JP2001320427A - Method for communication with subscriber device through use of global communication network - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for communication with a subscriber device by using a global communication network by which one subscriber device transmits information by using a network communication address to a destination subscriber device and sends a call to the destination subscriber device. SOLUTION: When a destination communication unit (11) makes a call, an access server (15) of the caller generates a call packet and transmits the call packet to a called party access server (15) via the Internet (16), and the called party access server (15) transmits a call signal to a destination communication unit (11). When the destination communication unit (11) replies the call signal, the called party access server (15) generates an acknowledgement packet and returns the acknowledgement packet to the caller side access server (15) via the Internet (16). The caller side access server (15) starts charging at this point of time. The caller side access server (15) returns the acknowledgement signal to the caller communication unit to allow the communication unit to start a speech. Then a speech packet is exchanged via the Internet (16). When either of the access servers (15) detects the end of the speech, the end packet is generated and the speech end processing is conducted.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a communication technique for performing communication between communication devices using an interconnected network (global communication network).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, communication has been performed using an internetworking technique. Specifically, communication is performed on the Internet using an IP protocol which is an industry standard. Initially, communication on the Internet was mostly data communication such as FTP, TELNET, SMTP, etc., but telephone calls on the Internet have been replaced by the Internet.

[0003] By the way, the subscriber number in the telephone network,
Network communication address (I
P address), it is not possible to easily make a telephone call or communication on the Internet using the subscriber number. When making a call, it is usually necessary for both parties making the call to simultaneously access a server (rendezvous server) on the Internet. Alternatively, it is necessary to make a call using a dedicated gateway on the Internet.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and enables a subscriber unit in a circuit-switched network to be accessed by using a network communication address. The purpose is to be able to do.

[0005]

According to the present invention, in order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a configuration as described in the claims is adopted.

That is, according to the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, an identifier for individually specifying a subscriber unit connected to a circuit switching network and a global IP address representing a group of subscriber units are provided. To communicate with the subscriber device. At the time of this communication, a call is made to the subscriber device.

Control information such as call control may be transmitted / received via a circuit switching network, or may be routed using a network communication address. The signal line system may be an individual signal line system or a common signal line system.

[0008] In addition to a telephone set, a computer, a television, a set-top box, a kiosk, a GPS, and the like, as long as they have the function of the subscriber unit, are used as the subscriber unit.
And so on. The telephone is an ordinary fixed telephone, a mobile telephone, or a simplified mobile telephone.

The present invention can be realized not only as a method but also as an apparatus or a system. In addition, it goes without saying that a part of such an invention can be configured as software. Also, it goes without saying that a software product (recording medium) used for causing a computer to execute such software is also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention as a whole. In FIG. 1, a communication device (for example, a telephone) is shown.
11 is connected to the local exchange 12 via a subscriber line. The local exchanges 12 are interconnected via one or more transit exchanges (not shown). The local exchange 12 has a switch 14 in addition to the normal exchange 13.
And an access server 15. Switch 14
Connects the communication device 11 to the exchange 13 or the access server 15
Alternatively connected to one of the two. The access server 15 is connected to the Internet 16 via a dedicated line. The access server 15 and the communication device 11 are assigned global IP addresses (addresses for specifying resources on a global communication network such as the Internet).

FIG. 2 schematically shows the switch 14. In this figure, the switch 14 is
And a control unit 18. In this embodiment, when communication is performed using an exchange connection via an ordinary exchange 13, an ordinary subscriber number is dialed as it is. On the other hand, when communication is performed via the Internet 16, a dial is performed by adding a service identification number, for example, "0AB0" (A and B are, for example, 5) to a normal subscriber number. For example, when calling the Patent Office, "05
Dial the number “50-03-3581-1101”. On the calling side, the control unit 18 detects this service identification number, switches the switch body 17 to the access server 15 side upon detection, and sends the received subscriber number to the access server 15. Otherwise,
The switch body 17 is switched to the exchange 13 side. On the called side, the line on the exchange 13 side and the line on the access server 15 side are monitored, and the switch body 17 is switched to the side where the signal has begun to be transmitted. This switched state is maintained until the communication is terminated.

