JP2008219385A - Remote management system for failure occurring at ip-pbx using user side - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a means for quickly and surely providing the occurrence of a failure and its countermeasure or the like to a user when the failure occurs in an IP-PBX telephone communication system. <P>SOLUTION: This failure remote management system is provided with a user side failure detecting means for detecting a failure that occurs in a user side telephone terminal and a user side IP-PBX, a user side failure information notifying means that can output failure information detected by the user side failure detecting means to the outside in the form of an e-mail through the Internet communication line, and a management terminal that can receive the e-mail from the user side failure information notifying means through the Internet communication line. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention is a novel system that enables an administrator to remotely and effectively execute a report of a failure, a proposal of a countermeasure, etc. when a failure occurs on the user side using the IP-PBX telephone communication system. It relates to a fault remote management system.

The conventional IP-PBX telephone communication system has a function of notifying a user when a software or hardware failure occurs in the system. A typical method is to display error information on a display unit provided in the exchange. Here, FIGS. 9 and 10 show display examples of error information. FIG. 9 shows error information that occurs when the extension terminal cable is disconnected, and FIG. 10 shows error information that occurs when the exchange power cable is disconnected.
JP-A-7-95638

  However, in the method described above, the user transmits the failure information by telephone or FAX while viewing the error information displayed on the display unit of the exchange to the maintenance / administrator of the system. May not be transmitted accurately. Further, in this case, when the telephone that transmits the failure information is unusable due to the failure, the failure information cannot be transmitted to the administrator through the phone. In addition, even when the administrator proposes measures for resolving the problem to the user by telephone or fax, if the user is unfamiliar with the user, he / she cannot recognize the correct policy, It causes a situation where the failure cannot be resolved.

  Therefore, as a result of earnest research to solve the above problems, the present inventor, as a result of the above problem, (1) if the user side is unfamiliar, there is a case that professional error information may not be correctly transmitted to the administrator side, (2) The transmission of error information from the user side to the administrator side is not linked with the transmission of proposals for eliminating the error from the administrator side to the user side (each transmission is independent (3) The present invention has been completed by paying attention to the fact that information transmission is mainly performed through a medium such as a telephone that is directly related to a failure. Specifically, according to the present invention, regarding (1), when an error occurs, it is transmitted directly to the administrator side without going through the user side, and (2) is transmitted from the user side. By receiving the error information in the form of an e-mail, a situation can be established in which a countermeasure for solving the error can be transmitted in the form of a reply to the e-mail. Further, regarding (3), the error information is transmitted from the user side. It is characterized by adopting e-mail using the Internet as a technique. More specifically, this feature is embodied in the following present inventions (1) to (3).

The present invention (1) is connected to a user-side telephone terminal (IP telephone 200) and the user-side telephone terminal (IP telephone 200) and to another user-side telephone terminal (IP network 800) via a communication line (IP network 800). An IP-PBX telephone communication system incorporating a user-side IP-PBX (IP-PBX100) connected to an IP telephone on the other user side,
A user-side failure detection means (failure detection means 121) for detecting a failure that has occurred in the user-side telephone terminal (IP phone 200) and the user-side IP-PBX (IP-PBX 100);
User-side failure information notification means (failure information) capable of outputting failure information detected by the user-side failure detection means (failure detection means 121) to the outside in the form of an e-mail via an Internet communication line (Internet communication line 700) Notification means 123);
A management terminal (management terminal 300) capable of receiving the e-mail from the user side failure information notification means (failure information notification means 123) via an Internet communication line (Internet communication line 700);
Is a fault management system.

  Here, the meaning of the above terms will be described. First, the “connection” mode between the “user side telephone terminal” and the “user side IP-PBX” refers to a LAN connection or a telephone line connection. The “communication line” to which the “user side IP-PBX” and the “other user side telephone terminal” are connected is a public switched telephone network, an IP network / IP-VPN, an Internet VPN, etc. provided by a communication carrier. Point to. “Failure” means software failure such as failure of individual call setting process, buffer shortage, time monitoring process timeout, etc. and “outside board failure / extension board failure / power supply abnormality / temperature rise of“ user side IP-PBX ”itself, etc. Failure, line failure, hardware failure such as “user phone terminal” failure. Here, the output of the failure information in the mail form of the user side failure information notification means may be configured to automatically transmit to the management terminal side when the user side failure detection means detects a failure, or The management terminal side may periodically access the user side, receive the access, and output the user side failure information notification means. Furthermore, the information may not be output only when the user side failure detection means detects a failure, but the information may be output periodically (in this case, failure information is output when a failure is detected). If it is not detected, information indicating that it is functioning normally can be output).

