Internet communication system

• US 20040153549A1
• Filed: 11/24/2003
• Published: 08/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: IP Talk Corporation
• Original Assignee: IP Talk Corporation
• Inventors: Naito, Akihiko, Miyauchi, Nobuhito, Morioka, Hiroki, Kimura, Shun
• Application Number:
  US10/478,609
• Publication Number:
  US 20040153549A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/764 at the destination reformatting of additional data in video clients H04N21/4355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10015 Access to distributed or replicated servers, e.g. using brokers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

An internet communication system, which is provided with session managing servers 210 and 220. In the system, each session managing server manages communication adapters 110 and 120 and call relay servers 310 and 320. For that reason, the processing load of each session managing server is allowed to be equalized. As a result, the operational efficiency of the system may be enhanced, and quality of services offered to the user of the system may be improved.

Claims

1. An internet communication system for data communications carried out by using an internet, the internet communication system comprising:

a calling party'"'"'s communication adapter;

a called party'"'"'s communication adapter;

a calling party'"'"'s session managing server which manages the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter; and

a called party'"'"'s session managing server which manages the called party'"'"'s communication adapter;

wherein the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter transmits an adapter ID of the called party'"'"'s communication adapter to the calling party'"'"'s session managing server,

wherein the calling party'"'"'s session managing server receives the adapter ID of the called party'"'"'s communication adapter from the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter, and transmits back to the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter a server ID of the called party'"'"'s session managing server managing the called party'"'"'s communication adapter which is identified by the adapter ID,

wherein the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter receives the server ID of the called party'"'"'s session managing server from the calling party'"'"'s session managing server, transmits the adapter ID of the called party'"'"'s communication adapter to the called party'"'"'s session managing server which is identified by the server ID received, and transmits an establishment request of a session with the called party'"'"'s communication adapter,

wherein the called party'"'"'s session managing server receives the adapter ID of the called party'"'"'s communication adapter from the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter, and stores that the establishment request of the session with the adapter identified by the adapter ID received is received,

wherein the called party'"'"'s communication adapter searches by using the adapter ID of self for the establishment request of the session if it is stored in the called party'"'"'s session managing server, and transmits a communication enable state of the self to the called party'"'"'s session managing server in a case where the establishment request of the session is stored in the called party'"'"'s session managing server and also the self is in the communication enable state, and

wherein the called party'"'"'s session managing server allows the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter and the called party'"'"'s communication adapter to establish the session by using the internet in a case where the communication enable state is notified from the called party'"'"'s communication adapter.

2. The internet communication system according to claim 1, further comprising an assignment notification server which receives an adapter ID from a communication adapter, assigns a session managing server which manages the communication adapter based on the adapter ID, and notifies the communication adapter of a server ID of the session managing server assigned.

3. The internet communication system according to claim 1, further comprising a called party'"'"'s communication relay server, which relays communications between the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter and the called party'"'"'s communication adapter,

wherein the called party'"'"'s session managing server transmits a called party'"'"'s communication relay server ID for identifying the called party'"'"'s communication relay server to the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter and the called party'"'"'s communication adapter, and

wherein the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter and the called party'"'"'s communication adapter, upon reception of the called party'"'"'s communication relay server ID, establish the session via the called party'"'"'s communication relay server which is identified by the called party'"'"'s communication relay server ID.

4. The internet communication system according to claim 1, further comprising a calling party'"'"'s communication relay server, which relays communications between the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter and the called party'"'"'s communication adapter,

wherein the calling party'"'"'s session managing server transmits a calling party'"'"'s communication relay server ID for identifying the calling party'"'"'s communication relay server to the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter,

wherein the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter receives the calling party'"'"'s communication relay server ID, and transmits the calling party'"'"'s communication relay server ID to the called party'"'"'s session managing sever,

wherein the called party'"'"'s session managing server transmits the calling party'"'"'s communication relay server ID to the called party'"'"'s communication adapter,

wherein the called party'"'"'s communication adapter receives the calling party'"'"'s communication relay server ID, and

wherein the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter and the called party'"'"'s communication adapter establish the session via the called party'"'"'s communication relay server which is identified by the calling party'"'"'s communication relay server ID.

5. The internet communication system according to claim 1, wherein the adapter ID includes an identifier of an internet service provider (ISP).

6. The internet communication system according to claim 1, wherein the adapter ID includes an identifier of an area where the communication adapter is installed.

26. The internet communication system according to claim 5, wherein the adapter ID includes an identifier of a domain of a local IP (Internet Protocol) address which is managed by the internet service provider (ISP).

27. The internet communication system according to claim 1, wherein the adapter ID includes a group identifier for grouping communication adapters.

