KR20070013487A - Gateway apparatus for forming of comunication channel between telecomunication terminals - Google Patents

Abstract

A gateway apparatus for forming communication channels for heterogeneous communication terminals is provided to easily achieve communication network management in a place of business by providing communication channels for various communication terminals in the place of business by using a single IP, without the necessity of installing a circuit switch for an existing analog wired telephone network. A gateway apparatus for forming communication channels for heterogeneous communication terminals comprises a network interface part(140), an FXS(Foreign eXchange Station) part(110), an FXO(Foreign eXchange Office) part(120), and a main control part(150). The network interface part(140) provides an interface between one or more communication terminals and a WAN port, and connects each of the communication terminals to the Internet through the interface. The FXS part(110) is connected with either a private exchange or an analog communication terminal. The FXO part(120) emulates the private exchange or the analog communication terminal, connected to the FXS part(110), so that it can be recognized at an external analog communication network. The main control part(150) allocates a unique extension number to a communication terminal, and forms a communication channel between the communication terminal and an external communication terminal through an external SIP(Session Initiation Protocol) proxy server.

Description

Gateway apparatus for forming a communication channel for a heterogeneous communication terminal {Gateway apparatus for forming of communication channel between telecomunication terminals}

1 is a view conceptually showing a connection relationship between a gateway device and a neighboring network according to the present invention;

2 is a flowchart illustrating a process in which the gateway device shown in FIG. 1 is registered in a SIP proxy server;

3 is a detailed block diagram of a gateway device shown in FIG. 1;

4 is a flowchart illustrating a process of forming a communication channel by a proxy processing unit when the access mode of a communication terminal connected to a gateway device is a UAC (User Agent Client), and

5 is a flowchart illustrating a process of forming a communication channel by a proxy processing unit when the access mode of a communication terminal connected to a gateway device is a user agent server (UAS).

* Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings *

100: gateway device 110: FXS unit

120: FXO section 130: codec

140: network interface unit 141: WAN port

150: main control unit 151: proxy unit

160: ISDN_PRI unit 170: wireless connection unit

180: memory

The present invention relates to a gateway device, and more particularly, to a gateway device capable of forming a communication channel for both existing analog communication equipment such as a private branch exchange (PBX) and an analog telephone, and VOIP-based Internet equipment. .

Analog phones have been used in most homes and offices until digital communication equipment (eg internet phones) became commonplace. Analog telephones provide a telephone station with a telephone number frequency generated according to the DTMF (Dual Tone Multi Frequency) scheme to form a communication channel. Typically, a number and an analog telephone are mapped 1: 1. In workplaces with a large number of employees, private telephone exchanges have been installed between telephone offices and analogue telephones to reduce the number assigned to telephones.In spite of the widespread availability of VOIP-based Internet telephones that can communicate at low cost, Telephones do not completely replace analog phones that have been around for a long time. Accordingly, in the case of offices with frequent overseas calls, Internet telephones are used for communication between Korea and overseas, and existing analog phones are used for communication between domestic and foreign countries. They are mixed and these heterogeneous networks are not used in interconnection. Accordingly, the present applicant intends to propose a gateway device capable of integrated operation by connecting analog and digital communication terminals according to heterogeneous communication networks to one gateway device.

As described above, an object of the present invention is to provide a gateway device which is connected to a communication terminal based on digital and analog, and forms a communication channel to be connected to each communication environment. Another object of the present invention is to provide a gateway device that can utilize each communication terminal based on digital and analog without using an analog communication network using an Internet telephone network. In addition, another object of the present invention is to provide a gateway device to bundle the Internet telephone network for the digital and analog communication terminal provided in one workplace to a single IP, thereby managing one workplace in one domain. have.

According to the present invention, in the SIP-based gateway device for forming a communication channel for the Internet telephone network and the analog telephone network, providing an interface between at least one communication terminal and WAN port, through which each communication terminal An external analog communication network by emulating an FXS (Foreing eXchange Station) unit connected to any one of a network interface unit, a private exchange, and an analog communication terminal connected to the Internet, the private exchange and the analog communication terminal connected to the FXS unit. FXE (Foreing eXchange Office) unit for recognizing, the at least one communication terminal corresponds to a unique extension number, and through the external SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) SIP server to register the communication terminal information corresponding to the extension number Form communication channel for communication terminal and external communication terminal period The main controller includes a main control unit, and establishes a communication channel formed in the at least one communication terminal and an external communication terminal period through one authorized IP set at the WAN port, and requests a call connection to a subject. Accordingly, this is achieved by a gateway device that forms a communication channel for a heterogeneous communication terminal that operates with either a user agent server (UAS) or a user agent client (UAC).

