JP4425912B2 - Communication system, IP line multiplexer management entity, and IP line multiplexer functional entity - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication system including a communication device having a function of multiplexing / separating a short packet inside an IP (Internet Protocol) packet, and in particular, voice data in voice over IP (VoIP). The present invention relates to a communication system to which a communication method for multiplexing a plurality of accommodated short packets into one IP packet is applied.

  The spread of the Internet since the beginning of the 90s has been remarkable. The basis of the Internet is a best effort type in which the entire network handles all packets fairly, that is, a communication service that does not guarantee the quality of service. However, with the widespread use of the Internet, businesses using the Internet have been developed, and high-quality services and real-time applications such as voice and video are required.

VoIP is one of systems that require real-time applications such as voice and moving images using the Internet. VoIP is a technology that transmits and receives audio data using a TCP / IP network such as an intranet.
Non-Patent Document 1 discloses a protocol necessary for voice and video communication in an IP-based network including the Internet.

  Conventionally, various technologies related to communication devices of communication systems that handle sound and images have been considered. For example, Non-Patent Document 2 describes an IP line multiplexing device (IPCME) that multiplexes and transmits a plurality of short packets in the red of the RTP payload using a standard protocol in VoIP called RTP / UDP (User Datagram Protocol) / IP. ) Is disclosed.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a technique related to a communication device that shortens the packet length and retransmits the packet when the received communication device cannot correctly receive the transmitted packet.

  Patent Document 2 discloses a technique related to a communication apparatus that transfers image data by multiplexing / demultiplexing and compressing / decompressing image data and audio data in response to a dynamic change in transmission format information.

JP 2001-086190 A JP-A-11-225168 ITU-TH. 323 ITU-T G. 769

  However, since the communication devices described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are communication devices arranged at the end of the network, the communication protocol is complicated when used in a network that accommodates a large number of voice channels such as international lines. In addition, there is a problem that the performance required for the IP communication device cannot be satisfied due to poor response.

  In addition, when high-efficiency multiplexed transmission is controlled and operated by the signaling method described in Non-Patent Document 1 as in the IPCME described in Non-Patent Document 2, a complicated procedure is required and the response is deteriorated. Therefore, there was a problem that it was not realistic.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and applies a SIP (Session Initiation Protocol), which is an existing signaling method, to perform mutual communication using multiplexed IP packets, and an IP line multiplexer A first object is to obtain a management entity and an IP line multiplexer functional entity.

  In addition, a second object is to provide a communication system, an IP line multiplexing device management entity, and an IP line multiplexing in which an IP terminal device or an end user can seamlessly use a voice line without recognizing packet multiplexing / separation. To obtain a functional unit functional entity.

  A third object is to obtain a communication system, an IP line multiplexer management entity, and an IP line multiplexer functional entity capable of operating a voice line efficiently and at low cost by multiplexing packets. That is.

  In the present invention, when IP terminal devices connected to a network via a router perform mutual communication controlled by a SIP server, local IP packets from the IP terminal device to the opposing IP terminal device are multiplexed. To generate a bearer IP packet, and control an IP line multiplexer functional entity that separates a bearer IP packet from the opposite IP terminal device and generates a local IP packet, and the IP line multiplexer functional entity In the communication system comprising the IP line multiplexing device management entity, the IP line multiplexing device management entity includes the multilink information by the IP line multiplexing device functional entity and the IP terminal device IP notified from the SIP server. Based on address and port number A multilink management table that defines channel information associated with the IP address and port number is generated, and the generated multilink management table is transmitted to the IP line multiplexer function entity, and the IP line multiplexer function entity Generates a short packet from the local IP packet based on the multiplex link management table, multiplexes the generated short packet to generate the bearer IP packet, transmits the generated packet to the network, and The bearer IP packet is separated based on a multi-link management table to generate a local IP packet addressed to the IP terminal device.

  According to the present invention, the IP address obtained by the INVITE and 200 OK in the call origination call in the SIP signal rig by the registration of the IP address from the IP line multiplexer functional entity to the IP line multiplexer management entity. The IP link multiplexer functional entity generates a multiplex link management table based on the management table generated by the IP line multiplexer management entity, and multiplexes / separates packets based on the management table generated by the IP line multiplexer management entity. An IP packet is generated.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to perform mutual communication using multiplexed IP packets by applying SIP which is an existing signaling method.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of a communication system, an IP line multiplexer management entity, and an IP line multiplexer functional entity according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In addition, this invention is not limited by this embodiment.

