NL1021748C2 - Signal transmission method for IP telephone calls, uses phones in key telephone service to convert voice traffic into signals and act as access device for data connections - Google Patents

Abstract

The transmission method comprises the following steps: (a) connecting each telephone (20) in a key telephone service (KTS) to a telephone exchange (10); (b) using each telephone as a node for connecting to a network device (30) in order to form a closed network for voice, data and video signal transmission; (c) converting the voice signal from a first telephone into voice packets; and (d) sending the voice packets to a second telephone which converts the packets into voice signals. The transmission method uses a closed network comprising at least one telephone exchange and KTS with multiple telephones.

Description

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Digitally closed network composed of a telephone exchange and an extension number assembly and a method for transmitting signals of the digitally closed network type

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the invention

The invention relates to a digitally closed network made up of a telephone exchange and a key telephone system (KTS) and a method for transmitting signals of the digitally closed network type, and more particularly to a digitally closed network that provides the function of voice, data and voice signal transfer and keeps the superior communication quality.

2. Description of the prior art

Since the VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol, Voice through Internet Protocol) has the advantage of lower communication costs than a conventional telephone systems and has the ability to integrate data, more and more companies are using VoIP as a means of communication. Based on the established VoIP, a company can simultaneously establish a voice, data and video signal transfer over a single IP platform. This not only simplifies network management processes, but also reduces total costs. With regard to Figure 4, an I local area network (LAN) is integrated with a telephone center mainly composed of hubs (70), computers I (71) and a telephone exchange (72), the hub (70) is also connected to extensions (73). As shown in Figure 5, a hub (70) is connected to a plurality of computers (71), some specific computers (71) being connected to the telephone exchange I (72) and the extension (73), respectively.

In the network architecture as described above H, the extension (73) occupies only part I of the bandwidth (e.g., 4K) for voice signal H transmission. However, whether it is the conventional IP network or the LAN, the data signal (data packet) is the main transmission subject. The purpose of network architecture design still focuses on improving reliability, i.e. ensuring that the data packets have the highest transmission priority during the transmission process. In such a circumstance, when a large amount of data is transmitted between these computers (71), the serious problem of voice signal transmission delay and jitter occurs. However, for voice signaling, the most essential requirement is immediate transmission (i.e., real-time transmission). As a result, the poor transmission quality becomes evident.

Since the conventional network configuration is unable to eliminate the delay problems of signal H transmission, a temporary way to improve the H voice signal transmission quality and to eliminate the problem is the use of large bandwidth.

However, when a large amount of data is sent, this data will still cause delay of the votes and such a temporary solution is unable to completely eliminate the problems.

To overcome the shortcomings, a digitally closed network according to the present invention eliminates or mitigates the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main object of the present invention is to provide a closed digital network constructed from central, dial-through number assembly (KTS) and computers to transmit voices, data and video signals, and which still maintains superior voice transmission quality.

To achieve the goal, the transmission method 10 for the network of the present invention uses a telephone as a node for connecting network devices, such as a personal computer, or a telephone exchange, to form a closed network. The phone not only processes the data and video packets, but also has signal conversion capabilities to convert voice signals to form voice packets. Since the voice packets are sent in the form of voice packets over the network, the influence caused by the large amount of data packets and video packets is able to eliminate and the transmission quality is improved.

The telephone further includes the priority setting function to decide the transmission priority between the voice packets and other types of packets. When the voice packets are set with the highest priority, the real time transmission requirement for voice packets can be met, while in the meantime the data and video packets still maintain good reliability.

The network architecture according to the present invention comprises: at least one business center ('private branch exchange', PBX) connected to several main lines ('trunk lines') or leased lines ('leased lines'), wherein a package processing device for converting of voice signals in the form of voice packets arranged within the PBX; 102) 748 multiple telephones connected to the PBX so as to form a closed network architecture for voice, data and video transmission; and multiple network devices, such as computers, network printers, hubs, etc., respectively, connected to the telephones.

Each telephone further comprises: a controller with a two-way conversion function, the controller being capable of converting 10 voice signals to form voice packets, and being able to restore the voice packets into voice signals; a handset for receiving voice signals from a user and then sending the received signals to the controller, or transmitting voice signals from the controller; a first network connecting interface which forms the connection between the control device and the network device; and a second network connecting interface which forms the connection between the control device and the PBX.

In the aforementioned network architecture, the voice, data or video packets can be sent between the network devices through the plurality of telephones. In addition, these packages can be sent to an external network via the PBX. Since the voice is sent in the form of voice packets, the requirements for real-time voice transfer and high reliability data / video packet transmission are both met.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Figure 1 is a functional block diagram of a closed digital network configuration in accordance with the present invention;

Figures 2A-2C are schematic topologies showing a network PBX (private branch exchange) 1021748 connected to multiple telephones in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 3 is a schematic view showing a preferred embodiment of a closed network in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 4 is a functional block diagram of a conventional network configuration; and

Figure 5 is a further functional block diagram of a conventional network configuration.

10 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED SUITE

LINING FORM

With regard to Figure 1, a closed network in accordance with the present invention comprises at least one telephone exchange (private branch exchange, PBX) (10), an extension number assembly (KTS) composed of a plurality of telephones (20) and network devices (30) .

The PBX (10) connected to multiple main lines or rented lines (for example XDSL) has a packet processing device (11) for the two-way orazet, ie converting external voice signals to form voice packets, or the voice packets to restore in voice signals.

The telephones (20) can be connected to the PBX (10) with different topologies (as shown in Figures 2A-2C) to form a closed network of voice, data and video transmission.