37. The internet communication system according to claim 1, wherein the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter connects a communication apparatus, which is capable at least of performing a predetermined operation, inputs information indicating that the predetermined operation has been performed from the communication apparatus, and transmits the information inputted for indicating that the predetermined operation has been performed to the calling party'"'"'s session managing server,

wherein the calling party'"'"'s session managing server transmits the information received indicating that the predetermined operation has been performed to the called party'"'"'s session managing server, and

wherein the called party'"'"'s session managing server transmits the information received indicating that the predetermined operation has been performed to the called party'"'"'s communication adapter.

38. The internet communication system according to claim 1, wherein the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter and the called party'"'"'s communication adapter each are installed in a predetermined network environment and assigned an IP (Internet Protocol) address according to the predetermined network environment, and store a connection type of the communication adapter which is determined according to an assignment type of the IP address,

wherein the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter transmits the connection type of the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter to the calling party'"'"'s session managing server,

wherein the called party'"'"'s communication adapter transmits the connection type of the called party'"'"'s communication adapter to the called party'"'"'s session managing server,

wherein the called party'"'"'s session managing server determines to communicate data with the called party'"'"'s communication adapter by using one communication protocol of Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and User Datagram Protocol (UDP) based on the connection type transmitted from the called party'"'"'s communication adapter, and then transmits information notifying of the one communication protocol determined to the called party'"'"'s communication adapter,

wherein the calling party'"'"'s session managing server determines to communicate data with the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter by using one communication protocol of Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and User Datagram Protocol (UDP) based on the connection type transmitted from the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter, and then transmits information notifying of the communication protocol determined to the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter,

wherein the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter communicates the data according to the information notifying of the communication protocol transmitted from the calling party'"'"'s session managing server, and

wherein the called party'"'"'s communication adapter communicates the data according to the information notifying of the communication protocol transmitted from the called party'"'"'s session managing server.

39. The internet communication system according to claim 38, wherein the IP address to be assigned to the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter according to the predetermined network environment and the IP address to be assigned to the called party'"'"'s communication adapter according to the predetermined network environment are assigned based on at least one of cases in which a global IP (Internet Protocol) address is statically assigned, a private IP address is statically assigned, a global IP address is dynamically assigned by using Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), a private IP address dynamically assigned by using DHCP, and a further localized local IP address is assigned in one of those IP address environments by installing such as a router device which is equipped with a Network Address Translation (NAT facility) between the communication adapter and a connecting point of a network in the one of those IP address environments.

40. The internet communication system according to claim 1, wherein the called party'"'"'s communication adapter issues a GET method of Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) to the called party'"'"'s session managing server in order to confirm that the establishment request of the session from the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter is stored in the called party'"'"'s session managing server;

and

wherein the called party'"'"'s session managing server, upon reception of the GET method issued by the called party'"'"'s communication adapter, searches for the establishment request of the session with the called party'"'"'s communication adapter which issued the GET method stored, and transmits a result of the establishment request of the session searched for, which is included in a GET response to the GET method, to the called party'"'"'s communication adapter.

41. The internet communication system according to claim 1, wherein the called party'"'"'s communication adapter connects a communication apparatus, which is capable of performing a predetermined operation, inputs information indicating contents of the predetermined operation of the communication apparatus connected, and transmits the information to the calling party'"'"'s session managing server,

wherein the calling party'"'"'s session managing server stores the information, which is transmitted from the called party'"'"'s communication adapter, indicating the contents of the predetermined operation of the communication apparatus connected to the called party'"'"'s communication adapter, and

wherein the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter acquires the information, which is stored in the calling party'"'"'s session managing server, indicating the contents of the predetermined operation of the communication apparatus connected to the called party'"'"'s communication adapter by using a GET method of Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

42. The internet communication system according to claim 1, wherein the called party'"'"'s communication adapter transmits a GET method of Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) to the called party'"'"'s session managing server at fixed intervals, and

wherein the called party'"'"'s session managing server, upon reception of the GET method from the called party'"'"'s communication adapter, transmits information to the called party'"'"'s communication adapter indicating that there is no establishment request of the session from the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter in a case where the establishment request of the session has been issued by the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter but a communication has not been started yet between the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter and the called party'"'"'s communication adapter, and transmits information to the called party'"'"'s communication adapter indicating that the establishment request of the session is received from the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter in a case where the establishment request of the session has been issued by the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter and a communication has been started between the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter and the called party'"'"'s communication adapter.

43. The internet communication system according to claim 1, wherein the called party'"'"'s communication adapter transmits a GET method of Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) to the called party'"'"'s session managing server when one of applying power and preparing for a start of a call immediately after completing a call processing, and

wherein the called party'"'"'s session managing server holds the GET method transmitted from the called party'"'"'s communication adapter, and transmits to the called party'"'"'s communication adapter as a response to the GET method held that the establishment request of the session is received from the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter in a case where the establishment request of the session is received from the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter.

