JP2006013638A - IP phone connection system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an IP telephone system capable of using an IP telephone with a simple number which does not require a user to perform troublesome registration or change.
When a caller IP telephone 20a sends a dialing request to a simple proxy number to the number conversion server 10, the number conversion server 10 converts the IP telephone number corresponding to the proxy number. Transfer to the IP telephone server 30a. When receiving the connection request from the number conversion server 10, the IP telephone server 30a converts the IP telephone number into an IP address, and transfers the connection request to the IP telephone 20b having the IP address.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an IP telephone connection system that performs voice communication using an IP (Internet Protocol) network.

  In recent years, the use of xDSL such as ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) and VDSL (Very High Speed Digital Subscriber Line), broadband access lines by cable Internet, optical fiber, wireless, etc., and higher functionality of network-related equipment have been advanced. The spread of the application has been accelerated, and various applications and services have been provided on the IP network. In particular, IP telephone services that provide voice telephones over an IP network using VoIP (Voice over IP) technology for transmitting voice over IP have been proposed and put into practical use. IP telephones can realize lower communication charges than existing telephones, and are expected to become increasingly popular with future network technology development.

  The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has established a “Study Group on IP Network Technology” to examine technical issues in IP networks, particularly issues for realizing telephone calls on IP networks. Is defined.

“IP telephone”: A voice telephone service provided by using IP network technology in part or all of the network.
“Internet telephone”: IP telephones that use the same IP network (hereinafter simply referred to as “Internet”) used for applications such as WWW (World Wide Web), especially “Internet Call it.

Also in this specification, in accordance with the above definition, the IP phone is a concept higher than the Internet phone, and the Internet phone is included in the IP phone.
In this specification, an IP phone includes all the following forms.

  1. A speaker (or a PC) connected to an IP network (including a case of connecting to the IP network once through the access network; hereinafter, description through the access network is omitted) Earphone etc.) and microphone attached. Normally, IP phone software is operated.

2. A standard telephone connected to a dedicated adapter (including a router) connected to the IP network.
3. A special adapter is connected to a PC connected to the IP network, and a general telephone is connected via this adapter.

4). A dedicated IP phone that can be connected to an IP network.
FIG. 3 is a system configuration diagram of a conventional IP telephone connection system.
The conventional IP telephone connection system has a configuration in which IP telephones 50 a and 50 b and IP telephone servers 51 a and 51 b are connected to an IP network 52.

  Here, for example, one IP telephone server 51a is a node that performs call control, manages telephone numbers and URIs (Uniform Resource Identifier), and the other IP telephone server 51b or a DNS (Domain Name System) server (not shown). The phone number is converted into an IP address (number translation) in cooperation with Note that the IP telephone servers 51a and 51b are called differently depending on the call control protocol to be used. In the case of SIP (Session Initiation Protocol), “SIP server”, The case of H.323 is called “gatekeeper”.

  The operation of such a conventional IP telephone system will be described. For example, a case will be described in which the IP telephone 50a is the calling party and a call is made to the called IP telephone 50b. The IP telephone 50a on the calling side transmits a connection request to the IP telephone server 51a via the IP network 52 by dialing the IP telephone number of the 11-digit IP telephone 50b starting with “050”. The IP telephone server 51a converts the IP telephone number for which connection is requested into the IP address of the called IP telephone 50b in cooperation with the IP telephone server 51b that manages the called IP telephone 50b, and connects The request is transferred to the IP telephone server 51b. The IP telephone server 51b forwards the connection request to the IP address in the received connection request, that is, to the IP telephone 50b. Upon receiving the connection request, the IP telephone 50b rings and when the user lifts the handset, a response signal is transferred to the IP telephone 50a via the IP telephone servers 51b and 51a. After the signaling session as described above (dotted arrow in FIG. 3), a call becomes possible, and a voice signal is transmitted and received between the IP telephone 50a and the IP telephone 50b via the IP network 52 (FIG. 3). 3 solid arrows). The audio signal is encoded by PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) and then transmitted as a RTP (Real Time Transport Protocol) packet. At this time, voice communication is performed without going through the IP telephone servers 51a and 51b.

  The IP telephone numbers of the IP telephones in the IP telephone network are classified according to voice quality and assigned to each business operator, and are different from a form that is hierarchically organized according to location like a fixed telephone. For example, an 11-digit number is dialed even in a local call.