The network devices (30), such as personal computers (the example in this embodiment), network printers, hubs or fax machines, etc., are respectively connected to the telephones 20 for communicating with the closed network.

Each telephone (20) further comprises: a control device (21) with a two-way conversion function, the control device (21) being capable of converting voice signals to form voice packets, and being able to restore voice packets to voice signals ; "Tl /.

1: y = J /; a handset (22) to receive voice signals from a user and then send them to the I controller (21), or to transmit voice signal output from the controller (21); 5 a first network connecting interface (23) which forms a connection between the control device (21) and the network device (30), the first network connecting interface (23) being present for connecting to a network interface card installed in the network device (30); a second network connecting interface (24) which forms a connection between the control device I (21) and the PBX (10); a key set (25) connected to the input connections of the control device (21) for selecting or parameterizing; a display device (26) connected to the output terminals of the control device (21) to display messages or video images; and

20 an image recording device (27), such as a CCD

(Charge-Coupled Device) camera, connected to input terminal of the control device (21) for use of image recording, wherein the recorded images are subsequently processed to be brought into the form of video packages by means of the control device for further processing shipment.

Each telephone (21) further comprises a bridge (28) connected between the first network connecting interface (23) and the second network connecting interface (24) to perform transmission flow control of the closed network.

The PBX (10) further has a connecting interface (12) that not only connects to the packet processing device (11), but also connects to the second network connecting interface (24) of each telephone ( 20).

From the foregoing description of the network architecture, the telephones (20) not only build the closed network together with the PBX (10), but each telephone (20) is also used as an intermediate node allows a personal computer, hub or network printer, etc., to communicate with the closed network (as shown in Figure 3).

A special point to note when voice signals communicate over the closed network is that the network provides superior transmission quality. For example, when one telephone (20) is used as the transmitter (the voice source), the input voice from the handset (22) is converted into voice packets through the controller (21) and then sent over the closed network. After another telephone (20), which serves as a telephone receiver, receives the voice packets and converts them into voice signals by means of the controller (21), the voice signal is then sent via the handset (22). Since the voice is sent in the form of voice packets, the problem of transmission delay and jitter is bypassed in this way. Moreover, by controlling the control device (21) and the bridge (28) to properly set the transmission priority between the voice packets, the data packets and video packets, the transmission quality can be further improved . In other words, due to the controllable transmission current in the closed network, real-time voice transmission is ensured.

Finally, the particular network architecture of the present invention together with the telephone system with packet conversion capabilities and bridge function together provides an intermediate voice transmission, thereby avoiding the problem of delay and jitter. In addition, the network architecture of the present invention also complies with the data transmission protocol (IEEE 802.3) to ensure that the data / video packets are properly transmitted along all 4 *. ,, I: / / 1 r; · '- ƒ <Q-i, I nodes of the network. In other words, the present invention retains the high reliability for data / video transmission.

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Claims (10)

Method for transmitting a signal with the aid of a closed network composed of at least one telephone exchange (10) and an extension number assembly (KTS) composed of a plurality of telephones (20), the method comprising the steps of: connecting of each telephone (20) with the telephone exchange (10); applying each telephone (20) as a node for connecting to a network device (30) to form the closed network for voice, data and video transmission; and converting voices received from the first of a plurality of telephones (20) to form voice packets; Sending the voice packets to a second of a plurality of telephones (20), the second of a plurality of telephones (20) converting and transmitting the voice packets to form voting signals. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the step of sending priority settings, wherein the voice packets are set to have the highest transmission priority through the setting of the telephone (20). The method of claim 1, wherein the telephone exchange (20) further has the function of two-way conversion, wherein the telephone exchange (20) is capable of converting the external voice signals to form voice packets, or to form the voice packets restore to voice signals. A digitally closed network comprising: at least one telephone exchange (10) connected to a plurality of main lines / rented lines, the telephone exchange (10) having a voice packet transforming and restoring function; "! A plurality of telephones (20) connected to the telephone exchange (10) to form the closed network, voice, data and video being available for transmission over the closed network; and A plurality of network devices (30), each I network device (30) being connected to one of the plurality of telephones to communicate with the telephone exchange I (10). A digitally closed network according to claim 10, wherein each telephone (20) further comprises: a control device (21) with the two-way converting function, the control device (21) being able to convert voice signals into voice packets, and is able to restore the voice packets to 15 voice signals; a handset (22) that transmits received voice signals to the controller (21), the handset (22) being capable of sending voice signals output from the controller (21); A first network connection interface (23) which forms the connection between the control device (21) and one of the network devices (30); and a second network connection interface (24) which forms a connection between control device (21) and a telephone exchange (10). 6. A digitally closed network according to claim 5, wherein the telephone exchange comprises a packet processing device (11) arranged between the plurality of main I lines and a connecting interface (12), wherein the connecting I interface (12) is arranged for forming a connection to the second network connecting I interface (24). The digitally closed network of claim 5, wherein the first network connecting interface (24) is connected to the network device (30) through an I network interface card installed in the network device (30). I 102? 748 The digitally closed network of claim 5, wherein each telephone (20) further comprises a bridge which forms a connection between the first network connecting interface (23) and the second network connecting interface 5 (24) to control the transmissions. The digitally closed network of claim 5, wherein the control device (21) is further connected to display device (26), a key set (25) and image recording device (27). The digitally closed network of claim 4, wherein the network devices (30) are selected from the group comprising a computer, a 'hub', a network printer or a fax machine. -o-o-o-o-o-o-o- PvE / MB 1021748-