Virtual private network connecting system

• US 5,339,356 A
• Filed: 03/17/1992
• Issued: 08/16/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Ishii, Tadao
• Primary Examiner(s): Dwyer, James L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hong, Harry S.
• Application Number:
  US07/854,308
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 379/207, 379/225, 379/234, 379/219, 379/220, 379/221, 379/228, 379/229, 379/231, 379/233, 379/243, 379/369, 379/280
• US Class Current: 379/234
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/009 in systems involving PBX or KTS networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/62 for connecting to private branch exchanges

Abstract

A virtual private network connecting system in a virtual private network is formed by accommodating in a public network a plurality of PBX units each assigned a unique private office number (ON), the system executed by the units comprising in each of the PBX unit. A virtual private network connecting system comprises number converting units for converting a private office number (ON) to a subscriber number (SN) assigned to the destination PBX unit by the public network and identifying the system of terminating connecting a call from the public network to the destination PBX unit when an extension accommodated in the PBX unit issues a call and dials the private office number (ON) assigned to the destination PBX unit, and outgoing call control units for controlling communication between the called extension accommodated in the destination PBX unit through the public network according to the number conversion result provided by the number converting units and the identification of the system of terminating connection.

Claims

1. A virtual private network connecting system in combination with a virtual private network formed by accommodating in a public network a plurality of PBX units each assigned a unique private office number, each of said PBX units comprising:

number converting means for converting a private office number assigned to a destination PBX unit to a subscriber number assigned to said destination PBX unit by said public network and identifying a method of terminating a call from said public network to said destination PBX unit when an extension accommodated in one of said PBX units issues a call and dials said private office number assigned to said destination PBX unit; and

outgoing call control means for controlling communication between a called extension accommodated in said destination PBX unit through said public network according to a number conversion result provided by said number converting means and a result of the identification of the method of terminating connection.

2. A virtual private network connecting system according to claim 1, wherein

said virtual private network comprises:

a first public network connected to one or more PBX units,

a second public network;

a private network for connecting said first public network to said second public network,

a first switching unit for connecting said first public network to said private network, and

a second switching unit for connecting said private network to said second public network.

3. A virtual private network connecting system according to claim 1, wherein

said number converting means comprises a number conversion table containing a subscriber number assigned to said destination PBX unit by said public network corresponding to said private office number, and a number converting unit for converting said private office number and identifying said method of terminating connection according to contents of said number conversion table, and

said outgoing call control means comprises an attendant intervention method connecting unit for controlling together with an attendant console the communication between extensions of said one calling PBX unit and said destination PBX unit when said terminating connection method identification result indicates an attendant intervention method, a direct inward system access method (DISA) connecting unit for controlling together with said destination PBX unit the communication between the extensions when said terminating connection method identification result indicates a direct inward system access method, and a direct dial-in method connecting unit for controlling together with said destination PBX unit the communication between the extensions when said terminating connection method identification result indicates a direct dial-in method.

4. A virtual private network connecting system according to claim 3, wherein

each of said PBX units comprises a main memory which contains said number conversion table.

5. A virtual private network connecting system according to claim 3, wherein

said number converting unit of said calling PBX unit detects the stored contents of said number conversion table according to said private office number, extracts a subscriber number and a terminating connection method corresponding to said private office number, and recognizes that said terminating connection method is an attendant intervention method on receiving as a dial transmission a virtual private network identification number along with said private office number from said extension accommodated in said calling PBX unit;

and

said attendant intervention method connection unit in said calling PBX unit dial-transmits said extracted subscriber number to said public network, said public network routes the call to said destination PBX unit, said destination PBX unit displays a receive signal on the attendant console of said destination PBX unit, said attendant console performs a responding operation, and said calling PBX unit connects the extension of said calling PBX unit to a corresponding office line.

6. A virtual private network connecting system according to claim 3, wherein

said number converting unit of said calling PBX unit detects stored contents of said number conversion table according to said private office number, extracts a subscriber number corresponding to said private office number and a terminating connection method, and recognizes that said terminating connection method is a direct inward system access method on receiving as a dial-transmission a virtual private network identification number and an extension number of said called extension along with said private office number from said extension accommodated in said calling PBX unit;

and

said direct inward system access method connecting unit of said calling PBX unit dial-transmits said extracted subscriber number to said public network, said public network routes the call to said destination PBX unit, said destination PBX unit automatically responds to said calling PBX unit, said calling PBX unit sends the extension number of said called extension accommodated as an added number to said destination PBX unit, said destination PBX unit alerts said called extension, and said calling PBX unit connects said calling extension thereof to an office line of said public network.

7. A virtual private network connecting system according to claim 6, wherein

said direct inward system access method connecting unit of said calling PBX unit activates a response monitoring timer of said public network for monitoring a response from said public network after dial-transmitting to said public network said subscriber number extracted by said number converting unit, and restores said calling extension and said office line between said calling PBX unit and said public network when said timer is timed out before receiving calling and dial tones from said destination PBX unit or a reverse signal from said public network, and

said timer is cleared by returning said calling and dial tones or receiving the reverse signal from said public network before the timeout of said timer.

8. A virtual private network connecting system according to claim 3, wherein

said number converting unit in said calling PBX unit detects the stored contents of said number conversion table according to said private office number, extracts a local code of said destination PBX unit as a subscriber number corresponding to said private office number, and the terminating connection method, and recognizes that said terminating connection method is a direct dial-in method upon receiving, as a dial-transmission, a virtual private network identifying number and an extension number of said called extension along with said private office number from said extension of said calling PBX unit;

and

said direct dial-in method connecting unit in said calling PBX unit dial-transmits to said public network the local code as the extracted subscriber number and said extension number of said called extension accommodated in said destination PBX unit, said public network routes the call to said destination PBX unit, said destination PBX unit temporarily responds to said public network, said public network sends the extension number of said called extension, said destination PBX unit alerts said called extension, and said calling PBX unit connects said calling extension to an office line.