A system for managing modular public telephones.

MODULAR TELEPHONE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

The present invention relates to a modular public telephone management system, the purpose of which is to carry out the integral management at the national level of the modular public telephones, the integral management being understood as the initialization of the telephones, alarm reception, fault repair , receipt of collection, reception of daily routines, temporary or definitive withdrawals, at the same time as the preparation of statistical and recovery reports.

This invention has its application in the field of telecommunications, being specifically intended to improve the management of modular public telephone devices and improve the service prescribed by these devices by users.

Although there are currently several systems aimed at all of them to carry out a coordinated work for the performance of a particular service or maintenance of public telephones, comprehensive management of the telephone context is not contemplated.

In order to control the telephone service, the company is obliged to use different departments that, as a whole, carry out the entrusted function, and there is currently no management system for modular public telephones that integrates a multifunction and that at the same time facilitates with its empowerment. service to be carried out, not only for the user, but at the same time the advantages arising from it have an impact on the service itself.

The modular public telephone management system proposed by the invention constitutes an effective solution to carry out the integral management of modular public telephones at the national level, which will undoubtedly result in a notable improvement in the service provided by said public telephones through of a greater speed of access to the Switched Telephone Network and a greater number of service facilities.

The facilities of the service are found by training the public telephones of the possibility of making the payment of the service in question through the use of cards of various types, such as credit, prior payment, telephone subscriber, service card, etc etc.

The modular public telephone management system object of this invention is essentially constituted by the following elements:

A- TMs (modular public telephones)

B- UVIs (validation and identification units of modular public telephones)

C-UATM (modular public telephone adaptation unit)

D-SETM (system of exploitation of modular public telephones

E-CVF (validation and billing center for credit cards and telephone subscriber cards of modular public telephones)

F- Maintenance unit of the validation and identification units of modular public telephones.

Communication between the different elements of the system is carried out through two different communication protocols.

The first of these protocols is used in the connections made v ¥ to the Switched Telephone Network (RTC), using a modem V. 23 at 1,200 bits per second.

The second protocol is used in connections via Switched Packet Network (IBERPAC), according to X, 25 to 2,400bites per second.

The second protocol can also be used in connections via Switched Packet Network (IBERPAC), with real call establishment, according to X, 25 and at speeds higher than those used for the two protocols indicated above.

The management system of modular public telephones presents a hierarchical structure at the provincial and national level, constituting the system of exploitation of modular public telephones (SETM), the highest hierarchy at the provincial level and the center for validation and billing of credit cards and telephone subscriber cards of modular public telephones (CVF), the highest hierarchy at the national level.

Modular public telephones (TMs) are smart public telephones, which accept payment methods for currencies, prepaid cards, credit cards and subscriber cards.

The validation and identification units of modular public telephones (UVIs) are used to connect to them modular public telephones (TMs), and each unit can connect up to 16 modular public telephones in modules of 2 modular public telephones.

The main functions of the validation and identification units of modular public telephones, that is, of the UVIs, are the following:

- identify and authorize the connection of modular public telephones to the Switched Telephone Network

- if the terminal in the identification process is not a modular public telephone (TM), the validation and identification unit (UVIs) prevents the connection of the same to the Switched Telephone Network (RTC)

- Likewise, the call requests with credit cards are by the UVIs.

The UVI receives information from the modular public telephone (TMs), information from the user card and forwards it to the credit card validation and billing center (CVF), which after the appropriate checks sends the report to the UVI which in turn it is sent to the TM

Naturally, the modular public telephone (TM) and the validation and identification unit (UVI), allow the call to progress or not depending on the content emanating from the aforementioned report issued by the credit card validation and billing center (CVF).

Additionally, the units of validation and identification of modular public telephones (UVIs) fulfill conservation and maintenance functions, among which the following can be mentioned:

- teleprogramming of operating parameters

- sending daily routine reports, both their own and those from modular public telephones (TMs) connected to them

- alarm reports of the validation and identification units of modular public telephones (UVIs)

- concentration of messages from modular public telephones (TMs)

The units of validation and identification of modular public telephones (UVIs), communicate with the system of exploitation of modular public telephones (SETM), through the Switched Telephone Network (RTC) with V.23 modems at 1,200 bits per second and with the credit card validation and billing center through the use of the Switched Packet Network (IBERPAT) according to X.25 at 2,400 second bites.

The adaptation units of modular public telephones (UATM), have the function of validating credit calls from modular public telephones (TMs), which are not connected to the Switched Telephone Network (RTC), through a unit of validation and identification of modular public telephones (UVI).

The communication with the modular public telephones (TMs) is carried out by the Switched Telephone Network (RTC) through a V.23 modem at 1,200 bits per second and with the credit card billing and validation centers (CVF) by the Network of Switched Packages (IBERPAC), according to X.25 at 2,400bites per second.

