges for the communication on the basis of the charge sharing rate received by said communications network, on at least one of said one terminal and said another terminal, upon reception of said information about the charge sharing rate from said terminal station by the communications network, said charge sharing rate being arbitrary.
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14. A communications system accommodating a plurality of terminals for relaying communication between the terminals and comprising:
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receiving means for receiving information about a charge sharing rate set by one of the terminals at arbitrary timing in the middle of the communication, and accounting means for imposing charges for the communication between the terminals on at least one of the terminals on the basis of the received charge sharing rate from one of the terminals, said charge sharing rate being arbitrary.
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Specification