The present application claims priority from Japanese application JP 2006-142226 filed on May 23, 2006, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference into this application.
The present invention relates to an IP telephone system, and particularly to an IP telephone system having an IP telephone, a personal computer (PC) with a softphone.
In recent years, IP telephones have been widely used rapidly. According to this, particularly, there is a tendency for the IP telephone system to be introduced into an extension telephone network in business organizations. The IP telephone means a scheme to transmit and receive data such as sounds by using VoIP (Voice over IP) technique in a network.
As a scheme of the IP telephone, there has been proposed mainly a system for implementing the IP telephone using SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) specified in RFC (Request For Comment) 3261 which is one of the documents of Internet. The system has realized so that binding information indicating a corresponding relationship between an own telephone number and an IP address by an incoming call device, which generates a telephone call, is registered in an IP telephony server (or SIP server). The system has also realized a telephone system to provide a terminal management made by implementation of a register processing which updates periodically the biding information and exchange the control data and sound data on the network system.
There are also various types of IP telephones for use in the IP telephone system. For example, there are a fixed IP telephone connected directly to an IP network in use, and a radio telephone terminal which incorporates a telephone application program referred to as a softphone and is connected to the IP network through a softphone telephone terminal made up of a PC including a speaker and a microphone and also through a radio LAN access point. Further, there exists a hub built-in IP telephone having a built-in hub device connectable with the PC, as a fixed IP telephone, to be able to make wirings on the desk simple. That is, this is a hub built-in IP telephone connectable with a PC in which a hub device including a LAN port for connection with the PC and a LAN port for connection with a high-level network accommodation device is built therein.
Further, on the other hand, in the IP telephone system, there have been various proposed examples for a purpose of enhancing convenience in use of a telephone. For example, in order to eliminate errors caused by seeing a telephone number and by depressing keys in calling a telephone, there is an IP telephone system to make call automatically by cooperation with a PC without depressing buttons by user (a telephone book application provided in the PC is initiated, and a predetermined telephone number is selected from telephone number information registered in the telephone book to then call automatically a terminal of the selected telephone number).
There have been JP-2001-127902 and JP-2003-283700 as the foregoing example.
However, in the case of these IP telephones and IP telephone systems, it is required that fixed telephones as call sources are registered in the IP telephony server etc. capable of implementing a call setup and a telephone call between the IP telephones, in advance.
In the meantime, work styles in business organizations have also been innovatively changed in accordance with the evolutions of network systems and of communication devices as typified by the IP telephone. For example, a work style has been proposed and practically implemented for employees who are not provided with their own desks and seats, and work at their favorite places or desks. A so-called layout-free office style (new work style) has been proposed and implemented for employees who can freely change their desks and seats in accordance with their business projects.
Since the IP telephone system is convenient so that construction works are unnecessary for the relocation of IP telephones and it can be used as a so-called Plug and Play, a desk on which a PC and an IP telephone are installed can be an own place environment in any desk and seat.
In the case of the foregoing IP telephone system, commonly used desks are provided in a working place for employees who often take their business trips and a place within a business organization etc. to which employees visits. That is, a layout-free office style is introduced in business organizations, specifically, a so-called “free-address system” is introduced so that the employees can work at any places without setting a desk and a seat to them. To this end, it becomes easy to work for their responsibilities beyond organization barriers, and it is also possible to reduce a wasted space at least because employees' seats, which are highly unoccupied rates, are not provided. It is therefore possible to expect effects so that the reduction of office expense and the change of organizations can be carried out speedily and flexibly.
However, the IP telephone system, IP telephone device, softphone, etc. have not considered specifically even of the relationship with the foregoing new office style and work style. That is, they have not been assumed as utilization in environment in which a fixed telephone to be connected to the IP network in each call is changed and an IP address of a call control device is also changed.
In the layout-free office style, generally, the IP telephone and PC are physically connectable and located in an extremely close distance with each other in the case of considering an aspect of using the foregoing hub built-in IP telephone, it is therefore convenient that the IP telephone can be utilized by operation from the PC. As described the related art above, in the case of a system for carrying out a telephone call with use of the PC and a telephone talk by using the IP telephone in order to realize the foregoing function, it is required that an IP address and telephone number information to be used are set to the PC in advance and managed them therein. Therefore, in the case where an IP telephone to be used is changed everyday and the IP addresses of the PC and IP telephone are also changed, there is a problem not to be able to adapt dynamically and automatically such changes.