  In the present invention (2), the IP-PBX (IP-PBX 100) includes the user-side failure detection unit (failure detection unit 121) and the user-side failure information notification unit (failure information notification unit 123). It is a failure management system according to the invention (1).

  In the present invention (3), the user side failure information notifying means (failure information notifying means 123) is configured such that when the user side failure detecting means (failure detecting means 121) detects a failure, the management terminal (management terminal 300) The fault management system according to the invention (1) or (2) is automatically notified to the side.

  In the present invention, failure information generated on the user side can be acquired in the form of an e-mail by the management terminal via the Internet. Therefore, for example, the failure handling information (for example, information on what kind of failure has occurred and how to solve it) can be quickly and easily sent back to the user in the form of returning the e-mail to the user. That information). Furthermore, when the failure handling information is transmitted to the user side in the form of a reply email of the email, the content of the reply email and the failure information are linked (received from the user side in the same email). Failure information and failure response information from the administrator side). In addition, when failure response information is transmitted to the user in the form of a reply by the e-mail, for example, if the information is transmitted to the IP device (terminal connected to the Internet) on the user side, the user Even when the IP telephone function on the side is impaired, it is possible to reliably transmit the failure handling information.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The following best mode is merely an example of the present invention. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the following best modes.

  First, FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a failure management system 1 in the best mode of the present invention. The failure management system 1 according to the best mode includes an IP-PBX 100 having an exchange function for telephone terminals (analog telephone, digital telephone, IP telephone 200 described later), and a plurality of IP telephones 200 accommodated in the IP-PBX 100. A management terminal 300 used by a maintenance / administrator of the fault management system 1, a router 400, an ADSL modem 500, an IP network device, an IVR server (Interactive Voice Response Server), A LAN (Local Area Network) 600 and an Internet communication line 700 are included. The IP-PBX 100, the router 400, the ADSL modem 500, and the IP network device are connected to the LAN 600, the IP phone 200 is connected to the IP-PBX 100, and the management terminal 300 is connected to the Internet communication line 700 ( The IP-PBX 100 is connected to the IP-PBX 100 via the ADSL modem 500 and the router 400). The IP-PBX 100 is connected to the IP phone on the other user side via the router 400 and the IP network 800. A network (PSTN: Public Switched Telephony Networks) 900 is also connected. In addition, the dotted line enclosed part in FIG. 1 is the equipment arrange | positioned at the user side.

  The IP network 800 is a closed IP network provided by a telecommunications carrier (including a dedicated network such as a wide area Ethernet (registered trademark)), an IP-VPN (Internet Virtual Private Network), an Internet VPN, or the like. May be.

  Further, the management terminal 300 may be a mobile terminal such as a PC or a mobile phone as long as the terminal can receive an e-mail.

  The IP phone 200 and the IVR server are directly connected to the IP-PBX 100 (connected via a telephone line), but may be connected via the LAN 600 (see FIG. 7).

  The IP-PBX 100 may be connected to a non-IP phone (analog phone, digital phone) or ISDN line.

  In addition, the IP network device may be various devices such as a dedicated or general-purpose server such as a CTI (Computer Telephony Integration) server, an IVR server (such as an audio external control device), or a client terminal (PC).

<IP-PBX100>
The IP-PBX 100, which is a feature of the present invention, will be described with reference to FIG. The IP-PBX 100 includes circuit switching control means (VoIP circuit switching control means) 110 that controls all of the circuit switching such as protocol conversion, telephone terminal registration control, and call control, and the user side telephone related equipment (IP Failure-related control means 120 for controlling control related to the failure of the telephone 200, IP-PBX 100, etc., public exchange telephone network connection means (external line board) 130 for connection to the public exchange telephone network 900, and each IP network device (Client terminal, CTI server, IVR server, etc.) and IP network connection means (extension board) 140 for connecting to LAN 600 and the like and extension terminal {analog telephone, digital telephone, IP telephone (IP telephone 200)} Extension terminal connection means (extension board) 150 for this purpose.

