JPH05236132A - Method and device for call management of exchange in television conference system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To collect detailed traffic information by managing call connection information of immediate call connection and call connection information of reserved call connection with a management table of a unified configuration so as to implement respective connection control. CONSTITUTION:A CPU 12 realizes a call connection information management means 14 managing the call connection information, a call connection control means 15 implementing call connection control and a reserved schedule management means 16 managing a reserved schedule by executing a program stored in a memory 13. The reservation schedule management means 16 checks a reservation schedule 17 for a prescribed period and sends a reserved call connection request notice to the call connection information management means 14 at a prescribed time before the reserved start time. The call connection information management means 14 generates a management table 18 and reads it. The call connection control means 15 controls a channel switch network 11 or the like based on the call connection information from the call connection management means 14 to implement call connection control.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a call management method and apparatus for controlling call connection and managing call connection information of an exchange in a video conference system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a television capable of connecting a conference room at a remote location to each other by video and audio using a communication line and having a conference while watching TV screens in a manner that everyone is in the same conference room. The conference system has been put to practical use.

Some of these video conference systems can start a video conference immediately and also can start a video conference according to a reservation schedule. In such an immediate / reservation coexistence type video conference system, conventionally, connection information is managed only during the reservation time of the reservation-scheduled video conference, and the video conference is still connected even after the reservation time ends. Also, it did not manage the connection information of the video conference that started immediately.

[0004]

In this conventional system, in order to enable the coexistence of a video conference in which the other party is called and connected immediately and a video conference in which connection is made through reservation scheduling, 1) immediate call Difference between connection procedure and reserved call connection procedure 2) There was a problem that the program of the call connection control part was complicated due to restrictions such as immediate call connection control with priority to reserved call connection.

The characteristics of the video switching network are different from those of the telephone, such as 1) a special network structure for preventing deterioration of the video, and 2) a service having a special connection structure such as multipoint connection and broadcast connection. Therefore, there are problems that it is difficult to flexibly respond to changes in the network configuration and it is difficult to collect traffic information.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a call management method and apparatus for a switching system, which simplifies call connection control and enables flexible response to changes in network configuration and collection of detailed traffic information. is there.

[0007]

A call management method for an exchange in a video conference system according to a first aspect of the present invention provides call connection information for immediate call connection and call connection information for reserved call connection in the exchange in the video conference system. The management table has a unified configuration, and the connection control for the immediate call connection and the connection control for the reserved call connection are performed using this management table.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a call management method for an exchange in a video conference system, wherein in the exchange in the video conference system, a network required when a call connection is requested is made in both cases of immediate call connection and reserved call connection. Internal resources are captured, and this internal network resource information is managed by a management table with a unified configuration provided for each internal network resource. Using this management table, connection control for immediate call connection and connection for reserved call connection are managed. It controls.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a call management device for a switch in a video conference system, wherein the switch in the video conference system requires a network required for a call connection request in both cases of immediate call connection and reserved call connection. Management table creating means for creating a management table for managing internal resource information, and connection control means for performing connection control for immediate call connection and connection control for reserved call connection using the management table created by the management table creating means Is provided.

In this call management device, in both cases of immediate call connection and reserved call connection, when a call connection request is made, the management table creating means creates a management table for managing necessary network resource information. Using the management table, the connection control means performs connection control for immediate call connection and connection control for reserved call connection.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 6 relate to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of a video conference system according to this embodiment. In this video conference system, a plurality of exchanges 10 are connected via a relay line 21. Each exchange 10 accommodates a plurality of terminals 20 for video conference. The exchange 10 includes a communication path switch network 11 connected to each terminal 20 and a trunk line 21, a central processing unit (hereinafter referred to as CPU) 12 that controls the exchange 10, and a memory connected to the CPU 12. 13 and 13.

The CPU 12 executes a program stored in the memory 13 to manage call connection information, call connection information management means 14, call connection control means 15 that performs call connection control, and a reservation schedule. The reservation schedule management means 16 is realized. Further, the memory 13 stores a reservation schedule 17 and a management table 18 for a reserved video conference. The reservation schedule management means 16 checks the reservation schedule 17 at a constant cycle, and when the reservation start time reaches a predetermined time, a reservation call connection request notification is sent to the call connection information management means 14. There is. The call connection information management means 14 is adapted to create and read the management table 18. The call connection control means 15 controls the call path switch network 11 and the like based on the call connection information from the call connection information management means 14 to perform call connection control.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a reserved call connection control sequence for a reserved video conference. In this reserved call connection control, first, step (hereinafter referred to as S) 10
In step 1, when the call connection information management means 14 receives a reservation call connection request notification from the reservation schedule management means 16 at a fixed time before the reservation start time, the call connection information management means 14 executes S1.
No. 02 secures necessary network resources and manage table 18
To create.

When the reservation start time comes, the call connection information management means 14 sends a reservation call connection start notification to the call connection control means 15 in S103. Then, the call connection control means 15
Is a management table 18 via the call connection information management means 14.
Resource information in the connected network is collected from and the call connection is started by the following procedure. That is, the call connection control means 15 first sets S1.
When the sponsor terminal is called in 05, and the response from the sponsor terminal is confirmed in S106, the participating terminals are called in S107 and S
When the response from the participating terminal is confirmed in 108, the sponsor terminal and the participating terminal are connected and a video conference is held. When the video conference ends and the sponsor terminal disconnects in S109, the call connection control unit 15 releases the call, and sends a call release notification to the call connection information management unit 14 in S110. Upon receiving this notification, the call connection information management means 14 releases the intra-network resource in S111.