The number of IPs set in the communication terminal and the number of IPs set in the WAN port are preferably set to N: 1.

Preferably, the apparatus further includes a codec for decoding a voice signal provided through the SIP proxy server and encoding a voice signal transmitted from the communication terminal to the external communication terminal.

It is preferable that the codec is any one of a hardware codec and a software codec.

Preferably, the apparatus further includes a wireless connection unit for interfacing with a wireless communication terminal, wherein the wireless connection unit provides data provided from the wireless communication terminal to the network interface unit.

The wireless access unit preferably supports data communication according to any one of IEEE 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11q.

Preferably, the system further includes an ISDN_PRI (Integrated Services Digital Network_Primary Rate Interface) unit interoperating with the analog communication terminal connected to the FXS unit and providing an interface between the digital exchange unit and the analog communication terminal, wherein the ISDN_PRI unit is provided in the gateway body. It is formed in a removable module form.

The main control unit, the communication terminal corresponds to the extension number, the telephone number corresponding to the extension number is registered in the SIP proxy server.

Preferably, the FXS unit and the FXO unit are provided in a detachable manner to the gateway body.

The main controller preferably has an operation mode of any one of a user agent client (UAC) or a user agent server (UAS) according to a subject requesting a call connection.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 conceptually illustrates a connection relationship between a gateway device and a neighboring network according to the present invention.

As shown, the gateway device according to the present invention includes a FXS (Foreing eXchange Station), FXO (Foreing eXchange Office), ISDN_PRI (Integrated Services Digital Network_Primary Rate Interface) processing unit, WAN, LAN, wireless connection, etc. Next, the operation of each component is as follows.

First, the FXS unit provides an interface between an existing analog communication terminal (wired telephone) and a gateway device, and the FXO unit can recognize the analog communication terminal when the analog communication terminal is connected to a gateway device that is a digital device. Make sure To this end, the FXO unit recognizes when an analog communication terminal is ON-HOOK and OFF-HOOK, and responds to on-hook and off-hook at a port of a private exchange or a telephone exchange. It emulates and provides the analog control signal. Accordingly, the private exchange (PBX) 200 or the telephone exchange can recognize the analog communication terminal connected to the gateway device according to the present invention and form a call channel. The LAN unit is connected to the computer 410 and the Internet phone 420, so that each device can make an Internet connection or use an Internet phone. The wireless access unit (WI-FI) is wirelessly connected to an access point (AP) 300 in a wireless LAN environment, performs data communication with a computer and an internet phone through the access point 300, In connection with Internet communication. The ISDN_PRI section handles the interface between the analog telephones (eg 50a-50n) and the digital switch connected to the FSX section. According to the above-described configuration, the gateway device 100 according to the present invention is connected to existing analog communication terminals such as wired telephones (for example, 50a to 50n), and faxes, and these analog communication terminals can be used as they are, and the Internet phone 420 And a digital communication terminal, such as a computer 410, to provide an Internet connection environment for the digital communication terminal, and to allow voice communication and fax transmission through the Internet. To this end, the gateway device according to the present invention provides an extension number and a private IP for the connected analog communication terminal and the digital communication terminal, respectively, and provides them to the SIP proxy server 500 by the SIP protocol. 500) allows voice calls with Internet phones located in other networks. To this end, the gateway device 100 should request a call connection to the SIP proxy server 500, and the addresses of communication terminals transmitted from the gateway device 100 to the SIP proxy server 500 for the call connection are shown in Table 1 below. It can have any of the forms shown in.

 1) SIP: hongildong@abc.com 2) SIP: hongildong@192.168.1.1 3) SIP: 025551234@abc.com; user = phone

1) shows a form of a conventional SIP address, and has a form similar to a conventional e-mail address. In order to distinguish the e-mail from the left end, an identifier "SIP:" indicating a SIP protocol is provided.

2) shows an example expressed in the form of numbers (192.168.1.1) by applying an IP name instead of a domain name through a name server.

3) shows an example in which a contact telephone number is entered instead of a user ID. The number 025551234 indicates a phone number, and "user = phone" displayed at the right end indicates that the number is a phone number.