  In addition, about the function with which general IP-PBX is naturally provided here, since it is not directly related to this invention, it shall be abbreviate | omitted. For example, although not shown, it is assumed that a means for storing telephone terminal management information (identification number, extension number, IP address, port number, etc.) is naturally provided. Further, the IP-PBX 100 can be used in an environment that uses an ACD (Automatic Call Distribution) function.

<Failure-related control means 120>
Here, the failure related control unit 120 includes a failure detection unit 121, a failure information notification determination unit 122, a failure information notification unit 123, a failure information notification related setting unit 124, and a failure related information storage unit 125. Has been.

<Fault detection means 121>
First, the failure detection unit 121 detects a failure in the IP-PBX telephone communication system, and performs processing for setting information at the time of failure (failure occurrence time, failure type, detection location, etc.) in the failure information temporary storage unit 121a. .

  Here, the failure includes individual call setting process abnormality, buffer shortage, time monitoring process timeout, etc., software failure such as time-out process timeout, IP-PBX 100 external line failure / extension substrate failure / power supply failure / temperature rise failure, There is a hardware failure such as a line failure or failure of a plurality of accommodated IP telephones 200.

<Trouble Information Temporary Storage Means 121a>
Here, an example of the failure information temporary storage unit 121a will be described with reference to FIG. The failure information temporary storage unit 121a temporarily stores information related to the failure detected by the failure detection unit 121, and includes items such as “failure occurrence time”, “failure type”, and “failure location”. Here, the failure information temporary storage unit 121a will be described. A failure has occurred in “slot 01, port 01” of “extension board” at “03:30 on March 02, 2007”.

<Failure information notification determination unit 122>
Returning to FIG. 2, the failure information notification determination unit 122 stores the failure information notification determination table 122a based on the failure information detected by the failure detection unit 121 (failure information temporarily stored in the failure information temporary storage unit 121a). A process of determining whether or not the failure information is a notification target is performed.

<Failure information notification determination table 122a>
Here, an example of the failure information notification determination table 122a will be described with reference to FIG. The failure information notification determination table 122a is a table that is referred to when determining whether to notify a failure (failure information) detected by the failure detection unit 121 and determining a notification destination of the failure information. It consists of items such as “type”, “notification”, and “notification destination”. “Notification” is an item indicating whether or not failure information is to be notified. If “notified”, the failure information is notified to the “notification destination”. Here, the first line of the failure information notification determination table 122a will be described. When the failure type is “external board failure”, the failure information is sent to the address “aaa@bb.co.jp” by e-mail. Shown to notify. As described above, by configuring the “notification destination” to be changeable for each “failure type”, it is possible to automatically notify an appropriate notification destination according to the failure. In the best mode, the destination is changed according to the type of alarm. However, the destination may be configured not to have such a function.

<Failure information notification means 123>
Returning to FIG. 2 again, the failure information notification unit 123 refers to the failure information notification determination table 122a based on the failure information (failure information temporarily stored in the failure information temporary storage unit 121a), and notifies the notification destination ( Processing for automatically notifying the failure information by e-mail to the management terminal 300) used by the maintenance / administrator is performed.

<Failure information notification related setting means 124>
Next, the failure information notification related setting unit 124 performs processing for changing the contents of the failure information notification determination table 122a. Specifically, when the failure information notification related setting unit 124 is activated from a management terminal 300 or a client terminal (not shown) connected to the LAN 600 or a device that is accessible through the IP network, the failure information notification related setting unit 124 A user interface is provided, and the contents of the failure information notification determination table 122a can be changed.

<Failure related information storage means 125>
Next, the failure-related information storage unit 125 cumulatively stores the failures (failure information) detected by the failure detection unit 121. The cumulatively stored information is, for example, a periodic monitoring report. It is referred when outputting (see FIG. 6).