Some conventional subscriber telephones have a speed dial function for registering frequently used telephone numbers as numbers with a small number of digits (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Also, as disclosed in Patent Document 2, there is a telephone number and a speed dial corresponding to the telephone number that are registered in a host computer and called to be changed on the screen of the telephone.
JP 63-0820532 A JP-A-5-227302

  However, even when a conventional method using abbreviated dialing is applied to an IP telephone system, it is troublesome because it is necessary to register or change the abbreviated dialing for each user. Also, since infrequently used ones are not registered, in such a case, it was necessary to dial a long telephone number of 11 digits for each local call. In addition, since many users use both landline phones and mobile phones, management of phone numbers has been complicated.

  The present invention has been made in view of these points, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an IP telephone system that can use an IP telephone with a simple number that does not require time-consuming registration or change. And

  In the present invention, in order to solve the above problem, in an IP telephone connection system that performs voice communication using an IP network, as shown in FIG. 1, a proxy number assigned in advance to an IP telephone number is stored, and a certain proxy is stored. When a connection request to a number is received, conversion to an IP telephone number corresponding to the proxy number is performed, and a number conversion server 10 that transfers the connection request and a connection request to the dialed proxy number are transmitted to the number conversion server 10 When the connection request is received from the IP telephone 20a and the number conversion server 10, the IP telephone server converts the IP telephone number into an IP address and forwards the connection request to another IP telephone 20b having the IP address (see FIG. 2 shows the case where two IP telephone servers 30a and 30b are provided.) Beam is provided.

  According to the above configuration, when the caller IP telephone 20a transmits a connection request to the dialed proxy number to the number conversion server 10, the number conversion server 10 converts the IP telephone number corresponding to the proxy number. To the IP telephone server 30a. When the IP telephone server 30a receives the connection request from the number conversion server 10, the IP telephone server 30a converts the IP telephone number into an IP address, and forwards the connection request to the IP telephone 20b having the IP address (in the figure, via the IP telephone server 30b). is doing.).

  According to the present invention, in an IP telephone connection system, call connection using a proxy number assigned in advance to an IP telephone number is possible, and the user can use an IP telephone with a simple number, which is very convenient.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an IP telephone connection system.
The IP telephone connection system is configured by connecting a number conversion server 10, IP telephones 20a and 20b, and IP telephone servers 30a and 30b to an IP network 40, each having an IP address.

  The number conversion server 10 includes a communication processing unit 11 that performs communication processing via the IP network 40 and a number conversion processing unit 12. The number conversion processing unit 12 stores a proxy number assigned to an IP telephone number stored in advance as a telephone number correspondence table 12a. For example, “092123-4567” and “090-2345-6789” are assigned as proxy numbers of “050-1234-5678” which is the IP telephone number of the IP telephone 20a, and the IP telephone of the IP telephone 20b. “03-3456-7890” and “5656” are assigned as proxy numbers of the number “050-2345-6789”. How to register the proxy number will be described later. When a connection request to a certain proxy number is received, conversion to an IP telephone number corresponding to the proxy number is performed, and the connection request is transferred via the IP network 40.

  The IP telephones 20 a and 20 b transmit a connection request to the proxy number dialed by the user to the number conversion server 10 via the IP network 40. Also, when a call with the other party becomes possible in the process described later, the voice spoken by the user is encoded into PCM, RTP packetized, and transmitted to the other party via the IP network 40. In the following description, it is assumed that the IP telephone 20a is the calling party and the IP telephone 20b is the called party.

  The IP telephone servers 30a and 30b are installed, for example, for each business operator. When receiving the connection request transferred from the number conversion server 10, the IP telephone server 30 a that is above the calling IP telephone 20 a receives the call from the called IP telephone 20 b from the IP telephone number in the connection request. In cooperation with the upper IP telephone server 30b, it has a function of converting the IP telephone number into the IP address of the called IP telephone 20b. After the conversion, the connection request is transferred to the IP telephone 20b via the IP telephone server 30b. Also, registration information of a user who uses an IP phone is stored, and authentication is performed when a connection request is received, and a function of preventing spoofing by a third party is provided. In the following, it is assumed that the IP telephone server 30a stores the registration information of the user of the IP telephone 20a and the IP telephone server 30b stores the registration information of the user of the IP telephone 20b.