44. The internet communication system according to claim 1, wherein the called party'"'"'s communication adapter transmits a GET method of Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) to the called party'"'"'s session managing server when one of power being applied and a call being prepared to be started immediately after completing a call processing, and

wherein the called party'"'"'s session managing server, upon reception of the GET method transmitted from the called party'"'"'s communication adapter, continues transmitting to the called party'"'"'s communication adapter alive confirmation information for maintaining a line connection between the called party'"'"'s communication adapter and the called party'"'"'s session managing server in a case where the establishment request of the session has not been issued by the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter, and transmits to the called party'"'"'s communication adapter that the establishment request of the session is received from the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter in a case where the establishment request of the session has been issued by the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter.

45. The internet communication system according to claim 44, wherein the called party'"'"'s communication adapter transmits the GET method of Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) again to the called party'"'"'s session managing server in a case where the alive confirmation information has not been transmitted yet from the called party'"'"'s session managing server even after a predetermined period of time.

46. The internet communication system according to claim 45, wherein the called party'"'"'s communication adapter transmits the GET method of Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) again to the called party'"'"'s session managing server together with information indicating a repeated transmission.

47. The internet communication system according to claim 2, wherein the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter transmits information notifying of an operational state of the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter to the assignment notification server, and

wherein the assignment notification server checks the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter if it is normal based on the information notifying of the operational state transmitted from the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter, and transmits an operational state of the assignment notification server itself together with a check result to the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter as a response to the information notifying of the operational state transmitted from the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter.

48. The internet communication system according to claim 2, wherein the assignment notification server is configured with a plurality of server devices, the plurality of server devices including one as a primary server for acting as the assignment notification server and another as a secondary server, and wherein the assignment notification server is switched over from the primary server to the secondary server so that the secondary server acts as the assignment notification server, in case of the primary server operating abnormally, and notifies the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter that the secondary server is replaced to act as the assignment notification server.

49. The internet communication system according to claim 1, wherein the calling party'"'"'s session managing server is configured with a plurality of server devices, the plurality of server devices including one as a primary server for acting as the calling party'"'"'s session managing server and another as a secondary server, and wherein the calling party'"'"'s session managing server is switched over from the primary server to the secondary server so that the secondary server acts as the calling party'"'"'s session managing server, in case of the primary server operating abnormally, and notifies the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter that the secondary server is replaced to act as the calling party'"'"'s session managing server.

50. The internet communication system according to claim 1, wherein the called party'"'"'s session managing server is configured with a plurality of server devices, the plurality of server devices including one as a primary server for acting as the called party'"'"'s session managing server and another as a secondary server, and wherein the called party'"'"'s session managing server is switched over from the primary server to the secondary server so that the secondary server acts as the called party'"'"'s session managing server, in case of the primary server operating abnormally, and notifies the called party'"'"'s communication adapter that the secondary server is replaced to act as the called party'"'"'s session managing server.

51. The internet communication system according to claim 2, further comprising a customer management database for managing a service charge for a system for each calling party'"'"'s communication adapter,

wherein the assignment notification server acquires the service charge for the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter from the customer management database in a case of transmitting the server ID of the session managing server which manages the communication adapter to the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter, and transmits the service charge acquired and the server ID to the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter, and

wherein the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter determines whether to set a communication function of itself to be inoperable based on the service charge received from the assignment notification server.

52. The internet communication system according to claim 51, wherein the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter determines whether to set the communication function of itself to be operable based on the service charge received from the assignment notification server in a case where the communication function of itself is set to be inoperable.

53. The internet communication system according to claim 47, wherein the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter installs a software, which includes version information, for executing a function of the communication adapter, and transmits the version information of the software together with the information notifying of the operational state of the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter to the assignment notification server,

wherein the assignment notification server determines whether to replace the software installed in the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter by another software with a different version based on the version information transmitted from the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter, and transmits a determination result to the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter.

54. The internet communication system according to claim 53, wherein the assignment notification server manages an address of a Web server which manages the software installed in the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter, and transmits an address of a Web server of the another software with the different version to the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter in a case of determining that the software installed in the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter is to be replaced by the another software with the different version.

55. The internet communication system according to claim 4, wherein the session managing server manages a number of communication relaying by the calling party'"'"'s communication relay server, and transmits to the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter information on that relaying by the communication relay server is saturated in a case where the establishment request of the session is received from the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter and the number of communication relaying exceeds a preset number of communication relaying,

wherein the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter connects a communication apparatus, which is equipped with an information output function at least, and makes the communication apparatus output information indicating that the relaying by the calling party'"'"'s communication relay server is saturated and therefore no communication is available via the calling party'"'"'s communication relay server upon reception of the information on that the relaying by the calling party'"'"'s communication relay server is saturated from the session managing server.

56. The internet communication system according to claim 3, wherein the session managing server manages a number of communication relaying by the called party'"'"'s communication relay server, and transmits to the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter information on that relaying by the communication relay server is saturated in a case where the establishment request of the session is received from the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter and the number of communication relaying exceeds a preset number of communication relaying,

wherein the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter connects a communication apparatus, which is equipped with an information output function at least, and makes the communication apparatus output information indicating that the relaying by the called party'"'"'s communication relay server is saturated and therefore no communication is available by the called party'"'"'s communication relay server upon reception of the information on that the relaying by the called party'"'"'s communication relay server is saturated from the session managing server.

