Telephone charge management system

• US 6,631,840 B1
• Filed: 09/06/2001
• Issued: 10/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Masato Yokoi, Yasuo Muramatsu
• Original Assignee: Masato Yokoi, Yasuo Muramatsu
• Inventors: Yokoi, Masato, Muramatsu, Yasuo
• Primary Examiner(s): St. Cyr, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US09/926,121
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• Field of Search: 235/379, 235/375, 235/380, 235/381, 235/382, 235/462.01, 235/487, 235/492, 235/493, 235/494, 379/144.06, 379/144.16, 455/406, 455/408
• US Class Current: 235/379
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/16 Payments settled via telecommunication systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/025 by means, e.g. cards, providing billing information at the time of purchase, e.g. identification of seller or purchaser, quantity of goods delivered or to be delivered

Abstract

A system including a cellular phone or a telephone card having, pre-registered therein, the identification number of a connection telephone company and a user ID, a store processing terminal unit handling it, a point-of-sale POS terminal, and a management host computer of the telephone company, wherein these are connected through a communication line. A merchandise information of the cellular phone that is transacted, etc., is sent to, and stored in, the host computer. When a call is made using the cellular phone, or the like, the host computer carries out reduction processing of a prepaid telephone charge depending upon a call rate on the basis of the stored merchandise information of the cellular phone, or the like. When the cellular phone or the telephone card is used, telephone charges can be paid in a store handling such a cellular phone, or the like.

Claims

1. A telephone charge management system comprising a cellular phone having, pre-registered therein, at least identification numbers for identifying a connection telephone company and a phone user, and

a store processing terminal unit placed in a store handling said cellular phone,

wherein:

said connection telephone company has a management host computer for storing and managing information on said cellular phone that is transacted,

said store processing terminal unit and said host computer are connected to each other through a communication line, and further,

said store has a point-of-sale (POS) terminal for managing merchandise transacted in the store,

further wherein;

said store processing terminal unit has, pre-registered, an identification code of said processing terminal and comprising

a first input means for reading and loading said pre-registered identification numbers upon connection of said cellular phone thereto,

a second input means for button-inputting a merchandise code and a transaction code,

a storage means for storing merchandise information including said identification numbers, said merchandise code and said transaction code, inputted through the first and second input means,

a central control means for constructing a electric data text of the merchandise information and the identification code of the terminal on the basis of said merchandise information stored, to be sent to said management host computer,

a means for displaying a barcode that is specified by said merchandise code and the identification number of said connection telephone company and can be read with said POS terminal, and

a communication control means for sending out a electric data text of the merchandise information and the identification code of the terminal to said management host computer to allow the management host computer to receive and store the electric data text,

still further wherein;

 

when a call is made with said cellular phone, said host computer carries out deduction processing of a prepaid call charge depending upon a call rate based on the stored merchandise information of said cellular phone.

2. The telephone charge management system of claim 1, wherein the communication control means encrypts the electric text to the management host computer and sends out the encrypted electric text.

3. The telephone charge management system of claim 1, wherein the communication line is a public telephone line.

4. The telephone charge management system of claim 1, wherein the cellular phone is used in a state where an IC card is fitted to the cellular phone, the IC card having, pre-registered, the identification numbers for identifying the connection telephone company and the phone user and the cellular phone and the store processing terminal unit are connected to each other by connecting said IC card.

11. The telephone charge management system of claim 2, wherein the management host computer has an interface portion for receiving and decrypting the encrypted electric text sent out with the communication control means.

5. A telephone charge management system comprising a cellular phone having, pre-registered therein, at least identification numbers for identifying a connection telephone company and a phone user, and

a store processing terminal unit placed in a store handling said cellular phone,

wherein:

said connection telephone company has a management host computer for storing and managing information on said cellular phone that is transacted,

said store processing terminal unit and said host computer are connected to each other through a communication line, and further,

said store has a point of sale (POS) terminal for managing merchandise transacted in the store,

further wherein;

said store processing terminal unit has, pre-registered, an identification code of said processing terminal and comprising

a first input means for reading and loading said pre-registered identification numbers upon connection of said cellular phone thereto,

a second input means for button-inputting a merchandise code and a transaction code,

a storage means for storing merchandise information including said identification numbers, said merchandise code and said transaction code, inputted through the first and second input means,

a central control means for constructing a electric data text for the POS terminal and constructing a electric data text of the merchandise information and the identification code of the terminal to be sent to said management host computer, on the basis of said merchandise information stored,

an output means for outputting the electric data text for the POS terminal, constructed in said central control means, in the form of a barcode that can be read with the POS terminal, and

a communication control means for sending out the electric data text of the merchandise information and the identification code of the terminal to said management host computer to allow the management host computer to receive and store the electric data text,

still further wherein;

 

when a call is made with said cellular phone, said host computer carries out deduction processing of a prepaid call charge depending upon a call rate based on the stored merchandise information of said cellular phone.