Embodiment.
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the configuration of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention. A communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes routers 2a, 2b, and 2c with a filter transfer function, a SIP server 3 that performs call control and session management in VoIP, an IP line multiplexer management entity (IPCME Management Entity). , Hereinafter referred to as ME) 4 is connected to an IP service network 5 which is a network.

  The router 2a includes an IP line multiplexer function entity (hereinafter referred to as FE) 1a, IP phones 7a-1 and 7a-2, a VoIP gateway (referred to as GW in FIG. 1) 8a, Are connected, and analog telephones 6a-1 and 6a-2 are connected to the VoIP gateway 8a. Router 2a, IP phones 7a-1, 7a-2, VoIP gateway 8a, analog phones 6a-1, 6a-2, and FE1a belong to the same domain or network.

  The router 2b is connected to the FE 1b, the IP phones 7b-1, 7b-2, and the VoIP gateway 8b, and the analog phones 6b-1, 6b-2 are connected to the VoIP gateway 8b. The router 2b, IP phones 7b-1, 7b-2, VoIP gateway 8b, analog phones 6b-1, 6b-2, and FE1b belong to the same domain or network.

  The router 2c is connected to an FE 1c, IP phones 7c-1, 7c-2, and a VoIP gateway 8c, and analog phones 6c-1, 6c-2 are connected to the VoIP gateway 8c. Router 2c, IP phones 7c-1, 7c-2, VoIP gateway 8c, analog phones 6c-1, 6c-2, and FE1c belong to the same domain or network.

  In FIG. 1, the FEs 1a to 1c have external interfaces such as Ethernet (registered trademark) and are connected to the routers 2a to 2c, but the FEs 1a to 1c are connected to the routers 2a to 2c. A function may be provided.

  Further, hereinafter, IP terminal devices (VoIP gateways 8a to 8c, IP telephones 7a-1, 7a-2, 7b-1, 7b-2, 7c-1, 7c-2) are shown in order to indicate the positioning of IP addresses and ports. ) Is the local side, and the IP service network 5 side is the bearer side.

  The ME 4 manages and controls the encoding / decoding and multiplexing / demultiplexing of the FEs 1a to 1c, configures a multiplex link by the IP address of each device notified from the FE 1a to FE 1c, and multiplexes each of the FEs 1a to FE 1c. A multi-link management table that manages the dependency between the voice channel and the FE link to be generated is generated. The ME 4 may be physically distributed and may be included in the SIP server 3.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the FE1a to FE1c multilink and the configuration of the FE1a multilink management table 10a. In FIG. 2, the multiple link 9ab that is a logical link between FE1a and FE1b, the multiple link 9ac that is a logical link between FE1a and FE1c, and the multiple link that is a logical link between FE1b and FE1b. 9bc is configured.

  The FE1a multilink management table 10a includes the IP address of the FE1b which is the ground of the multiplex link 9ab of the FE1a and the channel information included in the multiplex link 9ab, that is, the VoIP gateway 8a and the IP telephone 7a included in the domain. -1, 7a-2 IP addresses and port numbers are registered.

  The ME 4 manages the IP address of the FE to the FE of the multiplex link being managed (in this case, the multiplex links 9ab, 9ac, 9bc) and the channel information included in the multiplex link, that is, the VoIP included in the domain. A multilink management table in which the IP address and port number of the gateway or IP phone are registered is generated for each of the FEs 1a to 1c, and the generated multilink management table is transmitted to the FE1a to FE1c.

  FE1a to FE1c have the same function. The short packet is encoded / decoded and multiplexed / demultiplexed according to the 769 recommendation. The function of the FE will be described with reference to a block diagram showing the configuration of the FE 1a shown in FIG. The FE 1a includes an interface 20, a local IP packet reception unit 11, an SP generation unit 13, a multiplexing unit 14, a bearer IP packet generation unit 15, a bearer IP packet reception unit 16, a separation unit 17, and an SP decomposition unit. 18, a local IP packet generation unit 19, and a multilink management table storage unit 10.

  The interface 20 is a physical interface, for example, a port, but any physical form or number may be used. Further, when the FE 1a is provided in the router 2a, the interface 20 does not exist. The multilink management table storage unit 10 stores a multilink management table 10a transmitted from the ME4.