FIG. 3 schematically shows the function of the access server 15. Other hardware (for example, a router or a switch) may be used as long as it is functionally equivalent. 3, the function blocks realized by the access server 15 include a dial storage unit 20, an address conversion unit 21, a call packet generation unit 22, a call compression unit 23, a call packet generation unit 24, a call end detection unit 25, and an end. It includes a packet generator 26, a call signal generator 27, a response signal detector 28, a response packet generator 29, a call decoder 30, a call termination processor 31, and the like.

The dial storage unit 20 stores dial data (for example, 0) transmitted from the control unit 18 of the switch 14.
3-3581-1101). The address converter 21 converts dial data (subscriber number) into a global IP address. Fixedly installed communication devices (such as non-portable telephones)
A global IP address is fixedly assigned. In the case of a mobile communication device such as a mobile phone, an IP address can be dynamically assigned based on area information. The address conversion unit 21 performs conversion with reference to a table 21a that associates a subscriber number with an IP address. The global IP address obtained by the conversion is stored in the address register 2
1b, the call information can thereafter be transmitted to the destination using the IP protocol by using the IP address of the address register 21b. As the IP address, it is preferable to use IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6, RFC1883) having a wide address space due to its availability.

The outgoing call packet generating section 22 generates a outgoing call packet as a control signal for outgoing call and sends it to the Internet 16. As shown in FIG. 4A, the outgoing call packet includes a header and a data portion, and the header includes a source address and a destination address. This destination address is the IP generated by the address conversion unit 21.
Address, which corresponds to the subscriber number of the destination communication device. The source address is the IP address of the source communication device or the access server. The data part includes a packet type (calling packet), a destination communication device, a subscriber number of a transmission source communication device, and the like. The source information can be notified to the destination user using the subscriber number of the source communication device. Also, the subscriber number of the destination communication device can be used for calling, as the case may be.

The speech compression section 23 compresses speech data. For this compression, compression is performed using the correlation of voice, or environmental noise is removed to detect substantial silence,
The silent duration is transmitted as a packet to perform compression.

The call packet generator 24 packetizes the compressed call data and sends it to the Internet 16. The call packet is, as shown in FIG.
It consists of a header (including a destination address and a source address) and a data part (packet type—including a call packet and call data).

Further, the communication end detecting unit 25 is connected to the communication device 1.
1 detects that the communication has ended, and the exchange 13 switches the switch 14 on the detection side to end the call. Further, based on the detection of the end of the call, the end packet generating unit 26 generates an end packet and transmits the generated end packet to the call end processing unit 31 of the access server 15 on the other side. The end packet includes data of a destination address, a source address, and a packet type (end packet), as shown in FIG. Upon receiving the end packet, the call termination processing unit 31 of the access server 15 sends a termination control signal to the control unit 18 of the switch 14, and the exchange 13 switches the switch 14 to end the call.

The call signal generation unit 27 is connected to the Internet 1
A call signal is sent to the destination communication device 11 when a call packet is received via the communication device 6. The call signal drives the ringer circuit to notify that the communication device is in a call state. When the user sets the communication device in a call-enabled state according to the ringing tone, a response signal is generated and returned to the access server 15. The response signal detector 28 of the access server 15 detects this, and the response packet generator 29 sends a response packet to the Internet 16 in response to this detection. The response packet includes a destination address, a source address, and a packet type as shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 explains the operation in this embodiment. As is apparent from the figure, when a call is made from the destination communication device 11, the call-side access server 1
5 generates a call packet, and the call packet is sent to the access server 15 on the called side via the Internet 16, and the access server 15 on the called side transmits the call packet to the destination communication device 1.
1 is sent a call signal. When the destination communication device 11 responds, the called access server 15 generates a response packet and returns it to the calling access server 15 via the Internet 16. The calling side access server 15 starts charging from this point. The calling-side access server 15 returns a response signal to the calling-side communication device to start a call. Thereafter, call packets are exchanged via the Internet 16. Then, when the end of the call is detected by any of the access servers 15, an end packet is generated, and a call end process is performed.

