JPH01158850A - Lan terminal accommodation and connection system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate the need for an adaptor and a connection section for each terminal equipment by providing one LAN connection circuit to an electronic exchange for each LAN and handling the LAN connection circuit equal to the line circuits to send/receive telephone information to/from the LAN terminal equipment. CONSTITUTION:The electronic exchange 10 has one LAN connection circuit 12 for each LAN (local area network) and the telephone information is sent/ received to/from a LAN terminal equipment 22 via other LAN than the telephone line. Thus, the LAN terminal equipment 22 and the telephone set 21 in pairs can send/receive the telephone information via the electronic exchange 10 and the improving effect in the economy eliminating the need for the connection circuit and the adaptor for each terminal equipment 20 is attained. Moreover, since the information is sent between the LAN terminal equipment and the electronic exchange through the high speed transmission line in the LAN, the improving effect in the utilizing efficiency of the equipment avoiding inefficient use of the telephone line is attained.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a local area network formed within a local area (known by names such as Omnit, Ethernet, and Token Ring) (hereinafter referred to as LAN). The present invention relates to a LAN terminal accommodation/connection system in which a LAN terminal (for example, a personal computer or a workstation) and a telephone are accommodated in an electronic exchange as a set of terminal devices.

[Conventional technology]

In this type of conventional LAN terminal accommodation/connection system, the LAN terminal has two input/output paths: a LAN connection and an electronic exchange connection.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a conventional example.

In FIG. 5, the terminal device 90 is a digital telephone 31,
The LAN terminal 93 has a LAN terminal 93 and a data terminal adapter 94, and the LAN terminal 93 has an EX connection section 931 and a LAN connection section 932, respectively. The LAN terminal 93 connects the EX connection section 931 to the electronic exchange 9 via the data terminal adapter 94.
1 and becomes one terminal of the LAN 92 via the LAN connection section 932. The data terminal adapter 94 is the LAN terminal 9
The information from the digital telephone 31 and the voice and control information from the digital telephone 31 are condensed and connected to the electronic exchange 91. In many cases, the digital telephone 31 has a built-in data terminal adapter 94.

The code transmission speed of LAN is: 1Mbp's or 10Mb
PS, the transmission speed of codes handled by the telephone line of the electronic exchange 91 is as low as 128 to 256 Kbps even if voice, data, and control information are multiplexed. Furthermore, the signal speed of information communication between the LAN terminal and the electronic exchange 91 is generally about 64 Kbp at most.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

As mentioned above, the conventional LAN terminal accommodating connection system has a connection part that connects to both the LAN terminal or the LAN and the electronic exchange that constitutes the terminal device, and also connects the LAN terminal and telephone to the telephone line. Since each terminal device has a data terminal adapter to connect the telephone and the LAN terminal, the data terminal adapter for concentrating the lines between the telephone and the LAN terminal, and the connection section for connecting and controlling the electronic exchange for each LAN terminal, deteriorate the economic efficiency, and the electronic Since the data transfer speed through the exchange is slow, there is a problem in that the efficiency of using the LAN terminals is deteriorated.

An object of the present invention is to connect a LAN terminal only to a LAN, have an electronic exchange having one LAN connection circuit for each LAN, and treat this LAN connection circuit as one of the line circuits to exchange telephone information with the LAN terminal. The object of the present invention is to provide a LAN terminal accommodating connection system that solves the above problems.

[Means for solving problems]

In the LAN terminal accommodation and connection system according to the present invention, an electronic exchange has a line circuit, a LAN connection circuit, and a central processing unit, the line circuit accommodates and connects lines for each telephone, and the LAN connection circuit connects the LAN formed by the LAN terminals. (local area network)
Each terminal is configured and connected as one LAN terminal. The central processing unit treats line circuits and LAN connection circuits equally as circuits that accommodate and connect terminal lines, sends and receives predetermined telephone information, and executes information processing by making full use of programs and data stored in the main storage device. .

〔Example〕

Next, the LAN terminal accommodating connection system of the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, an electronic exchange 10 includes a line circuit 11. LAN
Connection circuit 12. Main storage device 13° and central processing unit 1
4, the terminal device 20 has a telephone 21 and a LAN terminal 22, and the LAN 30 has a LAN terminal 22 and a
The office processor 31 uses the AN connection circuit 12 as a terminal.
to configure a communication network.

