US 2003/0194070 A1 · Method of billing charge for used functions of communication device, method of regulating function of communication device, customer center for carrying out the method, and an user system including the communication device

Abstract

A key telephone apparatus BT periodically transmits actual-use information including a part of a service function group and use amount of each service function to a customer center CC via a public network PNW. The customer center CC calculates a use charge of each service function based on the received actual-use information, and notifies a user's maintenance personal computer PC of the use charge via Internet INW. Subsequently, confirming payment of the use charge for each service function by a user, the customer center CC creates a license code for changing a flag indicating a regulation state of the service function of the key telephone apparatus BT to transmit the license code to the corresponding key telephone apparatus BT based on the payment.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of billing a charge for used functions of a communication apparatus having a communication function in a user system that includes the communication apparatus in accordance with information being communicated through a communication network, between the user system and a customer center that supports an operation of the communication apparatus, the method comprising:

causing the customer center to acquire an actual-use information including at least a part of a service function group disposed beforehand in the communication apparatus and use amount of each service function, from the user system via the communication network;
causing the customer center to calculate a charge of the used service function based on the actual-use information, to generate a calculation result;
and
causing the customer center to execute a billing process of the calculation result.

1 more element

A method of regulating service functions of a communication apparatus having a communication function in a user system that includes the communication apparatus in accordance with information being communicated through a communication network, between the user system and a customer center that supports an operation of the communication apparatus, the method comprising:

causing the customer center to acquire an actual-use information including at least a part of a service function group disposed beforehand in the communication apparatus and use amount of each service function, from the user system via the communication network;
causing the customer center to calculate a charge of each used service function based on the actual-use information, to generate a calculation result;
causing the customer center to execute a billing process of the calculation result;
causing the customer center to create function regulation control information to regulate service functions of the communication apparatus in accordance with a payment result with respect to the billing step;
and
causing the customer center to transmit the function regulation control information to the corresponding communication apparatus via the communication network.

3 more elements

A customer center which is connected to a user system including a communication apparatus having a communication function via a communication network, and which bills a charge of used service functions of the communication apparatus based on information exchanged with the user system, the customer center comprising:

an actual-use information acquiring section which acquires an actual-use information including at least a part of a service function group and use amount of each service function group from the communication apparatus;
a charge calculating section which calculates a charge of each used service function based on the actual-use information generates a calculation result;
and
a billing process section which executes a billing process of the calculation result.

1 more element

A user system which comprises a communication apparatus and which is connected to a customer center to bill a charge for a used function of the communication apparatus and to regulate/control the function via a communication network, the user system comprising:

an actual-use information transmitting section which transmits actual-use information including at least a part of a service function group included beforehand in the communication apparatus and use amount of each service function group to the customer center via the communication network;
and
a billing information receiving section which receives billing information indicating the charge of each used service function sent from the customer center via the communication network.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method of billing charge for used functions of communication device, method of regulating function of communication device, customer center for carrying out the method, and an user system including the communication device

Life of this patent

Method of billing charge for used functions of communication device, method of regulating function of communication device, customer center for carrying out the method, and an user system including the communication device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20