In this example, the access server 15 is provided in the local exchange 12, but the access server is used for the intermediate exchange, and the exchanges between the local exchanges or between the local exchange and the local exchange are provided. May be bypassed on the Internet 16. With regard to the local exchange having no access server, normal exchange processing may be performed up to the intermediate exchange attached to the access server that supervises the local exchange, and the intermediate exchange may be connected to the Internet 16. In addition, virtual LA
A plurality of exchanges may be put together by N or the like. Also, the connection from the switching center to the Internet may be made via a private communication network (which may be provided by a communication carrier) such as a private IP network or a packet switching network.

The access server may be a server representing a network, and the communication device may be associated with a host constituting the network, and may be assigned a network address and a host address, respectively. Of course, other assignments may be made.

Also, the user is not the subscriber number itself, but the I
A call may be made using the P address itself.
In this case, it is possible to distinguish between a call based on the subscriber number and a call based on the IP address based on the service number (0AB0 or the like). For the IP address, the original numerical value I
A P address, a domain name, or a subdomain name may be used. If it is not possible to dial with alphabets, the numbers may be combined (encoded / decoded) in combination.

Further, in order to directly access the communication device 11 from the Internet 16, it is sufficient to first transmit a call packet, receive a response packet, and then exchange data according to the original application protocol. In this case, it is preferable to notify the accessing side that the communication cost is required. For example, W
When accessing the communication device 11 from the anchor tag of the WW web page, when the user clicks on the anchor area, it is determined that communication is to be charged (in the case of via an Internet service provider, the provider has made a replacement). Warn the user, and after the user understands (OK
After sending the call), it is preferable to send a call packet. The anchor regions may be distinguished by color display or the like.

Further, another network communication address may be used instead of the global IP address used to specify the communication device 11. For example, access server 1
5 or the global IP address of the network in which the access server 15 is located, and an identifier (referred to as a private address) assigned to the communication device 11 under the control of the access server 15 (exchange station 12) on an exchange basis. The communication device 11 may be specified in combination. FIG. 4E shows an example of the IP packet in this case. In this IP packet, the header includes the global IPs of the destination access server and the source access server, and the data includes the private IP addresses of the destination communication device and the source communication device. Routing is performed using a global IP address between the access servers, and a private address is extracted and used in the processing of the access server. All addresses can be generated by the address conversion unit 21. The private address may be any address as long as it is uniquely assigned in the access server management range (virtual network). In addition to the private IP address, for example, a host name or a telephone number may be used. May be.

In this embodiment, the control signals are exchanged by the individual line signaling method, and the control signals are also transmitted as packets via the Internet. However, the control signals themselves are transmitted via a normal switching network. May be transmitted and received. Further, in a system adopting a common channel signaling system such as ISDN, control signals may be exchanged via a common channel as before. When the common channel signaling method is used, the calling exchange can be configured to obtain a global IP address corresponding to the called subscriber number from the called exchange. It is only necessary to hold the conversion data for the subscriber number in the office.

In the case where data other than a signal for a normal communication system is transmitted as a high-frequency signal by using xDSL (digital subscriber line) technology, the switch 14 may be constituted by a frequency separator. In this case, signals for control of outgoing calls, incoming calls, etc. are exchanged via individual lines or common lines,
Information data such as call data can be separated by a frequency separator and transmitted to the Internet 16 side.

Next, a second embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a mobile communication system will be described. FIG. 6 shows this embodiment as a whole. In FIG. 6, parts corresponding to those in FIG. 1 are denoted by corresponding reference numerals.

In FIG. 6, a base station 35 is connected to an exchange (mobile exchange) 12. That is, the base station 35
Is connected to the exchange 13 and the access server 15 via the switch 14. The base station 35 performs wireless communication with a mobile station 36 in a corresponding area. Further, in the mobile communication system of this embodiment, the location of the mobile station 36 is registered. Location registration is performed in units of location registration areas (consisting of one or a plurality of base station areas) as in a normal mobile communication system. If the position of the mobile station 36 is different from the previous registration range, the IP packet for position registration is transmitted by multicast or the like to update the table 21a of the address conversion unit 21.

Also in this example, communication can be performed via the Internet 16 in the same manner as in FIG. Also, the mobile station 36
May be a fixed wireless communication device. Further, a mobile station and a fixed wireless communication device may be mixed. The update registration processing of the position is not required for the fixed wireless communication device.