The reservation call connection control sequence described above is the same as in the conventional system.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an immediate call connection control sequence when an immediate video conference is held. In this immediate call connection control, when the call connection control means 15 receives an immediate call connection request from the sponsor terminal in S121, the call connection control means 15 connects the immediate call connection to the call connection information management means 14 in S122. Send a request notification. Call connection information management means 14
Upon receiving the immediate call connection request notification, secures necessary network resources and creates a management table in S123.

Next, in S124, the call connection control means 15
Resource information in the connection network is collected from the management table 18 via the call connection information management means 14, and the call connection is started in the following procedure. That is, the call connection control means 15 first S125.
In step S126, when the participation terminal is called and the response from the participation terminal is confirmed, the sponsor terminal and the participation terminal are connected and a video conference is held. When the video conference ends and the sponsor terminal disconnects in S127, the call connection control unit 15 releases the call and sends a call release notification to the call connection information management unit 14 in S128. Upon receiving this notification, the call connection information management means 14 releases the intra-network resource in S129.

As described above, in this embodiment, since the management of call connection information is unified between the reserved call connection and the immediate call connection, the immediate call connection sequence is close to the reserved call connection sequence. Therefore, in the call connection control for both the immediate call connection and the reserved call connection, the video conference can be realized by a simplified process of collecting the resources in the connection network and performing the call connection.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the management table 18 that manages call connection information. This management table is composed of a management table [A] for sponsor terminal information, a management table [B] for trunk line information, and a management table [C] for participating terminal information. It has a similar form. Therefore, the reservation time information [a] of the reserved call start time and the reserved call end time in the management table [A] for sponsored terminal information is set only for reserved calls. The management table [B] for relay line information can be changed according to the required number of relay lines. Further, in order to make the number of management tables variable, a chain of unidirectional links is formed between the management tables. In the above-mentioned call connection control, the operation of collecting the resource information in the connection network for each management table and making the call connection is repeated.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a process of creating a management table from a call connection request to a call connection start in the case of reserved call connection. This process corresponds to S102 in FIG. In the case of reserved call connection, first, S201
The host terminal is captured (secured) in step S202, and a management table [A] for host terminal information is created in step S202. Next, in S203,
It is determined whether or not a relay line is necessary, and if it is not necessary (“N”), the process proceeds to S206. On the other hand, if a trunk line is required (“Y”), the trunk line is captured in S204,
A management table [B] for trunk line information is created in S205, and the process returns to S203. When proceeding to S206, the participating terminals are captured, and at S207, the management table for participating terminal information [C].
To create all management tables.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the process of creating the management table from the call connection request to the call connection start in the case of immediate call connection. This process corresponds to S123 in FIG. In the case of immediate call connection, first, S211
Create a management table [A] for sponsor terminal information. Next, in S212, it is determined whether or not a trunk line is required, and if not ("N"), the process proceeds to S215. On the other hand, if a trunk line is required (“Y”), the trunk line is captured in S213, and the management table for trunk line information [B] is acquired in S214.
Is created and the process returns to S212. When the processing proceeds to S215, the participating terminals are captured, the management table [C] for the participating terminal information is created in S216, and the creation of all management tables ends.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, in the video conference system in which the immediate video conference and the reserved video conference are mixed, the connection information management is unified so that the connection control of the immediate video conference and the reserved video conference is the same. The procedure can be performed, and the call connection control can be simplified.

Further, by creating a management table for each connection information and managing the connection call in the link format,
In addition to being able to respond flexibly to changes in network configuration,
It is possible to collect detailed traffic information.

[0026]

As described above, according to the present invention, the call connection information for immediate call connection and the call connection information for reserved call connection are managed by a management table having a unified structure, and this management table is used. Since connection control for immediate call connection and connection control for reserved call connection are performed, it is possible to simplify call connection control, flexibly respond to changes in network configuration, and collect detailed traffic information. There is.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a video conference system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a reserved call connection control sequence when a reserved video conference is held in one embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an immediate call connection control sequence when an immediate video conference is held in one embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a management table for managing call connection information in one embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a process of creating a management table from a call connection request to a call connection start in the case of a reserved call connection according to an embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a process of creating a management table from a call connection request to a call connection start in the case of immediate call connection in one embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Switchboard 12 Central Processing Unit 13 Memory 14 Call Connection Information Management Means 15 Call Connection Control Means 17 Reservation Schedule 18 Management Table 20 Terminal 21 Relay Line

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A switch in a video conference system, wherein call connection information for immediate call connection and call connection information for reserved call connection are provided.
A call management method for an exchange in a video conferencing system, which is managed by a management table having a unified structure, and which uses this management table to perform connection control for immediate call connection and connection control for reserved call connection. 2. A switch in a video conferencing system captures necessary intra-network resources at the time of call connection request in both cases of immediate call connection and reserved call connection, and uses this intra-network resource information as the intra-network resource information. Call management of exchanges in a video conference system characterized by performing management of a unified configuration management table provided for each, and using this management table to perform connection control of immediate call connection and connection control of reserved call connection Method. 3. A video conference system, which is provided in a switchboard for both immediate call connection and reserved call connection,
When a call connection request is made, a management table creating means for creating a management table for managing necessary resource information in the network, and a connection for immediate call connection using the management table provided in the exchange and created by the management table creating means A call management device for an exchange in a video conferencing system, comprising: a connection control means for performing control and connection control for reserved call connection.