Private branch exchange, private branch exchange system, and terminal unit registration method

• US 20060215638A1
• Filed: 03/21/2006
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Abe, Koji
• Application Number:
  US11/384,436
• Publication Number:
  US 20060215638A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/103 across network layers, e.g. resolution of network layer into physical layer addresses or address resolution protocol [ARP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/35 involving non-standard use of addresses for implementing network functionalities, e.g. coding subscription information within the address or functional addressing, i.e. assigning an address to a function
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42178 by downloading data to substation equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42314 in private branch exchanges
• 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

A communication address request notification which inquires about an IP address of a private branch exchange 2 is transmitted from an IP telephone 3a to be newly accommodated. A private branch exchange 2 or an IP telephone 3b which has received the communication address request notification transmits the IP address of the private branch exchange 2 as a communication address response notification, if the IP address of the private branch exchange 2 to be the registration destination is stored in a memory of the private branch exchange 2 or a memory of the IP telephone 3b. Then, the IP telephone 3a which has received the communication address response notification stores this IP address as the IP address of the private branch exchange 2 of the registration destination in the memory.

Claims

1. A private branch exchange comprising:

a communicator connected to a plurality of terminal units and a plurality of private branch exchanges;

a memory which stores identity information of the plurality of terminal units and communicating information of the plurality of the terminal units; and

a controller, when the controller has received identity information from one terminal unit of the plurality of terminal units, broadcast-transmits the communicating information to a plurality of terminal units including the one terminal unit and a plurality of private branch exchanges if the communicating information corresponding to the received identity information is in the memory.

2. The private branch exchange according to claim 1, wherein the identity information is MAC addresses for identifying the terminal units, and

wherein the communicating information is configured by correlating with one another the identity information, IP addresses, and the IP addresses of the private branch exchanges which accommodate the terminal units.

3. The private branch exchange according to claim 1, wherein the memory further stores a response delay time for which the controller waits a response to the plurality of terminal units, and

wherein, when the controller has received identity information from one terminal unit of the plurality of terminal units, the controller further delays transmission of the communicating information to the one terminal unit until the response delay time has elapsed if the communicating information corresponding to the received identity information is in the memory.

4. The private branch exchange according to claim 3, wherein, when the controller has received the communicating information of the one terminal unit from other private branch exchanges or other terminal units during the response delay time, the controller quits the transmission of the communicating information of the one terminal unit.

5. The private branch exchange according to claim 3, wherein, when the controller has received a communication address request notification that inquires about the communicating information, the controller broadcast-transmits a communication address response notification including the address of the private branch exchange if the communicating information of the terminal unit to be accommodated is included in the memory to be searched by the controller, and

wherein, when the controller has received a registration request notification which requests registration to the registration destination on the basis of the communication address response notification, the controller registers the terminal unit with the memory, and unicast-transmits a registration response notification including the communicating information.

6. The private branch exchange according to claim 5, wherein the communication address request notification includes the identity information of the terminal unit, the communication address response notification includes the communicating information of the private branch exchange to accommodate the terminal unit, the registration of the memory includes a registration indicating that the terminal unit is connected.

7. The private branch exchange according to claim 5, wherein, when the controller has received the communication address response notification from other private branch exchanges or other terminal units, the controller quits transmission of a communication address response notification that the private branch exchange itself will transmit.

8. The private branch exchange according to claim 5, wherein, when the controller has received the communication address request notification, the controller broadcast-transmit a communication address response notification including the address of the private branch exchange as an registration destination if the terminal unit to be accommodated is included in the communicating information of the memory to be searched by the controller, and the communicator has not received other communication address response notification.

9. The private branch exchange according to claim 8, wherein the private branch exchange further includes a timer which measures time,

wherein the communicating information includes a response delay time, and the measurement time of the timer is a time value calculated and determined by the controller on the basis of the response delay time and the address of the private branch exchange itself, and

wherein, when the controller has received the communication address request notification, the controller starts measurement of the timer and waits transmission of the communication address response notification, and when the communicator has received the communication address response notification during the measurement time, the controller controls to quit the transmission of the communication address response notification.

10. A private branch exchange system in which a plurality of terminal units are connected to one or a plurality of private branch exchanges over a network,

the private branch exchange including:

a communicator connected to a plurality of terminal units and a plurality of private branch exchanges;

a memory which stores identity information of the plurality of terminal units and communicating information of the plurality of terminal units; and

a controller which controls processing of the private branch exchange, and

the terminal unit including;

a terminal communicator connected to one or a plurality of terminal units and a plurality of private branch exchanges;

a terminal memory which stores terminal unit identity information of the terminal unit and terminal communicating information of the private branch exchange; and

a terminal unit controller which controls processing of the terminal unit;

wherein terminal unit identity information that inquires about the communicating information of the private branch exchange to be an registration destination is broadcast-transmitted from the terminal unit newly connected to the network

wherein, if the communicating information or the terminal communicating information corresponding to the terminal unit identity information is in the memory or the terminal memory, either the private branch exchange or the terminal unit which has received the terminal unit identity information, broadcast-transmits the communicating information or the terminal communicating information of the private branch exchange as the registration destination to the plurality of terminal units and the plurality of private branch exchanges.

11. The private branch exchange system according to claim 10, wherein the identity information is MAC addresses for identifying the terminal units,

wherein the communicating information is configured by correlating with one another the identity information, IP addresses, and the IP addresses of the private branch exchanges as registration destinations, and

wherein the terminal communicating information includes the IP addresses of the terminal units themselves and the IP addresses of the private branch exchanges as the registration destinations.