A line circuit 11 is provided for each telephone line that terminates at a telephone set 21, and a LAN connection circuit 12 is provided for each LAN 30. The main storage device 13 stores programs and data, and the central processing unit 14 stores the line circuit 11 and L'A
Telephone 21 and LAN terminal 2 via N connection circuit 12
2 and telephone information, and executes exchange processing by making full use of the program-5= and data stored in the main storage device 13.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a packet configuration transmitted on the LAN of FIG. 1. In Figure 2, the packet information has the conventional structure of a start code, called address, calling address, control information, transmission information, error check code, and termination code. The information includes telephone information. According to FIG. 2, the called address includes an EX address, the calling address includes a LAN terminal address, and the telephone information includes a calling telephone number, a called telephone number, and a call connection request as a request item.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram showing an example of partial details of the electronic exchange shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 3, the same components as those shown in FIG. 1 are given the same numbers and symbols, and their explanations will be omitted.

In FIG. 3, the LAN connection circuit 12 is connected to the LAN connection section 1.
21. Information reception identification unit 122. Information processing unit 123. Exchange connection section 124. and the information forming and transmitting section 125, and the central processing unit 14 has the telephone information transmitting and receiving means 141. Call processing means 142. and telephone control means 143, respectively.

The LAN connection unit 121 has connection conditions as a terminal that is directly connected to the LAN 30, and receives transmission packets and transfers them to the information reception identification unit 122, as well as information formation and transmission unit 125.
The received packet information is transmitted to the LAN 30 according to a predetermined procedure. When the information reception identification unit 122 identifies the received packet as an incoming packet based on the called address of the received packet, the received information is processed by the information processing unit 123 and sent to the exchange connection unit 124. The received information is transferred to the call processing means 142 via the telephone information transmitting/receiving means 141, and the call processing means 142 calls the program and data from the main storage device 13 and processes the received information. When the processing result of the call processing means 142 is to control the telephone 21, control information is transmitted to the telephone 21 via the telephone control means 143 and the line circuit 11. In addition, the call processing means 14
2 is a telephone information transmitting/receiving means 141 for transmitting information to the LAN terminal.
Exchange connection section 124. and the information forming transmitting unit 125 via the information processing unit 123.
forms a transmission packet and transmits it to the LAN 30 via the LAN connection section 121.

Next, with reference to FIG. 4 and FIGS. 1 to 3, a procedure for specifying telephone information from a LAN terminal, making a call, connecting the specified telephones, and calling the other party will be explained. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the operating procedure of the central processing unit.

LAN from one LAN terminal 22 to another LAN terminal 22
After transmitting data at high speed using 30, when calling the other party by telephone to notify that the data has been transmitted, the operator first inputs the telephone number of the caller to the LAN terminal 22, the calling telephone number, Also, the telephone number of the called party is registered as the called telephone number. When calling the destination telephone, the operator specifies a call connection as a request item, so the LAN terminal 22 sets the Ex address as the called address, its own LAN terminal address as the calling address, and the calling telephone number of the telephone information as the transmission information. , a called telephone number, and a call connection request, respectively, are transmitted to the LAN 30.

When the information reception identification unit 122 of the LAN connection circuit 12 intercepts the transmission packet and identifies its own EX address as the called address, the electronic exchange 10 takes in the transmission packet and centrally processes the telephone information contained in the transmission information. Transfer to device 14. The central processing unit 14 receives telephone information (step S1
), the call processing means 142 executes the call processing (procedure 2) similar to the call origination from the telephone of the calling telephone number in response to the call connection request specified by the caller, and also calls the LAN terminal 22
For example, the telephone information to display "Telephone call origination procedure in progress" is transmitted to the terminal. When the calling telephone is a multifunction telephone equipped with a speaker and having an on-hook dialing function, the call processing means 142 connects the telephone 21 Hessbeaker to the receiving circuit and transmits a command to turn on the speaker lamp. Next, the call processing means 142 executes a connection reservation (step S3) to connect the telephones specified by the calling telephone number and the called telephone number of the received telephone information, and sends a message to the LAN terminal 22, for example, "Reserve the other party." We will send a message saying, ``Please pick up the phone, so we can pick up the phone.'' and take measures against single-function phones. Furthermore, if the calling telephone has a single function and is not equipped with a speaker, it is necessary to use a handset to hear the call answered by the called party, and the call processing means 142 monitors the off-hook state of the calling telephone 21 ( Step S4).