  The local IP packet receiving unit 11 receives a local IP packet input from an IP terminal device. As shown in FIG. 4, the local IP packet includes a local IP header 21, a UDP header 22, an RTP header 23, and an RTP payload 24. The RTP payload 24 includes, for example, PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) encoded audio data. The local IP packet receiving unit 11 identifies the channel of the local IP packet based on the local IP header 21 and the multilink management table 10 a stored in the multilink management table storage unit 10. Specifically, the channel is identified by searching the multilink management table 10a using the source IP address as a search key. And it outputs to the channel short packet production | generation part (henceforth a channel SIP production | generation part) 13-1 to 13-k of SP production | generation part 13 corresponding to a channel.

  The SP generation unit 13 includes k (k is a natural number) channel SP generation units 13-1 to 13-k that generate a short packet of one channel. The channel SP generation units 13-1 to 13-k correspond to one of a plurality of channels multiplexed by the FE 1a, and generate a short packet for each channel by performing specific media encoding for each channel. Specifically, the RTP payload 24 of the local IP packet shown in FIG. 4 is subjected to specific media encoding to generate an SP payload 27 as shown in FIG. 5, and an SP header 26 including channel information and the like. Generate a short packet with the Channel generation units 13-1 to 13-k output the generated short packets to multiplexing unit 14.

  The multiplexing unit 14 multiplexes a plurality of short packets generated by the SP generation unit 13. The bearer IP packet generation unit 15 assigns the destination address to the short packet multiplexed by the multiplexing unit 14 based on the multiple link management table 10a stored in the multiple link management table storage unit 10 (here, FE1b or FE). A bearer IP packet with FE1c) is generated. As shown in FIG. 6, the bearer IP packet is composed of a bearer IP header 29, a UDP header 22, an RTP header 23, and an RTP payload 28 comprising a plurality of short packets (SP header 26 and SP payload). The The multiplexing unit 14 outputs the bearer IP packet generated via the interface 20 to the router 2a.

  The bearer IP packet receiving unit 16 receives the bearer IP packet (see FIG. 6), extracts a message from the received bearer IP packet, and outputs the message to the separating unit 17.

  The separating unit 17 extracts a short packet from the message input from the bearer IP packet receiving unit 16. Then, the channel of the extracted short packet is identified based on the SP header 26 inside the short packet, and the short packet (see FIG. 4) is distributed to each channel.

  The SP decomposition unit 18 includes k channel short packet decomposition units (hereinafter referred to as channel SP decomposition units) 18-1 to 18-k. The channel SP decomposing units 18-1 to 18-k perform specific media decoding on the short packet input from the demultiplexing unit 17 corresponding to the channel, and perform short decoding (see FIG. 5). ) To the local IP packet generator 19.

  The local IP packet generation unit 19 is based on the SP header 26 of the short packet input from the channel SP decomposition units 18-1 to 18-k and the multilink management table 10a stored in the multilink management table storage unit 10. The local side IP address and the destination port number are identified. Specifically, the multilink management table 10a is searched using the channel information included in the SP header 26 as a search key, and the local IP address and port number corresponding to the channel are identified. Then, a local IP packet (see FIG. 4) is generated using the identified local IP address and port number, and transmitted to the local side via the interface 20.

  Note that the channel SP generation units 13-1 to 13-k and the channel SP decomposition units 18-1 to 18-k do not necessarily have to be encoded / decoded. In addition, any encoding / decoding scheme for encoding / decoding may be used.

  Next, the operation of the communication system in the present invention will be described. The FE 1a to FE 1c register the IP address of the own device in the ME 4 by a general method such as transmitting a command to the ME 4 every second, and configure the multiple links 9ab, 9ac, and 9bc. Note that the procedure in which the FE 1 a to FE 1 c register the IP address in the ME 4 and the keep alive procedure are not particularly defined in the present invention.

  When the ME 4 configures the multi-links 9ab, 9ac, and 9bc, the ME 4 generates a multi-link management table corresponding to the FE 1a to FE 1c. The ME4 transmits the IP addresses of the FE1a to FE1c on the ground to the FE1a to FE1c. In FIG. 2, the IP address of FE1b is transmitted to FE1a as information on the multiplex link 9ab, the IP address of FE1a is transmitted to FE1b, the IP address of FE1c is transmitted to FE1a as information on the multiplex link 9ac, and FE1a is transmitted to FE1c. The IP address of the FE1c is transmitted to the FE1b as the information on the multiplex link 9bc, and the IP address of the FE1b is transmitted to the FE1c.

