JPH01227541A - Network system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To allow transmission side terminal equipment to execute a communication even when called terminal equipment is in the middle of communicating with other terminal equipment by sending data such as picture information stored in a storing means to the called terminal equipment when the data to be transferred are outputted from the other gateway processor. CONSTITUTION:To each base where an electronic exchange is arranged, a storing means 15 is provided, the data outputted from the transmission side terminal equipment is stored once into the storing means 15 at the base to have an electronic exchange 2 where the terminal equipment is connected, the data are file-transferred to the base where the called terminal equipment is connected after the storage is completed, simultaneously, the data are stored into the storing means 15 at the base, and thereafter, the data is transferred by automatically calling the called terminal equipment. Thus, even when the called terminal equipment is in the middle of communicating with the other terminal equipment, the data can be transferred through a line.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a network system, and in particular to a network system suitable for reducing the frequency of line use and improving the efficiency of its use. .

(Prior Art) Network systems using digital lines or analog lines are used for data communication between telephone devices, facsimile machines, various computer devices, and the like (hereinafter referred to as terminal devices).

This network system provides each data communication base with
It is constructed by arranging electronic exchanges to which terminal devices are connected, and connecting each electronic exchange with a line.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) The above-described conventional technology had the following problems.

That is, when performing digital communication, if the terminal device on the other end is communicating with another terminal device, data transmission must wait until the data communication is completed. In this case, you will have to dial the other party's terminal device many times, increasing the frequency of line usage.
The time required for communication becomes longer. Furthermore, the time required for the operator of the terminal device to work on the terminal device becomes longer.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems.

(Means and effects for solving the problem) In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a storage means at each base where an electronic exchange is installed, and stores the data output from the sending terminal device. The terminal device is temporarily stored in a storage means of a base having an electronic exchange to which the terminal device is connected, and after the storage is completed, the data is filed and transferred to the base to which the other party's terminal device is connected, and The feature is that the data is stored in the storage means, and then the other party's terminal device is automatically called and the data is transferred.

Thereby, data can be transferred via the line even when the terminal device on the other end is communicating with another terminal device.

Another feature is that each location is provided with means for detecting a failure of at least one of the electronic exchange and the line, and means for displaying the failure.

As a result, failure indications will be displayed at each site all at once. Another feature is that each site is provided with a means for transmitting the failure information to another site if a failure is detected in at least one of the electronic exchange and the line.
' This makes it possible for each base to monitor the failure status of other bases, and the communication data stored in the storage means installed at that base can be transmitted through the failures and failures of other bases. , it is possible to control whether or not to transmit via the line.

(Example) The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a first embodiment of the invention. The alphabetic characters (A,
B) is a code indicating that it is a device placed or connected to each base (A base, B base, etc.). It is located in In this figure, only two electronic exchanges are shown for clarity.
Of course, three or more may be arranged.

Each of the electronic exchanges 2A. 2B are multiplexers I, respectively.
A and IB are connected to each other by a line 1oo. This line 100 may be a digital line, a digital high-speed line, or an analog line.

Of course, if only the lines have been installed in advance, the arrangement of each electronic exchange is determined according to the arrangement of each terminal device.

Further, as the multiplexing devices IA and IB, for example, a DATAX multimedia multiplexing device (trade name) manufactured by NEC Corporation can be used.

The electronic exchanges 2A and 2B each include a storage device 4A.
, 4B are connected to gateway processors 3A and 3B.
is connected. This gateway processor 3A,
3B is a computer device that controls the network system.

Furthermore, terminal devices 5A and 5B for public communication lines are connected to the electronic exchanges 2A and 2B via terminal devices 6A and 6B for extensions and relay stations 99A and 99B. Although one terminal device 5A, 5B and one terminal device 6A, 6B are connected to each electronic exchange 2A, 2B, a plurality of terminal devices may be connected.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an electronic exchange and its peripheral equipment at an arbitrary location. In Figure 3, the second
The same reference numerals as in the figures refer to the same or equivalent parts.

In FIG. 3, a multiplexing device 1 and various terminal devices 5.6
The electronic exchange 2 connected to the facsimile control device 7
and is connected to the gateway processor 3 via an interface device 8 .