When the call processing means 142 detects that the calling telephone 21 is off-hook, it calls the called telephone 21 (step S5) and instructs it to send a calling signal. When the called party responds to the ringing signal, the call processing means 142 transmits the response signal to the called telephone 2.
1 (step S6), the communication paths for both the calling and called parties are connected by controlling a switch (not shown) (step S7), and the procedure ends. If a multifunction telephone equipped with a speaker is the calling telephone, step S4 can be omitted.

The office processor 31 of the LAN 30 has a comparison table of the address of the LAN terminal 21 on the LAN 30 and the telephone number of the telephone 21 paired with this LAN terminal 31, and if the conversion process is possible, the calling party is connected to the LAN terminal. By simply specifying a call connection request at step 30, LAN terminal 30 can form and transmit a transmission packet containing the above-mentioned telephone information.

Further, when the caller places the handset on the telephone 21 in an off-hook state and makes a call, the call processing means 142 identifies the call and stores the telephone number of the calling telephone and the telephone directory display request as telephone information. It is transmitted to the LAN terminal 22 paired with the calling telephone. The LAN terminal 22 that has received this telephone information requests the office processor 31 for the telephone directory registered with the received telephone number, calls it, and displays it. On the display screen of the LAN terminal,
For example, when specified by cursor touch,
It is possible to request the call processing means 142 to make the above-mentioned automatic call using a specified telephone number or name as the called party. In this case, the operating procedure can be simplified by creating a program so that the specifications on the screen include a call connection request. Furthermore, if the LAN terminal 22 to which the called telephone number is specified automatically retrieves and displays information related to the called telephone number, such as name and address, from the office processor 31, the LAN terminal 22 can be accessed by simply operating the telephone 21. information can be displayed on the phone, and errors in the operation of the called telephone number can be detected before the connected party responds.

In the above embodiment, an example of a packet configuration, a detailed functional block diagram, and an example of an operation procedure are illustrated and explained with reference to them, but the above description does not limit the present invention.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the LAN terminal accommodation connection method of the present invention, the electronic exchange has one LAN connection circuit for each LAN, and telephone information is transmitted via a LAN separate from the telephone line. L
By configuring it to communicate with an AN terminal, the paired LAN terminal and telephone can exchange telephone information via an electronic exchange, and the effect of improving economy by eliminating the need for connection circuits and adapters for each terminal device; Furthermore, since information is transmitted between the LAN terminal and the electronic exchange through a high-speed transmission line within the LAN, it is possible to avoid inefficient use of telephone lines and improve the efficiency of use of the device.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the LAN terminal accommodating connection system of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the transmission packet structure in the LAN of FIG. 1, and FIG. A functional block diagram showing an example of partial details; FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the main operating procedure of the central processing unit in FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a conventional example. 10...Electronic exchange, 11...Line circuit, 12...
・LAN connection circuit, 13...main storage device, 14...
Central processing unit, 20... terminal device, 21... telephone, 22... LAN terminal, 30... LAN (local area #I). Agent Patent Attorney Susumu Uchihara

Claims (1)

[Claims] An L in which a LAN terminal (for example, a personal computer) connected to a local area network (hereinafter referred to as LAN) formed within a local area and a telephone are housed in an electronic exchange as a set of terminal devices.
In the AN terminal accommodating connection method, a line circuit that the electronic exchange connects to each of the telephones, and a LAN connection that forms one LAN terminal for one LAN and accommodates and connects one LAN as one communication terminal. circuit, and a central processing unit that is connected to the LAN connection circuit and the line circuit to exchange predetermined telephone information with the terminal device and executes information processing by making full use of programs and data stored in the main storage device. A LAN terminal accommodating connection method characterized by comprising: