JP2009026130A - Communication terminal apparatus, system using the same, and information transmitting and receiving method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an apparatus capable of transmitting/receiving a file by converting an e-mail protocol into an NGN protocol. <P>SOLUTION: A communication terminal apparatus includes a transfer module connected to an e-mail client to execute conversion between the NGN protocol and the e-mail protocol and transmit/receive data, a storage device connected to the e-mail client and the file transfer module to store data, and the e-mail client connected to the storage device and the file transfer module. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a technology for converting an e-mail protocol and an NGN file protocol by providing an NGN-compatible device with the function of an e-mail server in a next-generation network, so-called NGN.

  In recent years, improvements in convenience and the like have been realized by reconstructing the current telephone network using IP technology. This is called a so-called NGN (New Generation Network). NGN is an IP network, and the protocol used is SIP (Session Initiation Protocol). This is a protocol for realizing call control mainly by IP telephone.

  When sending a file to a specific partner via the Internet, the file is currently sent using an attached file of an e-mail. However, with this method, there is a limit to the size of a file that can be transmitted, and there is a risk of information leakage because it passes through a third party server.

When a file is transmitted using NGN, since the file is directly exchanged between terminals, the above problems do not occur and high-speed transfer is possible.
Thus, when performing file transmission / reception using NGN, it is necessary to set a file to be transmitted to the NGN compatible telephone via the network or to acquire a file received from the NGN compatible telephone. Software for this is required, which must be developed by the manufacturer of the telephone and provided to the user. Therefore, when dedicated software is developed in this way, development costs and maintenance costs are incurred.

Patent Document 1 discloses that protocol conversion is performed in communication between an electronic control device mounted on a vehicle and a data reading device.
JP 2006-352201 A

  As described above, there is a problem that the cost of transmitting and receiving information with an NGN-compatible communication terminal is high, and there is a problem that data having a large file size cannot be transmitted and received with an existing electronic mail.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, a communication terminal apparatus in an NGN network that establishes a session for a call and data communication via a connection management server includes a file transfer module that performs protocol conversion on an information terminal that supports NGN. Provided is a communication terminal device that is mounted and connected to an e-mail client.

  By connecting an information terminal to an NGN compatible communication terminal and adopting an e-mail protocol as a protocol for operating from an external device, it is possible to transmit a file with existing e-mail software.

  The example of the present embodiment assumes a telephone that supports NGN as a communication terminal. In particular, the telephone can convert between STMP, which is an e-mail protocol, and SIP, which is an NGN protocol. In the following, first, NGN will be schematically described, and then an example of the embodiment will be described.

(About NGN)
An outline of NGN will be described using FIG. 1 while comparing with a conventional telephone network. As shown in FIG. 1A, in the conventional subscriber telephone network 81, a fixed line 84 is connected between the caller telephone 82 and the callee telephone 83 when exchanging call voice. Once the line 84 is connected, a stable quality call can be realized.

  On the other hand, in the NGN, as shown in FIG. 1B, the originating side telephone 82 and the incoming side telephone 83 are connected to the IP telephone adapter 85, respectively. The IP telephone adapter 85 is a device that divides a call voice into IP packets 86 and transmits the voice packet, or converts the received IP packet 86 into voice. An NGN-compatible telephone (not shown in FIG. 1) may have an IP telephone adapter 85 built-in. In the example of the present embodiment described below, an NGN-compatible telephone is assumed.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart of session establishment in NGN. In establishing an NGN session, first, the calling telephone transmits a connection request (INVITE request) to the SIP server, which is a connection management server (step S100). The SIP server delivers the received INVITE request to the called telephone (step S101). Thereafter, the SIP server returns “100 Trying” as a status code indicating that the request has arrived at the receiving side and is being called to the calling side telephone (step S102).

The called telephone returns a status code “100Trying” to the SIP server as a provisional response until the telephone response is made (step S103). Further, the receiving side telephone returns a status code “180 Ringing” indicating that the ringing tone is sounding to the SIP server (step S104). The SIP server transmits a status code “180 Ringing” to the caller telephone (step S105) to notify that it is ringing.
When the telephone on the called side answers the telephone, a status code “200ok” indicating the response is returned to the SIP server (step S106). Further, the SIP server transmits a status code “200 ok” to the caller telephone (step S107).

