JP2006303576A - Sip proxy server - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a SIP proxy server capable of acquiring communication management information as to particular communications only desired by users or the like among communications carried out between SIP communication apparatuses inside and outside of a network area managed by the SIP proxy server. <P>SOLUTION: The SIP proxy server 1 records the communication management information of communications associated with an INVITE message when detecting prescribed identification information from the transferred INVITE message in the case that the INVITE message is transferred between the SIP communication apparatus 4 in a LAN 2 under the management of the SIP proxy server 1 and the SIP communication apparatus 30 at the outside of the LAN 2 under the management of the SIP proxy server 1. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) proxy server, and more specifically, performs a SIP message transfer process between a SIP communication device in a network area managed by the SIP proxy server and a SIP communication device outside the network area. The present invention relates to a SIP proxy server.

  In recent years, a communication apparatus (hereinafter referred to as “SIP communication apparatus”) that performs data communication such as image data after establishing a media session by exchanging SIP messages has been proposed (for example, Patent Documents 1 to 3). reference.). The transfer of the SIP message between the SIP communication apparatuses is performed by a SIP proxy server (for example, the SIP server of Patent Documents 1 to 3). If a SIP communication device is installed in a LAN and the SIP proxy server is installed in a place where packets entering and leaving the LAN can be monitored, such as a reverse proxy server (201) as disclosed in Patent Document 4, for example, Access control can be performed for communication inside and outside the LAN. For example, unauthorized access from outside the LAN to the inside of the LAN or access from the LAN to a specific address outside the LAN can be prohibited, or the transfer priority of packets entering and leaving the LAN can be controlled.

JP 2004-172853 A JP 2004-221945 A JP 2004-260535 A JP 2003-186664 A

  Currently, in various organizations such as companies, networks are constructed, and communication, security, and the like are managed in units of networks. It is convenient if the SIP communication performed by the SIP communication apparatus can be managed in a network unit by a SIP proxy server or the like. In particular, if management for only a specific SIP communication desired by a user or the like can be performed, improvement in management efficiency is expected.

  However, the conventionally proposed SIP proxy server basically only relays packets, and communication management information such as communication history is stored for specific communications performed between SIP communication apparatuses inside and outside the LAN. There has not yet been proposed what can be obtained. For this reason, it is not easy to perform unified communication management in units of networks for only specific SIP communication.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and communication management information can be acquired only for specific communication desired by a user or the like among communications performed between SIP communication apparatuses inside and outside the network area under jurisdiction. An object of the present invention is to provide a SIP proxy server that can be used.

  The SIP proxy server according to claim 1, when the SIP message is transferred between the SIP communication device in the network area under the jurisdiction and the SIP communication device outside the network area under the jurisdiction, the predetermined identification information from the SIP message to be transferred And a communication management information recording unit that records communication management information of communication related to the SIP message when predetermined identification information is detected by the unit.

  The SIP proxy server according to claim 2 is the SIP proxy server according to claim 1, wherein the communication management information recorded by the communication management information recording unit includes destination information of a SIP communication device in a network area under its jurisdiction. Means for receiving the destination information of the SIP communication device in the network area under its jurisdiction and the output request for communication management information, and the communication management information recorded by the communication management information recording means in response to the received output request Output means for extracting information related to the destination information received from the request information and outputting the information to the request source.

  The SIP proxy server according to claim 3 is the SIP proxy server according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the SIP message is a SIP message of a communication start request.

  According to the SIP proxy server of the first aspect, the communication management information of the SIP communication can be recorded in the SIP proxy server by describing the predetermined identification information in the SIP message transmitted in the SIP communication device. As a result, communication management information for only a specific communication desired by a user or the like can be acquired from communication performed between SIP communication apparatuses inside and outside the network area under the jurisdiction of the SIP proxy server. Communication management information can be centrally managed for each network.

  According to the SIP proxy server of the second aspect, it is possible to output only the communication management information related to a specific SIP communication device in the network area under its jurisdiction.

  According to the SIP proxy server according to claim 3, since it is possible to determine whether or not to record the communication management information of the SIP communication according to the first received SIP message, the SIP message transmission / reception is started from the beginning. Recording of communication management information can be started.