The facsimile control device 7 operates when a facsimile device is connected as a terminal device, and performs facsimile control (for example, in G3 standard facsimile control, control of image information data modulation/demodulation, line density conversion, image information width conversion, etc.) and code image conversion.

The interface device 8 also includes the electronic exchange 2.
and controls communication between the gateway processors 3.

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention, showing the configuration at an arbitrary location. Further, in FIG. 1, the same reference numerals as in FIG. 3 represent the same or equivalent parts.

In FIG. 11, a multiplexing device 1 and various terminal devices 5.
Data communication determination means 11 is connected to the electronic exchange 2 to which 6 is connected. This data communication determination means 11 determines whether the data transmitted from another base (a base other than the base) or the terminal device 5.6 connected to the electronic exchange 2 is the one for which real-time communication is desired. (For example, whether the communication is a telephone call or not) is determined. This data communication determination means 11 transfers the received data to the transmission/reception determination means 12 when the communication does not require real-time communication (for example, data communication using a facsimile machine), and when the communication does not require real-time communication, it transfers the received data to the transmission/reception determination means 12. connects a predetermined terminal device to the line without transferring data to the transmission/reception determining means 12.

Of course, the data communication determining means 11 performs the transmission and reception of a predetermined protocol when the sending terminal device requires transmission and reception of a predetermined protocol, such as a facsimile machine. The configuration for transmitting and receiving this protocol can be easily envisioned by those skilled in the art, so a description thereof will be omitted.

Further, if the transmitted data is modulated, the data communication determining means 11 demodulates the data as necessary.

If the communication is something other than a phone call, the communication data includes telephone number data (extension telephone number or public line telephone number) and image information read by a facsimile device or output from a computer device. Data such as characters, numbers, etc. (hereinafter referred to as image information data, etc.)
Consists of.

The transmission/reception determining means 12 determines whether the data transferred via the data communication determining means 11 is sent from another base or the terminal device 5 connected to the electronic exchange 2.
．． After that, the transferred data is sent to the data discrimination means 13. For this identification, for example, when data is sent from the data transmitting means 18 (described later) to a gateway processor at another base, data indicating this fact may be added to the data. That is, by determining the presence or absence of biased data, it is possible to determine whether the data transferred via the data communication determining means 11 is sent from another base.

The data discriminator 13 decomposes the transferred data into data such as telephone number data and image information.

The phone number data obtained by decomposition is transferred to the phone number storage means 14 and stored. Further, data such as image information obtained by decomposition is transferred to the data storage means 15 and stored therein. In addition, when data is transferred from the terminal device at the base, storage of the data such as image information by the data storage means 15 is performed until all data such as image information etc. is outputted by the terminal device.

The telephone number storage means 14 and data storage means 15 are
This is a storage area in a storage device 4 (FIG. 3) connected to the gateway processor 3.

The data storage means 15 transfers the image information and other data to the data transmission means 18 after all the image information and other data are stored in the data storage means 15.

The telephone number storage means 14 is connected to an automatic calling means 16 and a gateway processor designation means 17.

The automatic calling means 16 operates when the transmission/reception determining means 12 determines that the communication data has been transferred from another base, and the automatic calling means 16 operates when the transmission/reception determining means 12 determines that the communication data has been transferred from another base.
After all data such as image information is stored in the telephone number storage means 14, an automatic call is made based on the telephone number data registered in the telephone number storage means 14.

When the transmission/reception determining means 12 determines that the communication data □ is sent from the terminal device 5.6 connected to the electronic exchange 2, the gateway processor designation means 17 transmits the image information to the communication data □. Data specifying the electronic exchange or gateway processor connected to the terminal device to which the data is to be transmitted, and the telegram number data registered in the telephone number storage means 14 are sent to the data transmission means 18.

When the transmission/reception determining means 12 determines that the communication data has been transferred from another base, the data transmitting means 18 causes the automatic calling means 16 to automatically call the data transmitting means 18. After being connected to the other party's terminal device, data such as image information transferred from the data storage means 15 is sent to the electronic exchange 2.