6. A telephone charge management system comprising a cellular phone having, pre-registered therein, at least identification numbers for identifying a connection telephone company and a phone user, and

a store processing terminal unit placed in a store handling said cellular phone,

wherein:

said connection telephone company has a management host computer for storing and managing information on said cellular phone that is transacted,

said store processing terminal unit and said host computer are connected to each other through a communication line, and further,

said store has a point-of-sale (POS) terminal for managing merchandise transacted in the store,

further wherein;

said store processing terminal unit has, pre-registered, an identification code of said processing terminal and comprising

a first input means for reading and loading said pre-registered identification numbers upon connection of said cellular phone thereto,

a second input means for button-inputting a merchandise code and a transaction code,

a storage means for storing merchandise information including said identification numbers, said merchandise code and said transaction code, inputted through the first and second input means,

a central control means for constructing a electric data text for the POS terminal, to be outputted to said POS terminal, and constructing a electric data text of the merchandise information and the identification code of the terminal, to be sent to said management host computer, on the basis of said merchandise information stored,

a POS output means for outputting the electric data text for the POS terminal, constructed in said central control means, and

a communication control means for sending out the electric data text of the merchandise information and the identification code of the terminal to said management host computer to allow the management host computer to receive and store the electric data text,

still further wherein;

 

when a call is made with said cellular phone, said host computer carries out deduction processing of a prepaid call charge depending upon a call rate based on the stored merchandise information on said cellular phone.

7. A telephone charge management system comprising a telephone card having, pre-registered therein, at least identification numbers for identifying a connection telephone company and a phone user, and

a store processing terminal unit placed in a store handling said telephone card,

wherein:

said connection telephone company has a management host computer for storing and managing information on said telephone card that is transacted,

said store processing terminal unit and said host computer are connected to each other through a communication line, and further,

said store has a point-of-sale (POS) terminal for managing merchandise to be transacted in the store,

further wherein;

said store processing terminal unit has, pre-registered, an identification code of said processing terminal and comprising

a first input means for reading and loading said identification numbers recorded in said telephone card,

a second input means for button-inputting a merchandise code and a transaction code,

a storage means for storing merchandise information including said identification numbers, said merchandise code and said transaction code, inputted through the first and second input means,

a central control means for constructing a electric data text of the merchandise information and the identification code of the terminal on the basis of said merchandise information stored, to be sent to said management host computer,

a means for displaying a barcode that is specified by said merchandise code and the identification number of said connection telephone company and that can be read with the POS terminal, and

a communication control means for sending out a electric data text of the merchandise information and the identification code of the terminal to said management host computer to allow the management host computer to receive and store the electric data text,

still further wherein;

 

when a call is made on the basis of the identification numbers recorded in said telephone card, said host computer carries out deduction processing of a prepaid call charge depending upon a call rate based on the stored merchandise information of said telephone card.

8. The telephone charge management system of claim 7, wherein the merchandise code is further recorded in the telephone card, said merchandise code is loaded with the first input means together with the identification number, and the transaction code is button-inputted with the second input means.

9. The telephone charge management system of claim 7, wherein the telephone card is a card selected from an IC card, a magnetic card and a barcode card.

10. A telephone charge management system comprising a telephone card having, pre-registered therein, at least identification numbers for identifying a connection telephone company and a phone user, and

a store processing terminal unit placed in a store handling said telephone card,

wherein:

said connection telephone company has a management host computer for storing and managing information on said telephone card that is transacted,

said store processing terminal unit and said host computer are connected to each other through a communication line, and further,

said store has a point-of-sale (POS) terminal for managing merchandise to be transacted in the store,

further wherein;

said store processing terminal unit has, pre-registered, an identification code of said processing terminal and comprising

a first input means for reading and loading said identification numbers recorded in said telephone card,

a second input means for button-inputting a merchandise code and a transaction code,

a storage means for storing merchandise information including said identification numbers, said merchandise code and said transaction code, inputted through the first and second input means,

a central control means for constructing a electric data text for the POS terminal and constructing a electric data text of the merchandise information and the identification code of the terminal to be sent to said management host computer, on the basis of said merchandise information stored,

an output means for outputting the electric data text for the POS terminal, constructed in said central control means, in the form of a barcode that can be read with the POS terminal, and

a communication control means for sending out the electric data text of the merchandise information and the identification code of the terminal to said management host computer to allow the management host computer to receive and store the electric data text,

still further wherein;