Likewise, the modular public telephone adaptation units (UATM) fulfill conservation and maintenance functions by sending daily routine reports and their own alarms to the modular public telephone operating system (STEM).

Similarly, the modular public telephone adaptation units (UATM) support the teleprogramming of their own maintenance parameters and connect to the Switched Telephone Network (RTC), via the digital special services train (TSED).

Its hardware is similar to that of the validation and identification units of modular public telephones (UVIs), allowing with small modifications their transformation into them.

The system of exploitation of modular public telephones (SETM), consists of two subsystems:

a) message concentration unit (UCM)

b) operating central computer (OCX)

The modular public telephone operating system manages the following functions at the provincial level:

- centralization of alarm reports from modular public telephones (TMs), validation and identification units of modular public telephones (UVIs) and adaptation units of modular public telephones (UATM).

- generation of breakdown and repair parts

- generation of statistical reports

- teleprogramming of modular public telephones (TMs), validation and identification units of modular public telephones (UVIs) and adaptation units of modular public telephones (UATM).

- preparation and sending of collection reports to the collecting entity

Communication with modular public telephones (TMs), validation and identification units of modular public telephones (UVIs) and adaptation units of modular public telephones (UATM) is carried out by the Switched Telephone Network (RCT) via V.23 modem.

Communication with the validation and billing center of credit cards and telephone subscriber cards of modular public telephones (CVS) is carried out through the Switched Packet Network (IBERPAC) according to X.25.

The validation and billing center for credit cards and telephone subscriber cards of modular public telephones (CVF) is responsible for the following at the national level:

- validate credit cards

- keep the blacklists updated, in which the clients that present a risk of not being able to be charged are contemplated and contained.

- keep the gray lists updated, which contain all the clients that have used their credit, specifying the remaining credit of each one of them.

- receive and generate billing reports for credit institutions associated with the system.

The validation and billing center (CVF) communicates with the validation and identification units (UVIs) and with the modular public telephone adaptation units (UATM) through the Switched Packet Network (IBERPAC) according to X.25.

The maintenance unit of the validation and identification units of modular public telephones (UVIs) is a terminal consisting of two modules.

One of the modules comprises a display and a keyboard, while the other includes the interface to connect to the validation and identification units of modular public telephones (UVIs) and to the adaptation units of modular public telephones (UATM).

Its size is small and it connects directly to the mentioned units in which it allows testing routines.

In view of the figure, it can be seen how the modular public telephone management system proposed by the invention consists of the blocks of modular public telephones (1) or TMS, the blocks of the validation and identification units of telephones Modular public (2) or UVIs, the block of the unit of adaptation of modular public telephones (3) or UATM the blocks of the system of exploitation of modular public telephones (4) or SETM, the validation and billing center block of credit cards and telephone subscriber cards of modular public telephones (5) or CVF and the block (14) representing the maintenance unit of the validation and identification units of modular public telephones or UVIs

It should be taken into account that the blocks of the system of exploitation of modular public telephones (4) or SETM exist in the amount of one per province, while the block of the validation and billing center of credit cards and telephone subscriber cards of public telephones modular (5) or CVF in a number of 1 nationwide.

The communication between the different blocks that make up the system is carried out through two different communication protocols.

The first protocol is used in the connections made via the Switched Telephone Network, via V.23 modem at 1,200 bits per second, between blocks (1) and (6), that is, modular public telephones and the Switched Telephone Network, between (2) and (6), the validation and identification units of modular public telephones and the Switched Telephone Network, between (4) and (6), that is, between the system of exploitation of modular public telephones and the Switched Telephone Network , between (6) and (7), that is, between the Switched Telephone Network and the digital special services train and finally between the digital special services train and the modular public telephone adaptation unit.

The second protocol is used in connections via the Switched Packet Network or IBERPAC, according to X.25 at 2,400 bits per second, between blocks (2) and (8), that is, between the validation and identification units of telephones Modular audiences and the Switched Packet Network, between (3) and (8), that is, between the modular public telephone adaptation unit and the Switched Packet Network or between (4) and (8), that is, between the system of exploitation of modular public telephones and the Switched Packages Network.

The second protocol is also used in connections via Switched Packet Network, through the establishment of a real call, according to X.25 and at speeds higher than those used by the other two protocols between blocks (5) and (8) or whatever it is the same between the validation and billing center of credit cards and telephone subscriber cards of modular public telephones and the Switched Packet Network.

The modular public telephone management system has a hierarchical structure at the provincial and national level, constituting the modular public telephone system (4) as the highest hierarchy at the provincial level and the center for validation and billing of credit cards and cards of telephone subscribers of modular public telephones (5) as the highest national hierarchy.