  The SIP proxy server according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 shows a configuration example in the LAN 2 managed by the SIP proxy server 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. In addition to the SIP proxy server 1, a plurality of SIP communication devices 4 and a plurality of client PCs 5 are connected to the LAN 2. The SIP proxy server 1 is directly connected to the router 3 so that all packets entering the LAN 2 from outside the LAN 2 (Internet) through the router 3 can be monitored.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the SIP proxy server 1 includes a control unit 6, a communication unit 7, an identification information storage unit 8, an operation unit 9, a display unit 10, an auxiliary storage device 11, and the like. The control unit 6 is composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. (not shown), and in accordance with a command issued by the CPU based on a control program stored in the ROM. The operation of each part constituting the SIP proxy server 1 is controlled. The communication unit 7 includes a NIC (network interface card), and performs communication with the SIP communication device 4, the client PC 5, the router 3, and the like connected in the LAN 2.

  The identification information storage unit 8 includes, for example, a RAM, and stores one or a plurality of identification information registered by a user's predetermined operation in the operation unit 9 or the like. The SIP proxy server 1 is configured to execute a processing operation based on the identification information, and details thereof will be described later.

  The operation unit 9 includes an input device such as a keyboard and a mouse. The display unit 10 includes, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), and displays information held by the SIP proxy server 1, for example, identification information stored in the identification information storage unit 7, device setting information, and the like. The auxiliary storage device 11 is composed of a hard disk device or the like, and stores communication management information to be described later.

  The SIP proxy server 1 having the above configuration has an HTTP server function in addition to the original functions of the SIP proxy server, for example, transfer of SIP messages. Therefore, when there is a request for a file specifying a URL (Uniform Resource Locators) from an HTTP client, an HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) file of the URL is returned.

  The SIP communication device 4 in the LAN 2 and the SIP communication device 30 outside the LAN 2 have a SIP communication function for performing data communication such as image data after establishing a media session by SIP. In the SIP communication function, a media session is established by SIP, and voice communication (so-called IP telephone communication) and image data communication (so-called IP facsimile communication) can be performed. Note that the SIP communication device 4 establishes a media session by SIP and transmits / receives audio data, image data, and the like as protocols necessary for transmitting / receiving voice data, image data, etc., for example, RTP (Real-time Transport Protocol), SDP (Session Description Protocol), and the like. Implemented.

  In addition, the SIP communication devices 4 and 30 have means for describing identification information in a predetermined location of the SIP message to be transmitted to the other party, in this embodiment, in the “s” field of the SDP header. The identification information is composed of, for example, a character string, and by describing a character string starting with the same identification information as that registered in advance in the SIP proxy server 1, the communication management information of the SIP communication is recorded and stored in the SIP proxy server. Be able to.

  In the present embodiment, for example, “SESSION TRACE 1 ON” or “SESSION TRACE 2 ON” is registered in the SIP communication apparatuses 4 and 30 as identification information. The SIP communication devices 4 and 30 automatically describe the registered identification information in the SDP header “s” field in the “INVITE” message that is the SIP message of the communication start request, and further differ for each session. A session ID is described following the identification information. The SIP communication devices 4 and 30 also have means for preventing the identification information from being described in the “INVITE” message by setting or by a transmission start operation by SIP communication. Accordingly, the calling user can cause the SIP proxy server 1 to record and store the communication management information of the SIP communication only when necessary. Note that the “s” field of the SDP header in which the SIP communication devices 4 and 30 describe the registered identification information is an example of the description location of the identification information. As long as the field is not used when establishing a media session, such as the “s” field of the SDP header, identification information may be described in other locations and the SIP proxy server may detect the locations. .

  The client PC 5 connected to the LAN 2 is configured by, for example, an OS (operating system), a browser, and the like incorporated in a computer such as a personal computer.

  Hereinafter, the SIP proxy server 1 sends an “INVITE” message addressed to the SIP communication device 4 in the LAN 2 from the SIP communication device 30 outside the LAN 2, or “INVITE” addressed to the SIP communication device 30 outside the LAN 2 from the SIP communication device 4 in the LAN 2. The processing operation executed when the message is received and transferred will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  When the SIP proxy server 1 receives the “INVITE” message that is a communication start request (S1: YES), the SIP proxy server 1 sends predetermined identification information, that is, the SIP proxy server 1 from the “s” field of the SDP header in the “INVITE” message. Attempts to detect identification information “SESSION TRACE1 ON”, “SESSION TRACE2 ON”, etc., which are registered in advance.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 3, predetermined identification information registered in advance in the server 1 is described in the “s” field M2 in the “INVITE” message M, and the SIP proxy server 1 detects the identification information. If so, it is regarded as a recording instruction for communication management information (S2: YES). Here, the communication management information is destination information (telephone number, IP address, etc.) of the calling side SIP communication device and called side SIP communication device, communication start date / time, communication time, communication result, identification information, and session ID. . Of course, information related to the communication other than these may be applied as the communication management information.

