JP2795242B2 - Exchange device and exchange method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an exchange apparatus and an exchange method for accommodating a central office network for transmitting a caller ID, and more particularly to an apparatus for simultaneously providing two or more communication channels between terminals. About the method.

[0001]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a switching device for accommodating a network for sending outgoing terminal information when receiving an incoming call, detects an incoming call including the outgoing terminal information from the network, analyzes the outgoing terminal information,
A device that determines an extension terminal to receive an incoming call based on the analysis result and causes the extension terminal to receive an incoming call is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-1.
No. 35151. The switching device disclosed in the above publication identifies an extension terminal that receives a call from a central office network with caller information only when an incoming call for which a department and an extension terminal to be connected by the caller are registered in advance. doing.

However, in recent years, it has become necessary to increase the number of communication channels with the increase in types of information.
More and more terminals are provided with two or more communication channels.

In a conventional switching device, for example, when two communication channels are accommodated between the switching device and one extension terminal, it is necessary for the originating side to simultaneously communicate with another channel while communicating on one channel. Come out. For example, in a switching device that accommodates an ISDN line, while performing data communication with an extension terminal on one channel, different types of data communication may be simultaneously performed on the same extension terminal using another channel. is there.

[0004]

The first problem with the conventional switching equipment described above is that simultaneous communication is performed by simultaneously connecting to the same extension terminal using two or more communication channels. This means that the calling side must specify the receiving terminal by the destination subaddress or the like.

[0005] The reason is that, in response to a call from one calling side, there are a plurality of extensions from which the switching device sends an incoming signal, and the extension terminal which has responded to the first incoming call receives the next incoming call from the same calling side. Is not always answered, and there is a possibility that another extension terminal will answer. That is, the switching device cannot identify which terminal connected to the extension of the switching device responds to the incoming call from the calling side without the destination subaddress.

A second problem is that when a plurality of terminals are connected to one extension at a multipoint connection, the exchange cannot specify one of the terminals connected at the multipoint connection.

[0007] The reason is that, when two or more extension terminals are connected to an extension accommodated in the exchange device at a multipoint connection, if the subaddress of the called terminal is not specified, all the connections to the called extension are made. Can respond. That is, a terminal that responds quickly is connected, and there is no guarantee that the calling side can simultaneously communicate with the same terminal on a different communication channel from the terminal that is currently communicating.

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a method for accommodating a plurality of communication channels without a transmitting terminal designating a receiving terminal.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an exchange device and an exchange method which can simultaneously communicate with two receiving terminals (extension terminals) using two or more communication channels.

[0009]

The switching device of the present invention connects to a plurality of extension terminals via a plurality of communication channels, and identifies a caller number received from a central office network at the time of an incoming call. A calling number identification unit, a connection storage unit that stores a caller number of a calling side communicating with the terminal using the first communication channel, and a calling number identification unit that identifies the caller when receiving an incoming call on the second communication channel. a comparison unit already caller ID to a connection storage unit compared with the stored caller ID to detect whether the same, said extension terminal is at the same
An incoming signal on the second communication channel of the accommodated extension
And an extension terminal for the incoming signal.
A means for detecting the response from the
When a response is detected, the originating side is switched to the extension terminal
Connected to 2 communication channels and detected within a certain time
If not, another terminal receives the second communication channel
A connection control unit for controlling transmission of a signal .

As described above, in the switching apparatus of the present invention, while the calling party is communicating with the terminal via the first channel, the calling party number identified by the calling party identification part is stored in the connection storage part,
Next, when the same calling side calls the second communication channel, the calling number is identified by the calling number identification unit, and the comparing unit compares the calling number with the calling number already stored in the connection storage unit, and the same number is used. Is detected, the connection control unit preferentially connects to the terminal that is communicating with the first communication channel among the terminals that connect the transmitting side to the second communication channel. Therefore, the transmitting side automatically connects two communication channels to the same terminal without sending terminal designation information such as a terminal identifier to the switching device. This is the same when there are two or more communication channels. This allows
When the transmitting side simultaneously communicates with the same partner terminal using two or more communication channels, the procedure for specifying the address of the receiving terminal becomes unnecessary. Also, the second communication channel
Extension terminal connected to the phone does not respond within a certain time
In the case, an incoming signal of the second communication channel to another terminal
Is transmitted, so that it is communicating with the first communication channel.
Even if the terminal cannot respond, the information sent by the calling
You can respond and receive at the end .

