Multiplex communications – Pathfinding or routing – Switching a message which includes an address header
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-17
2003-11-04
Kizou, Hassan (Department: 2662)
Multiplex communications
Pathfinding or routing
Switching a message which includes an address header
C370S467000, C370S543000, C379S022010, C709S250000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06643291
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a multimedia information communication system for serving various kinds of media terminals to have, e.g., a LAN (Local Area Network) as a core.
BACKGROUND ART
As conventional private network systems, a system in which a PBX (Private Branch Exchange) serves voice communication terminals such as telephones and the like as extension terminals, and exchange-connects between these extension terminals and an external communication network such as a public network, and between the extension terminals so as to allow conversations, and a system in which data terminals such as personal computers and the like are connected to a LAN (Local Area Network), and e-mails and data are transported between the personal computers via the LAN are known. A system that links a voice communication system using a PBX and a data communication system using a LAN via a gateway has been proposed.
However, in such conventional private network system, independent communication infrastructures must be built in correspondence with the voice communication system and data communication system. The voice communication system readily goes system down since it is integrally controlled by the PBX. To avoid such problem, the PBXs must be duplicated. For this reason, problems of a large-scale system arrangement and heavy investment load on the user have been posed. Furthermore, connection of a new terminal, changes in connection, and the like require setups by maintenance persons, and since the voice communication system using the PBX and the data communication system using the LAN require different maintenance/management forms, maintenance/management processes are complicated and require high cost.
In order to link the voice communication system and data communication system, the gateway must be placed. Hence, the system arrangement requires still larger scale and higher cost.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a low-cost, high-reliability multimedia information communication system which can implement various kinds of communications by a common communication infrastructure without requiring any large-scale equipment such as a PBX, gateway, and the like, and can make an arrangement simple and maintenance/management easy.
A first multimedia information communication system according to the present invention comprises first and second communication terminal apparatuses for exchanging information data using a common first communication protocol or first and second communication protocols which are different from each other, a first communication network for transmitting information data in accordance with a third communication protocol different from the first and second communication protocols, and first and second communication interface apparatuses for respectively connecting the first and second communication terminal apparatuses to the first communication network, the first communication interface apparatus comprises first conversion means for converting information data in accordance with the first and third communication protocols between the first communication terminal apparatus and the first communication network, and the second communication interface apparatus comprises second conversion means for converting information data in accordance with the second and third communication protocols between the second communication terminal apparatus and the first communication network.
Preferred manners of the first multimedia information communication system according to the present invention are as follows.
(1) The system further comprises a third communication interface apparatus for connecting the first communication network to a second communication network which transmits information data in accordance with a fourth communication protocol which is different from at least the third communication protocol, and the third communication interface apparatus comprises third conversion means for converting information data in correspondence with a difference between the third and fourth communication protocols between the second and first communication networks.
(2) In the system of (1), at least one of the first, second, and third conversion means comprises a plurality of data conversion means provided in correspondence with types of information data, data type determination means for determining a type of input information data, and selection means for selectively enabling the plurality of data conversion means in accordance with a determination result of the data type determination means to convert the information data.
A second multimedia information communication system according to the present invention comprises first and second communication terminal apparatuses for exchanging information data using a common first communication protocol or first and second communication protocols which are different from each other, a first communication network for transmitting information data in accordance with a third communication protocol different from the first and second communication protocols, first and second communication interface apparatuses for respectively connecting the first and second communication terminal apparatuses to the first communication network, and a third communication interface apparatus for connecting the first communication network to a second communication network for transmitting information data in accordance with a fourth communication protocol different from the third communication protocol, and each of the first and second interface apparatuses comprises inquiry means for, when a communication terminal apparatus served by the own apparatus generates a call originating request addressed to a communication terminal apparatus served by another communication interface apparatus, multi-address transmitting an inquiry signal containing first identification information assigned to the terminating communication terminal apparatus to all communication interface apparatuses connected to the first communication network, determination means for, when an inquiry signal reaches via the first communication network, determining if a communication terminal apparatus corresponding to the first identification information contained in the inquiry signal is served by the own apparatus, response signal transmission means for, when the determination means determines that the communication terminal apparatus of interest is served by the own apparatus, sending back a response signal containing second identification information assigned to the own apparatus on the first communication network to an originating communication interface apparatus via the first communication network, and first communication link formation means for, when the response signal is sent back, performing processing for forming a communication link between the own apparatus and the terminating communication interface apparatus on the first communication network on the basis of the second identification information contained in the response signal.
Preferred manners of the second multimedia information communication system according to the present invention are as follows.
(1) Each of the first and second communication interface apparatuses comprises identification information storage means for, when the response signal is sent back, storing the second identification information contained in the response signal together with first identification information corresponding to a partner communication terminal apparatus in correspondence with each other, first acquisition means for, when a communication terminal apparatus served by the own apparatus generates a call originating request addressed to a communication terminal apparatus served by another communication interface apparatus, acquiring second identification information assigned to a communication interface apparatus that serves the terminating communication terminal apparatus from the identification information storage means, and second communication link formation means for, when the first acquisitio
Araki Motohisa
Kashimoto Shinichi
Murai Toshio
Sato Shuichi
Shishino Shinichi
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
Kizou Hassan
Qureshi Afsar M.
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