  Upon receiving the response, the calling side telephone transmits an “ACK request” informing the SIP server that the response has been received (step S108). The SIP server transmits the received “ACK request” to the called telephone (step S109). Thereby, both communication is completed and data communication can be performed (step S110).

  When an NGN call is made, an IP packet 86 is first generated by the IP telephone adapter 85. For transmission of the generated IP packet 86, SIP (session initiation protocol) for performing call control is used. The IP packet 86 is transmitted through a SIP server 88 and a router 87 that control a call. The router 87 also has a QoS (quality of service) function that keeps the quality of speech voice carried by the IP packet 86 constant.

  QoS classifies IP packets 86 by type, and the router 87 changes the transfer order according to the type. For example, if the voice packet is delayed, the call quality deteriorates. Therefore, the router 87 preferentially transfers the voice packet. The classification of the IP packet 86 is performed based on information (specifically, ToS “type of service”) written in the IP header.

  In this way, the NGN integrates the IP network for the Internet service and the telephone network for the telephone service, which are currently constructed separately, as an IP communication network in which QoS is improved by using the IP technology, and the current public network Next-generation IP network that replaces In addition, since communication is performed using IP packets, not only voice but also video and other data can be transmitted and received.

(Outline of network configuration)
FIG. 3 is an overview diagram of an example of the present embodiment. As shown in the figure, the NGN compatible communication terminals 1 and 1 'are connected to the NGN. The NGN compatible communication terminals ₁ and _{1 ′} are, for example, an NGN compatible telephone 10 and an NGN compatible modem 10 ₁ (see FIG. 1).
The NGN compatible communication terminals 1 and 1 ′ are connected to the e-mail client 50 as will be described in detail later. In the example of the present embodiment, a personal computer is assumed as an e-mail client. The connection between the e-mail client 50 and the NGN compatible communication terminal 1 may be either wired or wireless. When sending an e-mail, use the e-mail software of the e-mail client 50 and if there is an e-mail content (usually text data) and an attached file, the attached file (eg, photo, audio, video data) Is transmitted to the NGN compatible communication terminals 1 and 1 ′ using an e-mail protocol (for example, STMP).

  The NGN compatible communication terminal 1 or 1 ′ that has received the e-mail transmits the e-mail to the other party using a file transfer protocol (for example, SIP) for NGN. In the example of the present embodiment, an NGN-compatible telephone 10 is assumed as the NGN-compatible communication terminal 1, 1 ′.

  When receiving the e-mail, the NGN compatible telephone 10 that has received the e-mail stores the received e-mail in its own storage device. When the e-mail client acquires this e-mail, it receives it from the NGN-compatible telephone using a normal e-mail receiving protocol such as POP3.

  FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of the NGN compatible telephone 10 and the e-mail client in the present embodiment. The NGN-compatible telephone 10 includes an NGN signaling module 11 that performs outgoing and incoming calls, an NGN file transfer module 12 that performs file transfer, an SMTP server 15 that receives mail from an email client, and a response to a mail acquisition request from the email client A POP / IMAP4 server 14 for performing the setting, an HTTP server 13 for providing a setting GUI, and a storage device 16 for storing the received file. The electronic mail client 50 includes an SMTP client 51 for transmitting mail and a POP / IMAP4 client 52 for receiving mail. The e-mail client 50 and the NGN compatible telephone 10 are connected and can transmit and receive information to and from each other.

(Sending flowchart)
Next, the flow at the time of file transmission is shown in FIG. An email 54 is created in the email client 50. NGN does not use a domain name when sending data such as e-mail. In the ordinary Internet, software for creating the e-mail 54 is configured such that data cannot be transmitted unless a domain name is input.

Therefore, when using existing e-mail software, enter an appropriate alphabet for the domain name. In the case of the example of the present embodiment, the domain name is designated in advance in the SMTP server of the NGN compatible telephone. Therefore, in the case of transmission of an electronic mail, “file transmission destination telephone number @ domain name” is designated as the destination of the electronic mail, and “own telephone number @ domain name” is designated as the transmission source.
If there is a file to be transmitted other than the message (text data) to be transmitted, such as a photo or audio data, the file is attached to the mail and passed to the SMTP client (step S1).

SMTP client 51 email client 50 transmits email 54 received to the SMTP server 15 of the NGN corresponding telephone _{1 1} (step S2). The SMTP server 15 checks the destination domain name of the received e-mail 54 and, if it is set in advance, stores it in the storage device 16 (step S3).