57. The internet communication system according to claim 55, further comprising a PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network), wherein the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter, which connects the PSTN, calls the called party'"'"'s communication adapter by using the PSTN upon reception of the information on that the relaying by the calling party'"'"'s communication relay server is saturated from the session managing server.

58. The internet communication system according to claim 56, further comprising a PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network), wherein the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter, which connects the PSTN, calls the called party'"'"'s communication adapter by using the PSTN upon reception of the information on that the relaying by the called party'"'"'s communication relay server is saturated from the session managing server.

59. The internet communication system according to claim 1, wherein the communication adapter, prior to a start of a communication with the session managing server, issues a connection request to the session managing server by using TCP (Transmission Control Protocol), cancels the connection request upon reception of no response from the session managing server to the connection request after a preset fixed timeout value, and repeats the connection request until one of the connection succeeds and a number of repetitions of the connection request reaches a preset maximum number.

61. The internet communication system according to claim 59, wherein the communication adapter makes one of changes of increasing the timeout value and increasing the maximum number in a case where the request for making the connection by using TCP (Transmission control Protocol) ends in failure, and makes one of changes of educing the timeout value and decreasing the maximum number in a case where the request for making the connection using TCP (Transmission control Protocol) ends in success.

63. The internet communication system according to claim 59, wherein the communication adapter connects a communication apparatus which has at least an information output function, and makes the communication apparatus output information indicating that the communication cannot be relayed by using the internet, in one of cases where the request for making the connection by using TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) ends in failure after the preset fixed timeout value and the connection does not succeed after the preset maximum number.

70. The internet communication system according to claim 1, further comprising a LAN (Local Area Network) which communicates by using extension number information available within a specific network area;

wherein the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter and the calling party'"'"'s session managing server are connected to the LAN;

wherein the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter inputs the extension number information of a destination, and transmits the extension number information inputted to the calling party'"'"'s session managing server; and

wherein the calling party'"'"'s session managing server includes an extension_number_information_storing_unit which manages the extension number information and the adapter ID of the called party'"'"'s communication adapter, making them correspond, acquires the adapter ID of the called party'"'"'s communication adapter corresponding to the extension number information from the extension_number_information_storing_unit by using the extension number information transmitted from the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter, and transmits the server ID of the called party'"'"'s session managing server which is identified by the adapter ID acquired back to the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter.

72. The internet communication system according to claim 70 comprising a plurality of called party'"'"'s communication adapters,

wherein the calling party'"'"'s session managing server stores a group ID for grouping and managing the plurality of called party'"'"'s communication adapters, the extension number information, and the adapter IDs of the called party'"'"'s communication adapters making them correspond, in the extension_number_information_storing_unit, acquires an adapter ID of a called party'"'"'s communication adapter whose group ID is same as the group ID of a called party'"'"'s communication adapter which is busy with a call from the extension_number_information_storing_unit in a case where the called party'"'"'s communication adapter which is requested from the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter to establish the session is busy with the call, and transmits the adapter ID acquired and a server ID of the called party'"'"'s session managing server, which manages the called party'"'"'s communication adapter identified by the adapter ID acquired, back to the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter, and

wherein the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter receives the adapter ID of the called party'"'"'s communication adapter and the server ID of the called party'"'"'s session managing server from the calling party'"'"'s session managing server, transmits the adapter ID received to the called party'"'"'s session managing server identified by the server ID received, and transmits the establishment request of the session with the called party'"'"'s communication adapter.

74. The internet communication system according to claim 1, wherein the communication adapter forms an IP packet by accumulating at least one piece of voice frame data, which is an encoding and decoding unit of a voice codec (a device or software for voice encoding and decoding) within a specified period of time determined by the communication adapter, and transmits the IP packet, and wherein the communication adapter transmits the IP packet immediately after storing voice frame data indicating an end of a sequence in the IP packet, even before the specified period of time passes, at a time when voice frame data indicating the end is generated, at an end of the sequence of the voice data when it has silence.

7. An internet communication method for carrying out data communications by using an internet, the internet communication method comprising:

making an inquiry with the calling party'"'"'s session managing server for a called party'"'"'s session managing server which manages a called party'"'"'s communication adapter, by a calling party'"'"'s communication adapter;

responding to the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter about the called party'"'"'s session managing server which manages the called party'"'"'s communication adapter, by the calling party'"'"'s session managing server;

transmitting an establishment request of a session with the called party'"'"'s communication adapter to the called party'"'"'s session managing server from the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter;

storing in the called party'"'"'s session managing server that the establishment request of the session with the called party'"'"'s communication adapter has been issued, by the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter;

making an inquiry with the called party'"'"'s session managing server for the establishment request if it is issued, by the called party'"'"'s communication adapter;

notifying the called party'"'"'s session managing server that the called party'"'"'s communication adapter is in a communication enable state, from the called party'"'"'s communication adapter, in a case where the establishment request is issued and where the called party'"'"'s communication adapter is in the communication enable state; and

allowing a session between the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter and the called party'"'"'s communication adapter to be established by using the internet by the called party'"'"'s session managing server in a case where it is notified that the called party'"'"'s communication adapter is in the communication enable state.