With log-in to the IP telephone by a user ID and a password, it may be considered to change the IP telephone to a telephone being allotted with a user individual telephone number. However, in this case, there arises a problem with the telephone which does not connect when a call is directed to a telephone number before the log-in has been implemented.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a suitable IP telephone, etc. for use in an layout-free office environment.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an IP telephone and an IP telephone system in which the IP telephone can be used in substitution for a handset of a softphone in a PC, by only connecting the PC with a hub built-in IP telephone. The IP telephone and IP telephone system can receive both a call directed to the IP telephone and a call directed to the softphone.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned objects, the IP telephone in the invention provides a unit that reads out own telephone number information of the IP telephone and notifies the read out telephone number information to a PC. The PC provides a unit that receives the notification from the IP telephone.
The telephone number information of the IP telephone is notified to the PC by using the notification unit when the PC is connected with the IP telephone. The PC receives the notification and detects that the IP telephone exists. Therefore, the PC and IP telephone are constituted so that they can be cooperated with each other without presetting a telephone number etc. thereto.
In the case where the softphone is installed in the PC, the telephone number information of the IP telephone can be acquired by the above-mentioned unit. Therefore, when a call is directed to the softphone, the call is transferred automatically to the IP telephone by the softphone. As a result, the IP telephone can be used in substitution for a handset of the softphone.
According to the present invention, a suitable IP telephone can be provided for use in a layout-free office environment (free-address system).
For example, dynamic cooperation between the IP telephone and PC can be realized by only connecting the PC with the hub built-in IP telephone installed on a desk, without presetting a telephone number etc. thereto.
Further, in the case where the softphone is installed in the PC, the IP telephone can be used in substitution for the handset of the softphone, both a call directed to the softphone and a call directed to the IP telephone can be received by the IP telephone, and the IP telephone can implement a substitute response to the call directed to the softphone which belongs to a neighbor who sits beside, in such a way that the telephone numbers of IP telephones allocated on land-like desk and seats, respectively (a block constituted of a desired area with a plurality of desks which are put together) are set only in a group.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
A suitable IP telephone system is realized with a simple constitution for use in a layout-free office environment.
Hereinafter, embodiments in the invention will be described on the basis of the drawings.
In
It is necessary to allot an IP address and a telephone number to all of the IP telephones 12, 13, 14, when the extension IP telephone system is established. Likewise, it is also necessary to register setting information (telephone number information, IP addresses, etc.) of the telephone terminals to the IPT server 11 as management information, as described above. Such consistency between their setting contents is made properly, so that the extension IP telephone system is functioned. In the IP telephone system, if an IP telephone etc. coped with the protocol, for example, LLDP (link layer discovery protocol) for automatically detecting a device coupled to a network is used, the setting of the device (setting of an IP address etc.) can be automated (see NIKKEI COMMUNICATIONS published by Nikkei Business Publication Inc., Apr. 1, 2007, p. 36 and NIKKEI COMMUNICATIONS published by Nikkei Business Publication Inc., May 1, 2007, pp. 68-73).
Desk-installed IP telephones corresponding to the IP telephones 12, 13 in
Further, in the environment where the softphone is installed in the PC 23, the foregoing hub built-in IP telephone device and a neighboring IP telephone may be cooperated with the softphone in the reception. For example, The softphone and IP telephone cooperated with it are set as the same telephone number in advance, and both the softphone and IP telephone ring when a call is received. Therefore, either one of first off-hooking a terminal or receiver can be connected with an opponent party.
As an embodiment to be realized similar effect on the foregoing example, all of the telephone terminals in a group setting can be ringed for an incoming call if a plurality of telephone numbers are set to a device for managing the telephone system as a group in advance. That is, there has been a system so called a group incoming call in PBX (Private Branch Exchange) function.
In the application examples of IP telephone, as described above, the invention provides an IP telephone suitable for the foregoing new work style. For example, as shown in
A foregoing example will be described below.
In
In
A reference numeral 5 denotes a hub device (corresponding to hub device 21 in
A reference numeral 4 denotes a notification processing device connected with the network interface unit 53, the frame processing unit 52, and the control unit 35 in the IP telephone 3. The notification processing device 4 notifies the telephone number information of IP telephone itself to the PC. The notification processing device 4 is provided with a notification processing unit 41.
The softphone 7 can be realized with the functions included in the general PC and softphone, except the notification cooperating unit 75 in the PC 6. Therefore, detailed descriptions for other units are omitted. In
First, in step 81, the reset processing unit 412 (referring to
Next, in step 82, the telephone number acquisition processing unit 413 (referring to
Here, when the IP telephone 3 notifies the telephone number information to the PC (softphone) 6 at first, the telephone number information cannot be transmitted thereto if address information for an opponent side terminal is unknown. A scheme of broadcast in the Ethernet network is therefore used. In this way, the telephone number information can be transmitted (telephone number information notification) even though the opponent party address information is unknown. After transmitted the telephone number information notification, the processing returns again to the step 82, and the foregoing processings are repeated. For this reason, telephone number information of a new IP telephone can be notified automatically to the PC (softphone) 6 even though the telephone number of IP telephone 3 has been changed by any cause.