  When predetermined identification information is detected from the SDP header “s” field in the received “INVITE” message and it is considered that there is an instruction to record communication management information (S2: YES), communication of communication related to the “INVITE” message Recording of management information is started (S3). That is, recording of the communication management information for the communication started from the exchange of the “INVITE” message is started, and the “INVITE” message is transferred to the SIP communication device 4 or 30 that is the destination (S4). Then, after transferring other SIP messages, “200 OK”, “ACK”, etc., a media session is established between the calling side SIP communication device 30 or 4 and the called side SIP communication device 4 or 30. Then, data communication such as audio data and image data is started (S5).

  The SIP proxy server 1 acquires and records various types of communication management information as follows, for example. That is, the SIP proxy server 1 extracts and records information described in, for example, “From:” header and “To:” header as destination information of the calling side and called side SIP communication devices. As the communication start date and time, for example, the date and time when the “INVITE” message was transferred or the date and time when the media session was established is recorded. As the communication time, the time from the communication start date and time to the date and time when the media session ends is counted and recorded as the communication time. As for the communication result, for example, when an error code is exchanged by a SIP message between the calling side and the called side SIP communication device, an “error” is recorded, and the error code is not exchanged. Record “OK” in For the identification information, the identification information “SESSION TRACE1 ON” detected in S2 is recorded as the identification information. As for the session ID, when “SID =” is added to the identification information detected in S2, a character string described subsequently is recorded as the session ID.

  When the data communication is completed, the SIP proxy server 1 transfers a session end request “BYE” from the calling-side SIP communication device 30 or 4 to the called-side SIP communication device 4 or 30 and sends a response message “200 OK”. When the call is transferred from the called SIP communication device 4 or 30 to the calling SIP communication device 30 or 4, the media session established between the SIP communication devices is terminated (S6). When the media session ends, the SIP proxy server 1 also ends the recording of the communication management information (S7), and stores and stores the recorded communication management information T1 as shown in FIG. 3, for example, in the auxiliary storage device 11 (see FIG. 3). S8).

  As shown in FIG. 4, the SIP proxy server 1 stores the recorded communication management information T1 in the communication management information table T and stores and saves it in the auxiliary storage device 11. The table T has a “calling party telephone number” field, a “called party telephone number” field, a “date and time” field, a “communication time” field, a “result” field, an “identification information” field, and a “SID” field. The SIP proxy server 1 stores the recorded various communication management information in these fields. That is, destination information (IP telephone number, IP address, domain name, etc.) of the calling side SIP communication apparatus is stored in the “calling side telephone number” column. In the “called telephone number” column, destination information (IP telephone number, IP address, domain name, etc.) of the called SIP communication apparatus is stored. The “date and time” column stores the communication start date and time. The “communication time” column stores the communication time. The “identification information” column stores the identification information described in the SDP header “s” field. The “result” column stores the communication result. A session ID is stored in the “SID” column.

  On the other hand, when the SIP proxy server 1 cannot detect the predetermined identification information in S2, it is considered that there is no instruction for recording the communication management information (S2: NO). Then, the “INVITE” message received from the calling side SIP communication device 30 or 4 is transferred to the SIP communication device 4 or 30 that is the destination (S9), and “200 OK”, “ACK” or the like is transferred. Then, a media session is established between the calling side SIP communication device 30 or 4 and the called side SIP communication device 4 or 30, and data communication is performed (S10).

  Next, a case where the communication management information stored in the SIP proxy server 1 is referred from an external device such as the client PC 5 will be described. The SIP proxy server 1 has a function of providing communication management information stored as described above in response to a request from a client PC or the like in which a WEB browser is incorporated. This function will be described based on the flowchart shown in FIG. In the following description, a case where communication management information stored in the SIP proxy server 1 is referred to from a client PC 5 connected to the LAN 2 will be described as an example. For example, it is possible to refer from a communication device connected outside the LAN 2.