  The SIP server 3 transmits information on INVITE and 200 OK in SIP to the ME 4. The INVITE and 200 OK information may be transmitted from the routers 2a to 2c.

  The ME 4 acquires the IP address and port number of the IP flow used as the voice line from the received INVETE and 200 OK information. Here, it is assumed that communication is started between IP phone 7a-1 and IP phone 7b-1. ME4 acquires the IP addresses and port numbers of IP phone 7a-1 and IP phone 7b-1.

  ME4 notifies router 2a of the acquired IP address and port number of IP phone 7a-1, and transmits the IP address and port number of IP phone 7b-1 to router 2b. Thereby, the local side IP packet transmitted from IP phone 7a-1 is transferred to FE1a, and the local side IP packet transmitted from IP phone 7b-1 is transferred to FE1b. If a single IP address does not accommodate a plurality of voice lines, there is no need to transmit port numbers to the routers 2a and 2b.

  ME4 generates a multilink management table for FE1a and FE1b based on the IP addresses and port numbers of IP phones 7a-1 and 7b-1, and transmits the generated multilink management table to FE1a and FE1b. To do.

  The FE 1a and the FE 1b store the multi-link management table received from the ME 4 in the multi-link management table storage unit 10. Note that the ME4 individually transmits the information on the multilink, the IP address, the port number, and the channel number to the FE1a and the FE1b. The FE1a and the FE1b generate the multilink management table, and the generated multilink management table is the multilink. You may make it memorize | store in the management table memory | storage part 10. FIG. The channel number is the same for both the FE 1 a and FE 1 b for the same voice call, that is, the call ID of the SIP server 3, and is embedded as channel information in the SP header 26. The FE 1a and FE 1b can specify the final destination of the short packet multiplexed in the IP packet of the bearer received by the FE 1a, 1b from the bearer side IP service network 5 by the multi-link management table.

  As described above, in the call control in the SIP signaling by the SIP server 3, the telephone calls of the IP telephone 7a-1 and the IP telephone 7b-1 are started by the exchange of INVITE and 200OK.

  IP phone 7a-1 transmits a local IP packet having IP phone 7b-1 as a destination IP address to router 2a. The router 2a is notified of the IP address and port number of the IP phone 7a-1 from the ME4. The router 2a identifies the local IP packet received from the IP phone 7a-1 by the filter function, and transmits it to the FE 1a.

  When receiving the local IP packet from the IP phone 7a-1, the local IP packet receiving unit 11 of the FE 1a, based on the local IP header 21 and the multilink management table 10a stored in the multilink management table storage unit 10, The channel of the local IP packet is identified and output to the channel generation units 13-1 to 13-k of the SP generation unit 13 corresponding to the channel.

  The channel generation units 13-1 to 13-k of the FE 1a perform specific media encoding on the RTP payload 24 of the input local IP packet to generate a short packet, and output the generated short packet to the multiplexing unit 14 To do.

  The multiplexing unit 14 of the FE 1a multiplexes a plurality of short packets generated by the SP generation unit 13, and the bearer IP packet generation unit 15 adds the short packets multiplexed by the multiplexing unit 14 to the multiplex link management table storage unit 10. Based on the stored multilink management table 10a, a bearer IP packet having a destination address of FE1b as the destination is generated. The bearer IP packet generation unit 15 transmits a bearer IP packet to the IP service network 5 via the interface 20 and the router 2a.

  When the bearer IP packet is received from the IP service network 5, the router 2b transmits the received bearer IP packet to the FE 1b. The bearer IP packet receiving unit 16 of the FE 1 b extracts a message from the received bearer IP packet and outputs the message to the separating unit 17.

  The separation unit 17 of the FE 1b extracts a short packet from the message input from the bearer IP packet reception unit 16. Then, the channel of the short packet extracted based on the SP header 26 inside the short packet is identified, and the short packet is distributed to each channel.