A switching device according to another aspect of the present invention includes a calling number identification unit for identifying a caller number from the network when an incoming call is received, a terminal identification unit for detecting a terminal identifier from a terminal responding to the incoming call, and a first identification unit for the terminal. A connection storage unit for storing a caller number of a caller communicating using the communication channel of No. 1 and a terminal identifier of the terminal, and a caller number identified by the caller number identification unit when receiving an incoming call on the second communication channel. the extension terminal is of accommodated when connecting the storage unit already compared with the stored caller ID, a comparison unit for detecting whether the same is the same
Means for sending an incoming call signal to the second communication channel extension that, to connect the extension against its incoming signal
Means for detecting within a fixed time whether or not a terminal identifier detected by the terminal identification unit in response to a certain extension terminal matches the terminal identifier stored in the connection storage unit; Forward caller when a match is found
Connected to the second communication channel of the extension terminal
If it is not detected within a certain period of time,
Control to transmit an incoming signal of the second communication channel.
And a connection control unit.

With this configuration, even when a plurality of terminals are connected to one extension at a multipoint, the switching device can identify the terminal by detecting the terminal identifier and can simultaneously communicate with two or more communication channels. I do.

The switching method according to the present invention also includes an extension terminal accommodating extensions of a plurality of communication channels, a station line, and connecting the station line to at least one of the extension terminals, and A method of exchanging data in an exchange device that enables communication on a communication channel of the originating side by identifying and storing caller information of the originating side communicating with the extension terminal using the first communication channel, and The caller information identified at the time of the incoming call to the second communication channel is already recorded.
Compare with the remembered caller information, detect if they are the same,
The extension in which the extension terminal is accommodated when they are the same
Sending an incoming signal to the second communication channel of
For an incoming signal, from an extension terminal connected to the extension
Response, the terminal identifier of the extension terminal is already
Within a certain time whether or not it matches the stored terminal identifier
Detects the caller when a match is detected within a certain period of time.
Connecting to the second communication channel of the extension terminal,
When not detected within the fixed time, other terminals
The second communication channel is controlled to transmit an incoming signal.
Characterized by control.

In the present invention, other codes may be used in place of the caller number, as long as the caller information can identify the caller.

[0015]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a communication system using a switching device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure,
The switching device 1 is connected to a plurality of office lines 2-1 to 2-n and to a plurality of extensions 3-1 to 3-n connected to extension terminals (hereinafter simply referred to as terminals) 4-1 to 4-n. To accommodate. Office line 2-1
.About.2-n are lines for transmitting the caller ID, and are typically ISDN lines. Extensions 3-1 to 3-n to each terminal
Has a first communication channel A and a second communication channel B, respectively. Each office line is capable of transmitting data to the first and second communication channels A and B simultaneously or individually. The switching device 1 has two
One or more extensions can be called or connected, and the configuration is a time division switch. Terminals 4-1 to 4-n
Is a multilink data terminal that can use two communication channels A and B simultaneously.

In the switching device 1, the network interface 5
Accommodates the office lines 2-1 to 2-n and is connected to the communication switch 6. The extension interface 7 accommodates extensions 3-1 to 3-n connected to each terminal and connects to the communication switch 6. The communication switch 6 exchanges connection between the office line and the extension line or between the extension lines via the network interface 5 and the extension line interface 7. The connection is executed under the control of the connection control unit 8.

The calling number identification unit 9 is connected to the network interface 5 and identifies a calling party number from a receiving office line whenever there is an incoming call on any of the office lines 2-1 to 2-n. The terminal identification unit 10 is connected to the extension interface 7 and identifies a terminal identifier (information for identifying the terminal) from the terminal that has responded to the incoming call. The connection storage unit 11 stores the caller ID identified by the calling number identification unit 9 and the terminal identification unit 10 based on a response from the terminal.
And the terminal identifier identified by. The caller number and the terminal identifier are stored as a set, and the stored contents are kept until the communication between the caller and the terminal is completed.

The comparing unit 12 determines whether or not there is a second incoming call (an incoming call to the second communication channel) from the same sender during communication on the first communication channel.
The caller number identified by the calling number identification unit 9 at the time of the incoming call is compared with the caller number already stored in the connection storage unit 11, and if they match, it is determined that the second incoming call has occurred. As a result of this comparison, the comparison unit 12
Outputs a match output to the connection control unit 8, whereby the connection control unit 8 gives priority to the terminal that is communicating with the first communication channel among the terminals that connect the transmitting side to the second communication channel. Connect to

That is, the switching device 1 includes a calling number identification unit 9 for identifying a caller number from a central office line when receiving a call, and a terminal identification unit 10 for detecting a terminal identifier from a terminal responding to the call.
And the caller ID of the calling side communicating with the terminal (for example, terminal 4-1) using the first communication channel A (or B) and the terminal identifier of the terminal (4-1). The connection storage unit 11 compares the caller number identified by the calling number identification unit 9 when receiving an incoming call to the second communication channel B (or A) with the caller number already stored in the connection storage unit 11, and determines whether or not the same. A comparison unit 12 for detecting whether there is a terminal, an extension interface 7 for sending an incoming signal to the second communication channel B (or A) when they are the same, and a terminal identifier based on a response from the terminal to the incoming signal. When detected by the unit 10, whether or not the terminal identifier matches the terminal identifier already stored in the connection storage unit is detected within a fixed time, and when a match is detected within the fixed time, the calling side is determined. Second communication Of the terminals to be connected to Yan'neru,
A connection control unit 8 for preferentially connecting to the terminal (4-1) communicating with the first communication channel.

Next, the operation of FIG. 1 will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

A description will be given from the fact that the transmitting side communicates with the terminal on the first communication channel A. If the calling party calls on the line 2-1 to communicate with the first communication channel A,
An incoming call is detected by the central office interface 5 (step 1), and the calling number identification unit 9 of the switching device 1 detects a caller number after passing through the central office interface 5 (step 2). The detected caller number is compared with the caller number stored in the connection storage unit 11 by the comparing unit 12 (step 3). Here, if the caller has originated the call for the first time, since the caller number is not stored in the connection storage unit 11, the process proceeds to step 4.

In step 4, first, the caller number is stored in the connection storage unit 11. Next, in response to an incoming call from the station line 2-1 that desires communication on the communication channel A (whether or not to do so is determined by the connection control unit 8), the extension interface 7 to communication channel A
An incoming signal is sent out. This incoming signal is transmitted to a plurality of terminals accommodating the first communication channel A. Thus, it is assumed that the terminal that responded to the request is the terminal 4-1. The terminal identifier is detected by the terminal identification unit 10 from the response signal from the terminal 4-1 and stored in the connection storage unit 11.

After the above step 4, the connection control unit 8
The communication switch 6 is controlled to connect the station line 2-1 to the first communication channel A of the terminal 4-1 in response to a response signal from the terminal 4-1 (step 5).

Next, when the caller wants to communicate on the second communication channel B, the process returns to step 1 and an incoming call on the communication channel B is detected. In step 2, when the caller number is detected, and it is detected by the comparison unit 12 that the caller number matches the caller number stored in the connection storage unit 11 (step 3), the connection control unit is operated based on the comparison output result. 8
Reads out the terminal identifier corresponding to the caller number stored in the connection storage unit 11, and reads the terminal 4 of the read terminal identifier.
-1 is transmitted to the communication channel B of the extension 3-1 in which the -1 is stored (step 6).

The connection control unit 8 detects whether there is a response from the terminal connected to the extension 3-1 within a predetermined time of a timer set therein (steps 7 and 10). The identification unit 10 detects the terminal identifier (Step 8), and detects whether the terminal matches the terminal identifier stored in the connection storage unit 11 (Step 9). This detection operation is necessary to specify the communicating terminal 4-1 when a plurality of terminals are connected to the extension 3-1 in a multipoint connection, and only one terminal is provided for the extension 3-1. Are connected, steps 8 and 9 are unnecessary.

If the detected terminal identifier coincides with the stored terminal identifier, the connection control unit 8 controls the communication switch 6 to set the communication channel B between the transmitting side and the terminal 4-1.
Are connected (step 12).

If they do not match, wait for an incoming call from the terminal 4-1 until the predetermined time of the timer elapses. If the incoming call is received within the predetermined time, go to step 12 and do not receive the call even after the predetermined time has passed. If so, an incoming signal is sent to another terminal (step 13).

The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above. For example, information that identifies the caller, such as a code related to the caller, may be used instead of the caller number.

The switching method according to the embodiment of the present invention is directed to an extension terminal 4-1 accommodating a plurality of communication channels A and B.
A switching method for accommodating communication lines 4-1 to 4-n and office lines 2-1 to 2-n, connecting the office lines to at least one extension terminal, and enabling simultaneous communication on two or more communication channels And identifies and stores caller information of a caller communicating with the extension terminal using the first communication channel A, and identifies the caller when the call arrives at the next second communication channel B When the information is the same as the previously stored caller information, the calling party is connected to the second communication channel of the extension terminal communicating via the first communication channel.