  In the client PC 5, when the user designates a URL assigned to a predetermined input form for referring to the communication management information on the browser, for example, an HTTP command “GET” designating the URL is sent to the SIP proxy server 1 through the browser. Sent. When the SIP proxy server 1 receives the HTTP command specifying the URL (S101: YES), the SIP proxy server 1 transmits, for example, an HTML file of an input form as shown in FIG. 6 to the client PC 5 (S102). The input form illustrated in FIG. 6 includes a destination information input field 31, an identification information input field 32, a session ID input field 33, a send button 34, a cancel button 35, and the like. In the destination information input field 31, destination information of the SIP communication device such as an IP telephone number and an IP address is input and designated. In the identification information input field, communication identification information, that is, identification information such as “SESSION TRACE1 ON” is input and designated. In the session ID input field 32, the above-described session ID is input and designated.

  When the client PC 5 receives the HTML file of the input form, a screen as shown in FIG. 6 is displayed on the monitor of the client PC 5 through the browser. As required by the user of the client PC 5, each field is input from the screen of the input form, and when the send button 34 is selected, the input information is transmitted to the SIP proxy server 1. When the cancel button 35 is selected, a cancel request is transmitted to the SIP proxy server 1.

  When the SIP proxy server 1 receives a cancel request from the client PC 5 through the input form (S103: NO), the SIP proxy server 1 ends the series of processing operations. On the other hand, when the SIP proxy server 1 receives only the information designated by the input form from the client PC 5 or the information indicating that the send button has been pressed, there is a communication management information reference request (communication management information output request). (S103: YES). When the SIP proxy server 1 receives the information specified in the fields 31 to 33 of the input form (S104: YES), the SIP proxy server 1 includes a record (S104: YES) containing the received information from the accumulated communication management information table T ( (Communication management information related to the received information) is extracted (S105). Specifically, when receiving the destination information, identification information, and session ID, the SIP proxy server 1 extracts communication management information (record) including all of them. When the SIP proxy server 1 receives any two pieces of information among the destination information, the identification information, and the session ID, the SIP proxy server 1 extracts all the communication management information (record) including the received two pieces of information, When any one of information, identification information, and session ID is received, communication management information (record) including the received information is extracted.

  On the other hand, in the client PC 5, no information is specified in any of the fields 31 to 33 of the input form, and only the send button 34 is selected, so that the SIP proxy server 1 can send destination information, identification information, session ID, etc. When the information is not accepted (S104: NO), all records are extracted from the accumulated communication management information table T (S106).

  After performing the extraction process of S105 or S106, the SIP proxy server 1 generates an HTML file of a communication management information list in which the extracted records are collected (S107), and sends this to the browser of the client PC 5 that is the request source. Transmit (output) (S108).

  As is clear from the above description, according to the SIP proxy server 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, “SESSION TRACE1 ON” or the like is described in the SDP header “s” field of “INVITE” transmitted in the SIP communication apparatus. As a result, the communication management information of the SIP communication can be recorded and accumulated in the SIP proxy server. As a result, it is possible to acquire communication management information for a specific communication desired by a user or the like among communication performed between SIP communication apparatuses inside and outside the network area under the jurisdiction of the SIP proxy server. Communication management information can be centrally managed on a network basis. Further, the communication management information stored in the SIP proxy server can be referred from anywhere as long as the terminal device incorporates a browser. Furthermore, since only communication management information including communication management information related to a specific SIP communication device, specific identification information, and session ID can be referred to, only communication management information corresponding to the purpose of use of the user is acquired. Can be convenient.

  In the calling side SIP communication apparatus, the SIP proxy server 1 records and stores the communication management information of the SIP communication depending on whether or not predetermined identification information is described in the SDP header “s” field of the SIP message. Therefore, the user of the calling side SIP communication apparatus can selectively record and store only the communication management information related to the specific communication in the SIP proxy server 1.

  Next, a SIP proxy server according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. This SIP proxy server has a function of recording communication management information only for SIP communication performed by a specific SIP communication device 4. In order to realize this function, the SIP proxy server according to the second embodiment has means for registering destination information (IP telephone number, IP address, etc.) of a specific SIP communication device 4 in advance. Only when the registered destination information is detected from the SIP message to be received and transferred, the communication management information of the communication related to the SIP message is recorded. That is, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 7, the SIP proxy server according to the second embodiment makes an affirmative determination in S2 (S2: YES), and then the registered destination information is “From:” of the INVITE message. If it is determined that it is described in the header or “To:” header (S201: YES), the process proceeds to S3 and data communication is established while recording the communication management information. On the other hand, if the SIP proxy server determines that the registered destination information is not described in the INVITE message (S201: NO), the process proceeds to S9 and data communication is established without recording the communication management information. Let The determination in S201 is performed after S1 and before S2, and when an affirmative determination is made in S201 (S201: YES), the process proceeds to S2 and when a negative determination is made (S201: NO) May be shifted to S9.

