JP2008252619A - Voip telephone system and facsimile transfer program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To readily transfer facsimile incoming that has been responded by a terminal other than a facsimile terminal to the facsimile terminal. <P>SOLUTION: This VoIP telephone system is provided with one or a plurality of VoIP telephone terminals connected to a local area network composed of an IP network, and a holding function connected to a terminal to be held in place of a VoIP telephone terminal when the holding operation of a call is performed by the VoIP telephone terminal connected to the local area network. The holding function is provided with a determination means for determining whether a facsimile call signal is received from the terminal to be held, and a transfer means for transferring a holding call to the facsimile terminal connected to the local area network when determining the facsimile call signal is received by the determination means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) telephone system and a facsimile transfer program in a VoIP telephone system.

  There has been provided an IP phone that performs a telephone exchange service by performing relay exchange using VoIP, which is a technology for transmitting a voice signal using an IP (Internet Protocol) network such as the Internet or an intranet.

  In this IP phone, the calling side and the receiving side use the IP address assigned to each to transmit the telephone voice by IP packet, thereby enabling a call, and the call can be made with a low call charge. Has become possible, so the spread has expanded.

  As in the case of the conventional button telephone system, in this IP telephone, for example, a plurality of VoIP telephone terminals connected to a LAN (Local Area Network) and the plurality of VoIP telephone terminals are managed. There is provided a VoIP telephone system including a main device (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-320289).

  Also in this VoIP telephone system, facsimile reception can be performed by a facsimile terminal for an IP network connected to a LAN.

The above-mentioned patent documents are as follows.
JP 2004-320289 A

  By the way, as described above, when there is an incoming facsimile to a VoIP telephone system in which a plurality of VoIP telephone terminals and facsimile terminals are connected to the LAN, the VoIP telephone terminal other than the facsimile terminal responds. In this case, it is convenient if the incoming facsimile call answered by the VoIP telephone terminal can be transferred to the facsimile terminal.

  However, conventionally, there has been a problem that for the transfer, the user of the VoIP telephone terminal that has received an incoming facsimile is often forced to perform a complicated operation.

  In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to make it possible to easily transfer a facsimile incoming call that has been answered by a device other than the facsimile terminal to the facsimile terminal.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides:
One or more VoIP telephone terminals connected to a local area network composed of an IP (Internet Protocol) network;
A holding function unit connected to a held terminal in place of the VoIP telephone terminal when a call holding operation is performed in the VoIP telephone terminal connected to the local area network;
In a VoIP telephone system comprising:
The holding function unit is
Discriminating means for discriminating whether or not a facsimile calling signal is received from the held terminal;
Transfer means for transferring a held call to a facsimile terminal connected to the local area network when the determination means determines that the facsimile call signal has been received;
A VoIP telephone system characterized by comprising:

  According to the present invention configured as described above, when a hold operation is performed at a VoIP telephone terminal that has received a facsimile incoming call, the facsimile incoming call responding at the VoIP telephone terminal is transferred to the hold function unit, and Connected.

  At this time, since the facsimile calling signal is transmitted from the counterpart facsimile terminal, the determination unit of the hold function unit receives and determines the facsimile call signal from the counterpart facsimile terminal as the reserved terminal. Then, the transfer means of the hold function unit transfers the held call to the facsimile terminal connected to the local area network. As a result, the other party's facsimile terminal and the facsimile terminal connected to the local area network are connected to enable facsimile communication.

  According to the present invention, when a facsimile incoming call is answered at a VoIP telephone terminal other than the facsimile terminal, the hold function unit automatically accepts the facsimile incoming call only by the user performing a holding operation at the VoIP telephone terminal. It can be transferred to a facsimile terminal to perform facsimile communication.

  Embodiments of a VoIP telephone system according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a VoIP telephone system according to an embodiment. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes a VoIP telephone system according to the embodiment. The main apparatus 11, a plurality of VoIP telephone terminals (hereinafter referred to as IP telephones) 12, a facsimile terminal 13, an external gateway 14, and a holding server 15. And. Needless to say, one IP telephone 12 may be used.

  The main device 11 performs call control such as a call from the IP telephone 12 of the VoIP telephone system 10 or an incoming call to the IP telephone 12 from another network, and simultaneous call control of a plurality of IP telephones 12 at the time of the incoming call. It performs lamp control such as usage status display of a plurality of IP telephones 12, and is equipped with a microcomputer for executing various controls including the above control as software processing.