Further, the access server 15 in the mobile communication system and the access server 15 in the normal circuit switching system are connected via the Internet to connect the communication device of the mobile communication system with the communication device of the normal circuit switching system. Communication between the two. Also, global IP
The mobile station (communication device) may be specified by combining the address and the private address.

Next, an embodiment using an identifier unique to the communication device (or an identifier unique to the communication component of the communication device), for example, a MAC address will be described. FIG. 7 shows the third embodiment as a whole. In this figure, portions corresponding to those in FIG. 1 are denoted by corresponding reference numerals. In FIG. 7, the local exchange 12 has a MAC address registration unit 40. When the connection state of the communication device 11 is detected by the MAC address registration unit 40,
It issues a MAC address transmission command to the communication device 11 and receives the MAC address from the communication device 11. M received
If the AC address is the same as the previous value, do nothing. If different, the value is registered, a pair of the MAC address and the subscriber number is packetized and multicast to another access server. The MAC address registration unit 40 holds not only the relationship between the MAC address of the communication device controlled by the corresponding server and the subscriber number, but also the relationship between the MAC address of the communication device controlled by another server and the subscriber number.

When there is a possibility that the MAC address corresponding to the subscriber line may be changed, for example, when the communication device 11 is connected to the subscriber line, the communication device 11 determines this and registers the MAC address. You may request the part 40 to change the registered contents.

In this embodiment, the user directly or indirectly designates a MAC address to make a call. On the calling side, first, the MAC address of the destination communication device is set to MA
It is converted to a subscriber number with reference to the C address registration unit 40,
The subscriber number obtained by the conversion is further converted into an IP address using the address conversion unit 21. Then, the exchange is performed via the Internet 16. When the subscriber line is disconnected (for example, when the communication device is removed from the modular), it is preferable to reset the corresponding part of the MAC address registration unit 40. That is, the corresponding subscriber number is set to data indicating that there is no corresponding MAC address.

In this embodiment, regardless of the subscriber number,
Communication can be performed using the MAC address. In addition,
Whether to extract an IP address based on a MAC address or an IP address based on a subscriber number is determined by a service identification number (for example, 0 in the case of a MAC address).
A ₁ B ₁ 0, it may instruct by adding case _0A 2 _B 2 0) of the subscriber number.

When the user performs communication using the MAC address, it is preferable to use a personal directory or a directory service provided by a third party.

A database server for associating a MAC address with a subscriber number may be provided on the Internet, and this database server may be used instead of the MAC address registration unit. In this case, information obtained from the database server may be cached.

Further, the identifier unique to the device need only be one that can identify the device, and need not be a MAC address. For example, a personal identifier stored in a personal identification card that exchanges data with the communication device may be used. Further, instead of being fixedly embedded in the device like a MAC address, it may be one that can be set by a user or the like afterwards. This identifier is held in a nonvolatile manner after being set.

Although the above description has been made mainly on the premise of a telephone call service, the present invention can be widely applied to communication including data communication without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0040]

As described above, according to the present invention, a subscriber unit in a circuit-switched network can be accessed using a network communication address, and a call can be made at the time of this access.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention as a whole;

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a switch 14 according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an access server 15 according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating various packets according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention as a whole;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a third embodiment of the present invention as a whole;

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 11 communication device 12 subscriber exchange 13 exchange 14 switch 15 access server 16 Internet 17 switch body 18 control unit 20 dial storage unit 21 address conversion unit 21 b address register 21 a table 22 call packet generation unit 23 call compression unit 24 call packet generation Unit 25 call end detection unit 26 end packet generation unit 27 call signal generation unit 28 response signal detection unit 29 response packet generation unit 30 call decoding unit 31 call end processing unit 35 base station 36 mobile station 40 address registration unit

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A communication method for communicating with a predetermined subscriber device in a communication system for connecting a line from a predetermined subscriber device to a global communication network side via a branch point at an input side of a switching center. Transmitting an information data packet to a predetermined subscriber device using a global IP address representing a group of subscriber devices and an address unique to each subscriber device; Calling the predetermined subscriber device to which the information data is to be transmitted, in relation to the transmission of the information data packet. 2. The communication method according to claim 1, wherein said calling step is performed using a common signal line. 3. The communication method according to claim 1, wherein said calling step is performed using a packet including calling information.