Modular public telephones (1), are smart public telephones, which accept payment methods by currencies, by prepaid cards, by credit card and by subscriber card, as previously stated.

The units of validation and identification of modular public telephones (UVIs) (2) are used to connect to them modular public telephones (1), each unit of validation and identification of modular public telephones (2) being able to connect up to 16 modular public telephones (1), in modules of two modular public telephones (1) at a time.

The main functions established for the validation and identification units of modular public telephones (2) consist of the following:

- identify and authorize the connection of modular public telephones (1) to the

Switched Telephone Network (6). If the terminal in process of identification is not a modular public telephone (1), it prevents its connection to the switched telephone network (6).

- Call requests made by credit card are validated by the validation and identification unit (2).

The UVI (2), receives from the modular public telephone (1) information of the user's card and forwards it to the credit card validation and billing center (5), who after the appropriate checks sends his report to the validation unit and identification (2) which in turn is sent to the modular public telephone (1).

That is, the modular public telephone (1) and the validation and identification unit (2) allow or not to progress the call depending on the content of the report.

Additionally, the validation and identification units (2) fulfill the necessary conservation and maintenance functions, among which are:

- teleprogramming of operating parameters

- sending daily routine reports, both own and those of the modular public telephones (1) connected to it

- alarm reports of the validation and identification units of modular public telephones (UVIs) themselves. (two)

- concentration of messages from modular public telephones (1)

The validation and identification units (2), communicate with the system of exploitation of modular public telephones (4) through the Switched Telephone Network (6), by means of a V.23 modem at 1,200 bits per second and with the center of validation and billing (5) through the Network of Switched Packages (8) according to X.25 at 2,400 bits per second.

The adaptation unit of modular public telephones (3), has the function of validating the credit calls of those modular public telephones (1) that are not connected to the Switched Telephone Network (6) through the validation unit identification (2).

The communication with the modular public telephones (1) is carried out by the Switched Telephone Network (6) by means of a V.23 modem at 1,200bites per second and with the credit card validation and billing center (5) through the Switched Packet Network (8), according to X.25 at 2,400bites per second.

Likewise, the adaptation unit of modular public telephones (3), fulfills the functions of conservation and maintenance, sending daily routine reports and own alarms to the system of exploitation of modular public telephones (4).

The modular public telephone adaptation unit (3) supports teleprogramming of its own maintenance parameters and connects to the Switched Telephone Network (6) via the digital special services train (7), its hardware being similar to that of the units of validation and identification (2), allowing with small modifications its transformation into one of these.

The system of exploitation of modular public telephones is composed of two subsystems, namely:

- message concentration unit (UCM)

- central operating computer (OCEX)

The system of exploitation of modular public telephones (4) manages the following functions at the provincial level:

- centralization of alarm reports from modular public telephones (1), validation and identification units (2) and adaptation units of modular public telephones (3).

- generation of breakdown and repair parts

- generation of statistical reports

- teleprogramming of modular public telephones (1), validation and identification units (2) and adaptation units of modular public telephones (3).

- preparation and sending of collection reports to the collection entrance (9)

Communication with modular public telephones (1), validation and identification units (2) and adaptation units of modular public telephones (3), is done through the Switched Telephone Network (6), through the use of a modem V.23 at 1,200 bits per second, on the other hand when communication with the validation and billing center of credit cards and subscriber cards (5) is made, it is done through the Switched Packet Network (8), according to X.25 at 2,400 bits per second.

Through the Switched Packet Network or IBERPAC (8), query terminals (10) can be connected to the modular public telephone operating systems (4) nationwide.

The credit card validation and billing center (5), is responsible for validating credit cards at the national level, but at the same time keeps updated the blacklists that contain the clients that present risks of not being able to be charged and Gray lists containing all the clients that have used their credit, specifying the remaining credit of each one.

Finally, the card validation and billing center (5) receives and generates the billing reports for the credit institutions (12) associated with the system, using the data processing center (13) to perform its functions and terminals (10) equipped with tape drives (11).

The card validation and billing center (5) communicates with the validation and identification units (2) with the modular public telephone adaptation units, through the Switched Packet Network (8), according to X.25 a 2,400 bites per second and with credit institutions (12) and data processing center (13) through the same Switched Packet Network (8), according to X.25 at 64 Kbites per second.

The maintenance unit (14) of the validation and identification units of modular public telephones, is a terminal composed of two modules, one of them comprising a display and a keyboard, while the other includes the interface to connect to the units of validation and identification of modular public telephones (2) and the adaptation units of modular public telephones (3).

Its size is small and it connects directly to the mentioned units in which it allows testing routines.