In this case, if necessary, conversion (for example, linear density conversion, image information data width reduction conversion, etc.) according to the capabilities of the other party's terminal device is performed, and then modulation is performed.

Further, the data transmitting means 18 transmits the communication data to the terminal device i! connected to the electronic exchange 2! If it is determined that the data was sent from 5.6, data specifying the electronic exchange or gateway processor connected to the terminal device to which the image information, etc. data should be transmitted, telephone number data, and data storage. Data such as image information transferred from means 15 is sent to electronic exchange 2. This results in
Each piece of data is transferred to the electronic exchange at the other party's base.

The operation of the first embodiment of the present invention will be further explained with reference to FIG.

FIG. 4 shows image information sent from a terminal device 5A or 6A connected to two electronic exchanges located at base A to a terminal device 5B or 6B connected to an electronic exchange 2B located at base B. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the first embodiment of the present invention when transmitting equal data. In FIG. 4, the same reference numerals as in FIG. 1 represent the same or equivalent parts.

In FIG. 4, for example, when outputting image information data from the terminal device W15A and performing communication, the terminal device 5A
Therefore, a signal to that effect is first output to the electronic exchange 2A.

Once the data communication determination means 11A has determined the signal, it then transfers all data output from the terminal device 5A to the transmission/reception determination means 12A.

The transmission/reception determining means 12A determines that the communication is not from another base and that the communication is from the terminal device 5.
It is determined that the output is from A, and the following control is performed.

The data discriminating means 13A separates telephone number data and image information, etc. data from all the data output from the terminal device 5A (namely, telephone number data and image information, etc. data), and stores the telephone number data in the telephone number storage. Means 14A,
Further, data such as image information is stored in the data storage means 15A. When there are a plurality of originals to be transmitted from the terminal device 5A, the image information of all the originals is stored in the data storage means 15.

The gateway processor specifying means 17A selects a gateway processor (gateway processor 3B) or an electronic exchange ('e Data specifying the exchange 2B) is created, and the data and the telephone number data are sent to the data transmitting means 18A.

The data transmitting means 18A transmits the data sent from the gateway processor specifying means 17A and data such as image information stored in the data storage means 15A to the two electronic exchangers. Thereby, data such as telephone number data and image information outputted from the terminal device 5A are transferred to the electronic exchange 2B via the electronic exchange 2A, the multiplexing device IA, and the multiplexing bag vItIB.

The data transferred to the electronic exchange 2B is taken into the data communication determination means 11B.

This data communication determination means 11B uses data specifying the gateway processor 3B or the electronic exchange 2B to determine whether
It is determined that the transmitted data is image information communication.

Thereafter, the transmitted data is transferred to the transmission/reception determining means 12B via the data communication determining means 11B.

The transmission/reception determining means 12B determines that the transmitted data is not output from the terminal device 5B or terminal device 6B connected to the electronic exchange 2B, and is determined from the data specifying the gateway processor 3B or the electronic exchange 2B. It is determined that the transfer is from the base (base A), and the following control is performed.

The data discrimination means 13B separates telephone number data and image information etc. data from all the transmitted data, and stores the telephone number data in the telephone number storage means 14B and the image information etc. data in the data storage means 15B. let

The automatic calling means 16B makes an automatic call using the telephone number data stored in the telephone number storage means 14B.

When the data transmitting means 18B is connected to the terminal device 5B or the terminal device 6B to which data is to be transmitted by the automatic call, the data transmitting means 18B is connected to the data storage means 15B.
Data such as image information stored in the terminal device 5B or terminal bag r! is transferred via the electronic exchange 2B to the terminal device 5B or terminal bag r! Send to 16B.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of an arbitrary location in the first embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 5, first in step S1, it is determined whether the communication in question is real-time communication. If it is real-time communication, the line is connected to the other party's terminal device in step S2.゛In step S3, it is determined whether or not the communication has ended, and if it has ended, the line connection is released in step S4. After that, the process ends.

If it is determined in step S1 that it is not real-time communication, then in step S5 it is determined whether the transferred data is data output from a terminal device at the base.
It is determined whether the data is output from a gateway processor at another base.