12. The private branch exchange system according to claim 10, wherein the memory further stores a response delay time for which the controller waits a response to the plurality of terminal units,

wherein the terminal memory further stores a terminal unit response delay time for which the terminal unit controller waits a response to the plurality of terminal units,

wherein each of the private branch exchange and the terminal unit which has received the terminal unit identity information delays broadcast transmission of the communicating information or the terminal communicating information of the private branch exchange as the registration destination to the plurality of terminal units and the plurality of private branch exchanges until the response delay time or the terminal unit response delay time has elapsed.

13. The private branch exchange system according to claim 12, wherein, when each of the private branch exchange and the terminal unit has received other communicating information or terminal communicating information during the response delay time or the terminal unit response delay time, it quits transmission of the communicating information or terminal communicating information.

14. The private branch exchange system according to claim 10, wherein terminal unit identity information notification that inquires about the communicating information of the private branch exchange to be an registration destination is broadcast-transmitted from the terminal unit newly connected to the network,

wherein, if the communicating information of the terminal unit to be accommodated is included in the memory or the terminal memory searched, either the private branch exchange or the terminal unit which has received the terminal unit identity information, broadcast-transmits a communication address response notification including the address of the private branch exchange as the registration destination, in the communicating information or the terminal communicating information, and

wherein the newly connected terminal unit unicast-transmits a registration request notification that requests a registration to the private branch exchange as the registration destination on the basis of the received communication address response notification.

15. The private branch exchange system according to claim 14, wherein the communication address request notification includes the terminal communicating information of the newly connected terminal unit, and the communication address response notification includes the communicating information of the private branch exchange which accommodates the terminal unit.

16. The private branch exchange system according to claim 14, wherein, when the communicator or the terminal communicator has received the communication address response notification from other private branch exchange or other terminal unit, the controller or the terminal unit controller controls to quit transmission of a communication address response notification that the private branch exchanger or the terminal unit itself will transmit.

17. The private branch exchange system according to claim 14, wherein, when the controller or the terminal unit controller has received the communication address request notification, the controller or the terminal unit controller broadcast-transmits a communication address response notification including the address of the private branch exchange as the registration destination, if the communicating information of the terminal unit to be accommodated is included in the communicating information or the terminal communicating information and the communicator or the terminal communicator has not received other communication address response notification.

18. The private branch exchange system according to claim 17, wherein the private branch exchange further includes a timer which measures time, and the terminal unit further includes a terminal timer which measures time,

wherein the communicating information includes a response delay time, and the terminal communicating information includes a terminal unit response delay time,

wherein the measurement time of the timer is a time value calculated and determined by the controller on the basis of the response delay time and the address of the private branch exchange itself,

wherein the measurement time of the terminal timer is a time value calculated and determined by the terminal unit controller on the basis of the terminal unit response delay time and the address of the terminal unit itself,

wherein, when the controller or the terminal unit controller has received the communication address request notification, the controller or the terminal unit controller starts measurement of the timer or the terminal timer and waits transmission of the communication address response notification, and

wherein, when the communicator or the terminal communicator has received the communication address response notification during the measurement time, the controller or the terminal unit controller controls to quit the transmission of the communication address response notification.

19. A terminal unit registration method of a private branch exchange system in which a plurality of terminal units are connected to one or a plurality of private branch exchanges over a network,

the private branch exchange including:

a communicator connected to a plurality of terminal units and a plurality of private branch exchanges;

a memory which stores identity information of the plurality of terminal units and communicating information of the plurality of terminal units; and

a controller which controls processing of the private branch exchange, and

the terminal unit including;

a terminal communicator connected to one or a plurality of terminal units and a plurality of private branch exchanges;

a terminal memory which stores terminal unit identity information of the terminal unit and terminal communicating information of the private branch exchange; and

a terminal unit controller which controls processing of the terminal unit;

the method comprising;

an address request step of broadcast-transmitting terminal unit identity information that inquires about the communicating information of the private branch exchange to be an registration destination is from the terminal unit newly connected to the network, and

an address response step in which, if the communicating information or the terminal communicating information corresponding to the terminal unit identity information is in the memory or the terminal memory, either the private branch exchange or the terminal unit which has received the terminal unit identity information broadcast-transmits the communicating information or the terminal communicating information of the private branch exchange as the registration destination to the plurality of terminal units and the plurality of private branch exchanges.

20. The terminal unit registration method of a private branch exchange system according to claim 19,

wherein the memory further stores a response delay time for which the controller waits a response to the plurality of terminal units,

wherein the terminal memory further stores a terminal unit response delay time for which the terminal unit controller waits a response to the plurality of terminal units,

the method further comprising

a response waiting step in which each of the private branch exchange and the terminal unit which has received the terminal unit identity information delays broadcast transmission of the communicating information or the terminal communicating information of the private branch exchange as the registration destination to the plurality of terminal units and the plurality of private branch exchanges until the response delay time or the terminal unit response delay time has elapsed.

21. The terminal unit registration method of a private branch exchange system according to claim 20, further comprising:

a response stopping step in which, when each of the private branch exchange and the terminal unit has received other communicating information or terminal communicating information in the response waiting step, it quits transmission of the communicating information or terminal communicating information.

22. The terminal unit registration method of a private branch exchange system according to claim 21, wherein each of the private branch exchange and the terminal unit starts the waiting step when it has received terminal unit identity information, and executes the address response step if the response stopping step was not performed during the waiting step.