 

when a call is made on the basis of the identification numbers recorded in said telephone card, said host computer carries out deduction processing of a prepaid call charge depending upon a call rate based on the stored merchandise information of said telephone card.

12. A telephone charge management system comprising a telephone card having, pre-registered therein, at least identification numbers for identifying a connection telephone company and a phone user, and

a store processing terminal unit placed in a store handling said telephone card,

wherein:

said connection telephone company has a management host computer for storing and managing information on said telephone card that is transacted,

said store processing terminal unit and said host computer are connected to each other through a communication line, and further,

said store has a point-of-sale (POS) terminal for managing merchandise to be transacted in the store,

further wherein;

said store processing terminal unit has, pre-registered, an identification code of said processing terminal and comprising

a first input means for reading and loading said identification numbers recorded in said telephone card,

a second input means for button-inputting a merchandise code and a transaction code,

a storage means for storing merchandise information including said identification numbers, said merchandise code and said transaction code, inputted through the first and second input means,

a central control means for constructing a electric data text for the POS terminal, to be outputted to said POS terminal, and constructing a electric data text of the merchandise information and the identification code of the terminal, to be sent to said management host computer, on the basis of said merchandise information stored,

a POS output means for outputting the electric data text for the POS terminal, constructed in said central control means, and

a communication control means for sending out the electric data text of the merchandise information and the identification code of the terminal to said management host computer to allow the management host computer to receive and store the electric data text,

still further wherein;

 

when a call is made on the basis of the identification numbers recorded in said telephone card, said host computer carries out deduction processing of a prepaid call charge depending upon a call rate based on the stored merchandise information of said telephone card.

13. A telephone charge management system comprising a cellular phone having, pre-registered therein, at least identification numbers for identifying a connection telephone company and a phone user, and

a store processing terminal unit placed in a store where a billed telephone charge with regard to said cellular phone can be paid,

wherein:

said connection telephone company has a management host computer for storing and managing information on said cellular phone that is issued,

said store processing terminal unit and said host computer are connected to each other through a communication line, and further,

said store has a point-of-sale (POS) terminal for managing merchandise transacted in the store,

further wherein;

said store processing terminal unit has, pre-registered, an identification code of said processing terminal and comprising

a first input means for reading and loading said pre-registered identification numbers upon connection of said cellular phone thereto,

a second input means for button-inputting a merchandise code and a transaction code,

a storage means for storing merchandise information including said identification numbers, said merchandise code and said transaction code, inputted through the first and second input means,

a central control means for constructing a electric data text for the POS terminal, to be outputted to said POS terminal, and constructing a electric data text of the merchandise information and the identification code of the terminal, to be sent to said management host computer, on the basis of said merchandise information stored,

a POS output means for outputting the electric data text for the POS terminal, constructed in said central control means, and

a communication control means for sending out the electric data text of the merchandise information and the identification code of the terminal to said management host computer to allow the management host computer to receive and store the electric data text,

still further wherein;

 

when a call is made with said cellular phone, said host computer carries out addition processing of a call charge to bill depending upon a call rate based on the information stored with regard to said cellular phone that is issued,

 

telephone charges to bill are billed to said user after a certain period of time, and

 

said billed telephone charges are paid in said store, followed by sending data of completion of the payment of the charges to said host computer from said store processing terminal unit.

14. The telephone charge management system of claim 13, wherein:

when a call is made with said cellular phone, said host computer searches for information stored with regard to said cellular phone issued on the basis of the identification number of said user and carries out addition processing of a call charge to bill depending upon a call rate,

telephone charges to bill are billed to said user after a certain period of time, and

said billed telephone charges are paid in said store, followed by sending data of completion of the payment of the charges to said host computer from said store processing terminal unit.