The SIP proxy server 500 illustrated in the drawing is responsible for interfacing between a network to which the gateway device 100 belongs and another network to which the gateway device 100 does not belong, and in some cases, an apparatus for making an Internet call (for example, the present invention). Gateway devices, Internet phones, etc.) may be registered. The registration of the device is made through a public IP set for each device (e.g., the gateway device according to the present invention, and the Internet phone). Here, the gateway device according to the present invention does not set the public IP for each of the analog and digital communication terminals connected to the gateway device, registers only one public IP set in the WAN port to the SIP proxy server 500, and each communication terminal Performs voice communication with a communication terminal located in another network through an address including an extension number and a private IP. This will be described with reference to FIG. 2 together.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a process in which the gateway device illustrated in FIG. 1 is registered with a SIP proxy server.

First, assuming that the communication terminal with the extension number set to 101 is connected to the FXS section of the gateway device 100, the communication terminal registers the extension number " 101 " in the gateway device 100. FIG. In this case, the gateway device 100 registers an extension number for each communication terminal connected through the FSX unit, generates a phone number for the registered extension number, and provides the generated proxy number to the SIP proxy server 500, thereby providing a proxy server for the communication terminal. Function as. Next, the gateway device 100 generates a phone number (800-1234 in the drawing) for the terminal having the extension number 101 and registers it with the SIP proxy server 500. This allows the counterpart terminal 700-7000 located in another network to call the communication terminal having the extension number 101 through the SIP proxy server 500.

FIG. 3 shows a detailed block diagram of the gateway device shown in FIG. 1.

Description of the components described in FIG. 1 among the components of the block conceptual diagram shown will be partially omitted.

The illustrated gateway device includes a main controller 150, an FXS unit 110, an FXO unit 120, a network interface unit 140, a hub 190, an ISDN_PRI unit 160, a memory 180, and a wireless connection unit. (WI-FI) 170 is provided.

The codec 130 may be a codec according to any one of a hardware codec and a software codec, and decodes voice data received through an external internet phone, or a voice signal of an analog communication terminal connected to the FXS unit 110. Digitally encode Encoding and decoding of speech signals may be applied to the coding schemes of the G.723.1, G.729, G.711, M-LAW, G.711A-LAW, and G.722 standards. Unlike the case where each coding scheme is implemented as hardware in the gateway device 100, when implemented in software format, the codec should be stored in the ROM type flash ROM (ROM) 180 of the memory 180, and the main controller 150 ) Should be encoded and decoded by interpreting a voice signal through a codec stored in the flash ROM (ROM) 180. In this case, the RAM 181 provides a temporary storage space for the main controller 150 to encode and decode the voice signal. The ISDN_PRI unit 160 performs interfacing with the digital switching center of the telephone station and the analog communication terminal period. Here, the ISDN_PRI unit 160, the FXS unit 110, and the FXO unit 120 are preferably in the form of a module detachable to the main body of the gateway device 100. For this purpose, the ISDN_PRI unit 160, the FXS unit 110, and the FXO unit 120 are configured in the form of PCMCIA, which is the main interface of the notebook computer, or the ISDN_PRI unit 160, the FXS unit 110, and the FXO unit 120. Panels on which input and output ports are placed can be made in a replaceable form. The network interface unit 140 includes a WAN port 141 for connecting to the Internet, and may be connected to a plurality of IP devices (LAN cards and Internet phones) through the hub 190, and preferably, IPV4 (Internet). Protocol version 4) and IPV6 (Internet Protocol version 6) addressing system. The IPV4 addressing system is a widely used addressing system in the form of "XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX" (for example, 192.168.0.100), and the number of generated addresses is 4 billion, whereas the IPV6 addressing system is XXX. In the form of XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX, 128 addresses of 2 powers can be generated. Currently, IPV4 is the Internet address system, but due to the saturation of the address, IPV6 is being used in the future. The wireless access unit (WI-FI) 170 is wirelessly connected to the access point 300 and receives data and voice signals transmitted from a computer capable of data communication with the access point 300 and an Internet phone.

The illustrated main controller 150 functions as a user agent client (UAC) or a user agent server (UAS) according to a subject requesting a call connection. The UAC is a communication connected to the gateway device when the analog and digital terminals (hereinafter referred to as communication terminals) connected to the gateway device 100 according to the present invention request a call connection to the other terminal located in another network through the Internet. The terminal becomes a client and the other terminal functions as a server. In the opposite case, the communication terminal connected to the gateway device 100 functions as a server and the other terminal functions as a client. In each operation mode, the proxy processing unit 151 built into the main control unit 150 assigns an extension number to the analog communication terminals 50a to 50n and the Internet phone 420 connected to the gateway device 100. And mapping an Internet telephone number or a public network telephone number to a given extension number, or assigning an extension number to a digital communication terminal connected to the gateway device 100, and an Internet telephone number or a public network telephone number for the given extension number. Map

The formation of the communication channel between the communication terminal connected to the gateway device 100 by the proxy processing unit 151 and the external counterpart terminal will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5 together.

First, FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a communication channel forming process by the proxy processing unit 151 when the access mode of the communication terminal connected to the gateway device is a UAC (User Agent Client).

Assuming that the extension number of the communication terminal connected to the gateway device 100 is " 101 ", the set private IP is 192.168.1.55, and the telephone number of the other terminal is 700-7000, the communication connected to the gateway device 100 The terminal requests a call connection for the opposite terminal 700-7000 to the proxy processing unit 151 embedded in the main controller 150, and the proxy processing unit 151 sends the other terminal 700-7000 to the SIP proxy server 500. Send an "INVITE" message to call).

The message " INVITE " has a packet form, and a packet-type header includes: Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) information for the SIP proxy server 500 to be connected, an extension number set in the terminal, and IP information. Terminal information (User-Inforamtion) and the like. When transmitting the "INVITE" message, the proxy processing unit 151 maps the extension "101" of the information to the telephone number 800-1234 to the communication terminal, and the "INVITE" message in the URI information for the SIP proxy server 500. The host side IP information transmitted to the SIP proxy server 500 is changed to the IP address of the WAN port 141. In addition, the IP address and port of the communication terminal of the Session Description Protocol (SDP) are replaced with the IP address and port number of the WAN side, and then the data of the calling media channel is prepared to be transmitted to the WAN port. The proxy processing unit 151 requests a call connection to the external SIP proxy server 500 through the public IP (211.214.213.10) set in the WAN port, and the SIP proxy server 500 connects the gateway device 100 and the counterpart terminal 700. Request a call connection to the other terminal (700-7000) with reference to the registration information for the -7000). At this time, the phone number 700-7000 and 800-1234 should be registered in advance in the SIP proxy server 500.

On the other hand, the other terminal (700-7000) received a call connection request from the communication terminal allows the call connection to the SIP proxy server 500, the response message from the SIP proxy server 500 is provided to the main controller 150 do. After receiving the response message, the main controller 150 changes the communication terminal information (800-1234) included in the header to the extension number 101, and the host side IP information is the IP of the WAN port 141 (211.214.213.10). ) Is replaced with the IP address of the communication terminal registered in the actual proxy processing unit 151. In addition, the proxy processing unit 151 replaces the IP address and port information of the other terminal (700-7000) with the IP address (211.214.213.10) and the available port information of the network interface unit 140, and sends them to the communication terminal, Data provided from the opposite terminal to the WAN port 141 is transmitted to the communication terminal of the network interface unit 140 side. In addition, the proxy processing unit 151 activates a relay function transmitted from the WAN port 141 to the opposite terminal for data processing transmitted from the communication terminal to the network interface unit 140. Accordingly, the main controller 150 forms a communication channel between the opposite terminal and the gateway device 100 using the IP of the gateway device 100 that requests the call connection.

Next, FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a communication channel forming process by the proxy processing unit 151 when the access mode of the communication terminal connected to the gateway device 100 is a UAS (User Agent Server). The process of FIG. 5 is the reverse of the process of forming the communication channel shown in FIG. 4, that is, the proxy processor 151 sends an "INVITE" message for calling the other terminal 700-7000 to the SIP proxy server 500, and through the process. The process of forming a communication channel Since the description is reversed as described with reference to FIG. 4, the description thereof will be omitted, and the extension numbers, telephone numbers, and IPs of the gateway device 100 for the communication terminal and the other terminal are assumed to be the same.

When the opposite terminal 700-7000 requests a call connection to the communication terminal, the SIP server determines an IP address corresponding to the telephone number requested by the opposite terminal. The IP address and phone number are registered by the gateway device 100 in a SIP proxy server. The proxy server is a communication terminal that the other terminal 700-7000 requests to call through the registered information. Determine the IP address (211.213.213.10). Accordingly, the SIP server transfers a call connection request of the opposite terminal to the corresponding IP address. Next, the gateway device 100 determines the extension number corresponding to the access number 800-1234 requested by the opposite terminal according to the call connection request from the proxy server, and communicates the corresponding extension number. A communication channel is formed between the terminal and the other terminal.

In the drawings, for convenience of explanation and understanding, one communication terminal and one counterpart terminal are mainly described. However, the present invention allows a plurality of communication terminals to be connected to the gateway device 100 and used. Therefore, the existing Internet phone has one authorized IP (also referred to as fixed IP), the present invention is the number of communication terminals and the required number of IPs are shown in Table 2.