8. A session managing server, which is connected with a calling party'"'"'s communication adapter and a called party'"'"'s communication adapter, the session managing server comprising:

a calling party'"'"'s session managing unit, which receives an adapter ID of the called party'"'"'s communication adapter from the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter, and transmits back to the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter a server ID of a called party'"'"'s session managing server which manages the called party'"'"'s communication adapter identified by the adapter ID; and

a called party'"'"'s session managing unit, which receives the adapter ID of the called party'"'"'s communication adapter from the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter, stores that an establishment request of a session with the adapter identified by the adapter ID received is received, makes the called party'"'"'s communication adapter search for the establishment request of the session stored, and allows the session between the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter and the called party'"'"'s communication adapter using an internet to be established in a case where a communication enable state is notified by the called party'"'"'s communication adapter.

9. A communication adapter, which is connected with a calling party'"'"'s session managing server and a called party'"'"'s session managing server, the communication adapter comprising:

a calling party'"'"'s communication adapter unit, which transmits an adapter ID of a called party'"'"'s communication adapter to the calling party'"'"'s session managing server, receives from the calling party'"'"'s session managing server a server ID of the called party'"'"'s session managing server which manages the called party'"'"'s communication adapter, transmits the adapter ID of the called party'"'"'s communication adapter to the called party'"'"'s session managing server which is identified by the server ID received, and transmits an establishment request of a session; and

a called party'"'"'s communication adapter unit, which searches for the establishment request of the session whether it is stored in the called party'"'"'s session managing server by using an adapter ID of self, and transmits to the called party'"'"'s session managing server that the called party'"'"'s communication adapter itself is in a communication enable state in a case where the establishment request of the session is stored in the called party'"'"'s session managing server and where the called party'"'"'s communication adapter itself is in the communication enable state.

10. An internet communication system, which carries out data communications by using an internet between a calling party'"'"'s communication adapter and a called party'"'"'s communication adapter, the internet communication system comprising:

a calling party'"'"'s communication relay server, which carries out data communications with the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter over the internet by using Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP); and

a called party'"'"'s communication relay server, which carries out data communications with the called party'"'"'s communication adapter over the internet by using HTTP, and also carries out data communications with the calling party'"'"'s communication relay server by using a protocol other than HTTP.

11. The internet communication system according to claim 10, wherein the protocol other than HTTP is a User Datagram Protocol (UDP).

12. The internet communication system according to claim 10, wherein the protocol other than HTTP is a Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP).

13. The internet communication system according to claim 10, wherein the protocol other than HTTP is a protocol designed for an application based on Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)

14. The internet communication system according to claim 10, wherein the calling party'"'"'s communication relay server and the called party'"'"'s communication relay server are connected through a private network of an Internet Service Provider (ISP).

30. The internet communication system according to claim 10, wherein the protocol other than HTTP is a protocol designed for an application based on Simple Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP).

31. The internet communication system according to claim 10, wherein the calling party'"'"'s communication relay server and the called party'"'"'s communication relay server are connected over the internet.

60. The internet communication system according to claim 10, wherein the communication adapter, prior to a start of a communication with the communication relay server, issues a connection request to the communication relay server by using TCP (Transmission Control Protocol), cancels the connection request upon reception of no response from the communication relay server to the connection request after a preset fixed timeout value, and repeats the connection request until one of the connection succeeds and a number of repetitions of the connection request reaches a preset maximum number.

62. The internet communication system according to claim 60, wherein the communication adapter makes one of changes of increasing the timeout value and increasing the maximum number in a case where the request for making the connection using TCP (Transmission control Protocol) ends in failure, and makes one of changes of reducing the timeout value and decreasing the maximum number in a case where the request for making the connection using TCP (Transmission control Protocol) ends in success.

64. The internet communication system according to claim 60, wherein the communication adapter makes one of changes of increasing the timeout value and increasing the maximum number of times in a case where the request for making the connection by using TCP (Transmission control Protocol) ends in failure, and makes one of changes of reducing the timeout value and decreasing the maximum number of times in a case where the request for making the connection by using TCP (Transmission control Protocol) ends in success.

65. The internet communication system according to claim 10, wherein the session managing server transmits a packet to the communication adapter managed by the session managing server and the communication relay server, measures an arrival time interval between a transmission of the packet and a reception of response information thereto from the communication adapter and the communication relay server, judges a level of congestion for each communication path, and transmits a judgement result to the communication adapter;

and

wherein the communication adapter connects a communication apparatus which has an information output function at least, and makes the communication apparatus output the judgement result transmitted from the session managing server.