15. A telephone charge management system mainly comprising a telephone card having, pre-recorded therein, at least identification numbers for identifying a connection telephone company and a phone user, and

a store processing terminal unit placed in a store where a gilled telephone charge with regard to said telephone card can be paid,

wherein:

said connection telephone company has a management host computer for storing and managing information on said telephone card that is issued,

said store processing terminal unit and said host computer are connected to each other through a communication line, and further,

said store has a point-of-sale (POS) terminal for managing merchandise transacted in the store,

further wherein;

said store processing terminal unit has, pre-registered, an identification code of said processing terminal and comprising

a first input means for reading and loading said identification numbers recorded in said telephone card,

a second input means for button-inputting a merchandise code and a transaction code,

a storage means for storing merchandise information including said identification numbers, said merchandise code and said transaction code, inputted through the first and second input means,

a central control means for constructing a electric data text for the POS terminal, to be outputted to said POS terminal, and constructing a electric data text of the merchandise information and the identification code of the terminal, to be sent to said management host computer, on the basis of said merchandise information stored,

a POS output means for outputting the electric data text for the POS terminal, constructed in said central control means, and

a communication control means for sending out the electric data text of the merchandise information and the identification code of the terminal to said management host computer to allow the management host computer to receive and store the electric data text,

still further wherein;

 

when a call is made on the basis of the identification numbers recorded in said telephone card, said host computer carries out addition processing of a call charge to bill depending upon a call rate based on the information stored with regard to said telephone card that is issued,

 

telephone charges to bill are billed to said user after a certain period of time, and

 

said billed telephone charges are paid in said store, followed by sending data of completion of the payment of the charges to said host computer from said store processing terminal unit.

16. The telephone charge management system of claim 15, wherein:

when a call is made on the basis of the identification numbers recorded in said telephone card, said host computer searches for information stored with regard to said telephone card issued on the basis of the identification number of said user and carries out addition processing of a call charge to bill depending upon a call rate,

telephone charges to bill are billed to said user after a certain period of time, and

said billed telephone charges are paid in said store, followed by sending data of completion of the payment of the charges to said host computer from said store processing terminal unit.

17. A telephone charge management system mainly comprising a cellular phone having, pre-registered therein, at least identification numbers for identifying a connection telephone company and a phone user, and

a store processing terminal unit, placed in a store handling said cellular phone, and includes an automatic teller machine unit having an automatic teller machine function,

wherein:

said connection telephone company has a management host computer for storing and managing information on said cellular phone that is transacted,

said store processing terminal unit and said host computer are connected to each other through a communication line, and

said automatic teller machine unit is connected to a host computer of a financial agency that manages the unit, through a communication line,

further wherein;

said store processing terminal unit has, pre-registered, an identification code of said processing terminal and comprising

a first input means for reading and loading said pre-registered identification numbers upon connection of said cellular phone thereto,

a second input means for button-inputting a merchandise code and a transaction code,

a storage means for storing merchandise information including said identification numbers, said merchandise code and said transaction code, inputted through the first and second input means,

a central control means for constructing a electric data text of the merchandise information and the identification code of the terminal on the basis of said merchandise information stored, to be sent to said management host computer, and

a communication control means for sending out a electric data text of the merchandise information and the identification code of the terminal to said management host computer to allow the management host computer to receive and store the electric data text,

still further wherein;

 

when a call is made with said cellular phone, said host computer carries out deduction processing of a prepaid call charge depending upon a call rate based on the stored merchandise information of said cellular phone.

18. The telephone charge management system of claim 17, wherein an account of said connection telephone company is opened in the host computer of the financial agency.

19. A telephone charge management system mainly comprising a telephone card having, pre-recorded therein, at least identification numbers for identifying a connection telephone company and a phone user, and

a store processing terminal unit, placed in a store handling said telephone card, and includes an automatic teller machine unit having an automatic teller machine function,

wherein:

said connection telephone company has a management host computer for storing and managing information on said telephone card that is transacted,

said store processing terminal unit and said host computer are connected to each other through a communication line, and

said automatic teller machine unit is connected to a host computer of a financial agency that manages the unit, through a communication line,

further wherein;

said store processing terminal unit has, pre-registered, an identification code of said processing terminal and comprising

a first input means for reading and loading said identification numbers recorded in said telephone card, a second input means for button-inputting a merchandise code and a transaction code,

a storage means for storing merchandise information including said identification numbers, said merchandise code and said transaction code, inputted through the first and second input means,

a central control means for constructing a electric data text of the merchandise information and the identification code of the terminal based on said merchandise information stored, to be sent to said management host computer, and

a communication control means for sending out a electric data text of the merchandise information and the identification code of the terminal to said management host computer to allow the management host computer to receive and store the electric data text,

still further wherein;

 

when a call is made on the basis of the identification numbers recorded in said telephone card, said host computer carries out deduction processing of a prepaid call charge depending upon a call rate on the basis of the stored merchandise information of said telephone card.