  In FIG. 1, for simplification of explanation, the IP telephone 20a and the IP telephone server 30a on the calling side and the IP telephone 20b and the IP telephone server 30b on the called side are connected to the IP network 40 one by one. Although the case where it does is shown, there may be multiple. Further, for example, there may be only one IP telephone server 30a, 30b as when the calling side IP telephone 20a and the called side IP telephone 20b are subscribed to the service of the same operator. . Similarly, although only one number conversion server 10 is provided above the calling side IP telephone 20a, it may be provided on a plurality of IP networks 40. For example, you may make it provide one for every provider.

The operation of the IP telephone connection system shown in FIG. 1 will be described below.
FIG. 2 is a communication sequence diagram showing the operation of the IP telephone connection system.
When the user of the calling IP telephone 20a dials a proxy number, for example, “5656” as a connection destination (S1), the IP telephone 20a receives a connection request in which the proxy number is set as connection destination information in the IP network. It is transmitted to the number conversion server 10 via 40 (S2). When the communication processing unit 11 receives the connection request, the number conversion server 10 searches the telephone number correspondence table 12a by the number conversion processing unit 12, and corresponds the proxy number set as connection destination information to the connection request. To an IP phone number. For example, when a connection request in which “5656” is set as the proxy number is received, the telephone number correspondence table 12a is converted to “050-2345-6789” (S3). Thereafter, the communication processing unit 11 transfers the connection request to the IP telephone server 30a (S4). The IP telephone server 30a notifies the number conversion server 10 that it is in the process state (S5). The number conversion server 10 forwards the received in-process status notification to the IP telephone 20a on the calling side (S6). On the other hand, the IP telephone server 30a that has received the connection request converts the IP telephone number set as the connection destination information into the IP address “192.168.50.1” of the IP telephone 20b on the called side, The information is transferred to the IP telephone server 30b storing the registration information of the IP telephone 20b via the network 40 (S7). At this time, the IP telephone server 30b notifies the IP telephone server 30a that the processing is in progress (S8). The IP telephone server 30b, for example, authenticates the user of the IP telephone 20b, and then transfers the connection request to the IP telephone 20b that is the callee via the IP network 40 (S9). Upon receiving the connection request, the called IP phone 20b performs a calling operation, and the calling side IP phone 20a is in a ringing state (Ringing) via the IP phone servers 30b and 30a and the number conversion server 10. ) (S10, S11, S12, S13). When the user of the IP telephone 20b on the called side lifts the handset (OFF-hook) (S14), the IP telephone 20b sends a connection request response to the IP telephone servers 30b and 30a and the number conversion server 10. Is sent to the calling side IP telephone 20a (S15, S16, S17, S18). In response to this, the calling side IP telephone 20a notifies the called side IP telephone 20b of a response confirmation (Ack) (S19). The above is the signaling session indicated by the dotted arrow in FIG. When the signaling session ends, communication of an RTP packetized voice signal (RTP session) indicated by a solid arrow in FIG. 1 is performed (S20). Note that the end-call sequence is not shown.

As described above, using the simple proxy number registered in the number conversion server 10, the connection request is completed, and calls can be made between IP telephones.
The role of the number conversion server 10 at the time of such call connection processing is only to perform transfer processing excluding the above-described conversion of connection destination information. Thereby, the call control application of the IP telephone 20a on the calling side and the IP telephone server 30a operates without being aware of the presence or absence of the number conversion server 10.

  Although the above call control procedure is based on SIP, there is basically no difference from the conventional SIP procedure, and the calling side IP telephone 20a and the IP telephone server 30a do not go through the number conversion server 10. Is the same as the operation of direct call control.

  In addition to SIP, the call control protocol is H.264. Although there are some procedures such as H.323 and there are differences in the procedure, the mechanism for inquiring from the IP telephone to the IP telephone server in order to convert the IP telephone number to the IP address of the other party is the same as that of the above SIP. Can be implemented.

  In the above description, both the telephones that make a call have been described as IP telephones. However, even if one or both sides use a VoIP gateway, it is sufficient that the VoIP gateway performs the same operation as a telephone using SIP, and the present invention is applicable. It is.

  In the above, the caller IP phone 20a dials the proxy number of the callee IP phone 20b to make a call, but the callee IP phone number is used to make a call. In the case where connection destination information that is not registered as a proxy number is set as in the case, the proxy number search fails in the search of the telephone number correspondence table 12a. The information (in this case, the IP telephone number) is transferred to the IP telephone server 30a as it is.

