IP telephone system, IP telephone apparatus and method for recording message

• US 20060029042A1
• Filed: 07/19/2005
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nishida, Toshiko, Toyoda, Kiyoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,756,112 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6505 storing speech in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/658 Means for redirecting recorded messages to other extensions or equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4211 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

An IP telephone system includes a source IP telephone apparatus, a destination telephone apparatus, a Web server and an ENUM server. The IP telephone apparatuses are connected to an IP network. The Web server stores control information for controlling an answering machine function. The control information corresponds to a telephone number assigned to the source or destination IP telephone apparatus. The ENUM server stores a NAPTR resource record in which a URI specifies link information related to the control information stored in the Web server. In the IP telephone system, the IP telephone apparatus that has received a call transmits, to the ENUM server, a query for a NAPTR record corresponding to an intended recipient'"'"'s telephone number. The IP telephone apparatus then transmits, to the Web server, a request for the control information corresponding to the URI included in the obtained NAPTR resource record, and controls the answering machine function according to the obtained control information.

Claims

1. An IP telephone system comprising:

an IP telephone apparatus that is connected to an IP network;

a Web server that stores control information for controlling an answering machine function, the control information corresponding to a telephone number assigned to said IP telephone apparatus, and transmits, to said IP telephone apparatus, the control information in response to a request from said IP telephone apparatus; and

an ENUM server that stores a NAPTR resource record in which a URI specifies link information related to the control information, the control information being stored in said Web server, and transmits, to said IP telephone apparatus, the NAPTR resource record in response to a query from said IP telephone apparatus,

said IP telephone apparatus, when a call is received, that transmits, to said ENUM server, a query for a NAPTR resource record according to an intended recipient telephone number, transmits, to said Web server, a request for the control information corresponding to the URI included in the obtained NAPTR resource record, and controls the answering machine function according to the obtained control information.

2. The IP telephone system according to claim 1, wherein the control information includes information about whether to record a caller'"'"'s message.

3. The IP telephone system according to claim 2, wherein the control information includes information about whether to forward the recorded message to a predetermined forwarding e-mail address.

4. The IP telephone system according to claim 1, wherein an http protocol is specified in the NAPTR resource record stored in said ENUM server, and, when a call is received, said IP telephone apparatus transmits, to said Web server, a request for the control information according to the http protocol.

5. The IP telephone system according to claim 1, wherein, when a call is received, said IP telephone apparatus obtains the intended recipient telephone number based on a description of a received INVITE message.

6. An IP telephone apparatus connected to a Web server and an ENUM server, the Web server storing control information for controlling an answering machine function, the control information corresponding to a telephone number assigned to an IP telephone apparatus on an IP network, the ENUM server storing a NAPTR resource record in which a URI specifies link information related to the control information, the control information being stored in the Web server, the IP telephone apparatus comprising:

a query unit that transmits, to the ENUM server, a query for a NAPTR resource record according to an intended recipient telephone number, when a call is received from another IP telephone apparatus on the IP network;

a requester that transmits, to the Web server, a request for the control information corresponding to the URI included in the obtained NAPTR resource record; and

a controller that controls the answering machine function according to the obtained control information.

7. The IP telephone apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the control information includes information about whether to record a caller'"'"'s message.

8. The IP telephone apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the control information includes information about whether to forward the recorded message to a predetermined forwarding e-mail address.

9. A method for recording a message using an IP telephone apparatus, the IP telephone apparatus being connected to a Web server and an ENUM server, the Web server storing control information for controlling an answering machine function, the a telephone number, the telephone number being assigned to an IP telephone apparatus on an IP network, the ENUM server storing a NAPTR resource record in which a URI specifies link information related to the control information, the control information being stored in the Web server, the method comprising:

transmitting, to the ENUM server, a query for a NAPTR resource record according to an intended recipient telephone number when a call is received from another IP telephone apparatus on the IP network;

transmitting, to the Web server, a request for the control information corresponding to the URI included in the obtained NAPTR resource record; and

controlling the answering machine function according to the obtained control information.

10. The method for recording a message according to claim 9, wherein the control information includes information about whether to record a caller'"'"'s message.

11. The method for recording a message according to claim 10, wherein the control information includes information about whether to forward the recorded message to a predetermined forwarding e-mail address.

12. An IP telephone system comprising:

a destination IP telephone apparatus that stores a URI and control information, the URI corresponding to a telephone number assigned to the destination IP telephone apparatus, the control information being utilized for controlling an answering machine function, the control information corresponding to the telephone number;

an ENUM server that stores a NAPTR resource record in which a URI is associated with a telephone number assigned to said destination IP telephone apparatus, and transmits, to said destination IP telephone apparatus, a NAPTR resource record in response to a query from said destination IP telephone apparatus; and

a source IP telephone apparatus that transmits, to said ENUM server, a query for a NAPTR resource record by specifying the telephone number assigned to said destination IP telephone apparatus, and transmits, to said destination IP telephone apparatus, the URI included in the obtained NAPTR resource record when placing a call to said destination IP telephone apparatus,

said destination IP telephone apparatus that controls the answering machine function according to the control information, the control information corresponding to the URI transmitted from said source IP telephone apparatus.

13. The IP telephone system according to claim 12, wherein the control information includes information about whether to record a caller'"'"'s message.

14. The IP telephone system according to claim 13, wherein the control information includes information about whether to forward the recorded message to a predetermined forwarding e-mail address.

15. A method for recording a message using a source IP telephone apparatus and a destination IP telephone apparatus, the source IP telephone apparatus and the destination IP telephone apparatus being connected to an ENUM server, the ENUM server storing a NAPTR resource record in which a URI is associated with a telephone number assigned to an IP telephone apparatus on an IP network, the destination IP telephone apparatus storing a URI and control information, the URI corresponding to a telephone number assigned to the destination IP telephone apparatus, the control information being utilized for controlling an answering machine function, the control information corresponding to the telephone number, the method comprising:

transmitting, from the source IP telephone apparatus to the ENUM server, a query for a NAPTR resource record by specifying the telephone number of the destination IP telephone apparatus;

transmitting, at the source IP telephone apparatus to the destination IP telephone apparatus, the URI included in the obtained NAPTR resource record when placing a call to the destination IP telephone apparatus; and

controlling, at the destination IP telephone apparatus, the answering machine function according to the control information, the control information corresponding to the URI transmitted from the source IP telephone apparatus.

16. The method for recording a message according to claim 15, wherein the control information includes information about whether to record a caller'"'"'s message.

17. The method for recording a message according to claim 16, wherein the control information includes information about whether to forward the recorded message to a predetermined forwarding e-mail address.