20. A telephone charge management system mainly comprising a cellular phone having, pre-registered therein, at least identification numbers for identifying a connection telephone company and a phone user, and

a store processing terminal unit, placed in a store where a bill of telephone charges with regard to said cellular phone can be paid, and includes an automatic teller machine unit having an automatic teller machine function, wherein:

said connection telephone company has a management host computer for storing and managing information on said cellular phone that is issued,

said store processing terminal unit and said host computer are connected to each other through a communication line, and

said automatic teller machine unit is connected to a host computer of a financial agency that manages the unit, through a communication line,

further wherein;

said store processing terminal unit has, pre-registered, an identification code of said processing terminal and comprising

a first input means for reading and loading said pre-registered identification numbers upon connection of said cellular phone thereto,

a second input means for button-inputting a merchandise code and a transaction code,

a storage means for storing merchandise information including said identification numbers, said merchandise code and said transaction code, inputted through the first and second input means,

a central control means for constructing a electric data text of the merchandise information and the identification code of the terminal on the basis of said merchandise information stored, to be sent to said management host computer, and

a communication control means for sending out a electric data text of the merchandise information and the identification code of the terminal to said management host computer to allow the management host computer to receive and store the electric data text,

still further wherein;

 

when a call is made with said cellular phone, said host computer carries out addition processing of a call charge to bill depending upon a call rate based on the information stored with regard to said cellular phone that is issued,

 

telephone charges to bill are billed to said user after a certain period of time, and

 

said billed telephone charges are paid through the store processing terminal unit including an automatic teller machine unit having an automatic teller machine function, followed by sending data of completion of the payment of the charges to said host computer from said store processing terminal unit.

21. The telephone charge management system of claim 20, wherein an account of said connection telephone company is opened in the host computer of the financial agency.

22. A telephone charge management system mainly comprising a telephone card having, pre-recorded therein, at least identification numbers for identifying a connection telephone company and a phone user, and

a store processing terminal unit, placed in a store where a bill of telephone charges with regard to said telephone card can be paid, and includes an automatic teller machine unit having an automatic teller machine function,

wherein:

said connection telephone company has a management host computer for storing and managing information on said telephone card that is issued,

said store processing terminal unit and said host computer are connected to each other through a communication line, and

said automatic teller machine unit is connected to a host computer of a financial agency that manages the unit, through a communication line,

further wherein;

said store processing terminal unit has, pre-registered, an identification code of said processing terminal and comprising

a first input means for reading and loading said identification numbers recorded in said telephone card, a second input means for button-inputting a merchandise code and a transaction code,

a storage means for storing merchandise information including said identification numbers, said merchandise code and said transaction code, inputted through the first and second input means,

a central control means for constructing a electric data text of the merchandise information and the identification code of the terminal based on said merchandise information stored, to be sent to said management host computer, and

a communication control means for sending out a electric data text of the merchandise information and the identification code of the terminal to said management host computer to allow the management host computer to receive and store the electric data text,

still further wherein;

 

when a call is made using the identification numbers recorded in said telephone card, said host computer carries out addition processing of a call charge to bill depending upon a call rate on the basis of the information stored with regard to said telephone card that is issued,

 

telephone charges to bill are billed to said user after a certain period of time, and

 

said billed telephone charges are paid through the store processing terminal unit including an automatic teller machine unit having an automatic teller machine function, followed by sending data of completion of the payment of the charges to said host computer from said store processing terminal unit.

23. The telephone charge management system of claim 22, wherein:

when a call using said cellular phone is made or a call is made on the basis of the identification numbers recorded in said telephone card, said host computer searches for information stored with regard to said cellular phone or said telephone card that is issued, on the basis of the identification number of said user, and carries out addition processing of a call charge to bill depending upon a call rate,

telephone charges to bill are billed to said user after a certain period of time, and

said billed telephone charges are paid through the store processing terminal unit including an automatic teller machine unit having an automatic teller machine function, followed by sending data of completion of the payment of the charges to said host computer from said store processing terminal unit.