If the data is output from a gateway processor at another site, the telephone number data is stored in step S6, and data such as image information is stored in step S7. In step S8, an automatic call is made to the other party's terminal device using the telephone number data,
After the other party's terminal device and the gateway processor are connected, data such as image information is transmitted to the other party's terminal device in step S9. After that, the process ends.

In step S8, if the gateway processor and the other party's terminal device cannot be connected by one call, automatic calls are made at predetermined intervals.

Furthermore, if connection with the other party's terminal device cannot be established even after making multiple calls, the gateway processor at the sending site's base and the sending terminal device are notified of this fact without performing the process in step S9. .

When it is determined in step S5 that the transferred data is data output from a terminal device at the base, telephone number data is stored in step SIO, and data such as image information is stored in step Sll. . In step S12, the telephone number data, image information, and other data are transmitted to the electronic exchange to which the other party's terminal device is connected.

As is clear from the above explanation, in the first embodiment, except for communication by telephone, all data to be communicated is stored in the storage device of the base to which the transmitting terminal device is connected, and then , all the data to be communicated is transferred from the storage device to the storage device at the base to which the other party's terminal device is connected, and is stored therein, and the data is transmitted to the other party's terminal device based on the data stored in the storage device. communicate.

Therefore, when a sending terminal device performs data communication, even if the other party's terminal device is communicating with another terminal device, the sending terminal device only needs to communicate 1' times over the line. As a result, the frequency of line usage will decrease, and failures may occur in the multiplexing device 1, electronic exchange 2, gateway processor 3, storage device 4, facsimile control device 7, interface device 8, or line etc. located at each site. If this occurs, unless the fault is discovered and repaired, a signal indicating that connection to the other party's terminal device is not possible will be transferred to the transmitting terminal device even though the other party's terminal device is not communicating. As a result, data communication that is originally unnecessary is performed via the line.

This increases the frequency of line usage.

An embodiment for solving this drawback is shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration at an arbitrary location of the second embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram similar to FIG. 1. In FIG. 6, the same reference numerals as in FIG. 1 indicate the same or equivalent parts, and therefore the explanation thereof will be omitted.

As is clear from the comparison between Figure 6 and Figure 1, this second
The embodiment is based on the electronic exchange 2 shown in the first embodiment.
A failure detection means 21 is connected to the failure detection means 21, and a display means 22 is connected to the failure detection means 21.

The multiplexing device 1 and the electronic exchange 2 each have a self-diagnosis function, a line diagnosis function, etc., and output various diagnostic signals. The failure detection means 21 monitors various diagnostic signals output from the multiplexing device 1 and the electronic exchange 2 at the base, and when detecting a diagnostic signal, displays a failure/failure display signal (message data) corresponding to the signal. Output to means 22. The function of the failure detection means 21 includes, for example, various diagnostic signals output from the multiplexing device 1 and the electronic exchange 2;
Message data corresponding to the diagnostic signal is registered in advance in a table (not shown) in the failure detection means 21,
This can be achieved by outputting message data corresponding to the diagnostic signal to the display means 22 when the diagnostic signal is detected.

With this configuration, failures in the electronic exchange 2, multiplexing bag Wll, and lines (line 10G and the line between the electronic exchange and each terminal device) at the base 1 are handled all at once to the gateway processor at the base 1. This makes it easy to monitor failures, failures, etc. at the base. As a result, even if a failure note failure occurs in the network system, it can be restored in a short time.

FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram of a modification of the second embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram similar to FIG. 6. In Figure 7,
The same reference numerals as in FIG. 6 represent the same or equivalent parts.

As is clear from the comparison between FIG. 7 and FIG. 6, this modification adds message data sending means 23 to the functions shown in FIG. 6. This message data sending means 23 sends the message data output from the failure detecting means 21 to a gateway processor located at a base other than the base. This message data sending means 23 modulates the message data as necessary.

With this configuration, message data corresponding to a failure of the electronic exchange 2, multiplexer 1, line, etc. at the base is sent to the gateway processor at another base and displayed. - As a result, when sending data from any - gateway processor to other gateway processors, each gateway processor will
The data transfer can be controlled.