66. The internet communication system according to claim 10, wherein the communication relay server transmits a packet to the communication adapter and the session managing server, measures an arrival time interval between a transmission of the packet and a reception of response information thereto from the communication adapter and the session managing server, judges a level of congestion for each communication path, and transmits a judgement result of the level of congestion to the communication adapter;

and

wherein the communication adapter connects a communication apparatus which has an information output function at least, and makes the communication apparatus output the judgement result transmitted from the communication relay server.

67. The internet communication system according to claim 65, further comprising a bypass communication relay server for bypassing communication path other than the communication relay server,

wherein the session managing server switches from a first communication path through which communications are relayed between the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter and the called party'"'"'s communication adapter by way of the communication relay server, to a second communication path through which communications are relayed between the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter and the called party'"'"'s communication adapter by way of the bypass communication relay server, based on the judgement result of the level of congestion of the communication path.

68. The internet communication system according to claim 67, wherein the bypass communication relay server is replaced with a plurality of bypass communication relay servers, and

wherein the session managing server transmits the packet to the plurality of bypass communication relay servers, measures an arrival time interval between a transmission of the packet and a reception of response information thereto from each of the plurality of bypass communication relay servers, judges a level of congestion for each communication path including one of the plurality of bypass communication relay servers connected, selects one of the plurality of bypass communication relay servers whose communication path is less congested, and switches from the first communication path to the second communication path through which communications are relayed between the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter and the called party'"'"'s communication adapter by way of a selected one of the plurality of the bypass communication relay servers.

69. The internet communication system according to claim 68, wherein the session managing server transmits to the communication adapter that the first communication path is to be switched to the second communication path, and

wherein the communication adapter connects a communication apparatus having at least an information output function, and makes the communication apparatus output the information transmitted from the session managing server indicating that the first communication path is to be switched to the second communication path.

15. An internet communication method for carrying out data communications between a calling party'"'"'s communication adapter and a called party'"'"'s communication adapter by using an internet, the internet communication method comprising:

carrying out data communications between the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter and the calling party'"'"'s communication relay server over the internet by using Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP);

carrying out data communications between the calling party'"'"'s communication relay server and the called party'"'"'s communication relay server by using a protocol other than HTTP; and

carrying out data communications between the called party'"'"'s communication relay server and the called party'"'"'s communication adapter over the internet by using HTTP.

16. A communication relay server, which relays data communications between a communication adapter and a server apparatus, the communication relay server comprising:

an HTTP communication unit, which carries out data communications with the communication adapter over an internet by using Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP); and

a UDP communication unit, which carries out data communications with the server apparatus by using User Datagram Protocol (UDP).

17. A program operating with a session managing server which is connected with a calling party'"'"'s communication adapter and a called party'"'"'s communication adapter, the program causing a computer to carry out:

a calling party'"'"'s session managing process for receiving an adapter ID of the called party'"'"'s communication adapter from the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter, and transmitting back to the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter a server ID of a called party'"'"'s session managing server which manages the called party'"'"'s communication adapter identified by the adapter ID, and

a called party'"'"'s session managing process for receiving the adapter ID of the called party'"'"'s communication adapter from the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter, storing that an establishment request of a session with the adapter identified by the adapter ID received has been received, making the called party'"'"'s communication adapter search for the establishment request of the session stored, and allowing the session between the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter and the called party'"'"'s communication adapter using an internet to be established in a case where a communication enable state is notified from the called party'"'"'s communication adapter.

18. A program operating with a communication adapter which is connected with a calling party'"'"'s session managing server and a called party'"'"'s session managing server, the program causing a computer to carry out:

a calling party'"'"'s communication adapter process for transmitting an adapter ID of a called party'"'"'s communication adapter to the calling party'"'"'s session managing server, receiving a server ID of the called party'"'"'s session managing server which manages the called party'"'"'s communication adapter from the calling party'"'"'s session managing server, transmitting the server ID of the called party'"'"'s communication adapter to the called party'"'"'s session managing server identified by the server ID received, and transmitting an establishment request of a session, and

a called party'"'"'s communication adapter process for searching for the establishment request of the session stored in the called party'"'"'s session managing server by using the adapter ID of the called party'"'"'s communication adapter itself, and transmitting to the called party'"'"'s session managing server that the called party'"'"'s communication adapter itself is in a communication enable state in a case where the establishment request of the session is stored in the called party'"'"'s session managing server and the called party'"'"'s communication adapter itself is in the communication enable state.

19. A program which operates with a communication relay server for relaying data communications between a communication adapter and a server apparatus, the program causing a computer to carry out:

an HTTP communication process for carrying out data communications with the communication adapter over an internet by using Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP), and

a UDP communication process for carrying out data communications with the server apparatus by using User Datagram Protocol (UDP).