  The channel SP decomposing units 18-1 to 18-k of the SP decomposing unit 18 of the FE 1b perform media decoding by performing specific media decoding on the short packet input from the demultiplexing unit 17 corresponding to the channel. The short packet is output to the local IP packet generator 19.

  The local IP packet generation unit 19 of the FE 1b includes an SP header 26 of the short packet input from the channel SP decomposition units 18-1 to 18-k, and a multilink management table 10a stored in the multilink management table storage unit 10. The local IP address and the destination port number are identified based on the above, and a local IP packet is generated using the identified local IP address and port number. Here, a local IP packet of the IP address and port number of IP phone 7b-1 is generated. The local IP packet generator 19 transmits the generated local IP packet to the router 2b via the interface 20. The router 2b transmits the local IP packet to the IP phone 7a-1.

  In this way, voice data is transferred from IP phone 7a-1 to IP phone 7b-1. The transfer of voice data from the IP phone 7b-1 to the IP phone 7a-1 is the reverse of the operation from the IP phone 7a-1 to the IP phone 7b-1, and therefore will not be described here.

  As described above, in this embodiment, a multilink configured by registration of an IP address from a general IP line multiplexer function entity to an IP line multiplexer management entity, and a call origination call in the SIP signal rig Since the multiple link management table is generated based on the IP address and the port number obtained by INVITE and 200 OK in the network, the local IP packet and the bearer IP packet are generated based on the generated link management table. By applying SIP, which is a method, mutual communication using multiplexed IP packets can be performed.

  In addition, since the IP line multiplexer functional entity in the communication system multiplexes / separates packets based on the link management table, the terminal device or end user controls the IP line multiplexer in the communication system. It is possible to use the voice line seamlessly without performing the operation.

  In addition, since the IP line multiplexer functional entity multiplexes packets, the voice line can be efficiently used by high-efficiency encoded multiplex transmission, and the system can be operated at low cost.

  As described above, the communication system according to the present invention is useful for a communication system that handles voice data in VoIP, and is particularly suitable for a communication system that accommodates a large number of voice channels such as international lines.

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the configuration of a communication system according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a multilink and a configuration of a multilink management table of the communication system shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the IP line multiplexer functional entity shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the structure of a local IP packet. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the structure of a short packet. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration of a bearer IP packet.

1a, 1b, 1c IP line multiplexer function entity (FE)
2a, 2b, 2c Router 3 SIP server 4 IP line multiplexer management entity (IP)
5 IP service networks 6a-1, 6a-2, 6b-1, 6b-2, 6c-1, 6c-2 Analog telephones 7a-1, 7a-2, 7b-1, 7b-2, 7c-1, 7c -2 IP phone 8a, 8b, 8c VoIP gateway (GW)

Claims (2)

When IP terminal devices connected to a network via a router perform mutual communication controlled by a SIP server, a local IP packet from the IP terminal device to the opposing IP terminal device is multiplexed to bearer IP packets. An IP line multiplexer functional entity that generates a local IP packet by separating bearer IP packets from the opposite IP terminal device, and IP line multiplexing that controls the IP line multiplexer functional entity In a communication system comprising a device management entity,
The IP line multiplexer management entity is:
Multiplex that defines channel information associated with the IP address and port number based on the multilink information by the IP line multiplexer functional entity and the IP address and port number of the IP terminal device notified from the SIP server A link management table is generated, and the generated multiple link management table is transmitted to the IP line multiplexer functional entity;
The IP line multiplexer functional entity is:
Based on the multiplex link management table, a short packet is generated from the local IP packet, the generated short packet is multiplexed to generate the bearer IP packet, the generated packet is transmitted to the network, and the multiplex link Separating the bearer IP packet based on a management table to generate a local IP packet addressed to the IP terminal device;
A communication system characterized by the above. When IP terminal devices connected to a network via a router perform mutual communication controlled by a SIP server, a local IP packet from the IP terminal device to the opposing IP terminal device is multiplexed to bearer IP packets. And an IP line management device management entity that controls an IP line multiplexer functional entity that generates a local IP packet by separating a bearer IP packet from the opposite IP terminal device,
Multiplex that defines channel information associated with the IP address and port number based on the multilink information by the IP line multiplexer functional entity and the IP address and port number of the IP terminal device notified from the SIP server Generating a link management table and transmitting the generated multilink management table to the IP line multiplexer functional entity;
An IP line multiplexer management entity characterized by the above.

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