  Next, a SIP proxy server according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be described. This SIP proxy server has a function of recording communication management information only for SIP communication for a specific media type (for example, image data). In order to realize this function, the SIP proxy server according to the third embodiment has means for registering a specific media type (for example, information indicating image data) in advance, and the SIP message to be transferred Only when the registered media type is detected from a predetermined field of the SDP header, for example, the “m” field, the communication management information of the communication related to the SIP message is recorded. That is, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 8, the SIP proxy server according to the third embodiment makes an affirmative determination in S2 (S2: YES), and then the registered media type is “SDP header“ INVITE message ”. When it is determined that it is described in the “m” field (S301: YES), the process proceeds to S3, and data communication is established while recording the communication management information. On the other hand, when the SIP proxy server determines that the registered media type is not described (S301: NO), it moves the process to S9 and establishes data communication without recording the communication management information. Note that the determination in S301 is performed after S1 and before S2, and if an affirmative determination is made in S301 (S301: YES), the process proceeds to S2, and a negative determination is made (S301: NO). You may make it transfer to S9. According to the SIP proxy server according to the third embodiment, for example, when the SIP communication device 4 has both IP telephone and IP facsimile functions, the communication management information is recorded only for IP facsimile communication. It becomes possible to leave.

  In the embodiment of the present invention described above, one LAN 2 has been described as an example of the network area managed by the SIP proxy server 1, but the network area in which the SIP proxy server 1 is responsible for transferring SIP messages and the like. However, the network form is not limited to this. For example, if the SIP proxy server is responsible for a plurality of LANs, the network area managed by the SIP proxy server 1 is the plurality of LANs.

  In the present embodiment, the character string starting with “SESSION TRACE1 ON” or the like has been described as an example of the predetermined identification information. However, other character strings may be used as the predetermined identification information. In the present embodiment, the communication management information recorded and accumulated in the SIP proxy server 1 from the external device has been described as an example of the HTTP communication, the HTML file, the browser, and the like. Protocols, file formats, file viewers, etc. are not limited to these.

  The present invention can be applied to, for example, a SIP proxy server having jurisdiction over a SIP communication apparatus connected to a LAN.

It is the figure which showed LAN (network area) etc. in which the SIP proxy server which concerns on embodiment of this invention is installed. It is the figure which showed the structural example of the SIP proxy server which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is the flowchart which showed the processing operation performed when the SIP proxy server which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention transfers a communication start request | requirement. It is the figure which showed an example of the communication management information table which stored the communication management information recorded and accumulated on the SIP proxy server which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is the flowchart which showed the processing operation performed when the SIP proxy server which concerns on embodiment of this invention receives the request | requirement of an input form, the reference request | requirement of communication management information, etc. from the external device. It is the figure which showed an example of the input form transmitted to an external device. It is the flowchart which showed the processing operation performed when the SIP proxy server which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention transfers a communication start request | requirement. It is the flowchart which showed the processing operation performed when the SIP proxy server which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention transfers a communication start request | requirement.

Explanation of symbols

T, T1 table (communication management information)
M SIP message 1 SIP proxy server 2 LAN (network area)
4 SIP communication device in LAN 5 Client PC
6 Control unit 8 Identification information storage unit 30 SIP communication device outside LAN

Claims (3)

  Detecting means for detecting predetermined identification information from the transferred SIP message when transferring the SIP message between the SIP communication apparatus in the jurisdiction network area and the SIP communication apparatus outside the jurisdiction network area; A SIP proxy server comprising: communication management information recording means for recording communication management information of communication related to the SIP message when predetermined identification information is detected. The communication management information recorded by the communication management information recording means includes destination information of the SIP communication device in the network area under jurisdiction,
Means for receiving the destination information of the SIP communication device in the network area under jurisdiction and the output request for the communication management information; and the communication management information recorded by the communication management information recording means in response to the received output request. The SIP proxy server according to claim 1, further comprising: an output unit that extracts and outputs information related to the destination information to the request source.   The SIP proxy server according to claim 1, wherein the SIP message is a SIP message for requesting communication start.

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