  The SMTP server 15 stores the received electronic mail 54 in the storage device 16, and then notifies the NGN file transfer module 12 that the electronic mail 54 has arrived (step S4). The notification includes the destination telephone number and the file type (jpeg, avi, etc.).

  Next, the NGN file transfer module 12 passes the call request to the NGN signaling module 11. The outgoing call request includes the destination telephone number and the file type (step S5). The NGN signaling module 11 makes a call to the destination telephone number (step S6). Thereafter, the NGN signaling module 11 receives a response from the destination terminal (step S7).

The NGN signaling module 11 passes a file transfer start request to the NGN file transfer module 12 (step S8). The NGN file transfer module 12 takes out the corresponding e-mail from the storage device 16 and converts it into the format of the NGN file transfer protocol (step S9). The NGN file transfer module 12 transmits the file to the destination terminal (step S10). Finally, the NGN signaling module 11 receives a disconnection request from the transmission destination terminal (step S11).
In this way, by converting the e-mail protocol to the NGN protocol, it is possible to send the e-mail to the other party using the NGN.

(Flow chart when receiving)
FIG. 6 shows the flow when receiving a file. The NGN signaling module 11 receives an incoming call request from the other party (step S21). The NGN signaling module 11 requests the NGN file transfer module 12 to start receiving e-mail (step S22). Thereafter, the file transfer module 12 starts receiving an e-mail.

  Next, the NGN signaling module 11 responds to the incoming call request (step S23). Since the electronic mail is transmitted from the other party, the NGN file transfer module 12 receives the electronic mail (step S24).

  After completing the reception of the e-mail, the NGN file transfer module 12 converts the e-mail into an e-mail protocol format and stores it in the storage device 16 (step S25). In step S25, the NGN file transfer module 12 stores the electronic mail in the storage device 16, and then transmits a signaling disconnection request to the NGN signaling module 11 (step S26). The NGN signaling module 11 transmits a signaling disconnection request to the counterpart terminal (step S27).

  The e-mail client 50 transmits a mail acquisition request to the POP / IMAP4 server 14 through the POP / IMAP4 client 52 (step S28). The POP / IMAP4 server 14 receives the mail acquisition request from the electronic mail client 50, and acquires the mail with the attached file from the storage device 16 (step S29). The POP / IMAP4 client 52 receives an electronic mail from the POP / IMAP4 server 14 (step S30).

NGN has a QoS guarantee function, and can reserve and transmit a band for file transmission. In order to use the QoS guarantee function from the electronic mail client 50, an electronic mail priority (Priority) header is used. If a priority header is specified and mail is transmitted, a file corresponding to the set priority is reserved and file transmission is performed.
As a preparation for this, it is necessary to set a correspondence table of priority (1 to 5) and reserved bandwidth. The reserved bandwidth setting function is shown using FIG.

  For example, a CGI 60 as shown in FIG. 7 is displayed on the screen of an HTTP client installed in a personal computer or the like. The “priority” shown in FIG. 5 is the same as the “importance” used in electronic mail software that is currently generally used. Using this priority, a reserved bandwidth is selected, and the data in the correspondence table is transmitted to the HTTP server 13 (step S41).

  The HTTP server 13 transmits the data of the correspondence table to the NGN file transfer module 12, and the HTTP server 13 performs QoS guarantee setting based on the transmitted information (step S42).

  FIG. 8 shows an actual message example regarding the message format. FIG. 8 shows a portion corresponding to step S2 in FIG. 5 and step S10 in FIG. 6, that is, a normal e-mail message. Specify the phone number of the terminal in the From header 21, the destination phone number in the To header 22, the urgency level (1 is the maximum urgency level) in the Priority header 23, the file name of the attached file in the Content-Disposition header 24, and base64 ( Attach the contents of the encoded file to 25).

  FIG. 9 shows a message corresponding to step S6 in FIG. 5 and step S21 in FIG. 6, and performs signaling for file transfer. The destination telephone number is described in the SIP request line 31 and the To header 32. The reserved bandwidth is derived from the Priority header of the message in step S1, and described in b = AS (33) of SDP.

  FIG. 10 is a message corresponding to step S10 in FIG. 5 and step S24 in FIG. 6, and is a message used when actually transferring a file in NGN. A file name is described in the Content-Disposition header 41, and a file decoded using base64 is described in the body part.