[0031]

As described above, according to the present invention,
There is an effect that it is possible to simultaneously communicate with a terminal that uses a plurality of channels simultaneously by using two or more communication channels without specifying the receiving terminal from the transmitting side.

With this arrangement, when a plurality of terminals capable of simultaneously using a plurality of channels on the host side of a personal computer or a network are prepared, and a high-speed service is provided by simultaneously using a plurality of channels, the originating side receives a call. Accepts a call without specifying a terminal, connects any terminal to the first communication channel, and connects the second and subsequent calls of the same caller to the terminal to which the caller first connected, and then more than 2 channels Communication can be simultaneously performed, and a plurality of types of data can be simultaneously transmitted to the same terminal. This is useful for simultaneous transmission of multiple data from one sender to any terminal.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a communication system using a switching device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the switching device of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Switching device 5 Network interface 6 Communication switch 7 Extension interface 8 Connection control part 9 Calling number identification part 10 Terminal identification part 11 Connection storage part 12 Comparison part

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] An extension terminal accommodating extensions of a plurality of communication channels and a station line, the station line is connected to at least one of the extension terminals, and communication is simultaneously performed on two or more communication channels. A switching device that enables a call originating information identification unit that identifies caller information from the office line at the time of an incoming call, a terminal identification unit that detects a terminal identifier from an extension terminal that has responded to the incoming call, A connection storage unit for storing caller information of a caller communicating using the first communication channel and a terminal identifier of the extension terminal;
A comparison unit that compares the caller information identified by the calling information identification unit when receiving an incoming call to the second communication channel with the caller information already stored in the connection storage unit and detects whether the caller information is the same. At one time the extension terminal is accommodated
An incoming signal to the second communication channel of the extension
Means for issuing and connecting to the extension for the incoming signal
Means for detecting a response from the extension terminal within a predetermined time
When a response is detected within a certain time,
Connecting to the second communication channel of the extension terminal,
If the terminal is not detected within the time,
And a connection control unit for controlling transmission of an incoming signal of the communication channel . 2. A method for accommodating extensions of a plurality of communication channels.
An extension terminal and an office line are accommodated, and the office line is at least
Connect to one of the extension terminals, and simultaneously
In an exchange device capable of communicating in a channel, a source information source for identifying caller information from the line when receiving a call.
And the terminal identifier from the extension terminal that responded to the incoming call
A terminal identification unit to detect, and a first communication channel to the extension terminal.
Caller information of the calling party communicating using the channel and its information
A connection storage unit for storing a terminal identifier of the extension terminal of
Identifying the calling information when receiving an incoming call on a second communication channel
The caller information identified by the unit is already stored in the connection storage unit.
Compare with the accumulated caller information and detect if they are the same
When the same as the comparison unit, the extension terminal is accommodated.
An incoming signal to the second communication channel of the extension
Means for issuing and connecting to the extension for the incoming signal
The terminal identification unit detects a response from a certain extension terminal.
The terminal identifier output is the terminal stored in the connection storage unit.
Means for detecting within a certain time whether or not it matches the terminal identifier
If the calling party when a match is detected within a predetermined time
Connecting to a second communication channel of an extension terminal,
If not detected within a certain time, the other terminal
Control to transmit an incoming signal of the second communication channel.
An exchange device including a connection control unit. 3. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein said office line is an ISDN line.
The switching device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein 4. Accommodating extensions of a plurality of communication channels.
An extension terminal and an office line are accommodated, and the office line is at least
Connect to one of the extension terminals, and simultaneously
Switching method in switching device enabling communication in channel
And communicates with said extension terminal using a first communication channel.
Identify and store the calling party information of the calling party
Outgoing call identified at the time of incoming to the second communication channel
Compares caller information with caller information already stored
Is detected, and when they are the same, the extension terminal
Receives an incoming call on the second communication channel of the accommodated extension
Send a signal and connect to the extension for the incoming signal
A response from an extension terminal causes the end of the extension terminal
Whether the terminal identifier matches the terminal identifier already stored
Is detected within a certain time, and a match is detected within a certain time.
The calling side is switched to the second communication channel of the extension terminal when the
Connected to the channel and not detected within the fixed time
The other terminal receives an incoming call of the second communication channel.
An exchange method characterized by controlling to send a signal .