In other words, each gateway processor can decide whether or not to send data depending on the failure or failure of other bases, so that in any case,
Data can be transferred between each gateway processor by using - times of lines.

Incidentally, in the case of the configuration shown in FIG. 6.7, it goes without saying that the message data output from the failure detection means 21 may be further sent to each terminal device.

Now, as mentioned above, since the gateway processor 3 is a computer device, it may be configured to perform control other than the control described above, for example, data processing according to data output from each terminal device, as necessary. Of course. In other words, it can be used as a host combinator for terminal devices connected to each site.

In addition, the format of the network may be net type, tree type, etc.
Of course, any format is fine.

(Effects of the Invention) As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, the following effects are achieved.

(1) In the network system recited in claim 1, even if the other party's terminal device is communicating with another terminal device, the transmitting terminal device can perform data communication. The usage frequency decreases, and the usage rate can be improved.

Moreover, the time for the operator of the terminal device to work on the terminal device is reduced.

(2. In the network system recited in claim 2, the failure status of the electronic exchange and/or line at each base is displayed collectively on the gateway processor at each base, so that the network system can be monitored. As a result, even if a failure occurs in the network system, it can be repaired quickly and the line utilization rate can be further improved.

(3) Feature 2'F In the network system set forth in claim 3, the gateway processor at each base can monitor failures at other bases. Depending on the state, it can be determined whether or not to transfer data via the line. Therefore, in any case, data can be transferred between each gateway processor by using the line only one time, and the line utilization rate can be maximized.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of an arbitrary location according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a first embodiment of the invention. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an electronic exchange and its peripheral equipment at an arbitrary location. FIG. 4 shows image information sent from a terminal device 5A or 6A connected to two electronic exchanges located at base A to a terminal device 5B or 6B connected to an electronic exchange 2B located at base B. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the first embodiment of the present invention when transmitting equal data. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of an arbitrary location in the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration at an arbitrary location of the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of a modified example of the second embodiment of the present invention at an arbitrary location. 1, IA, IB... multiplexer, 2, 2A, 2B...
・Electronic exchange, 3.3A, 3B... Gateway processor, 4, 4A, 4B... Storage device, 5. 5A. 5B, 6, 6A, 6B...terminal device, 11. IIA. 11B...Data communication determination means, 12.12A. 12B... Transmission/reception determination means, 13.13A, 13B.
...Data discrimination means, 14.14A, 14B...Telephone number storage means, 15.15A, 15B...Data storage means, 16.16B...0 call origination means, 17° 17A
...Gateway processor designation means, 18°18A
, 18B...Data transmission means, 21...Failure detection means, 22...Display means, 23...Message data transmission means, 99.99A, 99B...Relay station, 100
... Line agent patent attorney Michito Hiraki and 1 other person Figure 1 Figure 3 Figure 51i11

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A network system in which a plurality of electronic exchanges are connected by lines, comprising: a data processing terminal device connected to each of the electronic exchanges; a gateway processor connected to each of the electronic exchanges; and a gateway processor connected to each of the electronic exchanges. a connected storage means, the storage means has an area for storing telephone number data and an area for storing data such as image information, and the gateway processor determines whether the communication is real-time communication or not. data communication determining means for determining whether the transferred data is output from another gateway processor; transmission/receiving determining means for determining whether the transferred data is output from another gateway processor; data discrimination means for decomposing the data into data and transferring each data to the storage means; and when the transferred data is output from another gateway processor, telephone number data stored in the storage means; an automatic calling means that automatically calls a terminal device of the other party based on the above information; and when the transferred data is output from another gateway processor, data such as image information stored in the storage means If the data sent and transferred to the other party's terminal device is not output from another gateway processor, the data such as telephone number data and image information stored in the storage means is transferred to the other party's terminal device. 1. A network system comprising: data transmission means for outputting data to a gateway processor. (2) The gateway processor includes a failure detection means that detects a failure in an electronic exchange, line, etc. to which the gateway processor is connected and outputs message data corresponding to the failure, and a message output by the failure detection means. The network system according to claim 1, further comprising display means for displaying data. (3) The network according to claim 2, wherein the gateway processor further includes message data sending means for sending the message data output by the failure detecting means to another gateway processor. system.