JPH03226148A - Communication system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the deterioration in the service by providing a means to store a time revising a line capacity, a means storing whether a line time slot is fixed or tentative, a means implementing various kinds of coding and a means varying the coding system while observing the time to revise the line capacity. CONSTITUTION:The system is provided with a revision time storage device 3 storing a time when a line capacity changes, a time slot attribute storage device 4 storing whether the operating state of the time slot and the time slot itself are fixed or tentative, and a decoding system device 5 to select the decoding system based on the revision time storage device 3 and the attribute storage device 4. Moreover, the system is provided with a coding system selector 9 to select the coding system based on the revision time storage device 3 and the attribute storage device 4 and coding/decoding devices A6-C8. Thus, interrupt of a call in talking is prevented by varying the line capacity automatically at a designated time from a network side. Thus, the communication cost is reduced without deteriorating the service.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Objective of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a corporate information communication network, etc. that can change the capacity of a transmission line connecting business offices at a pre-specified time. The present invention relates to a communication system that can change the encoding method in response to changes in line capacity.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, it has been possible for a user to change a network constructed using a leased line during operation, but this has not been done on the network side. However, it is possible to change line capacity and cross-connects on the network side at a time specified by the user in advance.

For example, in a video conference system, the line capacity can be changed depending on the encoding method or algorithm.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, when changing the line capacity on the network side as described above, meetings and telephone calls may drag on until unscheduled times. In such a case, the line capacity is forcibly changed at a specified time on the network side, which may cause calls in progress to be disconnected, resulting in degraded service.

The present invention has been made based on such conventional circumstances, and is aimed at efficient network operation without degrading service as much as possible in a communication system where line capacity is forced to change at a certain time. The purpose is to provide a communication system that can perform the following.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) The communication system of the present invention that achieves the above-mentioned conventional object includes a means for storing the time at which the line capacity is changed and a time slot for the line that is fixed. It is characterized by comprising means for storing whether it is temporary or temporary, means for performing various types of encoding, and means for changing the encoding method based on the time at which the line capacity is changed.

(Function) In the present invention, it is possible to prevent calls from being disconnected by automatically changing the line capacity at a specified time on the network side, thereby reducing communication costs without deteriorating the service. be able to.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The communication system 1 of this embodiment includes a multiplexer (TDM) 1
A communication interface 2 that exchanges signals from 4 and a change time storage device i! that stores the time when the line capacity changes. 3. A time slot attribute storage device 4 that stores the use status of a time slot and whether the time slot is fixed or variable; decoding by looking at the change time storage device 3 and the time slot attribute storage device 4; A decoding method determining device 5 for selecting a method, an encoding method selecting device 9 for selecting an encoding method by looking at the change time storage device 3 and the time slot attribute storage device 4, and an encoding/decoding device. It consists of devices 1A6 to encoding/decoding device C8 and a communication interface 10 for exchanging signals with encoding/decoding devices A and 17.

Next, the operation when this communication system 1 configured as described above is applied to a network configured as shown in FIG. 2 will be described.

In the network shown in Figure 2, 12 is a station, 13 is a line termination unit (DSU), and 14 is a multiplexer (TDM).
, 16 is an exchange (PBX), 17 is a TV conference system, and 18 is a terminal.

For example, assume that a video conference is set up between communication systems A and C with a reservation from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm.

Along with this, the line capacity between systems A and C will be increased by 384 kbps for two hours. This may be achieved by, for example, using a line rental service, or by changing the cross-connect to increase the line capacity between systems A and C.

At this time, the TV conference system A17 on the system A side checks the time slot attribute storage device 4 and the change time storage device 3 via the communication interface 10 of the communication system A1 to determine the extra time taken for the TV conference. The slot is searched and the encoding method is selected by the encoding method selection device 9.
Select decoding device A. Here, for example, 384kb
Assume that a PS video conference is to be held.

In this state, at 4:00 p.m., the network automatically (forcibly) returns the line capacity to its original state. However, since the conference may not have ended, at this time, the change time storage device 3 is checked and the encoding/decoding method is automatically changed at this change time.

At this time, the vacant state of the time slot is checked using the time slot attribute storage device 4, and if, for example, there is a considerable vacant time slot, the time slot can be used as is at 384 kbps. Also, if there is no free space, the encoding/decoding method can be changed to 128kbps and then 64kbps to avoid burdening other telephone or data communications (T
Make it possible to continue the V-meeting.

At this time, since the image quality may deteriorate considerably depending on the encoding method, it is also possible to notify the user by sending a message using the screen message sending device 11 before switching.

Alternatively, the message sending device 11 may display on the screen, etc. that the encoding method will be switched before the change time, so that the user notifies the system that the encoding method will be switched in order to continue the conference. .

Furthermore, the decoding method determining device 5, the encoding method selecting device, and the encoding/decoding devices A to C8 are combined into a multi-rate encoding device (variable rate encoding device). It could be something like.

Further, although this has been described for the case where the transmission capacity decreases, even when the transmission capacity increases, a higher quality TV conference can be held by similarly changing the encoding/decoding method.

Also, the timing of changing these encoding/decoding methods can be synchronized with the time when the transmission capacity changes, or it can be changed later if the capacity increases, or earlier if the capacity decreases. Good too.

Also, in the case of audio, 64 kbps, 32 kbps, 1
1. Like 6kbps, 8kbps. :By changing the compression method, you can continue the conversation. At this time, the message for switching by the message sending device 11 may be a voice or may be displayed on an LCD or the like. The same applies to facsimiles and data terminals.

Further, this communication system may be incorporated into a switching equipment (PBX), a multiplexing device (TDM),
As shown in Figure 2, it may be a separate device, or a PBX,
It may be incorporated into both TDMs.

Furthermore, although a system including an exchange has been described here, a system in which terminals are directly connected through a transmission path may also be used.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the communication system of the present invention, even if the line is forcibly restored to its original state by the network side, calls are not suddenly disconnected, and the service is improved. ◎You can effectively utilize services such as leased line rental services where you can rent a line for a certain amount of time.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a network including the communication system of the present invention. 1... Communication system, 2... Communication interface,
3... Change time storage device, 4... Time slot attribute storage device, 5... Decoding method determining device, 6... Encoding/decoding device A, 7... Encoding/decoding device B,
8... Encoding/decoding device C29... Encoding method selection device, 10... Communication interface, 11... Message sending device, 12... Station, 13... Line termination device (DSU) ), 14... multiplexer (TDM),
16-1. Switching equipment (PBX), 17... TV conference system, 18... Terminal. Diagram

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) In a communication system having a transmission line in which the capacity can be changed at a predetermined time and in predetermined time units, a means for storing the time at which the capacity of the line is changed and a time slot of the line are provided. The present invention is characterized by comprising means for storing whether the line is fixed or temporary, means for performing various types of encoding, and means for changing the encoding method based on the time at which the line capacity is changed. communication system. (2) The communication system according to claim 1, further comprising means for sending a message to the terminal side informing that it is time to change the line capacity.