20. An internet communication system for data communications to be carried out by using an internet, the internet communication system comprising:

a calling party'"'"'s communication adapter;

a called party'"'"'s communication adapter;

a calling party'"'"'s session managing server which manages the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter; and

a called party'"'"'s session managing server which manages the called party'"'"'s communication adapter;

wherein the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter transmits an establishment request of a session including an adapter ID of the called party'"'"'s communication adapter to the calling party'"'"'s session managing server,

wherein the calling party'"'"'s session managing server receives the adapter ID of the called party'"'"'s communication adapter from the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter, searches for a server ID of the called party'"'"'s session managing server which manages the called party'"'"'s communication adapter, the server ID being identified by the adapter ID, transmits the adapter ID to the called party'"'"'s session managing server identified by the server ID searched for, and transmits the establishment request of the session with the called party'"'"'s communication adapter,

wherein the called party'"'"'s session managing server receives the adapter ID of the called party'"'"'s communication adapter from the calling party'"'"'s session managing server, stores that the establishment request of the session with an identified adapter by the received adapter ID is received, receives a communication enable state from the called party'"'"'s communication adapter, and allows the session between the calling party'"'"'s session managing server and the called party'"'"'s communication adapter using the internet to be established in a case where the establishment request of the session with the called party'"'"'s communication adapter in the communication enable state received is stored,

wherein the called party'"'"'s communication adapter, in the communication enable state, transmits that it is in the communication enable state to the called party'"'"'s session managing server, and

wherein the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter receives from the calling party'"'"'s session managing server that the session using the internet is allowed to be established by the called party'"'"'s session managing server.

21. The internet communication system according to claim 20, further comprising an assignment notification server which receives an adapter ID from a communication adapter, assigns a session managing server which manages the communication adapter based on the adapter ID, and notifies the communication adapter of a server ID of the session managing server assigned.

22. The internet communication system according to claim 20, further comprising a called party'"'"'s communication relay server, which relays communications between the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter and the called party'"'"'s communication adapter,

wherein the called party'"'"'s session managing server transmits a called party'"'"'s communication relay server ID for identifying the called party'"'"'s communication relay server to the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter and the called party'"'"'s communication adapter, and

wherein the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter and the called party'"'"'s communication adapter, upon reception of the called party'"'"'s communication relay server ID, establish the session via the called party'"'"'s communication relay server which is identified by the called party'"'"'s communication relay server ID.

23. The internet communication system according to claim 20, further comprising a calling party'"'"'s communication relay server, which relays communications between the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter and the called party'"'"'s communication adapter,

wherein the calling party'"'"'s session managing server transmits a calling party'"'"'s communication relay server ID for identifying the calling party'"'"'s communication relay server to the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter,

wherein the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter receives the calling party'"'"'s communication relay server ID, and transmits the calling party'"'"'s communication relay server ID to the called party'"'"'s session managing sever,

wherein the called party'"'"'s session managing server transmits the calling party'"'"'s communication relay server ID to the called party'"'"'s communication adapter,

wherein the called party'"'"'s communication adapter receives the calling party'"'"'s communication relay server ID, and

wherein the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter and the called party'"'"'s communication adapter establish the session via the called party'"'"'s communication relay server which is identified by the calling party'"'"'s communication relay server ID.

24. The internet communication system according to claim 20, wherein the adapter ID includes an identifier of an internet service provider (ISP).

25. The internet communication system according to claim 20, wherein the adapter ID includes an identifier of an area in which the communication adapter is installed.

71. The internet communication system according to claim 20, further comprising a LAN (Local Area Network) which communicates by using extension number information available within a specific network area;

wherein the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter and the calling party'"'"'s session managing server are connected to the LAN;

wherein the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter inputs the extension number information of a destination, and transmits the extension number information inputted to the calling party'"'"'s session managing server; and

wherein the calling party'"'"'s session managing server includes an extension_number_information_storing_unit which manages the extension number information and the adapter ID of the called party'"'"'s communication adapter, making them correspond, acquires the adapter ID of the called party'"'"'s communication adapter corresponding to the extension number information from the extension_number_information_storing_unit by using the extension number information transmitted from the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter, transmits the adapter ID acquired and the server ID of the called party'"'"'s session managing server which manages the called party'"'"'s communication adapter identified by the adapter ID acquired to the called party'"'"'s session managing server, and transmits the establishment request of the session with the called party'"'"'s communication adapter.

73. The internet communication system according to claim 71, comprising a plurality of called party'"'"'s communication adapters;

wherein the calling party'"'"'s session managing server stores a group ID for grouping and managing the plurality of called party'"'"'s communication adapters, the extension number information, and the adapter IDs of the called party'"'"'s communication adapters, making them correspond, in the extension_number_information_storing_unit, acquires an adapter ID of a called party'"'"'s communication adapter whose group ID is same as the group ID of a called party'"'"'s communication adapter which is busy with a call from the extension_number_information_storing_unit in a case where the called party'"'"'s communication adapter which is requested from the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter to establish the session is busy with the call, transmits the adapter ID acquired to the called party'"'"'s session managing server which manages the called party'"'"'s communication adapter identified by the adapter ID acquired, and transmits the establishment request of the session with the called party'"'"'s communication adapter.