<Flowchart>
Next, processing when a failure occurs in the IP-PBX telephone communication system (failure notification control processing 100) will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, in step 102, the failure detection means 121 determines whether or not a failure has occurred in the telephone equipment installed on the user side. In the case of Yes in step 102, that is, when the failure detection means 121 detects a failure, in step 104, the failure detection means 121 sets failure information related to the failure in the failure information temporary storage means 121a and the failure related Set (add) to the information storage means 124. Next, in step 106, the failure information notification determination unit 122 refers to the failure information notification determination table 122a based on the failure information temporarily stored in the failure information temporary storage unit 121a, and the failure information is a notification target. It is determined whether or not there is. In the case of Yes in step 106, that is, when the failure information is a notification target, in step 108, the failure information notification unit 123 adds the failure information (failure information temporarily stored in the failure information temporary storage unit 121a) to the failure information. Based on the failure information notification determination table 122a, the failure information is automatically notified to the notification destination by e-mail. In step 110, the injury-related control unit 120 clears the failure information temporary storage unit 121a and ends the process (returns to step 102). In addition, also when No in step 102 and step 106, this process is complete | finished (it returns to step 102 again).

  Next, the operation of the system of the best mode will be described with reference to FIGS. First, when a failure occurs in a terminal connected to “slot 01, port 01” at “20:30 on March 2, 2007”, the failure information (“extension board” is added to the failure type) Is set in the failure information temporary storage unit 121a (see FIG. 3). Next, since the failure (extension board) is a notification target (see the second line in FIG. 4), the failure information is automatically notified to the address (eg, management terminal 300) of “aaa@bb.co.jp”. (Automatically notify by email).

  According to this best mode, failure information generated on the user side (IP-PBX telephone communication system) can be acquired by the management terminal 300 in the form of an e-mail via the Internet communication line 700. Therefore, for example, the failure handling information (for example, information on what kind of failure has occurred and how to solve it) can be quickly and easily sent back to the user in the form of returning the e-mail to the user. That information). Furthermore, when the failure handling information is transmitted to the user side in the form of a reply email of the email, the content of the reply email and the failure information are linked (received from the user side in the same email). Failure information and failure response information from the administrator side). In addition, when failure response information is transmitted to the user in the form of a reply by the e-mail, for example, if the information is transmitted to the IP device (terminal connected to the Internet) on the user side, the user Even when the IP telephone function on the side is impaired, it is possible to reliably transmit the failure handling information.

  The present invention is not limited to this embodiment. The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment as it is, and can be embodied by modifying the constituent elements without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage. In addition, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of components disclosed in the embodiment. For example, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the embodiment. {For example, when the IP-PBX 200 has the functions of the router 400 and the ADSL modem 500, the router is not included. It is good also as a structure (refer FIG. 8)}. Further, the management terminal 300 may be configured so that, when failure information is received from the IP-PBX 100 by e-mail, information indicating a solution method of the failure can be automatically returned or remotely maintained.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a system according to the best mode of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the IP-PBX according to the best mode of the present invention. FIG. 3 is an example of the failure information temporary storage means possessed by the IP-PBX according to the best mode of the present invention. FIG. 4 is an example of a failure information notification determination table included in the IP-PBX according to the best mode of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the failure notification control process in the system according to the best mode of the present invention. FIG. 6 is an example of a periodic monitoring report in the system according to the best mode of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a modified example (schematic configuration diagram) of the system according to the best mode of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a modified example (schematic configuration diagram) of the system according to the best mode of the present invention. FIG. 9 is an example of error information displayed on the display unit of the conventional exchange. FIG. 10 is an example of error information displayed on the display unit of a conventional exchange.

Explanation of symbols

100 IP-PBX
121 Failure detection means 123 Failure information notification means 200 IP telephone 300 Management terminal 700 Internet communication line 800 IP network

Claims (3)

In an IP-PBX telephone communication system incorporating a user-side telephone terminal and a user-side IP-PBX connected to the user-side telephone terminal and connected to another user-side telephone terminal via a communication line A remote management system for failure on the user side,
User-side failure detection means for detecting a failure that has occurred in the user-side telephone terminal and the user-side IP-PBX;
User-side failure information notification means capable of outputting failure information detected by the user-side failure detection means to the outside in the form of an e-mail via an Internet communication line;
A management terminal capable of receiving the e-mail from the user side failure information notification means via an Internet communication line;
Fault remote management system.   The fault remote management system according to claim 1, wherein the IP-PBX includes the user-side fault detection unit and the user-side fault information notification unit.   The failure remote management system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the user side failure information notification means automatically notifies the management terminal side when the user side failure detection means detects a failure.

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