 Number of communication terminals: Number of IPs required = N: 1

That is, in the present invention, regardless of the number of communication terminals connected to the gateway device 100, the number of IPs forming a communication channel with the other terminal (one or more) is always one. The gateway device according to the present invention allows all communication terminals connected to the gateway device 100 to perform voice call and data communication through one IP, unlike the conventional communication terminal assigned one IP per device. . This has the advantage of not only saving costs in the case of frequent analog and digital voice calls, but also managing all communication terminals in one workplace with one IP. In other words, the efficiency of management is increased.

By the features shown in Table 2, the present invention has the following features.

4) Since a plurality of communication terminals can be connected and used for one IP, all existing landline telephones can be replaced.

5) It is not necessary to establish a circuit switching telephone network (eg PBX) in the workplace because all existing landline telephones can be replaced.

In addition, the gateway device according to the present invention,

6) It can be connected with the analog and digital public networks through the FXS unit 110, the FXO unit 120, and the ISDN_PRI unit 160 so that the existing landline telephone can be connected to the gateway device and the connected landline telephone can be used as it is. Can be. Therefore, it is not necessary to replace the communication terminal provided in the workplace.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described above, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, and the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments of the present invention without departing from the spirit of the present invention as claimed in the claims. Anyone of ordinary skill in the art can make various modifications, as well as such changes are within the scope of the claims.

As described above, the present invention provides a communication channel for various communication terminals in the workplace by using a single IP, and can be used by using a conventional wired telephone, an internet phone, and a computer. In addition, the present invention does not need to install a circuit switch for an existing analog wired telephone network, and a conventional wired telephone can use a wired communication network by connecting to a gateway device according to the present invention. In addition, the present invention requires only one IP when supporting a voice channel through an Internet phone or a computer communication through one IP, so management of the communication network in the workplace becomes very easy.

Claims (10)

A SIP-based gateway device forming a communication channel for an internet telephone network and an analog telephone network, A network interface unit providing an interface between at least one communication terminal and a WAN port, thereby connecting each communication terminal to the Internet; Foreing eXchange Station (FXS) unit connected to any one of a private exchange and an analog communication terminal; A FXO (Foreing eXchange Office) unit which emulates the private exchange and the analog communication terminal connected to the FXS unit to recognize an external analog communication network; The communication terminal and an external communication terminal period communication channel are formed through an external SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) proxy server that corresponds to the at least one communication terminal with a unique extension number and registers communication terminal information corresponding to the extension number. It includes; main control unit; The main controller is configured to establish a communication channel formed in the at least one communication terminal and an external communication terminal period through one authorized IP set in the WAN port, and according to a subject requesting a call connection, a UAS (User Agent Server). And a communication channel for a heterogeneous communication terminal, characterized in that it is operated by any one of a user agent client (UAC). The method of claim 1, The number of IPs set in the communication terminal and the number of IPs set in the WAN port is configured to form a communication channel for the heterogeneous communication terminal, characterized in that N: 1. The method of claim 1, And a codec for decoding a voice signal provided through the SIP proxy server and encoding a voice signal transmitted from the communication terminal to the external communication terminal. Gateway device. The method of claim 3, The codec is, And a hardware codec or a software codec to form a communication channel for the heterogeneous communication terminal. The method of claim 1, Further comprising a; wireless connection for interfacing with a wireless communication terminal, The wireless connection unit is a gateway device for forming a communication channel for heterogeneous communication terminal, characterized in that for providing the data provided from the wireless communication terminal to the network interface unit. The method of claim 5, The wireless connection unit, A gateway device for forming a communication channel for a heterogeneous communication terminal, characterized in that for supporting data communication according to any one of IEEE 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11q. The method of claim 1, It is linked with the analog communication terminal connected to the FXS unit, And an ISDN_PRI (Integrated Services Digital Network_Primary Rate Interface) unit for providing an interface between the digital switch and the analog communication terminal, wherein the ISDN_PRI unit is formed in a module form detachable to the gateway body. Gateway device for forming a communication channel for. The method of claim 1, The main control unit, And the communication terminal corresponds to an extension number, and a telephone number corresponding to the extension number is registered in the SIP proxy server. The method of claim 1, And the FXS unit and the FXO unit are detachably provided in the gateway main body, and form a communication channel for a heterogeneous communication terminal. The method of claim 1, The main control unit, A gateway device for forming a communication channel for a heterogeneous communication terminal, characterized in that it has an operation mode of any one of a user agent client (UAC) or a user agent server (UAS) according to a subject requesting a call connection.

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