  In the above description, the transmission destination of the connection request at the time of calling from the IP telephone 20a has been described as the number conversion server 10, but may be as follows. That is, the IP telephone 20a is normally connected to the IP telephone server 30a, and a connection request is transmitted to the number conversion server 10 by inputting a specific special number or switching a switch or the like. You may make it switch to.

Registration and updating of proxy numbers are performed as follows.
Registration and update of proxy numbers are performed by the administrator accessing the number conversion server 10. In addition to a simple number such as “5656”, the proxy number may be a conventional subscriber telephone number, for example, “03-3456-7890”. As a result, the IP phone can be used even if dialing as usual with a familiar number. In addition, as a method of registration or update, the IP telephones 20a and 20b have a connection interface with a mobile phone, the IP telephones 20a and 20b read the mobile phone number, and notify the number conversion server 10 of the mobile phone number, You may make it register as a proxy number of IP telephone 20a, 20b which notified. For example, if this is used, a connection request addressed to the mobile phone can be received by the nearest IP telephones 20a and 20b.

  In addition, in the proxy number registration method, if an interface with a medium storing personal information such as an IC card or RFID (Radio Frequency ID) is provided instead of the connection interface of the mobile phone, the IP telephone that has acquired the personal information 20a and 20b can register the personal information as proxy numbers of the IP telephones 20a and 20b.

  Further, the telephone number correspondence table 12a may be varied with time. For example, the number conversion processing unit 12 is provided with a scheduler and cooperates with the telephone number correspondence table 12a to automatically change the IP telephone number corresponding to the proxy number according to the time schedule. If this is utilized, it becomes possible to easily implement a service that changes, for example, a company's reception telephone according to a time zone.

  As described above, according to the present invention, in an IP telephone connection system, call connection using a proxy number assigned in advance to an IP telephone number is possible, and the user does not need to know the IP telephone number of the other party. It is very convenient because an IP phone can be used with a simple number.

  In addition, companies are expected to increase customer access by registering customer-facing phone numbers with fewer digits in easy-to-remember numbers as proxy numbers, and notifying them with TV commercials, etc. Depending on the time of day and the content of inquiries, it is possible to change the connection destination with a high degree of freedom, which is effective in improving profits and reducing expenses.

  In order to use the present invention, it is only necessary to install an IP telephone server in the IP network and specify the address of the number conversion server for the IP telephone server address setting in the IP telephone. Etc. are not necessary.

  Thus, by using the present invention, it is possible to connect using a proxy number with little modification to the conventional system, and in the future, it can be applied to various services using IP phones. is there.

It is a figure which shows the structure of an IP telephone connection system. It is a communication sequence diagram which shows operation | movement of an IP telephone connection system. It is a system configuration | structure figure of the conventional IP telephone connection system.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Number conversion server 11 Communication processing part 12 Number conversion processing part 12a Telephone number correspondence table 20a, 20b IP telephone 30a, 30b IP telephone server 40 IP network

Claims (5)

In an IP telephone connection system that performs voice communication using an IP network,
A number conversion server that stores a proxy number assigned in advance to an IP telephone number, performs conversion to the IP telephone number corresponding to the proxy number when a connection request to the proxy number is received, and forwards the connection request; ,
An IP telephone that transmits the connection request to the dialed proxy number to the number conversion server;
An IP telephone server that receives the connection request from the number conversion server, converts the IP telephone number into an IP address, and forwards the connection request to another IP telephone having the IP address;
An IP telephone connection system characterized by comprising:   The number conversion server transfers the connection destination information as it is to the IP telephone server if the connection destination information of the connection request transmitted from the IP telephone is not the registered proxy number. The IP telephone connection system according to claim 1.   2. The IP telephone connection system according to claim 1, wherein the IP telephone has switching means for switching whether the connection request is transmitted to either the number conversion server or the IP telephone server.   The IP phone includes a connection interface with a mobile phone, reads the mobile phone number of the mobile phone, notifies the mobile phone number to the number conversion server, and the number conversion server 2. The IP telephone connection system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile phone number is registered as the proxy number. The IP telephone is provided with an interface with a medium storing personal information, reads the personal information of the medium, and notifies the personal information to the number conversion server, and the number conversion server receives the notified IP telephone. 2. The IP telephone connection system according to claim 1, wherein the personal information is registered as the proxy number.

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