  The plurality of IP telephones 12 are connected to each other through a LAN 16, and the LAN 16 is connected to the main apparatus 11 through a power supply hub 17. The facsimile terminal 13 and the external gateway 14 are also connected to the LAN 16. The main device 11 stores and manages the addresses (IP addresses) on the LAN 16 of the facsimile terminals (FAX terminals in the figure) 13 and the external gateway 14 of the IP telephones 12 connected to the LAN 16 and holds them. The IP address of the server 15 is also stored and managed.

  In this example, the IP telephone 12 is provided with a hold button. When this IP telephone 12 is pressed during a call, the press operation becomes a hold operation (hold request operation), which will be described later. The line during a call is put on hold. When the hold button is pressed again in the hold state, the press operation is a hold release request operation. In this example, the IP address of the hold server 15 is stored corresponding to the hold button, and the hold server 15 can be called when the hold button is pressed during a call. .

  The IP telephone 12 does not hold the IP address of the hold server 15 corresponding to the hold button, but the main device 11 holds the IP address of the hold server 15 and the hold button is operated. Sometimes, the IP telephone 12 inquires of the main apparatus 11 about the IP address of the hold server 15, acquires the IP address of the hold server 15 from the main apparatus 11 as an answer to the inquiry, and holds the hold using the acquired IP address. A call message for a hold request may be sent to the server 15.

  The facsimile terminal 13 has a configuration for an IP network, and includes an IP packet decomposition / generation unit.

  In this example, the LAN 16 is connected to a PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) 20 via an external gateway 14.

  The external line gateway 14 has a function of performing relay exchange between the PSTN 20 and the LAN 16. Accordingly, the plurality of IP telephones 12 of the VoIP telephone system 10 can perform telephone communication and facsimile communication with the general telephone 21 and the facsimile terminal 22 connected to the PSTN 20 through the main apparatus 11 and the external line gateway 14. The facsimile terminal 22 is not intended for the IP network, and may be capable of transmitting and receiving through the PSTN 20.

  In this example, the main apparatus 11 is connected to an IP (Internet Protocol) network 30, and a plurality of IP telephones 12 of the VoIP telephone system 10 are connected to the IP network 30 through the main apparatus 11. Telephone communication with the telephone 31 becomes possible.

  The holding server 15 is connected to the main apparatus 11 via the hub 18. In the VoIP telephone system 10 of this embodiment, when the user operates the hold button and makes a hold request on the IP telephone 12 during a call, the call during the call is transferred to the hold server 15 and is put on hold. Appears.

  In this hold state, the hold server 15 determines whether or not a CNG signal (calling signal; facsimile call signal) has been received from the counterpart terminal (held terminal), as will be described later. Determine whether it is a facsimile terminal. And when it determines with the other party's terminal being a telephone terminal, a holding sound is provided to the other party telephone terminal (holding telephone terminal) which was in a telephone call. Based on the hold release request from the IP telephone 12 connected to the LAN 16, the hold server 15 transfers the held call to the IP telephone 12 that requested the hold release and releases the hold. It has a function.

  When the hold server 15 determines that the CNG signal has been received from the held terminal when the hold server 15 is put on hold, the hold server 15 determines that the held terminal is a facsimile terminal, and sends the facsimile terminal connected to the LAN 16 to the facsimile terminal. A call on hold is transferred via the main unit 11. By this transfer, the facsimile terminal that was the reserved terminal can perform facsimile communication with the transfer destination facsimile terminal.

  The hold server 15 includes a microcomputer that executes the above-described hold / hold release processing and transfer processing as software processing.

[Hold / Facsimile Transfer Sequence of Embodiment]
A hold / facsimile transfer sequence in the VoIP telephone system of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

  In the example of FIG. 2, there is an incoming call from the facsimile terminal 22 connected to the PSTN 20 to the VoIP telephone system 10, and an arbitrary IP telephone 12 responds to this incoming call. This is a sequence when the user of the responding IP telephone 12 listens to the sent CNG signal and the user operates the hold button.