28. An internet communication method for carrying out data communications by using an internet, the internet communication method comprising:

transmitting an establishment request of a session with a called party'"'"'s communication adapter to a calling party'"'"'s session managing server from a calling party'"'"'s communication adapter;

transmitting from the calling party'"'"'s session managing server to a called party'"'"'s session managing server which manages the called party'"'"'s communication adapter the establishment request of the session received from the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter;

storing in the called party'"'"'s session managing server that the establishment request of the session with the called party'"'"'s communication adapter has been received from the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter;

notifying the called party'"'"'s session managing server from the called party'"'"'s communication adapter that the called party'"'"'s communication adapter itself is in a communication enable state in a case where the called party'"'"'s communication adapter is in the communication enable state;

allowing by the called party'"'"'s session managing server the session between the calling party'"'"'s session managing server and the called party'"'"'s communication adapter using the internet to be established in a case where it is notified of the communication enable state from the called party'"'"'s communication adapter, and where the establishment request of the session has been issued with the called party'"'"'s communication adapter which is in the communication enable state; and

notifying by the calling party'"'"'s session managing server the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter that the session using the internet has been allowed to be established between the calling party'"'"'s session managing server and the called party'"'"'s communication adapter in a case where the session is allowed to be established.

29. A session managing server, which is connected with a calling party'"'"'s communication adapter and a called party'"'"'s communication adapter, the session managing server comprising:

a calling party'"'"'s session managing unit, which receives an establishment request of a session including an adapter ID of the called party'"'"'s communication adapter from the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter, and transmits the establishment request of the session including the adapter ID of the called party'"'"'s communication adapter received from the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter to a called party'"'"'s session managing server which manages the called party'"'"'s communication adapter identified by the adapter ID, and

a called party'"'"'s session managing unit, which receives the adapter ID of the called party'"'"'s communication adapter from the calling party'"'"'s session managing server, stores that the establishment request of the session with the adapter identified by the adapter ID received has been received, searches for the establishment request of the session stored and allows the session between the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter and the called party'"'"'s communication adapter using an internet to be established in a case where a communication enable state is notified from the called party'"'"'s communication adapter.

32. A program operating with a session managing server which is connected with a calling party'"'"'s communication adapter and a called party'"'"'s communication adapter, the program causing a computer to carry out:

a calling party'"'"'s session managing process for receiving an establishment request of a session including an adapter ID of the called party'"'"'s communication adapter from the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter, and transmitting back to a called party'"'"'s session managing server which manages the called party'"'"'s communication adapter identified by the adapter ID the establishment request of the session received from the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter, and

a called party'"'"'s session managing process for receiving the establishment request of the session including the adapter ID of the called party'"'"'s communication adapter from the calling party'"'"'s session managing server, storing that the establishment request of the session with the adapter identified by the adapter ID received has been received, searching, in a case where a communication enable state of the called party'"'"'s communication adapter is notified, for the establishment request of the session stored, allowing the session between the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter and the called party'"'"'s communication adapter using an internet to be established, and notifying the called party'"'"'s communication adapter that the establishment request of the session has been received.

33. A program operating with a communication adapter which is connected with a calling party'"'"'s session managing server and a called party'"'"'s session managing server, the program causing a computer to carry out:

a calling party'"'"'s communication adapter process for transmitting an establishment request of a session including an adapter ID of a called party'"'"'s communication adapter to the calling party'"'"'s session managing server, and

a called party'"'"'s communication adapter process for transmitting to the called party'"'"'s session managing server that the called party'"'"'s communication adapter itself is in a communication enable state in a case where the called party'"'"'s communication adapter itself is in the communication enable state, and receives from the called party'"'"'s session managing server that the establishment request has been received.

34. A communication adapter, which is of a calling party, and connected with a calling party'"'"'s session managing server and a called party'"'"'s session managing server, and also connected to a communication apparatus which outputs information at least,

wherein the calling party'"'"'s communication adapter makes the communication apparatus output that a called party'"'"'s communication adapter is busy communicating and therefore is in a state of communication disenabled at a moment, upon reception from the called party'"'"'s session managing server by way of the calling party'"'"'s session managing server that the called party'"'"'s communication adapter is busy communicating and therefore is in the state of communication disenabled at the moment.

35. A communication adapter, which is connected to a calling party'"'"'s session managing server and a called party'"'"'s session managing server, and

wherein the communication adapter transmits a start of a communication to the called party'"'"'s session managing server in a case of starting the communication, and transmits an end of the communication to the called party'"'"'s session managing server in a case of ending the communication.

36. The communication adapter according to claim 35, wherein the communication adapter starts the communication based on a predetermined call control method, and transmits the start of the communication to the called party'"'"'s session managing server together with information for identifying the predetermined call control method.