Charging unit price determination/information apparatus and communication system having charging unit price information function

A communication system having a charging unit price information apparatus, the charging unit price information apparatus comprising:

• means for analyzing a called party number for specifying a receiving destination transmitted by a communication terminal at a calling side;
• means for specifying a communication path from a calling location to a receiving location;
• means for assessing a class of the communication path according to network type and dependency of unit price which is independent of the network type for each network type, wherein the network type includes a first network type having a plurality of networks with a charring network providing unit price data, and a second network type having a plurality of networks with a network other than the charging network providing the unit price data;
• means for determining the charging unit price in accordance with the class;
• and
• means for supplying information of the charging unit price to at least one of the communication terminal at the calling side and a communication terminal at a receiving side.

A communication system having a charging unit price information apparatus, said communication system being connected to a plurality of communication networks at a receiving side, said plurality of communication networks including an informing network for informing the charging unit price, a charging network, separate from the informing network, including a charging unit price information database, and a mobile communication network having a location information database storing the location of the mobile terminal as a communication terminal at the receiving side, and the mobile communication network is also the charging network and has both the charging unit price information database and the location information database, said charging unit price information apparatus comprises:

• means for directing, in response to an inquiry from the informing network to the charging unit price information database for the charging unit price, the charging unit price information database to refer to the location information database for the location;
• means for providing the charging unit price according to the location to the informing network, the informing network determining the charging unit price;
• and
• means for supplying the charging unit price information to at least one of a communication terminal at a calling side and the communication terminal at the receiving side.

A communication system having a charging unit price information apparatus, said communication system being connected to a plurality of communication networks at a receiving side, said plurality of communication networks including an informing communication network for informing the charging unit price, a charging network, separate from the informing network, including a charging unit price information database, and a mobile communication network, separate from the charging network, having a location information database storing the location of the mobile terminal as a communication terminal at the receiving side, said charging unit price information apparatus comprises:

• means for directing, in response to an inquiry from the informing network to the charging unit price information database for the charging unit price, the charging unit price information database to refer to the location information database for the location;
• means for providing the charging unit price according to the location to the informing network, the informing network determining the charging unit price;
• and
• means for supplying the charging unit price information to at least one of a communication terminal at a calling side and the communication terminal at the receiving side.

A method for determining a charging unit price in a communication system comprising the steps of:

• analyzing a called party number to specify a receiving location transmitted by a communication terminal at a calling side;
• specifying a communication path from a calling location to a receiving location;
• assessing a class of the communication path according to network type and dependency of unit price which is independent of the network type for each network type, wherein the network type includes a first network type having a plurality of networks with a charging network providing unit Price data, and a second network type having a Plurality of networks with a network other than the charging network providing the unit price data;
• determining a charging unit price in accordance with said class;
• and
• supplying information on the charging unit price determined by said charging unit price determination means to at least one of the communication terminal at the calling side and a communication terminal at a receiving side.

A method for determining a charging unit price in a communication system connected to a plurality of communication networks at a receiving side, said plurality of communication networks including an informing network for informing the charging unit price, a charging network, separate from the informing network, including a charging unit price information database, and a mobile communication network having a location information database storing the location of the mobile terminal as a communication terminal at the receiving side, and the mobile communication network is also the charging network and has both the charging unit price information database and the location information database, comprising the steps of:

• directing, in response to an inquiry from the informing network to the charging unit price in formation database for the charging unit price, the charging unit price information database to refer to the location information database for the location;
• providing the charging unit price according to the location to the informing network, thereby determining the charging unit price;
• and
• supplying the charging unit price information to at least one of a communication terminal at a calling side and the communication terminal at the receiving side.

A method of determining a charging unit price in a communication system connected to a plurality of communication networks at a receiving side, said plurality of communication networks including an informing network for informing the charging unit price, a charging network, separate from the informing network, including a charging unit price information database, and a mobile communication network, separate from the charging network, having a location information database storing the location of the mobile terminal as a communication terminal at the receiving side, comprising the steps of:

• directing, in response to an inquiry from the informing network to the charging unit price information database for the charging unit price, the charging unit price information database to refer to the location information database for the location;
• providing the charging unit price according to the location to the informing network, the informing network determining the charging unit price;
• and
• supplying the charging unit price information to at least one of a communication terminal at a calling side and the communication terminal at the receiving side.