  In the currently widespread Internet, for example, when an email attachment is attached to several tens of megabytes (for example, a movie has a size of 10 to 100 MB or more), the mail server sends it. May not be accepted. This is because sending a file having a large file size affects other users because a large load is applied to the server, and the server is set so that a file larger than a predetermined file size cannot be sent.

However, in the example of the embodiment as described above, there is no limit on the file size to be transmitted. This is because the telephone is usually used by an individual, and even if a load is applied to the server of the NGN compatible telephone, it does not affect other users.
By using an NGN-compatible telephone as a mail server in this manner, a server that has conventionally been used in consideration of the convenience of other users can be freely used. Therefore, the file size to be transmitted or received is not limited.

Next, examples of other embodiments will be described. Since the e-mail transmission and reception methods are the same, the configuration of the apparatus will be described. FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a state in which the NGN compatible telephone 10 and the device that performs protocol conversion are separated. That is, the NGN compatible telephone 10 in this case does not have a protocol conversion function. Protocol conversion is performed by an independent mail server 60. The mail server 60 is connected to the NGN compatible telephone 10 and the electronic mail client 50. These connections may be wired or wireless. The information terminal 70 can use a personal computer, for example.
The mail server 60 includes a storage device 16, an SMTP server 15, a POP / IMAP4 server 14, an HTTP server 13, and an NGN file transfer module 12.

  FIG. 12 shows an example in which the information terminal 70 has functions of a mail server 60 and an e-mail client. In recent years, a personal computer can be provided with a mail server function. Therefore, by using a personal computer having a mail server function for the information terminal 70 and connecting to the NGN compatible telephone 10, the example of the present embodiment can be realized.

The e-mail transmission / reception method is the same, the information terminal 50 and the NGN compatible telephone 10 are connected, and information is transferred between the NGN file transfer module 12 and the NGN signaling module 11.
The transmission / reception of the e-mail is the same as that described in the above-described flowchart for transmission and flowchart for reception.

(A) is the schematic of the conventional telephone network, (b) is the schematic of NGN. It is a flowchart at the time of session establishment. It is the schematic of the example of this Embodiment. It is a functional block diagram of a NGN-compatible telephone and an e-mail client. It is a flowchart by the side of transmission of a file transmission flow. It is a flowchart on the receiving side of a file transmission flow. It is a block diagram which sets a reservation zone | band. It is an example of an e-mail message. It is an example of the signaling message for file transfer. It is an example of the message at the time of performing file transfer in NGN. In this embodiment, the mail server is separated from the NGN compatible telephone. In this embodiment, the information terminal has a mail server and an e-mail client.

Explanation of symbols

  10 ... NGN compatible telephone, 11 ... NGN signaling module, 12 ... NGN file transfer module, 13 ... HTTP server, 14 ... POP / IMAP4 server, 15 ... SMTP server, 16. ··Storage device

Claims (7)

In a communication terminal device in NGN, which is a network that establishes a session for calling and data communication via a connection management server,
A file transfer module that connects to an email client, converts between an NGN protocol and an email protocol, and transmits and receives data;
A storage device connected to the email client and file transfer module for storing data;
An electronic mail client connected to a storage device and a file transfer module. The communication terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the communication terminal device is a telephone or a modem. The communication terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the communication terminal device is connected to an information terminal. The communication terminal device according to claim 1, further comprising an HTTP server, and making a reservation of a communication band at the time of transmission with respect to the file transfer module via the HTTP server. In a communication system in NGN, which is a network that establishes a session for calling and data communication via a connection management server,
A file transfer module that connects to an email client, converts between an NGN protocol and an email protocol, and transmits and receives data;
A storage device connected to the e-mail client and the file transfer module to store data;
An e-mail client connected to the storage device and the file transfer module, and a communication terminal device connected to the network;
system. In a communication method in an NGN network for establishing a session for calling and data communication via a connection management server,
Receiving e-mail at a mail server using a mail transfer protocol;
Transferring the received email from the mail server to the file transfer module;
Sending the e-mail received by the file transfer module using a protocol for NGN;
Having
Information transmission method. In a communication method in NGN, which is a network for establishing a session for calling and data communication via a connection management server,
Receiving e-mail with a protocol for NGN;
Storing the received email in a storage device;
Receiving an email stored in a storage device by an email server;
An email server forwarding the received email to an email client using a mail transfer protocol;
An information receiving method.

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