  As shown in FIG. 2, first, when a call is made from the general telephone 21 to the VoIP telephone system 10, the call arrives at the main apparatus 11 through the PSTN 20 and the external line gateway 14. Then, the main apparatus 11 makes a simultaneous call to the plurality of IP telephones 12 connected to the LAN 16 and notifies the plurality of IP telephones 12 of incoming calls.

  In the example of FIG. 2, it is assumed that an arbitrary IP telephone 12 </ b> A among the plurality of IP telephones 12 performs a response operation to the incoming call notification. A response message based on this response operation is sent from the IP telephone 12A to the main apparatus 11. The main apparatus 11 sends this response message to the facsimile terminal 22 connected to the PSTN 20 via the external line gateway 13.

  When the facsimile terminal 22 receives this response message, it transmits a facsimile calling signal, that is, a CNG signal. This CNG signal is sent via the external gateway 14 to the IP telephone 12A that has responded to the incoming call.

  The user of IP telephone 12A hears this CNG signal, recognizes that the other party is a facsimile terminal, and presses the hold button. In this way, when a hold operation is performed on the IP telephone 12A, a hold preparation message is sent from the IP telephone 12A to the external gateway 14. In response to this, the external gateway 14 returns a preparation completion message to the IP telephone 12A. Next, the IP telephone 12A sends a call message to the hold server 15 using the held IP address.

  Receiving the call message from IP telephone 12A, hold server 15 returns a response message to IP telephone 12A. The IP telephone 12 </ b> A that has received the response message sends a hold preparation message to the hold server 15. In response to the hold preparation message, the hold server 15 returns a preparation completion message to the IP telephone 12A.

  The IP telephone 12 </ b> A that has received the preparation completion message sends a transfer instruction message to the hold server 15. The hold server 15 sends a transfer approval message to the IP telephone 12A in response to this transfer instruction message, and then sends a connection message to the external gateway 14.

  When the external gateway 14 sends a response message to the hold server 15 in response to the connection message, the call from the facsimile terminal 22 that has been answered by the IP telephone 12A is transferred to the hold server 15 and is connected to the hold server 15 and the external line. The gateway 14 is connected, and a pending communication path is formed between the hold server 15 and the facsimile terminal 22.

  At this time, since the facsimile terminal 22 continues to send the CNG signal, the holding server 15 receives this CNG signal and recognizes that the held terminal is a facsimile terminal. Then, the hold server 15 sends a transfer instruction message to the main device 11.

  When the main apparatus 11 receives the transfer instruction message, it recognizes the IP address of the facsimile terminal 13 connected to the LAN 16 and automatically transfers the call on hold to the facsimile terminal 13.

  The facsimile terminal 13 sends a response message to the main apparatus 11 in response to this automatic transfer request. The main apparatus 11 sends the received response message to the facsimile terminal 22 through the external gateway 14.

  Thus, the facsimile terminal 22 and the facsimile terminal 13 are ready for facsimile communication, and facsimile communication is executed.

[Flowchart of processing operation in hold server 15]
FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the processing operation of the hold server 15 in the hold / facsimile transfer sequence described above. Each step of this flowchart is executed as a software process by the microcomputer constituting the holding server 15 in accordance with a program stored in the built-in memory.

  The hold server 15 first determines whether or not a call message from the IP telephone has been received (step S101). When it is determined that the call has been received, in response to this call, as shown in FIG. A sequence for holding a call on a line requested for hold by the IP telephone that has been sent is executed, and the own apparatus (hold server 15) is connected to the external gateway 14 to be put on hold (step S102). .

  Next, the hold server 15 determines whether or not a CNG signal has been received from the held terminal (step S103). When it is determined that the CNG signal is not detected, the reserved server 15 sends a prepared hold sound to the held terminal. (Step S104).

  The hold server 15 determines whether or not a hold release request has been received (step S105). If it is determined that a hold release request has not been received, the hold server 15 returns to step S104 and continues to send a hold sound. When it is determined that the hold release request has been received, the hold release sequence is executed (step S106). Then, this processing routine ends.

  If it is determined in step S103 that a CNG signal has been received, the holding server 15 sends a transfer instruction to the facsimile terminal to the main apparatus 11 (step S107). Then, this processing routine ends.