The notification receiving processing 9 in
The incoming call processing 10 in
Incidentally, in the step 102, it takes normally a few seconds even at lowest from when the processing responds to the incoming call to when the call is transferred to the IP telephone 25 (
The IP telephone 12, hub built-in IP telephone 25 and PC (softphone) 6, shown in
First, when the hub built-in IP telephone 25 is connected with the PC (softphone) 6, as described with
Next, when the IP telephone 12 as a call source makes call to No. 2000 of the softphone 7, an incoming call notification is implemented to the softphone 7 (step 111, step 112). The softphone 7 notifies “calling now” to the IP telephone 12 (step 113, step 114), and also notifies a response to “off hook” thereto (step 115, step 116). The IP telephone 12, which has received a response notification, implements a notification of reporting a confirmed call connection (step 117, step 118). The foregoing processing is implemented through the IPT server 11. A telephonic exchange between the IP telephone 12 and the softphone 7 on the call connection sequence starts by sending the call connection notification to the softphone 7 (step 119).
Here, the softphone 7 in the invention implements the transfer processing of the call to the hub built-in IP telephone 25 in accordance with the processing procedure in the foregoing step 102 in
Hereinafter, an example of the transfer procedure will be described subsequently with the call connection sequence in
In the aforementioned embodiment, the cooperation between the softphone and the IP telephone has been described in relation to the incoming call of telephone. However, it is not required that the cooperation at the call as well as the telephone number information of the IP telephone are set in advance (in the case of related art, a fixed telephone to call as a call source is registered in the IP telephony etc. in advance). The telephone number information of usable IP telephone can be acquired automatically in cooperation with the PC (softphone). Therefore, the call cooperation of acquiring a telephone number can be realized, in more convenience, by using the call cooperation system from the PC in the related art, that is, using telephone book application for the PC side. As the call cooperation system, for example, a method disclosed in JP-A-2001-127902 may be employed in which transmission destination information is sent to a predetermined telephone terminal from a PC and the telephone terminal thus received with the information originates a call automatically. Alternatively, a method disclosed in JP-A-2003-283700 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 6,996,226) may be employed in which the technique relating to a third party call from a server is disclosed.
In
According to the foregoing work style, the PC (softphone) 6 or softphone-mounted PC 6 is only connected to the hub built-in IP telephone 25 (No. 3000) when the IP telephone in the invention is used, so that the telephone 25 can be used in substitution for a handset of the softphone. That is, a call directed to the No. 2000 softphone is transferred automatically to the No. 3000 telephone 25 by the system in the invention. Therefore, a call directed to the No. 3000 telephone 25, as well as to the No. 2000 PC (softphone) 6 can be connected to talk with the easy-to-use desk telephone 25. At this time, the call directed to the 2000 softphone is made reply to a call source by the PC (softphone) 6 once, and then transferred to the IP telephone 25, so that the incoming call notification can be displayed on the softphone screen of the PC (softphone) 6, and the PC (softphone) 6 can determine easily for the call to which of the telephone numbers has been directed to, the No. 2000 or No. 3000. Further, it is possible that means for notifying the call, to which of the telephone numbers has been directed to, can be mounted easily on the IP telephone 25 by cooperation between the IP telephone 25 with the PC (softphone) 6.
Finally, an embodiment will be described for an optimal substitute response in the layout-free office style in which the IP telephone in the invention is used. Normally, in order to carry out a substitute response, it is required that telephone numbers to be able to carry out the substitute response are specified and set as group settings in the IP telephony server.
However, in the case of considering the layout-free office style which is assumed that the seats for the employees are changed in everyday, there is a problem with the group setting which cannot be set practically because it is unknown that the employees who sit on which of seats is paired with a desk. For this reason, there arises a problem with the substitute response that its response cannot be carried out to a call directed even to a neighboring softphone.
The present invention attempts to solve the foregoing problems. Therefore, it makes use of effect to automatically transfer a call directed to the softphone to the IP telephone, and only the telephone numbers of IP telephones arranged on the desks are set in a group setting or settings every land-like group of the seats.
Specifically, the respective telephone numbers on the desk-installed fixed IP telephones (No. 3000, No. 3001, No. 3002, No. 3003, No. 3004, and No. 3005) are registered in the IPT server 11 as a group setting in advance, as shown in
Particularly, when business organizations introduce the layout-free office environment, a highly convenient IP telephone and IP telephone system can be provided for the business organizations.
It should be further understood by those skilled in the art that although the foregoing description has been made on embodiments of the invention, the invention is not limited thereto and various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2006-142226 | May 2006 | JP | national |