EP1260102A1

EP1260102A1 - Method for status inquiry of at least one connection for a user group and/or communication transmission device

Info

Publication number: EP1260102A1
Application number: EP01913694A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Bernd Schneider
Original assignee: Siemens AG
Current assignee: Siemens AG
Priority date: 2000-03-03
Filing date: 2001-02-19
Publication date: 2002-11-27
Also published as: US20030064740A1; CN1408181A; WO2001065866A1; DE10010462A1; CN1197392C

Abstract

The invention relates to a status inquiry in a communication network (PSTN) from a particular communication transmission device (VPG1), arranged as a switchboard and connected to a first exchange (VST1), for the purpose of establishing a connection to at least one connection and/or communication device (TLN2,..., TLN4) of a user group (CXGRP), by means of at least one second exchange (VST2). Said inquiry is directed from the first exchange to at least the second exchange, by means of a signalling path (ZK).

Description

description

Method for querying the status of at least one connection assigned to a subscriber group and / or end of communication direction

The invention relates to a method for querying the status of at least one connection and / or communication terminal device assigned to a subscriber group by means of a special communication terminal device arranged in a communication network and designed as a switching center according to the preamble of claim 1.

Such groups of participants are z. B. with the feature

“Centrex * (Central Office and Exchange) related. The feature "Centrex *" enables communication end devices that are connected to a common or sometimes to different exchanges of a communication network via connecting lines to be combined to form a Centrex group. The subscribers belonging to the Centrex group can then be provided by the switching center responsible for them with almost the same service features that a private branch exchange (PBX) would offer them if their subscriber end devices were connected to them. Such Centrex groups can continue in Centrex subgroups, e.g. B. business groups, which are provided with a selection of service features from the pool of service features possible for Centrex participants. The service features associated with Centrex groups are, for example, in a customer brochure “GeoCentrex: The Best Catch For Your Network 'from Siemens AG, published in 1995 by the Telekom unikationsnetze business area, Hofmannstr. 51, D-81359 Munich, order no. A-30808-X3093-X100-1-7635. As in known private branch exchanges, a switching center responsible for the Centrex group can be equipped with a switching center or a switching center group. An operator console for a Centrex group or a Centrex subgroup is the central point of contact for external and possibly also for Centrex (subgroups) internal callers. An operator operator accepts calls, has a consultation with the caller and can then specifically forward the call to a desired or to a most suitable participant in the Centrex (subgroup).

When forwarding the incoming call, the operator operator can take actions such. For example, switching to an existing call, breaking through a call barring set by the subscriber or call diversion or selection of an alternative subscriber group subscriber. For reasons of time, the forwarding usually takes place without a previous connection of the operator operator with the subscriber of the subscriber group to be reached. It can occur that the connection or the communication end device of this subscriber is busy, or that the subscriber is currently not present and, if necessary, has set up call forwarding to an answering machine on his communication terminal device. An external caller who does not belong to the subscriber group is usually switched back to the same operator console or another operator console of a operator console group after some time or he has to end the call, call again and present his wishes again to an operator console operator.

In conventional private branch exchanges, switchboards are equipped with display oaths, on which a "free" or "busy" state is displayed by the communication terminal equipment directly connected to the private branch exchange. This is done by physically monitoring the connecting line m leading to the communication terminal the private branch exchange. In this way, an operator can query information about the status of the called connection or communication terminal before forwarding the incoming call and, based on the status, take suitable actions such as: B. Call forwarding to an existing call, breaking through a call block or call diversion set on the communication terminal of the called subscriber, selection of an alternative communication terminal of the subscriber group and inquiries to the caller.

Problems in monitoring the status of the connections or communication terminal devices of a subscriber group occur in particular when a subscriber group is set up network-wide for subscribers whose communication terminal devices are connected to different switching centers. In addition, the exchange is usually connected to a different exchange than the communication terminals. Accordingly, the procedure known for private branch exchanges cannot be applied to subscriber groups whose connections or communication terminals are distributed over several switching centers in the communication network.

The object of the invention is to improve a method for querying the status of at least one connection and / or communication terminal device assigned to a subscriber group in the manner specified in the preamble of claim 1.

The object is achieved by the features specified in the characterizing part of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are characterized in the subclaims.

The essential aspect of the inventive method ^is' to be seen in that from the associated associated with a first switching center, the subscriber group encryption Averaging station for establishing a connection via at least one second switching center to at least one connection and / or communication device, a status query of the at least one connection and / or communication device is directed from the first switching center to the at least one second switching center via a signaling path in the communication network. By utilizing the signaling path present in the communication network according to the invention, no additional hardware devices are required in the communication network. The advantage of the method according to the invention is particularly evident for a group of subscribers set up across the network.

The status query arriving at the at least second switching center expediently initiates the determination of the status of the at least one connection and / or communication device. A result message is then transmitted to the first exchange. Depending on the result message, a connection to a called communication terminal of the subscriber group is established. In this way, attempts to establish a connection that do not lead to success can be avoided from the outset.

According to one embodiment of the invention, a state on the communication terminal device is represented by a set call forwarding or on the connection by an assignment of the connecting line.

It can also be provided that the signaling path is signaled via a signaling channel No. 7.

The so-called TCAP protocol (Transaction Capabilities Application Protocol) is preferably used as the transmission protocol on the signaling path. The TCAP protocol supports a signaling transmission mechanism in which there are no user connections in the communication network established, only signaling paths are required.

The queried state is indicated optically and / or acoustically at the attendant console. By showing the status of the at least one called communication terminal device to an operator operator on the screen, the operator can provide the caller with appropriate information and thereby have a better effect on his needs.

If the communication network is a public telecommunications network, the at least one second switching center is designed in accordance with a public digital telephone switching center.

As already mentioned at the beginning, the group of participants is preferably represented by a Centrex group or by a Centrex subgroup.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing. The drawing shows:

The figure shows an exemplary constellation in the communication network in which the method according to the invention can be used.

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as described above, are queried and displayed on the screen of an operator console. Instead of using a screen display, the operator can hear the state of the corresponding communication terminals acoustically, e.g. B. be notified via beeps.

Claims

claims

1. Method for querying the status of at least one connection and / or communication terminal device (TLN2, ..., TLN4) assigned to a subscriber group (CXGRP) by means of a special communication terminal device (VPG1), which is arranged as a switching center and is assigned to a subscriber group and is assigned to the subscriber group characterized in that from the switching center connected to a first switching center (VST1) for establishing a connection via at least one second switching center (VST2) to at least one connection and / or communication terminal device, a status query of the at least one connection and / or communication terminal device from the first switching center is directed to the at least one second switching center via a signaling path (ZK) in the communication network.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the status query arriving at the at least second switching center (VST2) initiates and starts the determination of the status of the at least one connection and / or communication end direction (TLN2, ..., TLN4) finally a result message is transmitted to the first exchange.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a state on the Communicatlon- transmitting device is represented by a set call forwarding or on the connection by an assignment of the connecting line.

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a signaling channel No. 7 is provided in the signaling path.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the TCAP protocol (transaction capabilities application protocol) is used as the transmission protocol on the signaling path.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the queried state is displayed optically and / or acoustically at the exchange (VPGl).

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is in the first and in the at least one second switching center

(VST1, VST2) are switching centers arranged in a public telecommunications network.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that the group of participants is represented by a Centrex group or a Centrex sub-group.