[Flowchart of processing operation in main apparatus 11]
FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the processing operation of the main apparatus 11 in the above-described hold / facsimile transfer sequence. Each step of this flowchart is executed by the microcomputer constituting the main apparatus 11 as software processing according to a program stored in the built-in memory.

  The main device 11 waits for a call message through the external gateway 14 (step S111), and when determining that the call message has been received, performs a simultaneous call to all the IP telephones 12 connected to the LAN 16 (step S112). .

  Then, the main device 11 waits for a response to the simultaneous call (step S113), and ends the processing routine when no response is received. If it is determined in step S113 that a response has been received, a response message is sent to the partner terminal through the external gateway 14 (step S114).

  Next, the main apparatus 11 determines whether or not a transfer instruction has been received from the holding server 15 (step S115). If no transfer instruction has been received, the main apparatus 11 proceeds to other processing (step S116).

  If it is determined in step S115 that the transfer instruction has been received, the IP address of the facsimile terminal 13 connected to the LAN 16 is read, and the held call is automatically transferred to the facsimile terminal 13 using the IP address. (Step S117). Then, it waits for a response message from the facsimile terminal 13 (step S118). When the response message is received, the response message is sent to the held terminal through the external gateway 14 (step S119).

  As a result, in the above example, the facsimile terminal 13 and the facsimile terminal 22 that was the reserved terminal are connected to perform facsimile communication.

[Other Embodiments and Modifications]
In the embodiment described above, the holding server 15 is configured to be connected to the main device 11 via the hub 18, but the hub 18 may be omitted and connected to the main device 11. Moreover, the main device 11 may have the function of the hold server 15, or the function unit of the hold server 15 may be provided in the main device 11. Even in this case, the function of the holding server 15 can be software processing using a microcomputer.

  In the above description of the embodiment, the facsimile communication between the facsimile terminal 22 connected to the PSTN 20 and the facsimile terminal 13 connected to the LAN 15 has been described. However, the facsimile terminal connected to the IP network 30 The present invention can be similarly applied to the case of performing facsimile communication with the facsimile terminal 13 connected to the LAN 15. In this case, the relay switching function unit plays the role of the external gateway 14 in the PSTN 20 and the main device 11 in the IP network 30.

It is a block diagram which shows the structural example of embodiment of the VoIP telephone system by this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the sequence of the holding | holding and facsimile transmission in embodiment of the VoIP telephone system by this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the flowchart for demonstrating the processing operation in the holding | maintenance server used for the system of FIG. It is a figure which shows the example of the flowchart for demonstrating the processing operation in the main apparatus used for the system of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... VoIP telephone system, 11 ... Main apparatus part, 12 ... IP telephone, 13 ... Facsimile terminal, 14 ... External line gateway, 15 ... Hold server, 16 ... LAN, 22 ... Facsimile terminal

Claims (3)

One or more VoIP telephone terminals connected to a local area network composed of an IP (Internet Protocol) network;
A holding function unit connected to a held terminal in place of the VoIP telephone terminal when a call holding operation is performed in the VoIP telephone terminal connected to the local area network;
In a VoIP telephone system comprising:
The holding function unit is
Discriminating means for discriminating whether or not a facsimile calling signal is received from the held terminal;
Transfer means for transferring a held call to a facsimile terminal connected to the local area network when the determination means determines that the facsimile call signal has been received;
A VoIP telephone system comprising: In the VoIP telephone system according to claim 1,
The hold function unit includes relay management means for managing at least the IP address of the facsimile terminal;
The transfer means of the holding function unit includes:
Means for sending a transfer instruction to a relay managing means for managing the IP address of the facsimile terminal when the determining means determines that the facsimile calling signal has been received;
The relay management means having received the transfer instruction, means for automatically transferring the held call to the facsimile terminal;
A VoIP telephone system comprising: When a call holding operation is performed between one or a plurality of VoIP telephone terminals connected to a local area network composed of an IP (Internet Protocol) network and the VoIP telephone terminal connected to the local area network, In a VoIP telephone system comprising a hold function unit connected to a held phone terminal instead of a VoIP phone terminal, the hold function unit includes:
A determination step of determining whether or not a facsimile calling signal is received from the held terminal;
A transfer step of transferring a held call to a facsimile terminal connected to the local area network when the determination means determines that the facsimile call signal has been received;
Facsimile transfer program for executing

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